“What?” Tarlak asked as he approached, adjusting his hat on his head. Ahaesarus followed, curious.
“I need you or one of Ahaesarus’s angels to fly over and survey the castle,” Antonil said. “Either that, or you open a portal and sneak in to look around, Tarlak.”
“I can send one of my scouts,” Ahaesarus said.
“An excellent idea,” said Tarlak. “As are all ideas that won’t get me needlessly killed.”
“You work for me, remember,” Antonil said.
Tarlak winked.
“Still waiting on my pay.”
They waited as Ahaesarus took to the air, called over one of his angels, and sent him toward the castle.
“So what’s going on, anyway?” Tarlak asked as they watched.
“Something’s strange here,” Harruq said. “Just keep your fingers crossed.”
“Toes, too,” said Antonil. “I’d love to escape this morning without a battle.”
A few minutes later the angel returned, a smile on his face.
“My lords,” he said as he landed with a great rush of air and rustle of feathers. “I have a wonderful surprise for you.”
The troops marched toward the gate, the men singing songs and cheering. The men on the walls cheered back in return, and sang their songs all the louder as the angels neared. Antonil led the way, Ahaesarus at his side. The Eschaton hung back, preferring to let the king handle the first introductions.
“You were the one here last,” Harruq asked Tarlak. “What’s going on?”
“Their king was dead,” the wizard said as they walked, raising his voice to be heard over the throng. “Some lord named Penwick went to great pains to hide that fact, because the various other lords were going to tear themselves to pieces vying for the throne. When we left, Penwick was still in charge. I can’t imagine he fared too well when the demons came flying in.”
“Then who’s this White guy?” asked Harruq. “Where’d all these troops come from?”
“That,” said Tarlak, “is something I’m assuming we’ll find out very soon.”
Aurelia slipped her hand into Harruq’s.
“I guess this is one of those times where you’ll tell me to behave?” the half-orc asked.
Aurelia kissed his cheek.
“You’re learning.”
They passed through the gates to fanfare and cheers. Many troops lined the walls, but despite their numbers, there was no hiding the city’s decimated state. No merchants filled the rows of broken stalls. No men wandered the streets to their smithies and bakeries. The walls guarded a ghost town, and that silence seemed to fight against the cheers of the defending soldiers.
An honor guard approached from the castle, banners held high, all of them of the axe with a bloody handle. Only one rode on horseback; the others were on foot with their shields polished and their hands on their swords. Antonil stepped forward, and at their approach he bowed low, then waited for their host to speak first.
“Welcome,” said the mounted man. He wore armor but no helmet. His face was long, his eyes green and his hair brown. A long but well-trimmed beard grew to the bottom of his neck. “My name is Theo White, and I am king of Omn.”
“Greetings,” Antonil said. “I am King Antonil, lord of Mordan and Neldar.”
“Then like me, you are king of nothing,” Theo said, a bitter smirk crossing his face. “Come, let us return to the castle. Our provisions are few but should fill your bellies. But first, I must be introduced to your rather odd companions.”
At first Harruq thought he meant him until Ahaesarus stepped forward. He chuckled, relieved to realize there were far stranger looking people than him now travelling with them.
“My name is Ahaesarus,” the angel said as he bowed. “I offer you the blessings of Ashhur, and thank you for your hospitality.”
“Keep your blessings,” Theo said. “But I’ll take your swords and spears. Come, to my castle. You have questions, I’m sure, and I’ll do my best to answer.”
He tugged on the reins. The honor guard pivoted, and back to the castle they travelled.
“Delightful fellow, isn’t he?” Harruq muttered.
For once, Aurelia didn’t jab him in the side.
Qurrah watched the procession enter the city, and with every cheer they made, his spirits sank further.
“Damn fools,” he said to himself, for he was alone atop a small hill that looked down upon the fortifications. He sat huddled with his arms crossed over his chest, his chin resting on his forearms. He’d told no one he would stay behind, and no one had even noticed his departure, not even Harruq. Was he still so invisible to them?
“It’s hard returning here, isn’t it?” asked a voice behind him. Qurrah startled, then felt his cheeks flush.
“What would you know about that?” he asked.
Jerico sat beside him, his armor clinking. He put his mace on the ground to his right, away from Qurrah. In silence the two looked upon the town, each lost in their memories.
“They won’t recognize you,” Jerico said.
“That’s because I killed them all,” Qurrah said. He shook his head. “I once entered through those walls a conqueror. I won’t do so now as if I am their savior.”
“You were just one of many,” Jerico said. His red hair blew in the soft wind. “You only opened the gates.”
Qurrah laughed, the sound mirthless and tired.
“That is all I’ve done,” he said. “I brought Tessanna into our lives. I cursed Aullienna. I retrieved the tome to open the portal for the demons. In everything I do, I open the door for death and torment. At least I killed Delysia myself. At least I can feel that guilt warm on my hands, just like her blood…”
He fell silent.
“Guilt is heavy,” Jerico said. “You can pretend it’s not there, but once you feel its weight, there’s no easy escape.”
“Why are you here?” Qurrah asked him.
The left side of Jerico’s face curled into a smile, bitter and sad.
“This hill,” he said, gesturing with his hand. “This is where Velixar nearly broke my faith. This is where I watched hundreds of innocents die. And this is where I slept with Tessanna.”
“I promised to kill you for that,” Qurrah said, feeling his whip tighten around his arm.
“You did,” Jerico said, chuckling.
They both watched the city, watched the banners of the White family flutter in the breeze.
“Why?” Qurrah asked.
“Because I’m human. Because she…”
“No,” the half-orc interrupted. “Not you. Her.”
Jerico scratched at his chin, obviously uncomfortable.
“She felt you judged her,” he said. “She felt with you she had to be strong. You were always taking from her, relying on her. If she broke, if she fell to sadness or despair…would you have been there for her?”
“Of course I would,” Qurrah said, his voice a whisper.
“But did she know that?”
Qurrah had no answer.
“She wanted to break me,” Jerico said when it was obvious the silence would stretch indefinitely. “She wanted to prove I couldn’t be as forgiving as I claimed. She was right.”
“Do you hate me?” Qurrah asked after shaking his head.
Jerico glanced over.
“Yes. At times.”
“You watched me aid in the deaths of hundreds.”
Jerico nodded. “I did.”
“Yet I’m still alive.”
Now the paladin had no answer.
“No one is as good as they claim,” Qurrah said, standing. “But you’ve never claimed to be perfect, Jerico, only that you desire to be. Your failure does not deny that perfection. The fact that you haven’t killed me is proof enough. But I think I know what it is Tessanna desired from you. What she’d never have gotten from me, for I’d never felt it myself.”
“And what is that?” Jerico asked.
“Forgiveness. For Aullienna. It haunt
s her. Now Velixar’s got her, he’s twisting her, trying to break her like he tried to break you. Should I ever see her again, what will be left of her? A shattered thing? Will I even know her?”
Jerico clapped Qurrah on the shoulder.
“Come on,” he said. “I’m hungry, and this hill makes for poor sleeping. Our friends await.”
“I have no friends,” Qurrah said.
“Don’t be so melodramatic. Your family, then.”
He offered his hand, and Qurrah took it.
“All right, but if anyone tries to kill me, you better protect me.”
Jerico winked.
“We’ll see.”
They returned to the city.
The feast was meager, but Harruq was still thankful. It seemed like it’d been ages since he’d eaten in a chair at a table. They gathered in the great hall of the castle, with six long tables, three of them empty. Antonil and Theo sat opposite each other, with a few knights and angels between them and the Eschaton. Harruq absently chewed on some bread far too stale for his liking and watched the two kings talk.
“What are we missing out on?” he asked.
“Since when did politics interest you?” Tarlak countered.
“It might affect his food,” Aurelia said. “That keeps him interested.”
“I’m serious,” Harruq said, clearly insulted. “We’ve marched in here expecting to fight, and instead find troops of some king that I sure don’t know.”
“You’ve barely been outside of Veldaren,” Aurelia said. “Of course you don’t know anyone.”
“I recognize the name,” Tarlak said. “That Pensely guy said that a baron named Gregor White was expected to become king, but then he died with no clear heir between his two sons.”
“Sounds like Theo was the stronger of the sons,” Aurelia said. She pushed away her plate, having no appetite for the light meal. “I wonder where the other son is. Dead, perhaps? Hanging from a branch by a rope? Maybe just jailed in a tower somewhere.”
“Careful,” said Tarlak. “You might be discussing a deep dark secret of this majestic White empire sure to rise in these final days.”
Harruq rolled his eyes.
“Master of sarcasm, you are not.”
“Better than you, oh master of the subtle.”
Further down the table, Ahaesarus excused himself, stood, and then moved to sit with the Eschaton.
“I saw your stares,” he said as he folded in his wings so they wouldn’t brush against Tarlak. “I assure you, the plans being made are far less interesting than you might assume.”
“Tell us anyway,” said Aurelia.
Ahaesarus leaned back and crossed his arms as he thought over everything the two kings had said.
“We will remain here for a time,” he said, figuring to start with the most certain. “I’ll have angels patrolling all across the Kingstrip. Thulos and his troops won’t get within a hundred miles of here without us knowing. Until then, we’ll gather what soldiers we can and train them. As for what we do once the demons make their move…”
He gestured to where Antonil and Theo argued, their conversation having grown rather heated.
“That is still uncertain. I fear King White’s desires are too fatalistic. He is convinced the world is coming to an end, and he seeks glory and blood to be his burial shroud.”
“Who is this guy, anyway?” Harruq asked. “No one’s told me anything. How’d he become king? How’d they retake this castle?”
“Did he defeat his brother after the city fell?” Aurelia asked.
“No,” said the angel. “His brother was here when Karak’s troops slaughtered everyone. Evidently only a token force garrisoned the walls. Once the barons discovered the destruction, they began mustering troops. The demons were careless, and instead of consolidating power they continued after us.”
“Velixar wanted all of you dead,” said Qurrah as he sat beside his brother. The table quieted immediately, broken only by Jerico’s chuckle as he took a seat opposite him.
“Save the awkwardness for later,” the paladin said. “Qurrah’s information here is vital to our decision making.”
“Go ahead then,” said Tarlak, keeping his eyes on everyone but Qurrah. “Enlighten us.”
“The demons were led by one named Ulamn. Velixar pressed him, kept him moving when he might have otherwise slowed. Both believed their supply of war demons limitless, and hoped to crush Mordan before they received warning they were even in danger. If the queen had time to gather her troops, the siege would have been far more dangerous.”
“That rush left Kinamn here lightly guarded,” Ahaesarus said. “And it also left the barons to prepare without danger or harassment. So months later, when the demons fled the other way, chased by us, Theo White gathered everyone under his banner. His army is the strongest, his command the wisest, and without his brother to compete for inheritance, he was an obvious choice for leadership. They stormed the walls only weeks ago, defeating the few demons stationed here. At the very least, Omn is now free of the demons’ presence.”
“But for how long?” Tarlak asked. He pointed a finger at Ahaesarus. “You know they’re coming, and this time with a god on their side. Theo can’t possibly think these walls will matter, or that we can hold them.”
The angel shook his head.
“No, he doesn’t,” he said. “But his preferred defense for his country…it is careless. Dangerous. I hope in my heart your king Antonil can persuade him off such a course. I fear he won’t. Until then, though, we must prepare. We do not know what Thulos will do, but I doubt he will come as quickly or as recklessly.”
“He can’t,” Aurelia said. “The portal’s closed. His demons are now limited, and with every death he grows weaker. He’ll need men. Lots of men.”
“That is Theo’s thinking,” said Ahaesarus. “Felwood Castle and Angelport are the two most likely places. It will take time to reach either of them.”
“Will Thulos get them to switch?” Harruq asked. “Conquer them, make them serve his rule?”
Ahaesarus sighed.
“I don’t know,” he said. “Time will tell. I have little hope, though.”
“Isn’t that what your kind is for, hope?” asked Aurelia.
The angel smiled, but sadness hid in his eyes.
“I am here for this,” he said, patting the sword at his side. “Nothing else. Come the battle, I will slay the enemies of Ashhur to protect the lives of this world, and will do so until my last mortal breath. I know of nothing else.”
Harruq took a drink as the conversation quieted, worried by the strange chill that danced down his spine.
7
Tessanna watched the campfires flare to life across the plains with idle curiosity. The war demons were well practiced at their nightly duties, but this night they seemed tense. She knew they were approaching the lands guarded by Felwood Castle, but was it possible the creatures of battle felt nerves and doubt like everyone else?
She huddled closer to her own fire. She felt dirty and pathetic. What had happened to the goddess? At one time she had walked through the crowd of warriors proudly, almost daring them to lay a finger upon her pale skin. Now she quivered when they glared. She’d been afraid before, but not like this. She’d felt pain before, but not like this. She wasn’t master over her fear. Pain came and went whether she allowed it or not. Through it all haunted the specter of Velixar, watching with his red eyes, touching her with his dead flesh.
It’d been six days since she’d last eaten. The simple wooden band, the one she’d worn on her finger nearly all her life, she’d cast aside during their march. Its magic had allowed her to eat only rarely, and very little when she did. She didn’t want that anymore. Hunger stabbed her stomach, but she welcomed it. When she looked at herself, she saw a skeleton barely hanging on to life. Her hair was matted and unevenly cut. Not even when given the chance did she wash herself. She wasn’t killing herself, but it was close. She was killing her beauty.
“Your eyes,” Velixar said as he sat beside her. He kept his arms crossed, his hands thankfully not touching her. “I’ve seen that look in dead men and women. You are still alive. What haunts you?”
“Rest your silver tongue,” Tessanna said. “You know I don’t believe a word it says.”
“I never lie,” Karak’s prophet insisted.
“Your greatest lie of all.”
He chuckled, anger lurking beneath the sound. He touched her hair. She didn’t bother to hide her shiver.
“We are not far from Felwood,” he said, gently fondling the dirt-streaked strands that fell all the way to her waist. “There will be servant girls, baths, clothes fit for royalty. This rough travel does not suit you.”
“I am not your princess,” Tessanna snapped. “I’m not your whore, either. I’m nothing. Even the weakest of men could gut me with a sword.”
“I don’t want you for your power,” Velixar said. “A power that may or may not return.”
“Then what is it you want?” she asked. She hunched her shoulders and looked away, unwilling to see that look in his eyes. The look she’d seen in so many men, though not always as frightening or dangerous.
“I want to break you,” he whispered into her ear. “You were Qurrah’s, but he never deserved you. You are the greatest woman of our time. You belong to the greatest man of all times.”
“You are bones and rot,” Tessanna said, but her voice lacked conviction.
His fingertips brushed her neck, then slid around her like a serpent. She was thin, so thin…
“I could snap your neck right here,” Velixar said. Stars swam before her eyes. “I could strangle every bit of life from you, then raise you to be my queen. Qurrah is out there, my greatest failure. I will return him to Karak’s fold. I will show him his error. When I do that, my love, I want you there. I want you to watch as he falls to his knees and begs me for forgiveness. I want you to see his tears and hear his wretched brokenness.”
The Half-Orcs: Books 1-5 Page 133
