Talohna Origins- The Northmen

by J D Franx

  “We can’t meet them head on again,” Brenna suggested, as if her thoughts mimicked his own.

  Engier sighed, “Agreed. We lost too many.”

  “Where to now, my lord?” Drengr asked as he approached from the nearest side of the Northmen convoy.

  “The fortress, whatever remains of it, is the only defensible option in range,” Brenna pointed out. “Especially now that everything east of the light house is gone.”

  “The Orotaq won’t cross the mud to attack,” Engier said. Nodding his head, he pointed to the freshly created peninsula leading from the valley to Steiin Fortress. “They’ll be forced to follow right behind us on that narrow strip of land formed when our land met theirs.”

  Drengr coughed, interrupting them. “My lord...” he began but paused for a second as if trying to decide exactly what to say. He tried again. “Jarl Engier, what happens if these quakes continue and the mines open up? We don’t know what happened to those sealed below. We could end up trapped in the fortress by the Orotaq on one side and the undead right under us in the mines below.”

  “We have no choice,” he replied. “We have to deal with the most immediate threat, and right now that is the Orotaq. Brenna, send scouts ahead and if the mine has opened up and there are walking dead to deal with, have them return immediately for more warriors to clear them out if so. Everyone else, let's start moving our people to Steiin Fortress. There are enough of us now so we should be able to fortify it and at least get some rest. The Orotaq are holding back, so let’s take advantage of it.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  EVENING

  STEIIN FORTRESS

  “Back where we began,” Engier said to no one in particular as he stood around the central fire located in the fortress’ main courtyard. The first order he gave upon arrival was to build a massive funeral pyre for those lost and for the ones they could recover. Drengr added runes to the pyre that made the process much quicker and as he watched the last of his dead crumble to ash, Engier rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. The short hairs along his spine had been standing on end since the moment they arrived back at Steiin Fortress. It was as if they were being watched. By who or what, he was sure only the Gods knew. Perhaps it was just the knowledge of what could be lurking below them that set him on edge. That dozens of magically mutated walking dead could be roaming the mines below them was a startling possibility, but Drengr and Eira assured him that all exits from the mine were still collapsed in spite of the rapidly increasing number of earthquakes hitting the island.

  With more urgent matters at hand, Engier sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck a second time, flattening his irritated hair and nerves as Brenna and Drengr joined him at the remains of the fortress’ south wall.

  Though it had collapsed and nearly killed Drengr during the first quake months earlier, Engier’s people rebuilt it to a height of five feet over the course of the morning and early afternoon. The crude mortar had yet to dry, but it was a fortified barricade they could defend, at least for a while.

  “The scouts are back,” Brenna said. “The enemy is holding where they are, but it looks like they are preparing to come after us. The Orotaq blacksmith tents were belching heat and the ringing of hammers could be heard from over a mile away.”

  “Their weapons are no match for Northman steel, my axe shattered several swords during our attack,” Engier replied. “Their blacksmiths will be trying to remedy that so I doubt they’ll move out tonight. Keep our scouts fresh, two hours out in the field and then rotate them so they’re alert. That way we’ll have some warning in case they do come after us.” She nodded and quickly left to dispatch her people.

  “Anything you need me to do?” Drengr asked.

  “Yes, set the fortress guard shifts so our people can get some rest, I’ll set the rotation for the exterior watch.”

  “Of course, my lord. Anything else?”

  “When you’re done, have all the clan leaders who didn’t attend the funeral pyre meet us at the central fire, so we can decide on a plan.”

  The wizard nodded and left. Engier headed for the temporary barracks and had his commanders set a heavy, but rotating guard outside the walls. Keeping fresh men on watch was as important as keeping the scouts fresh, especially on nights when an attack could come. He spent the next half hour walking through camp, talking to clan elders and reassuring them it would be safe to rest for the night. By the time he returned to the main fire, the other Jarls, Thanes, and even a couple of elders were there, along with Drengr, and Eira. Sabjorn sat chained against the far wall under guard. Before he had a chance to greet them all, Brenna rushed up from behind and grabbed his arm.

  “We need to talk,” she whispered. “Privately.”

  Engier nodded and quickly addressed the gathering. “Give us a moment, if you will, my lords?” Getting a series of nods, he turned to join Brenna off to the side.

  “We have a problem,” she said. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head but said nothing as she continued. “I haven’t felt right since we got here, Engier...”

  “We are being watched,” he said, interrupting her.

  “You are,” a loud voice echoed from behind him up in the eastern ramparts of the fortress. Dressed in tight black leather armor, the woman’s features were hidden under a hood and mask of matching black. Even from where he stood, several enchantment scripts visibly reflected off the moonlight and blazed across the armor making him frown. Only weapons and shields could be enchanted by the Rynstars, but if armor could be as well, the possibilities were very intriguing.

  “You’re also surrounded,” she informed them.

  Engier slowly turned and examined the ramparts and second story balconies overlooking the interior of Steiin Fortress. The woman was right, at least a hundred warriors dressed in black, identical to hers, had taken up positions above and around them. The two dozen archers spread throughout the new arrivals had every angle covered and the experienced warrior in him knew they were caught like vermin in a trap.

  Or so the new arrivals believed, but Engier never ignored his instincts. The exterior watch was al the new arrivals would’ve seen, but the men he had ordered to hide outside the fortress upon their return to Steiin would already be silently moving in behind the new arrivals.

  “Talk or fight?” he asked, turning his focus back to the woman above him. “You haven’t attacked so I assume you want to parley?”

  “Parley?” the woman asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

  “You understand us?” Eira inquired as she stepped forward.

  The masked woman nodded. “You speak in a very ancient tongue. One long forgotten by most in Talohna, and you reek of power not seen here since before the Ri’Tek exile many millennia ago.”

  “And yet you have knowledge of such things?” Engier pressed.

  “Of course, we do,” the woman answered as she hopped the railing and dropped to the ground in front of them. She landed without making a breath of noise and a smaller, almost identical version of her landed softly behind the woman. A young apprentice was Engier’s guess. “We are all that remains of the Guardian Pact. It is our responsibility to protect Talohna from the worst magic created by or spawned into this world.”

  Unsure of what else to do, Engier offered the woman a respectable bow. “I am Jarl Engier War-Blood and those you see around me are quite possibly all that remains of the Northmen, my people. We came...” he began, but the woman held up her hand to stop him from speaking further. She pulled down her hood and lowered her mask, revealing a set of stark yellow eyes that met his own with an intensity he’d rarely seen outside of his own people. Engier shook his head. The woman couldn’t have seen more than twenty summers, yet the experience behind her eyes seemed ageless. Pointed ears poked through tufts of reddish-yellow hair as it fell forward on her face, but it didn’t hide the black flower tattoo at her temple or the pulsing arrowhead shaped medallion hanging from the chain around her neck.


  “I am Yrlissa Blackmist, Jarl Engier. I know exactly how the Northmen got here and what caused this island to break from your homeland. We have been watching you since you first stepped foot on Talohna soil. The countries of Talohna have spent the last few years at war against a magic user called a DeathWizard. Her death-spell tore this land apart and its effects must have reached as far away as your land. Ancient magic no longer practiced in Talohna was used to keep your island afloat until it arrived here, I can feel it as easily as I see you standing here now. This magic is what caught our attention, but it is not what concerns us now. You and your island are here safely and the magic that brought you here has long dissipated, but the dark wizard’s death-spell has not yet completed and the shaking earth will continue until the spell is exhausted.”

  “If not the Skeyth’s magic, then what has brought your Guardian Pact here?” Drengr asked. “It seems like we’re at the farthest edge of any civilized land, what threat could be so dire?”

  “Understand this,” she replied. “Any civilized land in Talohna is far to the south of this position. You are in Orotaq territory now, it is very remote and they do not like intruders.”

  “So we’ve found,” Eira confirmed.

  “My scouts have been watching your interactions with the blue beasts, we have come to decide that you have honor, a trait lacking in the Orotaq. Attacking them at night was a wise move, not killing all of the witches within the camp first and foremost was your mistake. Dead Sisters travel in groups called ternions. It means three in the common tongue. Killing all three witches, not their novices or apprentices is the only way to stop a ternion. If one dies, the others become more powerful by absorbing the fallen witch’s power.”

  “Good to know,” Engier said. “Now what brings you here? And are we fighting or continue talking?”

  Nodding her head towards Drengr and then Sabjorn, Yrlissa scoffed. “If your wizards remain in control of whatever strange magic runs through their blood, we will talk. Our interest is in the source of magic entombed below this very fortress. It is unlike any I have seen during my very long life,” she said. “It screams in our heads of agony and suffering. It must be destroyed or kept from the hands of those who would use it to do harm.”

  “If that is true, then our goals are aligned, but how do we know you aren’t one of those who wish to use it for harm?” Engier inquired. “You have surrounded my people with weapons ready to attack, not exactly an offer of friendship.”

  “Agreed,” Brenna said, jumping in. “We can’t trust these people, Engier.”

  “You have a choice to make, Jarl Engier,” Yrlissa said, her voice indifferent. “I suggest you accept before the men you have moving into position behind us arrive and my people react to them as a threat. We mean you no harm and you do greatly outnumber us.”

  She stopped talking long enough to raise her hands. Her archers stood down and the rest of her people quickly followed. “We are willing to surrender all our weapons except for the wooden daggers some of us carry. As well, we can show you how to kill the Orotaq much quicker and easier than you have been, even now that you’ve begun to understand the Orotaq battle maneuvers. We have no interest in acquiring new magic, so with your permission, we will try to destroy whatever is below this fortress right where we find it. If we cannot do so, we will discuss the best options that remain, but we will not take this magic from you, Jarl Engier. We cannot afford to lose the lives we would in trying, we merely want the threat it poses neutralized.”

  “As do we. We can work with that, I think,” he said. “If your people agree to remain under guard. Brenna, can you oversee that?” Sighing, she finally nodded, but he could see the suspicion in her eyes as she glared at the newcomers.

  “You have no choice,” Yrlissa persisted. “You cannot destroy the magic alone or you would have already and you cannot defeat the Orotaq alone or you would have done that already as well.”

  “Do not fool yourself,” Brenna hissed. “We always have a choice. It just involves losing more Northmen lives than we can afford right now in order to wipe your smug face from this fortress and those fat bastards from our island. But do not believe for one second that would stop us from doing so if you give us reason to.”

  “I believe you,” Yrlissa answered, offering a respectful bow.

  “The mine exits are all sealed,” Drengr reminded them. “Even if we agree to this.”

  “My people will get into the mines by using magic and I will deal with whatever it is, in return you keep the Orotaq out of this fortress while we do. My people will help you fight, of course.”

  “My lord?”

  “Yes, Sabjorn,” Engier replied, nodding to the guards to unchain him and bring him forward. He was glad to see Drengr keep such a close eye on the one time rebel.

  “Perhaps Drengr and I should accompany her when she goes into the mine. We may be able to help.”

  Engier nodded his agreement and the guard untied Sabjorn. He and Drengr eased their way through the gathering crowd of men, women, and children. “Yrlissa, this is Drengr and Sabjorn. Drengr is a close friend and our clan wizard, Sabjorn… Well, let’s just say, if he does something you disagree with, put a dagger in his skull. Only a runecaster can explain how the magic below us came to be and they are the only two here.”

  “Runecaster?” Yrlissa asked, puzzled. “I’ve not heard of such a thing.”

  “May I?” Drengr asked sliding a small fire opal from his pouch. Engier and Brenna both nodded. “Can someone douse the fire?” he asked. Yrlissa’s hand shot out and with a twist of her wrist the main campfire winked out, darkening the immediate area. Too late to stop, the men at the campfire poured two jugs of water over the fire pit, thoroughly dousing the warm coals.

  “Impressive,” Drengr breathed. “My turn.” Holding the fire opal, he showed it to her, turning it so the marked rune sparkled when it caught the low light from the torches hanging on the fortress walls. “Magical stones and gems from our homeland, marked with magical script by Rynstar blacksmiths who have been specially trained,” he offered, by way of an explanation. “Sabjorn and I no longer have any control over these, but the magic inside the rune still works for those taught how to break them and release the power within.” Snapping the opal, Drengr tossed it among the dead coals and damp wood. The runes hissed and a moment later the fire leapt back to life, roaring with flickering flames of magical energy.

  “Impressive,” Yrlissa mimicked. “Lighting wet wood is a life-saving magic in many places across Talohna. The southern rain forest tribals would never cook or eat without similar magics. I’ve not seen new magic in many, many years, this is incredible. Both of you were capable of manipulating the energy in the stones at some point?”

  “Any runecaster can, yes,” Sabjorn offered. “Most of my life I could.”

  “Same,” Drengr said, raising his arms so she could see the bright red veins coursing through his body. “Before this happened, anyway.”

  “Then we have much to discuss,” she said. “Do we have an understanding, Jarl Engier? A truce for our mutual gain?”

  “We do, but we can’t hold the Orotaq back for long. Many of our number are villagers or farmers.”

  “My Guardians will help,” she said. “Several among my people carry the Broken Blade. They will show you how to quickly kill an Orotaq warrior if it comes to it but come get me or my second before they arrive and we will walk out to parley, as you say. The Orotaq will think twice once they know the Guardian Pact are here and it may give us the time needed to reach the magic below.”

  “That would be much appreciated. How do we address you?” he asked.

  “Yrlissa is fine,” she said as she waved to one of her men. He jumped down just as easily as she did and landed with as little noise. “The only title I ever held no longer means anything. This is Terric Yorsair, a fellow Broken Blade and my second in command.”

  “A Broken Blade is different from a Guardian?” Drengr asked out of curiosity.
>
  “The Blades are a small sect within the Guardians. How do I put this?” She paused for a few seconds as if to consider her words before speaking further. “When death is the only option to stop rogue or evil magic from taking root in Talohna, a Broken Blade is sent to deal with it.”

  “So, you’re assassins,” Brenna scoffed.

  Yrlissa answered without hesitation, “When it is necessary, yes. Now, if we are finished with the interrogations, shall we get to work?”

  Engier nodded and bumped Brenna to do the same. She did as she was told, but he could see the reluctance in her furrowed brow.

  “Good,” Yrlissa said, continuing. “Terric will show you how to kill the Orotaq with much more ease, should you need to...” Her words were cut short by a chorus of sighs and amazement from a dozen Northmen children as a bright light streaked high over the fortress.

  “That’s from our scouts,” Terric said.

  “The bastard Orotaq are moving already,” Yrlissa cursed. “Terric, go with Jarl Engier and a dozen others, half ours, half Northmen. Stall them if you can, I’ll go with the runecasters and see if we can get inside this mine.”

  “Their army won’t be here for a few hours, so why not let them come and meet them then,” Drengr suggested.

  Yrlissa shook her head. “Walking out to meet them now will give us extra time we may need. It will be almost an hour walk to the parley and another back. It will stop the Orotaq army’s march and our presence will force their war leaders to reconsider their strategy. They will at least demand a meeting with Gorak before they push ahead, giving us further time we may need. The Guardians and the Orotaq try to avoid each other whenever possible. Remember, we are only trying to barter for as much time as is possible. Terric, you know what to do if they persist on testing the Pact’s resolve.” The man nodded but said nothing.

  “You heard her, people,” Engier ordered. “Eira, I’d like you to accompany myself and Brenna.”