“It cannot be any other way.” answered Magdalenian with sadness.
“What have you seen?” asked Hephaestus.
“I have seen what has to be. That is all you need to know.”
They stared at each other in silence for a few moments then Hephaestus nodded his head in understanding.
“Very well, I will do as you ask.”
“Our brothers will be here soon.”
“That reunion is enough to make me stay.” said Hephaestus gruffly.
Reaching forward he pulled Magdalenian into an embrace and the two held each other for a few seconds before releasing.
“Go now and do not be too tough on him.”
“May your sword arm be strong and true, Magdalenian.”
Chapter Thirty Three
The capital city of Tarlath
Unfortunate’s alley
Magdalenian’s icy-blue eyes swept over the 14 armed men stood before him. They were mainly made up of middle-aged men wearing inadequate clothes which were soiled with grime and they were armed with an array of make-shift weapons like pick-axes, scythes and spears. He marched up and down the line staring at them silently with his sword drawn by his side, seeing the fear in their eyes. They were tough and gritty men, used to the hardness of the streets but none were seasoned warriors and they were untrained for the gruesome realities of combat and holding weapons that had never shed blood on the field of battle. Yet they stood side by side and ready to fight, preparing to bleed for their homes and loved ones under the moonlit sky on Unfortunate’s alley.
“Men of Tarlath,” he boomed planting his hands on his hips and scanning them. “An enemy is upon you, sent by a King that wants you dead. Today you fight.”
He paused for a second to let his words be digested and a slight murmur resonated through the waiting men.
“It is natural to be afraid. I see you now standing there with sweating palms; fidgeting and no doubt with a racing heart but you need to overcome that emotion. Fear can freeze you in battle and dull your reactions and if you fear them then they have already won. These soldiers are men like you with the same fears and insecurities. Cut them and they will bleed, and bleed and they will fall.”
“But what if they have armour?” cried a stoop-shouldered man with a long wispy-grey beard who held a scythe in one hand. “We cannot cut through plate.”
“What indeed?” Magdalenian answered. “I could teach a young child to find the weaknesses in a suit of armour. Look for the armour’s joints, the visor, under the arms, back of the legs and the groin. They may look formidable but they will be slow and ponderous. Force them to the ground where they will be vulnerable. They think they will have the advantage but we will have the element of speed as well as surprise. Tell me, who is the best amongst you?”
They looked at one another murmuring between them when suddenly a man at the end of the line with an ugly scar running from his brow to his chin spoke out.
“I am.”
Magdalenian strode down the line of assembled men and stood before him.
“What is your name?” he asked.
“Terryn.” he replied before turning his head and spitting a wad of phlegm onto the ground.
“Have you fought before, Terryn?”
“I was with a caravan that got waylaid by bandits on the old trade route through Wellspring once. Lost a cousin, he was a good man.”
“How did you fight that day?”
“Like a lion,” answered Terryn tracing a finger along the scar that ran down his face. “But they left their mark.”
“You will defend the alleyway at the rear with 6 men of your choosing.”
“They will not get past me.” he said grimly.
Nodding his head Magdalenian pointed his finger at a young gangly, freckly-faced boy who stood nervously brandishing a spear and wore an oversized helmet.
“You boy, stay close to me.”
“Yes, sir,” he said looking left then right and fidgeting.
Magdalenian cast his eyes back over the men for a few long seconds, gauging them and reading their faces.
“You could leave now. All of you and you would be free and safe without fear but you chose not to. You stay to protect your own, to defend what is yours. This is about survival. Yes they will be fierce; but we will have equal fierceness.”
Swept along by his words the men cheered in unison and some raised their weapons to the sky.
“I ask you, will you die today?” shouted Magdalenian.
“No!” they roared in unison.
“Then this will be your finest hour and I consider it a great honour to fight alongside you all.”
A great roar erupted from the throats of the men and Magdalenian raised his sword towards the sky along with them. Just then a hunched figure came running toward them and emerged from the alleyway slightly breathless and quite flushed.
“They come!” hissed Damascus.
Magdalenian swiveled his head and looked at the passageway in the opposite direction as Ingrith came running out of the entrance. She looked across at him and nodded her head numbly.
“Take your positions!” he commanded.
Terryn selected his men from the lineup and loped off leaving Magdalenian, the cripple and the remainder of the men to gather around each side of the alleyway. The young gangly, freckly-faced boy holding the spear backed up against the wall and adjusted his helmet nervously and stared in fear at the entrance to the alley. They could hear the muffled sound of armoured footsteps echoing towards them, drawing closer and closer. Magdalenian looked over at the boy and could see that he was struggling to keep the sound of his inhaling and exhaling under control.
“They will get nearer and nearer until you finally see their shadow. If they pass me by then you lunge in and strike.”
The boy nodded his head and swallowed hard with his spear poised. The soldiers were nearly upon them now and they heard the sharp rasp of steel as they drew their swords as they entered the passageway leading onto Unfortunate’s alley. Just before they came visible Magdalenian tightened his grip on his blade and crouched into a low stance. As the first soldier stepped out of the alleyway he flicked his wrist and ran his sword through the man’s neck. Suddenly he heard an ear-piercing scream over his shoulder which reverberated through the stillness of the night and then all was chaos as the two groups clashed. The boy with the spear thrust upward savagely at a man but the pointed head glanced off his iron breastplate and the soldier kicked out with his boot sending the boy sprawling backwards. As he moved in with his sword raised for the killing blow Magdalenian shoulder barged him and he fell backwards, tripping over the body of his fallen comrade. Diving forward he spun his sword through the air and brought it down between the man’s neck before wrenching it clear. Amidst the yelling, the sharp clang of cold steel against cold steel rang out through the night sky punctuated by the sounds of the dying or wounded.
Magdalenian swung his sword at a man to his left, but felt something sharp pierce his between his ribs and he cried out in pain. He slashed blindly but his sword clanged uselessly off the soldier’s amour jarring his hand. Ducking under a wild swing he sidestepped and raised his blade high and swept it round in an arc with all his strength shattering the man’s neck plates and cleaving deeply into muscle sending a spray of blood into his face. Suddenly a shield was thrust against his chest and he staggered back thrusting out with his blade but it deflected heavily from a breastplate and he lost his grip, the weapon clattering to the ground. His attacker advanced on him through the melee and Magdalenian scooped up his sword just in time to parry a wild cut before side-stepping and thrusting his blade through the soldier’s visor slit.
“Hold the line!” he heard Terryn bellow from behind him but Magdalenian didn’t risk a glace over his shoulder.
One soldier swatted aside the spear from the boy, snapping the shaft of the pole with his own weapon as the boy scrambled back weaponless. Darting in Magdalenian launched himself forward a
nd cannoned into the soldier knocking him from his feet sideways. The boy scooped up a fallen shield and slid his arm through the leather bands and collected the broken half of the spear.
“Shields!” someone yelled.
Instantly the soldiers in the alleyway locked formation with their shields and pushed forward from the rear in tight formation. Magdalenian glanced around him hurriedly as they were forced back. Four of his men had fallen and Damascus was bleeding heavily from a cut to his shoulder, his sword hanging uselessly by his side and his face contorted in pain. Force of numbers was pushing them out into the open where they would be surrounded. With blood running freely down his side now Magdalenian could sense the tide of the battle had turned and he cursed angrily.
“Get in a defensive position!” he roared.
Backing away they inched their way to the center of the street and formed a tight circle of resistance as the soldiers funnelled out of the alleyways from both ends and fanned out around them advancing slowly.
“All is lost!” gasped Damascus wearily.
Suddenly in a move that was so fast Akkadian reared up behind the soldiers slashing his sword in a dazzling blur of light. The attackers turned to face their new threat but swordsman moved with breathtaking speed, cutting, parrying, feinting and twisting with deadly accuracy. Then the enormous frame of Dar Thadian appeared at the entrance of the alleyway and he roared in defiance. Striding forward the giant swatted a blade aside and thundered a fist into the face of an onrushing soldier. The man sank wordlessly to the ground but Dar Thadian dragged him to his feet by one hand and brought him forward into a sickening head-butt crushing his iron helmet into his face.
“Attack!” roared Magdalenian.
He dragged a soldier to the ground and rammed his sword up through his unprotected armpit then finished him off by burying his blade into his neck. Terryn lunged forward and slashed at the back of the legs of another and the man screamed out and fell to his knees. Stepping forward he twisted his neck until it cracked then threw the body to the ground. Dar Thadian looked at another soldier, who dropped his sword to the ground in fear, turned and fled.
“Coward.” growled the giant glaring after him.
As quickly as it had begun it was over and the remaining few soldiers ran in a disorganized retreat back the way they had come. Magdalenian felt a great weariness overcome him and his eyes scanned over the bodies of the fallen. There were at least 30 dead or severely wounded soldiers and 13 of theirs and a further 2 that were wounded and bleeding. Then his gaze rested on the still figure of Ingrith sprawled on the ground with a sword protruding from high up in her chest. Staggering he dropped to his knees by her side and she looked up at him weakly and tried to speak but coughed up blood instead.
“Don’t talk.” he whispered soothingly.
She choked and he tilted her head to the side and she cleared her mouth.
“Did…did we win?” she asked.
“We did.”
A brief smile ghosted across her face and then the shadow of Damascus stood over him.
“Please, can you save her?” he begged.
“She is already dead.” said Magdalenian softly.
Damascus looked down at her vacant lifeless eyes and sank to his knees with his head bowed. Suddenly there was a blood-curdling scream that came from the direction of where the soldiers had fled and Magdalenian’s head snapped up as a loud bestial roar rang out. A moment later a huge creature which stood like a man appeared. It was massively muscled and covered with dark brown fur with a large upper body, a long snout filled with razor sharp teeth and arms that ended in claws. The creature sniffed the air then growled low in its throat, its small beady-black fixed on the group.
“He’s yours.” muttered Akkadian looking across at Dar Thadian.
The giant looked over his broad shoulder at Magdalenian, his eyes filled with anger and hate as he clenched and unclenched his great fists. Grunting he rolled his huge neck on his shoulders and cracked his knuckles then began to walk towards the Meldling. As he approached the creature dropped to all fours and charged but Dar Thadian broke into a run directly at it with a snarl on his face. They collided and the momentum of the Meldling sent them both crashing to the ground and the giant rose quickly as the creature reared up and slashed at him with its claws. Dar Thadian grabbed the Meldlings arm and held it there and then his other hand shot out around its throat. The power of his grip would have crushed another man’s neck and the thick, corded muscle in the giant’s neck strained against its power and ferocity. With a scream of rage Dar Thadian ripped out its throat and he flung the creature to the ground and watched it die with his shoulders heaving.
“It is over.” said Akkadian sheathing his sword.
“No,” whispered Magdalenian staring at the broad back of the giant. “It has only just begun.”
Epilogue
In the small, dimly lit room Magdalenian stood over a wooden table and slowly unwrapped the large heavy wedge shaped object wrapped in oilcloth. Gently he folded the fabric and put it to one side and ran his eyes over the blackened twin bladed axe with its steel-wire wrapped grip. He lightly ran his fingers over the pattern of silver runes inscribed into the surface of the metal then drew his thumb over the edge of the blade testing its sharpness. His hand reached out around the shaft and he raised the weapon from the table and hefted it. The weight felt uncomfortable in his grip and the heavy head pulled at his arms.
‘A weapon of war,’ he thought sadly. ‘A weapon that had been abused.’
Then he felt a presence enter the room behind him and his shoulders stiffened as the atmosphere suddenly felt colder.
“I have been expecting you, brother.” said Magdalenian in a soft voice.
“I am not your brother in anything,” growled Dar Thadian. “I'm the monster, remember? I could rip out your beating heart in my hands if I so desired.”
“I can do nothing about your great hatred for me, Gilgamesh. That emotion will always be in your mind. The world is in great jeopardy and we need your strength. Do not make me regret releasing you.”
“Turn around. Face me!” snarled Dar Thadian.
Magdalenian lowered the axe to the table and turned around to stare at the hulking giant stood inside the doorway. His eyes were slits, and his fury so palpable that he could feel it emanating from him in waves.
“Tell me, brother,” he spat. “How did it feel casting me aside?”
“There was no atonement for what you did back then; forgiveness was impossible. Innocent blood had been spilt.”
“We stood together!” roared Dar Thadian clenching his huge fists.
“You betrayed my express command and I live with their deaths every day. Genocide was not the answer.”
“I am a God,” hissed the giant striding into the room and towering over him menacingly. “I do not need to answer for my actions and nor do I need your pitiful approval.”
Magdalenian stared up at the giant and felt stung by the fierceness of his hostility and chose his words carefully.
“You have a bloodlust within you that cannot be sated. Something has to die to feed your hunger. I will never expect your forgiveness for what I had to do but I am going to help you. This I promise.”
“I don’t need your help, Magdalenian.” whispered Dar Thadian coldly.
“I don’t believe that, Gilgamesh. You need our help as much as we need yours. Tonight I have been well reminded of your strength and for that you have my gratitude. If there is any chance of atonement then stand by my side once again on the field of battle. Do not let your hatred of me cloud your mind; don’t abandon us in our great time of need as I abandoned you. We were all brought together for this one purpose and together we can win this war for this world. Join with me once more, fight with me.”
Suddenly Dar Thadian snarled and grabbed Magdalenian by the throat dragging him forward and lifting him from his feet so that their noses were nearly touching.
“I will never fight by you
r side again and neither will you contain me.”
Magdalenian stared at the madness in the giant’s eyes and felt a flicker of fear course through him.
“Do you desire my death that much? Will it fulfil you? If I have to lay down my life so that you help us then I will do so.”
Releasing him gruffly Dar Thadian glowered down at him and he felt some of his anger begin to dissipate.
“I am the same person that you imprisoned and deprived of freedom for close to 500 years. Where I go death always follows.”
“Maybe you think you are the same person,” replied Magdalenian softly. “But sometimes, the eyes of those we despise can see the change. I see it.”
“You see what you want to see. I am here for Goru.”
“Then you may have it.”
Turning Magdalenian lifted the axe from the table and handed it to the giant who held it against his barrel chest.
“Join us, Gilgamesh.”
“I already made my decision the moment you set me free.” said Dar Thadian.
“Then we have a chance at least.” answered Magdalenian with a smile.
Then suddenly without warning the giant pulled the axe up effortlessly and swung it at Magdalenian severing his head in one smooth blow. The knees of his headless body buckled and fell to the ground alongside the head and the giant bent to one knee and wiped the bloodied edges of the axe blade against his shirt.
“I will fight in this war,” he hissed. “But it will not be alongside you.”
THE END
Four Gods Page 21
