Invasion (28 page)

“Word of his mount has already reached my ears and I sense the animal nearby although as yet undetected by any elf.” Fuiron turned to regard Decker and he became lost in the elf’s eyes. “I myself would have missed the horse’s aura if I was not seeking it out. But alas it is not your horse that you have come to tell me about although she may have more to do with your story than even you know.”

Decker sensed deep meaning in the wise elf’s words but that meaning eluded him. “Our land is being invaded by a powerful enemy that seeks to bring all under her control.” He blurted out the comment without thought as though it had been drawn from him like water from a well.

“A human woman.” It was a statement, not a question. Somehow the Overlord drew more information from him than what he said. “But not an ordinary human and not one from this world. One ancient in years but young in appearance wielding a dark and powerful magic.”

“You know of her?” asked Decker.

“Only what your mind has revealed to me.”

“You read minds?”

“No. A mind will scream out to me when something is greatly troubling it. When it does so, I can probe it for further information.” Fuiron turned to Seregruthon with a grim expression. “You were wise to bring them straight to me. An ancient human problem or not, it is now our concern and we must stand side by side with Lertia to end the threat before it is beyond us.”

Chapter 30

Evacuation

Major Hillsworth stood atop the western wall of Arthea and watched the massive army below march toward them with a sense of dread. This enemy dwarfed the size of the army that came against the city a little over a month ago. Not only was it greater in number but also in skill and experience. They were doing the right thing by evacuating the city; they didn’t stand a chance here.

As they approached Major Hillsworth could make out their individual features clearer and his sense of dread deepened. The front ranks were made up of undead orcs. The walking corpses were covered with deep wounds; torn flesh hung freely from their bones and many had missing limbs.

“Sylestra has brought her goddess to Ka’ton,” said Major Hillsworth to no one in particular. He sensed the unease of his soldiers.

“We are soldiers of Lertia,” he yelled, “tasked with the responsibility of defending her citizens ‘til death. Stand firm with me now ‘til our people are free of the city.” His voice sounded much more confident than he felt but it had the desired effect on his soldiers. They all stood a little taller with determination apparent in their eyes.

The noise grew ever louder below as the invaders drew close. Vibrations could be felt through the wall as the synchronised feet hit the ground. Dark clouds loomed in the sky as though they were sending a message.

“Major Hillsworth!” His name was shouted from below.

He looked down to see his messenger scanning the wall in search of him. “I’m here.” The messenger spotted him at once and hurried closer.

“The last of the stragglers are leaving the city as we speak.”

“Thank you. You go and join them and spread the message to any you see on the way.” At last — it had been the message he longed to hear. He turned to a soldier next to him and gave the man a nod. He pulled out a sounding horn that he had attached to his belt and gave it one long blow, followed by a shorter one.

The soldiers on the wall turned and hurried down the closest steps. Major Hillsworth continued to watch the enemy below. His heart raced when the undead orcs charged as fast as their decaying bodies could take them.

“Archers, take aim,” he commanded. “Target their heads.” He waited til they got closer before giving the command to fire.

A stream of arrows went into the undead group, causing many to fall, but most of them got back up; some with many arrows protruding from their bodies. Only the ones that received head shots stayed down, never to move again.

Major Hillsworth wondered what the point of the charge was when a magical gate formed beside him and a worg rider came charging out. His magically enchanted sword saved him in that moment as it quickened his movements allowing him to dodge the fierce beast and even score a deep slice in the wolf-like creature’s rump. It howled and turned so suddenly that it threw its rider who was finished off by his soldiers.

The worg pulled up short and snarled at him. A sound from behind had Major Hillsworth diving onto his belly. He felt the wind from the sword-stroke as it narrowly missed his head.

“Get these gates closed,” he shouted, hoping that at least some wizards still remained on the wall.

When he looked up to see a worg and his rider blasted from the wall by an unseen force he figured one must be close by.

“It’s no time to be lying down,” said a familiar voice from behind him.

He jumped to his feet to see Master Tayer working hard to close the magical gate. The worg that had attacked him lay still with a pool of blood near its neck. His soldiers had this section under control but further along the situation appeared bleak. More gates were forming every few seconds. They didn’t have enough wizards to close them all.

“Retreat!” His command echoed along the wall as his captains repeated it.

“Time to get you out of here, Major.” Master Tayer grabbed hold of him and a nearby soldier. Before Major Hillsworth had time to argue the point he stood alone with Master Tayer and the soldier in the middle of a small room.

“Where are we?” asked the soldier.

“This is my house. The best I could do under such duress. I can take you further now if you wish since we are out of danger.”

“No. Save your strength. We’ll make our way from here.” Major Hillsworth’s thoughts went out to those still upon the western wall as Master Tayer led them out of his house. “Why did you take me from the wall, Master Tayer? I did not order you to do so.”

“My orders came from General Kehar who knew you would not leave until the last. His very words were ‘we have lost far too many leaders of late and can’t afford the loss of anymore’.”

“I have left many soldiers back there to be slaughtered.” Even as he said the words they came across the main street where hundreds of soldiers were in full retreat.

“You also saved many by issuing the order to retreat when you did.”

“I could have saved more if I had stayed.”

“You would have been dead yourself if you had stayed.”

Major Hillsworth pondered the old wizard’s comment and knew he was right but it didn’t make it any easier. He had abandoned his men. He remained silent as they hurried along the street and tried to ignore the far off screams coming from behind.

As they neared the eastern gate, General Kehar hobbled alongside the wall carrying a roll of fuse wire. Major Hillsworth went after him at once with Master Tayer in tow. They caught up with him inside the small Gatehouse under the wall.

“What are you doing General? You should be far away by now,” said Major Hillsworth.

“I have to roll out this last stretch of fuse wire.”

“Any soldier could have done that and a lot quicker than you.”

General Kehar narrowed his eyes.

“You know what I mean.” Major Hillsworth slapped the General on the shoulder.

“I know the location of all the barrels and by the time I explained to someone what needed to be done I could have done it myself.” General Kehar crouched and started twining the roll of fuse wire to another length which led up and into one of the many barrels of oil in the room.

“Well I’m here now, so let me help.”

“You can help by watching my back so I can do my job quicker.”

“Very well, but hurry it along as they are almost upon us.”

General Kehar finished up his join and started rolling the wire out. Major Hillsworth led the way out and moved toward the city gate, eyes darting in every direction scanning for danger. The last of the soldiers were running toward the gate as they drew near. Major Hillsworth searched the street. A group of worg riders bore down on them.

“Protect the General,” he shouted. The running soldiers stopped at once and turned to face the coming danger. “Hurry up, General. We have company.” General Kehar picked up another length of wire that laid upon the road and furiously twisted it together, but then the worgs were upon them.

A soldier to his right wasn’t quick enough to dodge the charging beast and so was flung backwards into the air. The Major side stepped the worg and blocked the swinging attack from its rider with his two long swords crossed above his head. The problem now was that the worg bore down on General Kehar.

“Watch out, General,” screamed Major Hillsworth.

General Kehar rolled to the side but still received a solid kick from the worg as he ran by. Other worgs fell and soldiers engaged with their riders but a few of the wolf-like beasts had made it past and circled around to make another pass at them.

Major Hillsworth ran to the General’s side and was relieved to see he was all right and crawling towards the all-important fuse wire. The Major set his feet and prepared himself for the oncoming charge. As always he side-stepped the snapping maws of the worg but as he prepared to strike at its flank, it turned side on and used its solid body as a weapon.

The impact took his breath away and he dropped one of his swords — thankfully not his enchanted one. He was propelled backward through the air and landed painfully on the ground. An orc sought to take advantage of his prone situation and prepared to swing down with his wide-bladed weapon. Thinking fast and with the aid of his sword’s enchantment, Major Hillsworth jabbed it upward and into the groin of the orc. The orc screamed and fell backward.

Major Hillsworth jumped to his feet and prepared to go after the worg that had knocked him over but General Kehar was engaged with it and many enemies were in between him and the General. He took a quick look around him. They were sorely outnumbered.

A riderless worg came at him furiously but was buffeted away by an unseen force. The Major nodded his thanks to Master Tayer and engaged the next orc in line. As he dodged and parried the strikes of the orc, he kept one eye on the General and was glad to see that he had killed the worg and only had its rider to deal with. Even injured as he was, Major Hillsworth had no doubt that the General could dispatch a single orc.

An opening appeared in the tired orc’s attacks and Major Hillsworth took full advantage of it and plunged his blade deep into the orc’s belly. The General dispatched his orc at the same time and dropped to his knees to gather up the fuse wire. He pulled a flint from his pocket and lit the fuse.

“Get him out of here, Master Tayer,” shouted General Kehar.

Major Hillsworth looked to his side. The wizard stood right next to him.

“Nooo!” Major Hillsworth stepped away from the wizard’s outstretched hand and charged the group of orcs between him and his best friend. He cut one down but two others took his place and pushed him back. Through the narrow gap, Major Hillsworth saw the General back on his feet and fighting bravely, protecting that burning fuse.

A lightning bolt thudded into the orc on his left and took it to ground convulsing wildly. The orc on the right was distracted by the magical attack and lost his head as a result, but enemies were swarming in from all directions. He could no longer see General Kehar. He felt a hand on his shoulder and in the next moment he stood atop a small hill with Master Tayer beside him.

It took him a moment to get his bearings but when he did, he turned around to gaze upon the distant city of Arthea. A long stream of people and orc-kind were hurrying along the eastern road leading to Yulon. The city gates were still wide open and he made out dark figures within.

The eastern wall lit up in a bright flame and he heard a loud boom a moment later. Another explosion and then another went off as the wall was blasted to pieces. Ten explosions went off — five on either side of the gates. Debris sprayed into the air and screams could be heard from the women on the road below.

It seemed like a horrible nightmare to Major Hillsworth as he collapsed to his knees. The debris fell from the sky in slow motion. A shaky hand rested upon his shoulder. Major Hillsworth put his head into his hands and wept. 

Chapter 31

Sending a Message

Sylestra wasn’t at all surprised by the massive explosion. She knew the humans would have had some surprise in store for her and seeing what they did to Fort Dega, she figured it would be an explosion of some sort. For that reason she hadn’t sent her entire force off in pursuit of the fleeing army— just enough to make things hard for them.

“Secure the city,” she commanded General Jak’ho, “take prisoners and check for any other nasty surprises. First thing in the morning I want half the army sent back to Fort Dega. We can ill afford to leave it so vulnerable.”

“It will be done, Supreme Mistress.” General Jak’ho hurried off and started barking out commands.

Sylestra wanted to see the damage done by the explosion and so she started walking in that direction. As she walked she inspected the city. It appeared much dirtier than any of her cities and the poorer sections were nothing more than shacks but it would clean up well and the massive walls around it were well constructed and would make defending it quite easy. She would eventually tear down the poorer sections and replace them with buildings of a finer standard. She would also need to construct a slave compound for all the prisoners she expected to take.

For some reason looking at the poorly built shacks reminded her of Gerard. She had tried to reason with him that her way of leading was more beneficial than the society he lived in, but he wouldn’t hear of it. She imagined the type of people that lived in these buildings; they would be wearing raggedy clothes, be filthy dirty, missing teeth, having unkempt hair and be sick with one disease or another. How could Gerard think that to be more humane than the clean living compounds she provided?

She thought about where he was now. He headed for the Gate and possibly wouldn’t be too far away from it. If he came across it now he would fight his way through, but to what end? Whether on Ki’arantha or Ka’ton she would catch up with him and make him pay for the trouble he had caused.

Sylestra let out a large sigh when she came in sight of the devastation. They had blown the wall, leaving most of the eastern side of the city hard to defend. They intended on coming back.

On the road near the shattered city gates lay many corpses — mostly orcs and worgs but some human soldiers were among them. The corpses were a little blackened but otherwise unspoiled with the exception of their fatal wounds. They could be raised and used to fight again on her side.

She inspected the corpses a little closer and came across a human soldier surrounded by many dead orcs and a couple of worgs. This soldier must have been a skilled fighter as he took many down with him. On the ground near him lay a walking stick with a brass head. Could this have been his? Is it possible that an already injured soldier could put up such a fight? Curiosity got the better of her and so she rolled the soldier over to get a better look at him. He had five triangles below the crossed sword emblem on his chest which she knew to be the rank of a general. This explained why the man had been so hard to kill.

An idea came to mind and she smiled.

She unsheathed her scimitar and sliced open a corpse. Using the blood of the orc warrior she wrote a message on the front of the general’s armour with her finger.

Once she had done that, she animated the corpse, gave it a sword and commanded it to follow the road and kill all that it came across. She watched it walk slowly away and wished that she had Zaydok here so she could see their expressions when they got her message.

That thought gave her another idea.

Before the animated general got too far away, she cast another spell upon it — a spell of seeing. With a simple cantrip she shared the General’s vision.

Now to find somewhere to relax and enjoy the show.  

“There was nothing we could have done to save him.” Master Tayer crouched beside him. Major Hillsworth knew the wizard was trying to comfort him but those words cut through him like a knife.

They could have stayed longer and fought their way to him. Surely Master Tayer had a spell where he could have cleared a way. Even better, Master Tayer could have teleported next to him and took him away from the danger. Something — they could have done something and perhaps his friend would still be alive.

It was folly to be thinking like this. What was done was done and nothing could change that now. Just as likely they all would have been dead if they attempted any of those things. It wasn’t right to question Master Tayer’s actions either — the wizard had saved his life twice within the last few hours.

With tears drying up, Major Hillsworth slowly lifted his head and gazed once more upon the ruined wall where his commanding officer and good friend lay dead. There, in the failing light of the evening, a lone figure walked away from the shattered city gates.

Hope stirred within the Major.

He rose to his feet and shielded his eyes against the falling sun, straining to see any detail. All he could tell was that it appeared to be human and by the way it was walking, a very injured human. Had the General defied all odds yet again?

“Can you get me down to that road in a hurry?” Major Hillsworth’s eyes didn’t leave the hobbling figure in the distance.

“Of course I can, Major.” He felt Master Tayer’s hand grip him tightly and the now familiar flow of magic coursed his veins.

The scenery changed immediately.

They were now standing on the road about fifty paces from the figure they had seen from the hilltop.

It was indeed General Kehar, but something was wrong. He showed no emotion and displayed no indication of even recognising him. General Kehar lifted his sword, but it was not in victory, it was in a threatening way. As he neared, Major Hillsworth clearly saw there was no life in the General’s eyes. He marched along with a single purpose.

Major Hillsworth went to take a step toward the General but Master Tayer held him back. When he looked at the wizard to find out why, he pointed to the General’s chest.

Aside from the puncture wound to his heart which had been fatal, a message had been written in blood. It read: I serve Sylestra.

Sylestra cackled in delight.

The faces of the two men standing in front of her zombie general were as pale as ghosts. Their jaws hung open and their eyes were wide. They seemed to be frozen to the spot. If they didn’t move soon they would be cut down where they stood. Now that would be a great show.

It wasn’t to be though. The one she identified as a major drew his sword in shaky hands. Her zombie stopped and swung down with his sword; a clumsy strike the General would never have made in life.

As expected the Major blocked it with ease, but instead of responding with a killing stroke he kicked the zombie back and to the ground. The wizard she recognised from the time she had captured O’tukka and Pilk in her cage, pointed his tall staff at the prone zombie but the Major held him back.

Her animated corpse struggled to his feet and staggered toward the two men once again. The Major appeared to be yelling something at him and by the looks it was his title and name. Sylestra wished she had enacted a spell of hearing so she could hear what the man said. He seemed to be trying to communicate with her zombie. The mindless corpse of course would not respond; it had no memory, no intelligence, and no thoughts except for what her magic continually instructed it to do. The animated corpse had a quality that no living thing possessed: perfect loyalty.

The men kept backing away as the Major continued his communication attempts. His pleas became desperate and tears fell from his eyes.

Sylestra laughed harder.

The zombie swung his sword in a horizontal arc this time and once again it was blocked. Again and again the General swung his sword and each time the attack was effortlessly picked off.

Something was different about this soldier. Even though he fought an undead creature his sword strokes were unnaturally quick. His movements were being enhanced by someone or something and despite the extra speed, his control was exceptional even in his obvious emotional state. Was it the wizard next to him that enhanced his speed or something else? She would very much like to find out.

The wizard appeared to be trying to reason with the Major but he ignored him. He just continued to block the tireless attacks. A third man showed in her magical vision; a handsome, middle-aged man with black hair and an air of authority around him. He was finely dressed in black leather armour and a red cape and walked with confidence.

He was royalty.

This man also pleaded with the Major with intense, but kindly eyes. The Major’s gaze never left the zombie. His moist, focused eyes were burning their way into Sylestra’s memory. No doubt realising that the Major was beyond all reason, the finely dressed man drew his sword and with one mighty stroke, he swung it at the zombie’s neck.

Sylestra’s magical vision went black.