by B K Suitter
Gideon was shown the trauma of King Ironheart. His mind became a screen of images and he saw a torn-open lung that was filling with blood and a heart that was near to its last beat. The healer concentrated on saving Ironheart’s life. Like performing a mental surgery, Gideon mended the torn lung and healed the king’s ribs. The magic flowed through the Asarian healer and into the Northman and Gideon could feel the subtle pull of life and he quickly became nauseous, but he continued to concentrate.
King Ironheart took in a large pull of air, his eyes coming open and he pushed Gideon away. The giant Northman sat up and then rolled to his hands and knees, trying desperately to stand. No one dared stop him, and no one dared help him when he crashed face first into the snowy ground. Gideon knelt beside him, his head spinning, and he began to vomit while trying not to black out. Both men were on all fours, but only the king fought to stand. The growing crowd of Northmen began to cheer him on. They screamed his name and yelled their support. By the time King Ironheart climbed to his feet, the crowd’s roar was deafening.
Gideon simply woke later that day in the Asarian camp. Captain Shanks was standing over him, as well as Daphaxian. They gave him warm welcomes, and Shanks thanked him for saving his life. He also told the healer that the mighty King of the North offered his thanks as well, and said he owed Gideon his life.
5
Year of the Frost Horn 2318 A.A.
Another stroke from the whip drew another painful line down the man’s back. The large Dishoni warrior grunted softly as the leather strap broke his reddish-brown skin and created a long laceration. He never screamed, and the king admired him for it. He stood stretched around a large concrete pillar that stuck out of the ground. His face and chest hugged the column close and his hands were tied together on the opposite side.
Whack, he was hit again and a third time.
“Enough! Bash, take him to his cell!” King Uriah yelled after standing up from his royal chair and walking to the edge of his high balcony. He stood seething with anger and he yelled down to the Dishoni gladiator. “You will kill when I order you to kill!” Uriah spit his words with fury as he watched his soldiers drag the beaten man away. It was late and the sun had just gone down and several blazing torches lit the courtyard and the whipping post below.
“Next time I will pull the lash myself,” growled Uriah as he turned from the balcony rail and moved to go back inside the castle. His elite guards followed close behind him as he passed through the large double doors and into a comfortable sitting room.
King Uriah sat heavily in his large chair that sat before a warm fire and his attendants brought him a bejeweled goblet filled with the best Arani wine. In his other hand, he held a fabulous sword that was crafted by a master weaponmaker long ago and handed down through the ages to the kings of the South. The sword was called “The Asar,” which was the name of the first Asarian, and it was created in the ancient forge at the Temple of Carami. It was made from the purest of metals and folded thousands of times, and it was forged with an undeniable sharpness that had no equal. The sword’s hilt was ivory and crafted with amazing detail and beauty to depict Asar himself.
As King Uriah sat gazing into the fire, a huge man entered the room and walked quietly over to stand at his side. Bash stood nearly seven feet tall and was all muscle. He had a shaved head with dark uncaring eyes, and a thick goatee that lined his square jaw. His towering frame was clothed in simple leather armor and he showed no weapons. As a young boy, he had lost his tongue to his father’s knife when he disagreed with the old man. It was another reason the king kept Bash around. Uriah did not need council from his shield – he needed protection. Bash was as quiet as he was deadly. He was cold and heartless and would kill without showing any sign of regret.
Two large wooden doors creaked open and King Uriah’s attendant entered the room followed by another man. The attendant bowed low to the king then quickly backed out of the chamber with the doors closing quietly behind him.
“What news of Gideon?” King Uriah asked.
“He is still missing. The Ironheart has not been seen since leaving the docks at Icewater.” The messenger stood quiet while Uriah sat in his chair drinking his wine.
“You are positive the ship has not docked at another port?”
“Yes, Sire,” the small man said. “All ports and shipping lanes are being watched. The Ironheart was last seen heading east for deep water and it has not returned.”
“What news of Prince Hadias?” Uriah asked as he rose from his chair and slowly walked over to the messenger. The king stood tall, well over six feet and was an imposing figure for a Southman. He was hard in body and mind like a king should be. He had dark brown hair of average length that was well trimmed under a crown of gold, and a graying beard that was cut short about a strong jaw. His brown eyes sparkled with both intellect and malice, and he wore a long cumbersome robe that he believed would make him stronger as the added weight throughout the day kept his muscles worked.
“He is still in Dragonport supplying his men for their forage into the Timberlands. General Kneeamara will join him after she has taken the slaves to the mines. Also, The Coral Rose has returned from the island. Another successful cattle run it would appear.”
King Uriah stood tall before the smaller man and asked one more question. “Any news of Queen Aliha?”
“No, Sire.”
Uriah stared down at the messenger. He was short and thin; a small man used by others to gain information. His name was Tay and he always wore a hooded cloak that kept most of his appearance hidden when he wasn’t in disguise. King Uriah was one of the few people that knew his true identity, so he let Tay conceal himself while in his presence. Any other man trying to hide would be stripped bare and strapped to the whipping post.
“You may go,” the king waved the small man away and he turned to go back to his chair and warm fire.
“There are other matters, Sire,” Tay said nervously as Uriah sat down and took another drink of his wine. “The Boar is asking for more gold.”
“Is he now?” Uriah replied, and he thought for a moment while tracing his finger over the rim of his goblet. “Give him what he wants. If he can finish off the Dishoni brat during The Ice Pack, then it will be gold well spent. I assume you will be heading for Snowflake to attend their wretched festivals.”
“It is The Ice Pack, Sire,” Tay replied.
“And what will your costume be this year, Tay? A drunk, a blind beggar, or maybe a man whore?” Uriah asked the small man.
“Possibly all three, Sire,” Tay replied with a chuckle.
“Yes, possibly. Now, is there anything else?” asked the king as a servant brought more wine to his side and filled his goblet.
“There is nothing else, Sire,” and Tay bowed low and left the king to his thoughts.
“Where are you, Gideon?” he mumbled to himself. The healer had eluded him for eighteen years. The last time he saw Gideon was when the healer had delivered his son, Prince Hadias. That was also the last time he had seen Aliha. The pair seemed to vanish after he left them in the birthing room.
King Uriah had taken his army to the north to battle against King Ironheart and his Beoraki soldiers. When the Kadomi overran the field of battle, it seemed all would be lost for both armies. Then the snow dragons came and rained death down upon the beasts and the war was over. King Uriah’s ruthless plan to kill King Ironheart had failed, and so with discouragement he took his personal guard and traveled back to his kingdom in the South while his army lay in ruins in the valley near the Titans.
King Uriah traveled the main road for many days until they finally came to the Southern border and found both Asarian City and Castle Lamourne surrounded by thousands of Dishoni warriors. The king waited on a forested hillside far from the city and watched as the warriors rode their horses in long war-chains around the outer perimeter and harrassed the soldiers that stood high on the walls.
There seemed to be no way into the castle or city
, and while they worked on a plan, King Uriah’s small army came under attack by a large force of Dishoni warriors that had been tracking them through the forest. The Asarians fought bravely, but found they were far outnumbered, and soon Uriah’s men began to fall. Even the king himself was forced to wield his sword in defense, and the mystical blade, “The Asar,” began to cleave the enemy in great numbers. King Uriah seemed to be unstoppable and he pushed the enemy back with the uncanny strength that coursed through the blade. He held the Dishoni warriors at bay for several long moments, but there were too many.
When it seemed all would be lost, a resounding horn-blast echoed through the forest and a large army of men from the South came charging through the trees to rescue their king. The Asarian men were led by Captain Shanks and Sergeant Daphaxian and they fought bravely to overcome the Dishoni warriors, who quickly disappeared back into the trees after they had been overrun. The king’s gaurd had gone down in a storm of arrows, so Uriah named Captain Shanks his new personal shield.
Gideon was there as well and he used magic to transport the four of them into Castle Lamourne where they found the castle guards fighting desperately against the Dishoni army. The agile men from the West were incredibly fast with scaling ladders and long ropes with grappling hooks and they climbed the castle walls with ease. Once on top, they dashed with a swift killing speed, and they were deadly accurate with their bows.
Even worse, Queen Aliha was in labor and ready to give birth at any moment. Gideon, who seemed tired and aged from the use of the magic, stayed with the queen while the rest of the staff escaped down through the underground tunnels. The castle was being overrun by Dishoni warriors and it was not safe to stay inside the walls. Captain Shanks and a group of the castle guard protected the locked door while Uriah, Gideon, and Aliha were in the birthing room. After Gideon delivered Hadias, Uriah took the baby down to the escape tunnels, escorted by Captain Shanks and Sergeant Daphaxian. The healer and the queen were left to fend for themselves, and after the castle had been taken back and secured by Yamen and his men, there was no trace of Aliha or Gideon. The king suspected that the healer used his magic to escape with the queen, but neither Gideon nor Aliha had been seen again, until the healer showed up in Icewater nearly one month later. The king’s spies told Uriah that Gideon was alone and looked much older, and that there was no sign of Aliha. It was rumored that the healer went to the Temple of Carami to train with the monks as Ezeria had.
King Uriah was furious, and he used the disappearance of Aliha to his advantage. He sent messengers to the Arani King, asking him to take up arms against the Dishoni for abducting his queen. The king of the East denied Uriah’s request, infuriating the Southern King even more. Uriah concentrated on rebuilding his army, forcing hundreds of thousands into service, both into his army and into his mines. Weapons and armor were forged non-stop, and huge machines for war were built as well.
Over the next eighteen years, King Uriah built up the largest army in all of Asaria. It was large enough to sweep through the Eastern Kingdom, and the West could be taken as well. But it was King Ironheart and his Beoraki army that kept Uriah from waging war.
The king had heard that Ironheart had been mortally wounded and near to death the last time they warred, but Gideon had saved his life with the cursed magic, and now he wanted Gideon dead as well.
For eighteen years the king had stewed over what he would do when he finally caught the healer leaving the temple, and when Gideon slipped through his grasp and into the North, Uriah went mad.
The king’s spies told Uriah that Gideon and a band of temple monks came out of the Wastelands and into the West. They were escorted by a force of Dishoni warriors up to the Western Pass where Gideon took his leave and traveled alone through The Scar to the North. The healer traveled to Castle Coldstorm and then was seen days later in Icewater boarding the king’s own ship, “Ironheart.” That was nearly two months ago, and Uriah still boiled with anger.
He stood up from his comfortable chair and marched through the cold stone hallways of Castle Lamourne to the north tower where he climbed the long flight of granite steps up to the top. Uriah walked out onto the high wall and surveyed the landscape while breathing in the cool air that blew in fits around him. He looked far to the north and obsessed over his plans that had been so long in the making. This would be his last chance to end the reign of Ironheart and capture the whole of Asaria, and his mind churned with the horrific possibilities of being king over the four lands.
*******************
An ocean gull skimmed the cold waters of the Eastern Ocean, reaching just below the surface and pulling out a small gray fish and then taking up flight back to the cloudy sky. It was an amazing twenty feet from the ocean’s surface and climbing fast when a large red sea-glider broke from beneath the surface of the cold waters and sailed high into the air, catching the bird in its mouth and holding it there with long sharp teeth while plummeting back into the ocean. The red scaly fish made a large splash as it disappeared with the bird in its mouth and the Northmen roared with approval and disgust and coin was exchanged and the betting resumed. Only half of the sea birds that touched the ocean’s surface ever made it back into flight, making the odds fifty, fifty. The Beoraki sailors could not resist those odds.
A cold wind pushed Aliha’s blonde hair across her face and she again had to pull it away, tucking it back behind her ear as she watched the Northmen standing at the rail wagering on the lives of birds. It seemed the sailors would bet on anything, and they took their betting very serious. Sometimes fights were started over disputes in the gambling, and when that happened, even more bets were made on the two men fighting.
Aliha was sitting with Gideon on a large wooden chest that held supplies for the sailors. The healer was telling her more stories of Asarian life. While she listened, she watched Daphaxian squaring off against Gretta in a duel with long swords. The Asarian was as fast as he was handsome. His charming ways were evident even in his swordplay and he circled gracefully around the large woman from the North.
Gretta gave a powerful overhand chop and Daphaxian turned to his side. While the sergeant watched the blade fall inches from his face and body, he quickly dove in and stole a kiss from the Ice Queen. The woman roared and swung again, a powerful cut that was meant to disembowel the gutsy man from the South, but the Asarian ducked, spun, and then danced nimbly away. Daphaxian even had the audacity to jump onto the port side rail and do a back-flip right over Gretta, who was coming in fast and hard, but cutting only air. Such bravado and the Beoraki woman loved it.
Gideon was telling Aliha a particular story about when he was last at her farm near Ionasbury. He had admitted seeing Aliha when she was just a day old.
“You were such a beautiful baby,” Gideon said to Aliha as she watched the banter between Daphaxian and Gretta. It almost sounded like flirting, until the Northern woman reminded everyone that the bold Asarian was her kill.
“After I sailed back to Asaria, I went and stayed at the Temple of Carami. I trained and lived at the wondrous structure for eighteen years, learning the Blessings of Carami, memorizing the Scriptures of Earth and Star, as well as the Writings of Asar – the first Asarian.” Gideon told Aliha about the remarkable monks that lived at the temple and described their wondrous training techniques. The old healer told the simple farm girl many things, but he did not tell her everything, and he told Daphaxian and Shanks even less.
Gideon remembered daily the reason for bringing Aliha back to Asaria. He had lived at the temple and had every intention of staying there the rest of his life. Gideon loved the simple ways of the monks, learning to find peace in mind and body and striving daily to be better at the things that had meaning in one’s life. The monks of Carami were a beautifully structured people. Pure serenity could be found while meditating hundreds of feet above the ground on the small ledge of a high bell tower as a red sparrow sat unmoving on your shoulder.
The Temple of Carami was a grand structure
, built by Asar and The Ancients to guard the magic that had doomed mankind in The Second Age. It was created with huge sandstone blocks that had been cut at precise angles to be made perfect. The immense fortress had a massive wall that encircled the temple and surrounding buildings, and an even larger outer wall that surrounded that one. The huge outer wall was built hundreds of feet high and was thick with battlements and archer windows and was encircled by a wide deep moat.
The temple was built at the base of the Southern Mountains, a large chain that stretched the width of the southern most regions of Asaria. The structure had both an above water spring as well as an underground water supply. There were large fields that produced rice and other foods as well as orchards and olive trees.
The holy fortress was built to one day resist the siege of the armies of Plagarous, or so it was written by Asar long ago. After thousands of years, interpretations of the scriptures became scattered and unclear. The Writings of Asar contained a chapter which was prophetic in nature and spoke of a distant future when Plagarous, Carami’s godly brother, would one day walk the lands, spreading war and sickness across Asaria.
The most amazing thing about the temple, however, was the large room that was created deep beneath one of the main structures. The chamber was circular, with tall smooth sandstone walls that rose high to a ceiling that was lost in darkness. The room was sacred and could only be visited by the highest-ranking monks.
