by Brian Murray
The catapult was useless.
***
Slayer still had control of Tanas’s body and he sensed his brother on the steps. Something disrupted the air, moving rapidly towards Zane. He grabbed the reins of Zane’s horse, then flicked his hand upwards. His fingers curled closed into a fist. At first Slayer thought he had missed, but he felt the bolt against his palm. He continued to wrap his fingers around the bolt. He grabbed it and stopped its flight a finger’s width away from Zane’s face.
Zane looked back and his mouth fell open when his saw the black bolt in Tanas’s hand. Fury nodded when his brother stopped the first bolt. He had unclipped his other crossbow and loaded it. Just as he took aim, a clansman clattered into the silver-armoured warrior, knocking the loaded crossbow from his hand. The small crossbow skidded across the marble floor. Fury drew his sword and killed the clansman. He cursed as a mass of fighting Caynians, zombies, and men pushed him back away from his dropped weapon. Fury turned and raced through the palace after the Dark One, reloading his other crossbow as he ran.
With the help of the horsemen, the surviving Imperial Guards started to push the Caynians and zombies back, away from the steps leading to the palace. Only the Dark One, Malice, Chaos, and Fury had entered the white building. The Chosen dismounted and ran towards the steps. His friends Zane, Rayth, Thade, and Slayer, followed. They reached the top of the steps and raced into the building. There, they split up. Rayth and the Chosen raced to the private chambers. Thade and Zane made their way to the throne room.
Slayer roamed alone.
***
Outside and throughout the city men fought desperately against the Caynians, the zombies, and other beasts. Outside the city, the Wanderers, the miners, and the Solus hacked and killed the beasts and Caynians. But whereas in the city crimson flowed, mixing with rainwater, the miners, the Wanderers, and the Solus did not bleed. When struck down they would just disappear in a cloud of fine dust and mingle with the mud. This did not stop them massing around the Talon Hunters and Shadows.
Huge rain droplets continued to pour, slapping all. The outcome of the battle remained balanced on a knife’s edge.
CHAPTER 25
ROWET AND RAYTH made their way silently through the white corridors of the palace. Most of the torches had been extinguished, engulfing the windowless corridors in harrowing darkness. In front and behind them, screams of death pierced the quiet. Most of the gurgling screams were severed when the victims died but some continued, giving the palace a morbid atmosphere.
Rowet led the way through the palace with his two short swords ready. The two men turned many corners and raced down short straights. Rowet paused at a corner and peered around. The next stretch was shrouded in total darkness—utter blackness.
***
Thade and Zane moved with stealth through the palace. Thade led the way. He had been in the palace a few times. Even so, in the gloom, he soon became lost in the maze of corridors. The former gladiator cursed. He opened a door and peered in. In the corner of the room sat several women huddled together. One of them screamed when the door opened. Thade put his finger to his lips for silence. He quietly closed the door and moved on. He and Zane ran down more corridors and opened more doors, but the men were hopelessly lost. Everything in the palace looked the same. Even Zane swore in frustration.
***
Rowet reached his private chamber where four Imperial Guards had been slain. He and Rayth moved silently on farther into the palace, heading for the sleeping chambers. There was a loud, shrill scream ahead of them, a woman’s scream. Rowet’s heart leapt and he raced forward, ignoring stealth. Rayth followed. The four Imperial Guards slowly rose to their feet. They picked up their weapons and pursued the two men.
***
Outside, Platos smashed his war-hammer into the massive warriors attacking his unit. But as time passed, more of his clansmen were picked off and killed. Soon only four of them remained.
***
Danf continued to battle on the mound. He had sustained several cuts and gashes, but the young clansmen bravely fought on. The beasts had breached the mound and the defenders now fought in pockets, back-to back. All of the crossbow ammunition had been used and now it was just man versus beast, sword versus claw, double-headed axe of the Shadows versus the tulwar wielded by most clansmen. All along the mound, men and beasts were locked in a struggle for life. Other beasts ignored the defenders and streamed into the city, roaming the streets seeking victims. Danf was knocked to the ground, but two clansmen leapt forward and engaged the Shadow, pushing it back. One was killed, but the other hacked at the beast. Someone helped the weary Danf to his feet. Sucking in a lungful of air, he also attacked the Shadow—it died.
***
Maldino had received three tears across his torso. He had been carried away from the fighting to a quiet spot where several healers worked on his body. Gan-Goran knew the chieftain’s importance, made his way to help, and nearly collapsed when he dismounted from his huge horse. The old magic-master was desperately tired from the non-stop journey across the Steppes, but he knew he had to save the chieftain. He pushed the other healers back and knelt next to the still body. He rubbed his hands together, whispered a spell, and placed his hands on Maldino’s bloody chest. He closed his eyes and concentrated, then uttered a word of power. His hands glowed golden. The golden aura flowed over the chieftain’s body and soon enveloped him. Gan-Goran continued his spell of healing as rain mixing with the old man’s sweat ran down his face. Maldino was close to death. The old magic-master remained as still as a statue while all around him beasts gathered. The Kharnacks formed a defensive ring around their fallen chieftain, all facing out.
The fighting started.
***
Thade and Zane found the Temple of the Chosen. Thade raced across the sacred marble floor, dripping blood and rainwater. Behind Thade, Zane marvelled at the room with its high ceiling and tall, white marble columns, but the young Rhaurn king knew he did not have time to stop and look. He watched Thade run up some steps and disappear through a thick curtain behind the throne. Zane followed.
***
Rowet and Rayth raced blindly through the corridors as another scream ripped the air. Pounding of feet behind them got louder, nearer. Rayth turned and four Imperial Guard zombies attacked.
Rayth could just see the vacant look in the men’s eyes and their cruel, twisted smiles. He did not hesitate and swung his axe in anger. One butterfly-shaped blade cut through the neck of one guard and wedged into the head of another. Rowet turned and saw the fighting. He stopped, raced back and leapt in, instantly decapitating one of the zombies.
“Cut their heads off!” screamed Rowet, recognising the dull, emotionless eyes of the former Imperial Guards. Rayth yanked his axe free and slammed it through the zombie’s neck, and it clanged noisily against the marble walls, sending out chips into the air. The last zombie managed to stab out at Rowet with its spear. Rowet grunted when the blade pierced his hip. Closing his arms together like scissors, he hacked the once-Imperial Guard’s head off. He reached down to his hip and winced. Retracting his hand, he saw crimson—his blood.
“You all right?” asked Rayth, seeing the blood.
Rowet just nodded, then turned towards the sound of someone screaming.
***
The Dark One reached a door and used the Blade of Yallas to slice it in half. He pushed the two pieces aside and entered the room. Someone leapt from the darkness and hacked down with a sword. The Dark One blocked the blow, then slapped the person away backhanded. Chaos entered the room next and dispatched the guard. The Dark One moved into the room and loomed over the two girls. One of them screamed.
The Dark One smiled inside his helm and turned to Malice and Fury. “Take these two wretches to the temple.”
“Should we not stay with you, master?” asked Malice.
“No, Chaos and I have to take care of their father. I will be along presently.”
Malice and Fury grabbed Ireen and Meg
an and dragged them out another door.
Ireen grabbed hold of the doorframe and screamed, “FATHER!” She was roughly yanked away as the Dark One chuckled.
***
Rowet heard his daughter’s desperate cry and raced on faster, ignoring the pain in his hip. He turned one more corner and saw three more dead Imperial Guards. Calmly, the Chosen, Emperor of the Phadrine, entered his daughter’s room through a broken door.
Rayth swiftly hacked the men’s heads off before he followed Rowet inside.
***
Thade heard the cry and recognised his lover’s voice. He did not look to see if Zane followed. He raced towards the sound, his heart pounding wildly.
***
Rowet entered the room and was faced by two warriors, one clad in gleaming silver armour with crimson liquid streaking down him, the other in matt-black armour. Through the mesh of chain mail on the helm, Rowet could just see red eyes glowing brightly.
“Well met,” boomed the Dark One.
“Where are my children?” hissed Rowet.
“They will die quickly, just like you and your friend here. You said you would kill me if I entered your home . . . Well, here I am,” mocked the Dark One with a sneer, “so try your best.”
***
Rayth moved alongside Rowet and looked into Chaos’s eyes. Madness stared back at the former axe-wielder. Rage fuelled Rayth, for this was the monster that had cut down his friend. The innkeeper watched Chaos roll his wrists, bringing his short swords to bear. Beside him, the Dark One raised the Blade of Yallas to his helm as a form of salute. The two men did not return the salute. They attacked.
***
Thade raced down another corridor and skidded to a halt. Behind him, Zane crashed into his back.
“What’s . . . ” started Zane, but he looked up over Thade’s shoulder and saw two silver-clad warriors dragging Ireen and Megan behind them.
“Let them go!” bellowed Thade.
Malice saw the two men before him along the narrow corridor. He knew he would have no chance to wield his broadsword in the space and crashed his shoulder into a nearby door. He entered the room dragging Ireen, followed by Fury hauling Megan behind him. Ireen heard Thade’s voice and she screamed, “THADE!”
The former gladiator and the young king edged their way to the door. They heard the shattering of glass and raced into the room. Malice and Fury waited for the two men out in the raised garden. The two women huddled together on the floor behind them. The two luridly armoured warriors unclasped their cloaks that fluttered gently to the ground. Thade crunched over the glass and stalked out into the rain. He stepped to his right to face the man with the cavalry sword, whilst Zane faced Malice with his broadsword.
“This does not seem right,” sneered Fury, looking towards Malice. “I would like the opportunity to kill the son of the king I killed. It would only be fitting.”
“You killed my father,” hissed Zane, stepping forward.
“Your father whimpered like a baby when I stood over him. It was such a joy to watch my bolt pierce his eye and shatter his skull.”
Zane took a deep breath and looked at Thade. The former gladiator nodded and the two men swapped places.
“Now, you whoreson,” hissed Zane, his voice icy cold and full of suppressed rage. “You killed my father in his bed, but his son has swords in his hands. Now come . . . come and feel my wrath.”
The two men attacked.
***
Rowet charged the Dark One. The Dark One arched a lethal chop, but Rowet crossed his two short swords above his head and stopped the blow. A loud clang rang out and sparks leapt from the blades. The Dark One looked on, amazed. The Blade of Yallas should have cut through the short swords as though they were not there. Unknown to the Dark One, the Divine One had visited Rowet one night and looked at the swords. When She touched the blades, she put a protective enchantment on them. It had saved the Chosen once already and now it had done so again. The Dark One pulled his black blade back and hacked at Rowet’s side. Rowet lowered one of his swords in defence. The two blades met and sang out again. Doubt crept into the Dark One’s mind and he stepped back. It must be Her, he thought. She has something to do with this.
Rowet did not hesitate; he attacked in a flurry of slashes.
***
Rayth screamed a battle cry and arched a murderous blow towards Chaos’s head. At the last moment, Chaos raised his swords and blocked the blow. A smile grew on the warrior’s ashen face while Rayth tried to power down. Rayth pulled back his huge double-bladed axe and swiped it towards Chaos’s side. Chaos saw the blow late and turned his back. The axe blade hammered against Chaos’s armoured shoulder. The armour dented. Chaos roared with anger and attacked in a flurry, his blades a blur.
***
Thade darted at Malice, ducking under an ill-aimed lash. He came up quickly and smashed one of his short swords into Malice’s side. The taller warrior felt his armour bend and press against his ribs. Malice slapped out backhanded. His armour gauntlet caught Thade on the chin, sending him sprawling on the soft wet earth. Malice stepped forward and stabbed down, but Thade had already rolled away. Rising quickly to his feet, Thade aimed a slash for Malice’s helm. His sword clanged against the protective headgear. Malice turned, but was kicked violently in the midriff. Thade hacked around, diagonally upwards with both swords, the left backhanded and the right in a murderous uppercut. The blades connected with their targets, sending out two loud clangs. Malice’s silver helm flew off, landing on the sodden ground several strides behind him. Malice’s eyes glowed with anger and he stabbed out at Thade. The former gladiator swayed his body clear and deflected the blow with his right-hand sword. He followed with his left and smashed the blade into Malice’s shoulder. Malice turned quickly and the two warriors circled each other.
***
Zane roared with anger and attacked Fury. Fury desperately defended himself under the vicious attack. Zane fought like a berserker—no defence, only attack. Fury blocked a blow to his right and quickly ducked under a swipe from the left. The silver-armoured warrior had no time to attack, so ferocious was the young king’s onslaught. Zane’s blade hit Fury’s armour several times, denting the toughened metal. Fury concentrated on the man’s actions, looking for a weakness or an opening. None appeared. Leaping back, Fury pulled clear one of his daggers. Now, he defended with both sword and dagger. Zane was starting to tire, and Fury smiled inside his helm. His turn. Fury blocked an arching double blow to his head and kicked Zane in the chest. Zane rolled over backwards on the floor, using the momentum to rise to his feet.
When he reached his feet, something hit him high on his left shoulder. Zane grunted. He dropped the sword in his left hand and it speared into the soft ground, leaving its hilt wagging.
***
Platos and the four clansmen fought on desperately, cornered in the dead-end alley. One of the clansmen leapt forward and ducked under a cut from a Caynian. The clansman rose and slammed his sword into the Caynian’s chest. The Caynian grunted and spun around, dragging his attacker with him. This exposed the clansman to the other Caynians. They hacked the man into pieces. The Caynians stepped forward. Another clansman charged forward howling a war cry, his sword raised high.
***
Danf continued to defend the mound. All around him men fell as more and more Talon Hunters and Shadows reached the mound. Danf had ten men left in his pocket of resistance. The clansmen had formed a circle. They hacked and chopped anything that was not a man. However, slowly and surely the men fell under the beasts’ power. Danf, the Cross-swords clansman, screamed and charged, ducking under a Talon Hunter’s blow. Swiftly, using both hands, he forced his tulwar up and his blade cleaved the beast’s heart. But as the Talon Hunter fell backwards it ripped Danf’s sword from his grip.
Another Talon Hunter charged towards him.
***
The number of Kharnacks surrounding the fallen Maldino reduced rapidly. The circle grew smaller and smaller
as the beasts ripped at the men, picking them off one by one. The Kharnacks were merciless and took the fight to the beasts. Gan-Goran blocked out the sounds of battle as he continued to heal the fallen chieftain. The rips on the man’s torso began to close. The process was slow—too slow.
***
Elsewhere on the battlefield, the miners and the Solus fought and killed anything not human. The Solus fought like a swarm—they would group together and attack as one. Many of them died in the attack, but the final outcome was the same—death to their prey. Fifty of them charged at a Caynian. Five died as they reached the man-beast. Ten more died before one of their crude spears impaled the Caynian’s heart. The miners used their tools as weapons and like the Solus, they fought in packs. The only difference was men helped them to crush their enemy.
On the battlefield, the fighting became confined to large pockets. Here the combined force of men defeated the Dread. However, most of the surviving Dread flocked towards the city.
***
Rowet forced the Dark One backwards, his swords clanging against the Blade of Yallas. He tried to find an opening. He spotted one and snapped his wrist upward. His blade smashed one of the horns protruding down on the Dark One’s ebony helm. The Dark One stepped forward and stabbed at Rowet’s stomach. Rowet jumped back and parried the blow, rolling his wrist. Sending a rapid riposte, Rowet clanged his other sword against the Dark One’s breastplate. Sparks flew from the noisy contact. The Dark One blocked another blow and countered, slicing the Blade of Yallas through the man’s body armour. Lucky for the Chosen, the blade did not pierce his skin. Rowet jumped back and smashed down against the Dark One’s black sword. The Dark One stumbled. Rowet kicked the man’s left arm. He followed by hacking down with both swords that bounced against the Dark One’s broad, armoured back. When pulling his swords clear, Rowet wrenched the black cloak free. The Chosen blinked rapidly as he began to tire from the loss of blood.
***
Rayth was under a constant barrage of lethal strokes from Chaos. Each cut and slash was aimed with deadly accuracy. Rayth frantically defended himself with his axe, but his weapon was for attacking, not as effective at protecting the wielder. The former axe-wielder received several cuts and lacerations to his arms and legs. His breastplate had saved the man many times, but the dents in the metal now restricted his breathing. Rayth blocked a double chop to his head. He held the warrior at bay and then pushed up and away. Chaos was thrown back, but landed on his feet. Rayth’s turn. Wielding and rolling his mighty axe, the former axe-wielder attacked, roaring with rage. Chaos swayed and just blocked the man’s murderous axe.
