The Bloodwood Curse: An Epic Fantasy Adventure of Swords, Magic and Romance. (The Rosethorn Chronicles Book 1)

by Peter Summersby

  Akuchi galloped his horse to where Oghenekaro lay in the dirt. He dismounted and bent over the unconscious commander. Akuchi sheathed his falchion onto his back and lifted the commander onto the horses back. A roar from behind the horse drew Akuchi’s attention. A troll was stomping towards him, wielding a curved scimitar in each hand. Akuchi tied the commander to the horse and slapped the horse’s rump, sending it running out of the camp.

  Oghenekaro stirred as the horse galloped away. Akuchi drew his falchion and gripped it in both hands and took his stance, sword held in front of him. The troll grinned as it approached. The troll opened its mouth roared, and then yelled a guttural curse at Akuchi.

  The troll’s attacks were fast and vicious. Akuchi stepped into mountain stance to defend against them. The troll jumped and swung both of his scimitars at him three times then backed away, each hit sending sparks flying from the brutality of each strikes. After the troll withdrew, it then launched itself at Akuchi again for three swings with each scimitar before landing and stepping back.

  Akuchi let the troll settle into a pattern before he lunged with a strike of his own as the troll stepped back. Akuchi struck, lunging forward and striking the creature before it could raise its defence. His blow sliced through the troll’s chest and up to its chin killing the creature instantly. The troll’s mouth spewed bile and blue blood, before it collapsed on the ground.

  ***

  Mayu led the troll through the camp and eventually lost it in the fighting. The attacking soldiers were cutting down trolls effectively. A bellow of rage echoed from the centre of the camp. Mayu smiled to herself. Mayu wheeled her horse and charged through the camp. A troll emerged from a tent and Mayu reacted by leaning down and striking it across its face, taking off its nose, blood spurting. The troll screamed as it covered its face with its clawed hands before falling backwards into the tent.

  A loud horn bellowed retreat across the camp, cutting through the battle din. Mayu heard the sound and turned towards it laying low against the back of her horse. She charged through the camp towards the sound. The smell of horse sweat filled her nostrils.

  Mayu came out of the camp with other soldiers retreating around her. Trolls rushed to the edge of the light, waving their swords into the air at the retreating soldiers. Mayu rushed to the fort and waited for Akuchi to return. Mayu waited with growing concern as the soldiers returning begin to trickle back in and eventually stopped coming altogether.

  ***

  Akuchi heard the horn blast and started running toward it.

  A troll towering over Akuchi, at two meters tall, emerged from behind a tent. Akuchi skidded to a stop and held his weapon before him. The troll’s fur was grey and white stripes; in his hand, it carried a large two-handed mace. The stench of sweat and sex overwhelmed him. The troll stomped towards Akuchi and swung the mace at him. Akuchi blocked the mace’s first swing with his sword; the impact of the mace crashing down on his sword buckled his knees, sending Akuchi to the ground. The troll took another swing and Akuchi barrel rolled forward into the strike. The troll’s swing went over Akuchi’s head, embedding the mace several centimetres into the ground.

  Akuchi stepped up and noticed the mace on the ground. The troll yanked the mace with one hand and it refused to budge. Akuchi lunged with his sword levelled flat and stabbed the troll in the side.

  The troll howled in rage, let go of the mace on the ground, and swung his large clawed hands at Akuchi. Akuchi ducked the swing and stepped back. The troll placed one hand on the gaping wound and looked at the blue blood soaking its hand. Akuchi smiled as the troll roared again and swung his claws at him. The swipe sailed short of its mark as Akuchi leant back. The troll overbalanced and Akuchi struck again, stabbing him in the ribs.

  The blade became stuck on a bone. The troll roared in fury and struck Akuchi in the head with a mighty backhand. Akuchi sailed into the tent and hit the main support beam. His vision blurred. Akuchi tried to stand but his legs wobbled, and he collapsed back to the ground. He watched as the troll pulled his falchion out of its side and tossed it aside like a thorn. The troll smiled in triumph. The last thing Akuchi saw was the troll lumbering towards him, blue blood dripping down both its sides.

  ***

  Mayu was past worry and was fraught with concern; she was responsible for looking after Akuchi and ensuring he was fully trained. She cursed herself for not being more vigilant with ensuring his safety. Panic rose in her throat as she watched the gates close for the last time that night. Mayu paced in front of the gatehouse as she considered her options, she would need to inform Oghenekaro that Akuchi was lost and suffer the shame of losing her partner.

  The time spent without a training partner had been torture, she had to either train by herself or group up with another willing pair. That was not an option. The last person she had trained had formed a strong alliance that was distasteful to her. Going back to the twins to ask for training would be beyond humiliation.

  A member of the Commander’s Guard walked over to her.

  “The Commander would like to see you in the infirmary.”

  “Thank you,” she replied, gulping.

  She was going to have to stand before Oghenekaro without Akuchi - that was going to be the most ashamed she would ever feel. She whispered a silent pray to Pierre the god of mercy to help find her a way out of this mess. She stroked a small bracelet with a heart with an arrow through it. She began walking to the infirmary dragging her feet as she walked hoping for some divine miracle to help her out of this miserable position she had now found herself in. Arriving at the infirmary, she sighed to herself. Better to do this and get it over with. She steeled herself and pushed into the infirmary. Despite the calamity of the attack, there had been very few casualties.

  “Mayu, good to see you,” Oghenekaro called from his bed. A nurse was still fussing over him.

  “Sir,” Mayu returned straightening up. The least she could do was take the consequences with a little dignity.

  “Did Akuchi make it out of that mess ok?” Oghenekaro asked, straight to the point.

  “I haven’t seen him since I told him to go save you,” Mayu answered.

  “Well, that is unfortunate. I wanted to thank him for saving me.”

  “If he didn’t come back, then he is most likely still in the camp.”

  “If he is not already dead.”

  “I refuse to believe that Akuchi is dead,” Mayu snapped.

  ***

  Oghenekaro watched Mayu as she glowered at him for even suggesting the idea. Mayu was a stubborn sort. She had refused to wear any form of armour from the moment she had arrived, rigidly sticking to her cultural beliefs about clothing. This had led to several other training pairs to shed a little of their clothes, citing cultural reasons. He had nearly lost control of the fort until she had finally agreed to wear that loin cloth. It was only a minor victory but thus he hadn’t lost control of the rest of the force.

  “Go back to your bunk and rest, it has been a long day,” Oghenekaro soothed, “let’s see if our actions have had any effect on the troll camp.”

  “Very good, sir.” She snapped a crisp salute and marched out of the infirmary.

  ***

  Once outside Mayu sighed with relief. How could Oggy think that Akuchi was dead? Tears welled up and she wiped them away. She had to get out of sight. She rounded the outside of the command building and slipped into the training room Akuchi and her had been using. She curled up on the mat in the very place she and Akuchi had made love only a few hours ago. Her heart stung from the loss and Mayu let the tears glide down her face.

  ***

  Mayu did not sleep that night. She stood on the wall and watched light seep into the troll’s camp. A gentle breeze cooled her naked body. She placed her hands on the crenulation. A cool shiver ran up her spine. A gentle cough behind her causes Mayu turned to face Commander Oghenekaro, wearing leather trousers and a bandage on his head.

  “Can’t sleep?” Oghenekaro asked,
smiling.

  “Oggy, you can’t be up already,” Mayu stated turning and leaning against the crenulation.

  “Can’t lie down during an attack,” Oghenekaro grunted.

  “You should wait until the sounding of the horns.”

  Oghenekaro arose from learning on the wall and came to look out over the wall towards the troll’s camp.

  “That’s odd.”

  “What is it?” Mayu asked turning to face in the same direction.

  “The trolls are not marching towards us.”

  “They are moving though not towards us. That means you can go back to bed.”

  Oghenekaro laughed, moved off the wall, and headed back down the stairs.

  “You can come with me,” Oghenekaro commanded, “don’t fret about Akuchi. If you have trained him, then I am sure he will be fine.”

  “That’s the thing.” Mayu welled up. “I am not sure if he is dead or alive.”

  “I am sure that Krite will look after him,” Oghenekaro comforted, giving Mayu a squeeze on her shoulders.

  “I pray so.” Mayu wiped away moisture from her eyes.

  “Come, let’s get some breakfast.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Mayu agreed as more tears began to glide down her face.

  Chapter 11 Duel

  3rd day of the 8th month 579th year of the 8th era

  At dawn, Akuchi awoke the light streaming in through the open tent door. He was tied to a tent pole. The stench of unwashed bodies made bile rise in his throat. He tested the ropes. They held him firmly. He looked around and saw the male troll sprawled between several female trolls. Panic ballooned in him. What are they going to do with me?

  As the light reached the sleeping trolls, they stirred and stretched. The male stood and stepped over the females. The male saw that Akuchi was awake and stepped over to him. He wrenched the rope, snapping it and chaffing Akuchi’s hands. Tareem, he is going to kill me!

  The troll pushed him to the ground, then he grabbed Akuchi’s arm and dragged him outside. The troll army was already beginning to stir; trolls were coming out of their tents. Akuchi looked around and saw that he was coming out of a red tent in the middle of the camp. On either side of the tent stood two huge trolls. The troll with silver fur pushed him forward and Akuchi stumbled into the space at the centre of the camp. He roared. Other trolls gathered, forming a circle around the silver-furred troll and Akuchi. The silver furred troll began speaking in his language. Akuchi stood erect.

  “I don’t understand your language,” Akuchi announced, loudly enough to be heard over the troll.

  The troll stopped in the middle of his monologue. A silence descended upon the crowded trolls. The troll bellowed and the trolls parted. An old bedraggled woman came to the front of the horde. She had a cape and a cowl of grey colour. Her brown hair clung to her bare chest in tattered clumps.

  “I am Retha Chizoba,” the woman declared. “I will be translating for you.”

  When the woman stopped talking the troll started speaking again. The woman watched the troll until he was finished.

  “This troll is the chieftain of this warband, his name is Xukundi,” Retha began.

  Xukundi began to speak again Retha stopped and waited patiently, she folded her arms, parting the cloak she wore. Retha’s body was lean and muscular; there wasn’t any fat on her naked body.

  “Xukundi mocks you for the pathetic attack of last night,” Retha translated.

  “I was not the leader of the attack,” retorted Akuchi.

  Retha translated this back to Xukundi. Laughter broke out from the surrounding trolls.

  “Xukundi,” translated Retha, “does not believe you.”

  “Why does Xukundi not believe me?”

  “Trolls believe that the strongest warrior is always the chieftain.”

  “I have only been a soldier for a few months.”

  Laughter erupted from the surrounding trolls as Retha translated Akuchi’s comments into trollish.

  “Xukundi does not believe you,” Retha bellowed over the roaring laughter.

  “Why doesn’t Xukundi believe that?”

  Retha translated and waited for a response.

  Retha informed, “It seems you slew a mighty warrior, one of Xukundi’s personal guard, and such a feat deserves to be tested, to see if it was skill or of the gods.”

  Akuchi let that sink in. Mayu and Taya had both been amazed at his skill at sword fighting; his weapon was a testament to a unique combination of fighting styles. Mayu and Taya had both cautioned him about using the dangerous fire stance; it was liable to get him killed. If what this troll was saying, then maybe he had a chance of escaping. He would, however, have to defeat this Xukundi.

  “I then challenge Xukundi to a duel,” Akuchi declared as he stood up straighter.

  Retha translated, her face not showing a moment’s concern.

  “Xukundi accepts your challenge.”

  “I will need a weapon.”

  A troll ran forward and presented Akuchi with a scimitar. It shone in the light of the morning sun and from careful oiling. Akuchi took the weapon and bowed to the troll as he scampered back to the circle.

  Xukundi stood before Akuchi and stretched, roaring with pleasure. His whole body shook with laughter. A troll brought him a sword. He accepted the gleaming scimitar with a golden hilt with and held it aloft in the air as he spoke.

  “I will show my men that I am truly a great warrior by defeating a prize champion from our hated enemy,” Retha translated.

  “What are the conditions of the fight?”

  “Normally to the death. The winner can do whatever he likes to the winner’s possessions.”

  “Does Xukundi have great possessions?”

  “This is his horde of fighters,” Retha said, “everything in the camp is his.”

  Xukundi stepped forward, taking a defensive stance, sword at the ready in front of his body. Akuchi did the same, mirroring Xukundi’s stance. They circled each other, looking for weakness. An early attack could give an early advantage, but a skilled swordsman could change that.

  The crowd of trolls grew quiet.

  Xukundi stepped forward and swept his weapon at Akuchi.

  Akuchi easily blocked the strike. He stepped to the right and away from the momentum as Xukundi flowed through his attack. This troll is solid muscle. I can’t. He stopped at the line of his trolls, his blade slicing through a troll in the front roll. The unfortunate victim slumped to the ground and was pulled back by his friends.

  They both whirled on the spot and faced each other. Akuchi stepped forward, going for a high sweep of his own.

  Xukundi blocked the sound of clashing steel ringing in their ears and moved away from the strike to the right in repetition of their former move.

  Akuchi moved through with the strike, and they both whirled back to face each other.

  Xukundi moved to strike again flowing into the movement a water strike.

  Akuchi blocked and ducked forward into Xukundi, shouldering the troll in the stomach winding him. Akuchi stepped past Xukundi on the left, stepping under Xukundi’s arm. Akuchi turned as Xukundi turned.

  Xukundi held his sword in front of him, gasping for breath.

  Akuchi slashed his sword downward and then in an open stance, sword out to the side of his body. Akuchi watched Xukundi take his breath with a small smile on his face.

  Xukundi rushed forward at Akuchi and slashed him twice with his sword. Akuchi blocked the angry strikes with a mountain stance block. I can’t keep this up. Akuchi’s muscles ached. His smile grew into a full-on smirk. Akuchi waited till Xukundi stepped back from his attack, then thrust forward with his raised sword.

  Xukundi deflected the stab away with a raised swipe; Akuchi lurched forward and recovered, dancing to the left, ducking under Xukundi’s downward slash, narrowly avoiding being cut in the process.

  Akuchi twisted around to face Xukundi.

  Xukundi brought down his sword and clashed with Akuchi’
s upraised block. Akuchi pushed back on the blade and they both stepped back from each other.

  Every troll in the encampment watched as the Xukundi and Akuchi fought, they didn’t move, they didn’t speak or even cheer. A gentle wind swept down from the north and tents flapped around the encircled trolls.

  Akuchi parried, sweat beading on his forehead. Xukundi attacked again. Akuchi stepped to the side, causing Xukundi to stumble forward. Akuchi spun, bringing his sword down towards Xukundi’s back.

  Xukundi, breathing heavily, took the blow to the side as he stepped out of the way. A trickle of blood matted his silver fur. Xukundi roared in pain as Akuchi took first blood. Xukundi rolled his shoulders and then turned to face Akuchi.

  Akuchi readied himself for the next attack, knowing that Xukundi would want to repay the wound for one of his own.

  Xukundi attacked viciously with a leap at Akuchi and a triple swing as he came down. Akuchi raised his sword to block. Pain seared his shoulders. The third strike glanced Akuchi’s left shoulder, drawing blood. Xukundi stepped back from the attack with a smile forming on his lips.

  Akuchi fought through the pain took his mountain stance again.

  Xukundi readied for the attack that didn’t come. They watched each other from across the ring. Xukundi dashed across the ring and attacked. Akuchi parried each strike deftly and then thrust at the troll leader in a classic fire attack. The sword ran along Xukundi’s right arm. The gash seeped blood. Xukundi stepped back, shocked by the blow.

  Akuchi marvelled that the rock defence could then be used to setup for a fire attack. Akuchi pressed his advantage and attacked.

  Xukundi parried each blow before stepping back. Xukundi looked at the wound on his right arm and flicked his sword arm down, splattering blood on the ground.

  Akuchi took a new stance, sword raised high above his head and waited, fire stance open and ready.