The Shattered Moon (A Divine Legacy Book 1)

by Alexander J Wilkinson

  In the distance, down what used to be the main high street of Minerva, Shaya finally spotted the end of the cobbled roads. Beyond lay mud and patches of dead grass that lead up a slight incline.

  After over an hour of walking through ravaged streets, they finally left the dead city behind them. Elle barked some orders, and two battalions split off from the main horde. One went left, the other went right. The plan was for the main bulk of the force to attack from the front on the other side of the hill. The other two would flank and attack from either side.

  The king, Shaya, Elle, Benjin and over a hundred soldiers began to march up the hill. That was when Shaya felt the first drop of rain hit her cheek, it ran down and dripped off her chin. Within a few minutes, the clouds were jet black, rain began to pour down, and Shaya was drenched from head to toe. The sound of the raindrops hitting the soldier’s armour was like thousands of tiny hammers hitting steel. The horses had some trouble in the wet mud, as they climbed the hill their hooves became stuck in the sludge. When they eventually reached the top, the ground mercifully flattened out again. They could see the ocean in the distance.

  Not long now.

  Shaya suddenly felt a lump form in her throat. They were so close. What they would find she didn’t know, but she hoped that it wouldn’t be as terrible as the horrors that her mind was conjuring. The wind began to howl, Shaya could see the waves crashing violently in the dark sea beyond. The reports had been right, the whole area was covered by one giant storm. It looked as if the ground ahead was to drop down the other side of the hill.

  That’ll be fun in the soaking mud, Shaya’s sarcastic voice echoed in her head, Horse surfing.

  Something moved quickly towards them, a dark figure in the sky. It was Aesal, he came hurtling towards them and landed hard on one knee right in front of the royal steed. The startled horse reared back with a panicked whinny.

  “My liege,” he said breathlessly, his head bowed.

  “What is it Aesal?”

  The Volanti looked up, his beak quivering, unable to speak. His eyes, the answer was in his eyes.

  Chapter Twenty

  The Battle of the Western Shore

  “Aesal speak,” Rowan’s voice reflected the fear that had suddenly exploded within Shaya’s chest. Aesal, still on one knee panted for breath, his eyes wide and wild. Elle and Benjin trotted over quickly atop their horses awaiting an explanation, behind them the army came to an abrupt halt.

  “The scouts,” Aesal finally stammered “They must have reached the island.”

  “And?” Elle snapped impatiently.

  “They’re waiting for us.”

  Shaya’s heart seemed to stop as did time itself. Their plan rested on surprise, giving them the upper hand, no matter how brief. It would give them time to inflict the maximum amount of damage to Rakmar’s forces before they even had a chance to retaliate. Shaya had heard Elle say dozens of times, that they didn’t have the numbers for a full-on attack against a mobilised force.

  Shaya snapped out of it when she heard Aesal apologise for the fifth time.

  “It’s not your fault, this was always a possibility,” said Rowan.

  “But not one we’re prepared for,” Elle grunted.

  “Do you want to turn back Ellesia? Run, hide and wait for Rakmar to come for us?”

  “I never run from a fight, your highness.”

  “Neither does a king,” Rowan said with a fiery glare. “Aesal, gather your scouts, warn the other regiments. The plan does not alter.”

  “Yes sire, at once” Aesal launched into the air at breakneck speed.

  “Come,” Rowan whipped the reins, and they headed for the edge of the hill. As they grew closer, Shaya could see that the ground sloped all the way down to the shore. Then she finally saw it. The Meteor. That’s where he was, waiting for them, the terrifying demon from an ancient story.

  Like jagged black glass, the meteor sat just offshore. Massive, it was indeed the size of an island, but without a sandy beach or trees or even grass. In the centre stood a thin and serrated spire, with a spiked tip, like the tail of a giant monster. The whole thing looked as if it had once been a savage sea, now frozen solid. There was no smooth or flat surface, it was covered with black spikes, sharp angles and ragged waves of blackness. A place of nightmares. To think this thing had been part of the silvery moon above seemed unbelievable, but so did going to war with a God.

  On the shoreline in front of the meteor stood something even more terrifying. Rakmar’s army. There were hundreds of them, too many to count, silently waiting. Krarg, the sickening lizard creatures that had plagued Shaya’s journey from the start. Elle had said that the surrounding swamps were their home, but Shaya guessed that even the warrior woman herself didn’t expect the numbers that lay before them. One of the vile creatures must have spotted them atop the hill, and it began to screech and fail its saw-like blade in the air. Within seconds the whole monstrous horde erupted in frenzied screams and terrible wails.

  The sounds sent a cold sick feeling shooting into Shaya’s stomach. She suddenly felt ill, and her skin turned icy, and it wasn’t from the blustering gale or the pouring rain. The soldiers behind her grew fearful, Shaya could feel it in the air. Most of them had never seen such a force before. She looked over at Benjin, who wore a grave face, as did Elle. The soldier’s eyes were wide, darting around frantically. They all looked at each other in silent terror as the dark foreboding clouds continued to rain down.

  “Shaya,” Rowan said softly without turning around, “Can you give me a moment?”

  “Of course,” she said and slid off the steed. Her boots splattered into the mud, and she took a step back towards Benjin.

  Slowly Rowan’s horse trotted forward, towards the sloping hill. He turned, not as the boy she knew, but as the king he was. His jaw rigid, his gaze stern. He paced back and forth in front of his army atop his silver stallion.

  “People of Arrolyn,” he spoke quietly, the sound of his voice barely audible over the hammering rain. He paused for a moment staring at all the worried faces looking back at him pleadingly. Then suddenly, as if he snapped out of a trance he spoke again, louder.

  “People of Arrolyn. I can feel your fear. Without you all here today,

  it may have been too much for me to bare. But with you by my side, I am not afraid.” He continued to pace to and thro as every eye watched him.

  “People of Arrolyn,” he said once again, his voice now a

  commanding shout “Do not fear what those monsters can do,” he pointed towards the storm covered island and the frenzied masses. “They should fear a united Arrolyn, the power of a unified kingdom. They will come to fear the strength and courage of all that stand here before them. That bravery is no match for such mindless creatures. Together we fight.”

  The new king bellowed as he drew his blade and held it high above his head. Every soldier drew their weapon with revitalised courage.

  “Together we stand as one, one light in the growing darkness and we will prevail.”

  The army let out a loud battle cry that shook Shaya’s ribs.

  “Brothers and sisters. Let those monsters down there and the God that cowers on his island, let them know, that today, we come for them.”

  With that, the army erupted. The long, loud war cry of a united-kingdom echoed across the land, drowning out the manic screeches of the Krarg below. They slammed their swords against their shields, smashed the ends of their spears and axes against the ground. The Boaruss in the crowd roared louder than anyone, slamming their mighty fists against their iron breastplates.

  Shaya screamed as loud as she could until her throat went dry, then she screamed some more, waving her sword above her head. Rowan galloped alongside Shaya, a confident smile on his face that seemed to suit him. There was something about it, seeing it made her fear ebb away into the back of her mind. He reached down

  “You coming?” he said.

  “I wouldn’t miss it,” Shaya grabbed his han
d, and she climbed atop the royal steed.

  “Good speech,” she whispered, and Rowan smiled.

  She locked her feet into the stirrups and glanced over at Benjin, his face red from shouting, their eyes met. He nodded with a warm smile, she did the same. Quickly she grabbed her bow and readied an arrow on the drawstring.

  This is it.

  She was ready for war.

  Rowan shouted over the deafening din “Ride for Arrolyn, ride for your people. Ride to victory.”

  The steed bolted forward and down the hill. A sound like thunder followed them. The ground shook with the force of an avalanche as the roaring horde charged into battle.

  “Archers. Draw,” Shaya heard Madam Quinzel shout to the bowman, all of whom stayed atop the hill. “Fire,” was the last thing Shaya heard before they were too far away, and the racket of the stampede enveloped everything else. She looked up as a shower of arrows flew over their heads. Elle grabbed a silver horn she had tied around her waist and gave two blasts. The noise made Shaya’s ears ring it was so loud. A deep threatening boom burst out, and it was then when she saw Rowan and Elle’s battle plan unfold in front of her.

  The Krarg raised their shields to block the shower of arrows, but at the blasts from Elle’s horn, came two thunderous charges from each side of the hill. The Krarg panicked. Some dropped their shields and readied their blades. Some kept their steel guards raised but fumbled for their swords, others tried to flee. As they grew closer, Shaya spotted Ortuskuss and other Boaruss atop their saurian steeds. Swinging their battle axes and war hammers wildly among the men and women on horseback. The arrows rained down on the Krarg felling dozens of them. The timing was perfect. As the final bolt reached its mark, the two battalions ploughed into the lizards, smashing into them with tremendous force. Some of the reptiles flew up into the air and landed with a mighty crash.

  “Ready,” Elle roared with her sword stretched out in front of her. They grew closer and closer, Shaya didn’t have time for the fear to return, even when she saw the horrors of war before her. Krarg were leaping at the soldiers, tearing them off their horses and sinking their blades into them. Some Volanti were shot out of the sky as they soared overhead. The bird people were dropping flaming leather pouches down onto the battlefield which exploded in a white flash, blinding the monsters. Soldiers on the ground finished the job. Some blasted with more than just a flash, some exploded in a shower of flames, the Volanti’s homemade explosive powers.

  They were so close now that Shaya could smell the Krarg’s putrid stench and the blood, and the acrid odour of burning scales, the stink washed over her in a wave. A rotten coppery smell that turned her stomach. As she saw the glint of yellow eyes flash in her direction, the young soldier drew back her bow and released. The arrow stuck in the Krarg’s neck, it fell backwards with a screech.

  “Keep moving,” screamed Elle over the sounds of terrible battle. Their horses smashed into the repulsive reptiles sending them scattering like insects from a flame. Arrows flew in all directions, Shaya found herself ducking out of the way and returning fire.

  “Down,” yelled the king as a Krarg leapt into the air, claws outstretched, wild yellow eyes underneath the black helm. From nowhere a silver Volanti spear crashed into the lizard, full force in the chest. Shaya spun around and caught a glimpse of an exhausted-looking Aesal before she lost him in the chaos. Benjin to their left, Ellesia to their right were cutting down any creature foolish enough to approach. Shaya caught screeches of There, and The prinsss. She quickly realised that they had a target on their back.

  The battlefield was utter carnage. A Boaruss rived backward as three Krarg with their razor-like blades climbed on his back and began to viciously hack away. He fell, narrowly missing Benjin’s horse with such a crash that the floor shook violently. A panicked saurian without a rider bombarded through a group of Krarg, stepping on them and smashing a few others with its long tail. One of Aesal’s scouts fell from the sky and landed in a crumpled heap just in front of the king’s horse, a dozen arrows in his chest and wings, Rowan was forced to jump their steed over the poor bird.

  Benjin shouted out. Shaya turned to see a Krarg climbing atop his terrified horse. The steed was jumping and flailing in fear, nearly knocking the lizard and her uncle off. The beast grabbed Benjin by the head and opened it’s mouth wide, bearing down on his neck with its rows of sharp yellow fangs. In the struggle, Benjin managed to shove a dagger into the things side, but still, it tried to rip a chunk out of him. Shaya aimed and fired, the arrow sailed over the monster’s head as the horse bucked again. She cursed and let loose a second arrow that stuck straight through the Krarg’s cheek. It howled, and Benjin managed to dig his dagger into its chest and shove it’s limp body off.

  “Thanks, kido,” he shouted breathlessly as he tried to calm his horse down.

  Shaya smiled and looked ahead. The island was closer now, she could just make it out through the growing dark and the wild rain. A flash of lightning illuminated the war zone before them. For a second Shaya saw the men and women of Serran, Ki and Tetra fighting for their lives against immeasurable odds. Ortuskuss stood with them waving his mighty war hammer smashing Krarg into the air effortlessly. He had three arrows in his back, but he didn’t seem to mind.

  “Benjin,” Shaya heard Elle scream. Shaya spun around just in time to see a clawed hand rip her uncle from his stallion and disappear into the fray.

  “No,” she heard herself yell into the darkness.

  Her heart that had been pounding so fast suddenly stopped. She couldn’t see him. He was gone. Her first instinct was to grab the reigns from Rowan and go back. She looked over at Elle with pleading eyes. Elle wore a shocked expression, one of fear Shaya had never seen on her face before. The stoic warrior had slipped away, and for that moment, she was just someone who had lost a friend. Elle’s wide eyes fixed on Shaya’s. After what felt like an eternity, which had only been a second or two, Ellesia the warrior returned.

  “Keep moving,” Elle shouted, turned and shoved her blade deep into the skull an oncoming lizard. Shaya’s heart started pumping again, but it ached, it burned, it felt too heavy for her chest as if it was about to crack her ribs. Benjin’s horse ran off aimlessly into the savage battle and vanished. Shaya gasped a shaking breath and swallowed hard. Her face was soaked from the rain, so she didn’t even feel the stream of tears pouring down her cheeks.

  “Shaya,” Rowan half turned as he rode “I’m-,” he trailed off as he pulled the reigns hard to the right to avoid a dead saurian. “He’ll be alright,” he said finally. Shaya could tell that even he wasn’t convinced.

  She fired a sharpened bolt that sailed high above a Krarg’s head, her sorrow and rage made her hands shake. Another arrow, another miss. She kept looking behind her expecting, praying to see her uncle standing victorious over the monster that had pulled him from his horse, but all she saw were the people of Arrolyn engaged in savage combat.

  The shoreline was in sight, another minute and they would be there.

  “Watch out,” Elle shouted. Before Shaya could see what Elle was talking about, Rowan had yanked the horse to the left so hard she nearly fell right off. A flurry of flaming arrows flew passed them. Shaya whirled around bow drawn. There must have been twelve, maybe fifteen Krarg archers standing just before the shore. Rowan and Elle’s horses circled around, dodging another hail of burning arrows, and back around to charge the swarm once more.

  “Keep going,” Elle yelled as she deflected an arrow with her blade.

  “We can’t get past them,” Rowan shouted back.

  “Leave them to me,” Elle snapped the reigns hard, and her steed bolted forward.

  “What is she doing?” Shaya pulled her bow back as Elle got in her line of fire.

  “Carving a path.”

  Shaya watched in stunned silence as Elle pulled her legs up and crouched atop her horse. With a roar, she leapt off, her sword in one hand, a dagger in the other. The Krarg were taken by surprise. The
warrior woman cut down two snarling creatures before her boots touched the ground.

  “Go,” she screamed, slamming the butt of her sword into one of the monster’s jaw.

  Rowan urged his stallion forward. They raced passed Elle as she buried her dagger into a scale-covered stomach. Shaya tried not to look back, but she couldn’t help it. They were on their own.

  “Archer,” Rowan yelled. Instinctively, Shaya turned and let loose. The arrow whistled through the air and caught the hideous archer right on its snout. She didn’t realise that the archer had fired until the horse whinnied in pain and fell. Shaya was sent hurtling through the air. It was like she was flying for a few seconds. She felt weightless, until she hit the ground, hard. She bounced and rolled finally coming to a stop, battered and bruised in a puddle of muddy water. She clambered to her feet, wiping the dirt from her eyes. Everything was blurry and dark. The rain was pouring down almost sideways, and all she could see were the bodies at her feet. Krarg and human, Volanti and Boaruss alike. Panic set in as she couldn’t see the king anywhere.

  “Rowan,” she stumbled and nearly tripped over a Tetran helmet that had been cleaved in two. She yelled the king’s name again. Nothing. She was alone. She stumbled in the mud. With shaking hands, she pulled out her sword. Another choked scream of Rowan’s name left her bloodied lips. An answer came, but not the one she wanted. An ear-piercing screech. The Krarg leapt from the darkness waving it’s cleaver wildly. Shaya whipped her blade up just in time to deflect the frenzied attack. They traded blows until she was able to shove her sword into its side and it crumpled to the ground. She heard sounds of steel on steel close by, as she staggered through the darkness. Another flash of lightning illuminated the battlefield. Rowan was holding his own against a vicious Krarg, the beast must have been nearly nine foot tall. It wore no armour, only war paint. Shaya tripped and fell to her hands and knees, right in front of a dead Volanti. It was one of the council, she had never learned his name. He still held a silver spear, just what she needed. She wrenched the lance from the Volanti’s talon, and as lightning flashed again, Shaya aimed and threw. The battlefield went dark as the flash faded, but she heard the squeal of the Krarg and the slice of Rowan’s killing blow.