The Vlakan King (Book 3) (33 page)

Taina led her soldiers, her sword bloody and she sang as she fought. The speed of the Daerlan overwhelmed the Mordyn soldiers and they fell back before her. Moria led another surge into the Mordyn lines. Above the din rose the voice of the Anethean, Pao Guitan, wielding her deadly spear; dancing among the enemy with her squad on her heels. The trio of leaders pushed, cut, stabbed and bulled their way across the bloody matted grass of the wide fields surrounding Nantitet. The strength of the onslaught coupled with the unprepared Mordyn rear lines moved the Mordyn back faster than Taina hoped.

The Mordyn lines stiffened finally and the advance slowed. The tough fighting began in earnest. The Celaeri captains were spotted and Taina's squads made their way toward the pale blue fighters. Hobart stood on the back of his horse, protected by Talos soldiers and let his arrows fly. Two of the Celaeri were down before the others realized their danger and retreated out of range. The Talos Company fought through the Mordyn lines and reached the gates, which were badly damaged. They cleared a space before the gates and began to enter Nantitet. As the Talos Company moved into the city the Rose Knights blocked their advance. Taina cursed and sent three squads to clear entry for them. The Talos soldiers fought their way into the city as the main body defended the gate against Mordyn and watched their back against the Rose Knights. Taina cursed and issued orders. She found a bloody soldier of Nantitet and grabbed his arm.

"Send a messenger to the High King," said Taina. "Tell him the Talos Company has arrived."

"I don't know if I can," said the soldier. "The Rose Knights had sealed off the palace after they torched the guard's barracks. The Rose Bishop is rumored to have arrested the High King."

"Try anyway. The High King must know help has arrived. Gods. How many fronts do we have to fight?" asked Taina.

"I will look for the High King," said Moria. "I'll take Hobart."

"Be careful. I don't want to lose you too."

Moria looked at her mother and caught a glimpse of shadow behind her eyes. "You still loved him? Why didn't you say something? I wouldn't have gone to Kerreth if I knew. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"That is why I didn't tell you girl. You had to make your own choices. Now go! We shall have long talks when this is over but not until then. I have some funny stories of Kerreth I've been saving to tell you." She grinned but her eyes did not.

Moria nodded and ran toward the palace with the small shape of Hobart beside her.

The Rose Knights regrouped and prepared to charge the Talos Company. Taina shouted orders and half the squads remained facing the gate and the Mordyn while the rest spun to meet the Rose Knights. Blackthorne set wards around the gate to slow the Mordyn advance and dashed into a nearby building with his pack. The fighting spread across the cobblestones of Nantitet and the wards held back the Mordyn although their Celaeri leaders were preparing a spell of their own. This allowed Taina to turn more soldiers from the Mordyn to engage with the Rose Knights stopping their advance. A reddish brown glow revealed itself from the building Blackthorne entered. A pungent smell wafted in the breeze. Then it was gone and Blackthorne ran to his horse. He threw flames at the Rose Knights forcing them to give ground and then he urged his horse forward past the Rose Knights to the interior of the town.

"Where's Blackthorne going?" asked Dvorak Annis.

"To battle Pashar Bei," yelled Taina. "His army has reached the west wall of Nantitet."

The wards at the gate held and more Talos soldiers joined against the Rose Knights who had fallen back a city block. Many citizens who stayed in their homes threw whatever they could find at the Rose Knights and the projectiles knocked several off their horses. The Talos Company moved forward to engage the fallen knights.

A charge of the remaining King's Guard confused the Rose Knights who turned back into the Talos Company. The fierce fighting spilled throughout the streets and many Rose Knights escaped. But while the Talos Company pursued the Rose Knights the forces at the gate proved too small to keep back the Mordyn forces. The Celaeri had brought down Blackthorne's ward. The defenders were pushed back through the gates that they were unable to close. The Mordyn army followed the Talos Company through the gate and sent soldiers to permanently disable the heavy gates while the rest fought to gain entrance to the city. Taina saw the surge of the Mordyn soldiers and signaled several squads to return to the gates.

The defenders were pushed back before the Talos Company could join them. The Mordyn soldiers began to spread out within the city walls seeking avenues to inject their fighting force into the neighborhoods.

From the building nearest the gate light flared and a large figure walked out waving two swords. Mordyn soldiers attacked but were cut down by the giant. Again and again he cut a swath through the invaders. The Talos Company returned and struck the Mordyn force hard. The fighting continued for several minutes before Taina could look closely at the huge figure. The red beard, curved swords and the tusks!

"Kerreth!" cried Taina. She rode to him ready to jump off her horse but when he glanced at her, Taina changed her mind. His eyes were black, no whites at all and he did not seem to recognize her. Kerreth seemed empty inside; just a hollow shell. She moved closer and he looked away; engaging the Mordyn soldiers again. Taina whirled around looking for the sorcerer.

"Blackthorne! What have you done?" She screamed to the sky.

Kerreth's assault drove the Mordyn soldiers backward and they tripped over each other to escape the thundering blades of the giant. The Talos Company and Calendian soldiers pushed the invaders back through the gates and Kerreth pushed the gates shut. Taina sent archers to the walls to drive back the Mordyn. Arrows from the walls feathered the Mordyn soldiers and the Celaeri captains called back their forces out of the range of the arrows. Taina ordered the soldiers to stand down. The Talos responded immediately but it was several minutes before she could keep the Calendian soldiers from giving chase to the Mordyn. Taina ordered repairs on the gate while the archers on the walls watched the Mordyn soldiers.

Moria and Hobart reached the inner city where Rose Knights guarded the entrance. Moria did not stop her bloodlust still fueled by the death of Kerreth. Two knights blocked her path. She struck down the guards without a word and continued onward, Hobart running hard to keep up. Many faces peered out of windows at the strange duo but no one hailed them or hindered them.

Closer to the palace there were fewer soldiers and no one opposed them. The palace door was open and Hobart pushed it wider as they entered. The interior was unlit and silent. Moria listened for sound and heard breathing not too far away. She looked at Hobart who nodded. They moved forward into the great hall where the Rose Bishop waited for them, his sword drawn.

"A Daerlan and a Tuor come for me. Is this the best the Talos Company can do? I watched your arrival from the tower window. Very impressive charge on your horses. No doubt the Mordyn will turn and run; they are a repulsive people. You are wasting your time if you come for my sword. I will not surrender to non-Men. This is Nantitet; the great city of Men and you dare tread on the floor of the great hall? This is the heart of Men on Landermass. You creatures must be scoured from the land."

Moria advanced while Hobart moved to one side to watch the doors.

"Where is the High King?" asked Moria.

Aulan lifted his bloody blade.

"I made sure he could not be rescued."

"You are a pawn of Pashar Bei's."

"A pawn? No, I would have tossed him aside when Nantitet was mine. I have no use for Mordyn. Pashar Bei's forces are only now at the west gate. He has his own agenda obviously. He moved too slowly to help me. I am the ruler of Nantitet now. And he who rules Nantitet rules Calendia. Wierland and Curesia bow before Calendia so in fact I rule Anavar. Come Daerlan, cross blades with the Rose Bishop. I shall cut your heathen head from your shoulders."

Moria advanced quickly surprising Aulan as he barely blocked her first blow. As they danced on the landing Hobart waited below with his arrow notched. Soon enough a Rose Knight bounded down the stairs to strike Moria from the rear. Hobart's arrow caught the knight in the throat and the body tumbled past Aulan and Moria to the lower stairs. Moria pressed her attack.

"Hedging your bet?" said Moria. "Can't win on your own?"

"They are compelled to defend their bishop, nothing more. I will kill you Daerlan." He lunged forward but Moria was faster. She knocked his blade away and drove her sword deep into his chest. Aulan gasped and gurgled and fell to the floor. Moria stepped on his chest to pull her sword free.

"Let's find the High King," said Moria. "Or at least his body."

They ran up the stairs to the royal compartments. The guard outside the door was dead and the door was unlatched. Moria pushed it open and saw the bodies. They stood silent for several minutes.

"Damn. Let's tell Taina to take control of the city," said Moria. "I don't know who to trust of the nobles in the city so let it be martial law for now."

"We should hurry. The sound of the battle has changed."

They ran toward the east gate past bodies of Rose Knights to where the Talos Company had set up their watch to supplement the Calendian soldiers as the sun began to set. Hobart found Taina and told her of the High King's death and that Moria had killed the Rose Bishop.

"Good. At least we can settle things within in the walls. Only having one enemy is quite enough."

"Taina?" said Hobart, pointing towards the gate. "Is that…"

"Oh gods, yes! Where is Moria? I have to talk to her first." She ran toward Kerreth but when she wove her way through the soldiers Moria was already there. Moria had released her hug when Kerreth didn't respond. She stared up at his face when her mother reached her side.

"I'm so sorry, Moria," said Taina. "It was Blackthorne. I don't know how he brought him back or what he intends. When he returns I will give him some hell."

"Is Kerreth in there, or is it just a shell?" her voice was tiny.

"I can't say, but he did fight like Kerreth."

The sun set and Kerreth began to shimmer.

"What's happening?" asked Moria.

Kerreth's skin became translucent and faded away leaving a giant skeleton standing in its place.

"Kerreth?"

It turned to Moria, its grim tusked smile locked in place. She gasped. The skull nodded to her and the skeleton turned and walked away. Moria began to sob and Taina held her.

When Blackthorne reached the west gate a sortie had been sent to test the meddle of the attackers. The defenders charged into the Celaeri soldiers Pashar Bei wielded and fought desperately for they knew the Celaeri's speed and strength were superior. However the Celaeri moved no faster than the Calendians and in some engagements even slower. With a roar the Calendians cut down their opponents and swarmed to the next one. Blackthorne listened to the din of swordplay but then a moan rose from the field. The Calendian soldiers cried out when the Celaeri they slew transformed into soldiers from Wierland and Curesia. They had not killed Celaeri; they had killed Men from the neighboring kingdoms. Their captain pushed them forward but the results were the same. The soldiers lowered their weapons unsure of what to do next. Who were they fighting? That was when the Celaeri rushed forward from behind the ensorcelled soldiers slaughtering the hesitant defenders. Those that were able pulled back toward the city walls. The remaining defenders left the field fleeing to the south. The Celaeri cheered at the rout. Pashar Bei glowed with a green light and walked through the Celaeri lines to within hailing distance of the gate.

"Good soldiers of Nantitet. I do not want to cause more loss of life. Open the gate and allow my soldiers to enter they city and submit to us. Your lives will be spared."

There was silence for several moments and then a rain of arrows came out of the sky into the Celaeri lines. Pashar Bei's magic protected him but he did not expand his defenses to include his allies. They ran for cover. Pashar Bei cast a spell on the gate intending to crumble it and the gate trembled but his spell was cast back toward him. In his surprise he barely shielded himself from the blast dispersing it into the air.

The Celaeri looked up to the west wall of Nantitet. The humming grew louder and the wall itself began to glow. Fingers of lightening jumped from the wall to the nearest Celaeri killing them instantly.

Pashar Bei walked toward the wall. Suddenly, he sensed what it was and raised a spell around him. The explosion of power knocked him off his feet and he rolled back toward the river but his spell held firm. Through the opaque shield he saw the Celaeri shredded mercilessly and the thunder filled the land. Calendian soldiers poured onto the battlefield to cleanse it of Pashar Bei's remaining soldiers. The setting sun eased the dull sound of sword in flesh filling Pashar Bei's ears. It was utter failure yet the plan had been so sound. When the sorcery fire faded a dark figure stood in the open gate to the city. Pashar Bei knew at once it was Blackthorne and cursed his luck. Blackthorne was the strongest sorcerer to walk the lands of Landermass and seldom thought anything was of greater importance to take him away from his work. Blackthorne often rejected Kerreth Veralier's commands to join the Talos Company on missions; he kept to his studies and hoarded his lore. Yet he was here to defend Nantitet. Pashar Bei remembered the Talos Company at the Tower of Erast but did not recall Blackthorne's presence. He had not known of Blackthorne's involvement. Bad luck. He staggered to his feet and found himself face to face with Blackthorne. The reddish tint of Blackthorne's eyes unnerved even Pashar Bei. The dark sorcerer looked Pashar Bei over and nodded.

"So you are the great Pashar Bei. We meet at last. I have no quarrel with you. I recommend you withdraw from this war. We will soon have the Mordyn army turned around. The rebellion in the city is over and the Rose Bishop has paid for his deeds."