To Be Chosen (49 page)

“You said, we, who is with you?”

Daniel decided to only mention his human army for the time being. “I’m leading a pair of Teki, a Master-of-the-blade, along with a nobleman, and fifty-one Royal Guardsmen. Now, I can sense your anxiety, is there something more?”

The anxiety had come with a sense of confusion, as if he was not sure whether or not to be terrified. “Sherree found a sarcophagus containing a small casket with the letters, D.L. written on it. Jerremy thought they meant, Determined Lethal, but Samuel and Simon believe them to mean, Della Lain. Daniel, could it be what they think, could it contain the flute of Della Lain?”

For a second it was as if time stopped, several moments passed before Daniel thought to breathe, not realizing he was holding his breath. The idea of Tarin Conn free to wage war had Daniel in a cold sweat, even shielded. No one was ready. After the storm of anxiety passed, calm reason took over. The world was not yet at war and that thought narrowed his focus. “I have no doubt the contents of the sarcophagus belonged to Della Lain, but I doubt it is the flute. It seems to me Serin Gell would have immediately destroyed it.”

The tension level lowered through the link. “That makes me feel better. The older Accomplisheds told us the same thing, but I trust your opinion over theirs.”

Daniel wished he could trust his own opinion. The Pentrosan could have the flute. If he did possess the ancient crescendo, the fact that the Dark Maestro was not shaking the world proved the instrument had not been destroyed, and flute or no flute, Daniel still had to chase down the trumpet and confront Serin Gell in the Foothills. “Don’t be too trusting. My opinion is no better than that of Simon or Samuel. No matter, I will do what I have to do here, meet you in Tomrus, and rescue Sherree.”

“What about Jerremy?” Tim had to ask.

The only way to help a man who has been Condemned is to kill him, that’s what Daniel had been taught, and that is what he believed, but was it true? The Melody was in his old repertoire, although he never used it or even wanted to. Could the same spell be used in reverse? He had no idea, but the thought brought with it a possibility. Maybe he could compose a Symphonic that would cure a Condemned. “I’ll compose something that will help him.”

“I figured you would, but I’ll hold off telling the others, seeing as they don’t know you are an Aakasear, and can do the impossible,” Tim sent, along with a sense of a chuckle with the last four words.

“Doing the impossible is not so hard. It’s the unthinkable I have problems with.”

A sense of playfulness came from Tim. “Last one to Tomrus is a hound pup,” he sent and then severed the link.

Really, it was not even a fair challenge. Daniel chuckled, but the mirth was quickly subdued by the extra weight on his shoulders. Retrieve the trumpet from Serena and her accomplices, confront Serin Gell, save Sherree, heal the impossible, and save the Queen. And hope with all his heart the flute of Della Lain is not in the hands of the Serpent Guild. He closed his eyes and fell into a troubled sleep while the alphas, Shade and Scrounge led their fellow wolves in mournful howls.

Roder Keenan kept a sharp eye on his surroundings. The Tollus River was far to the left, perhaps a span away. Willows and spruce, mixed with all sorts of other trees and plants, were to the right, and pretty much ahead and to the rear. The north wind brought with it a chill, but the warmth of the sun kept him from being uncomfortable. A pair of ospreys circled in the sky above while a swarm of bees, somewhere among the foliage, produced a constant hum. The buzzing had begun yesterday and only ceased at night, and then began again shortly after dawn.

The procession, led by Sir Daniel, was winding between trees and bushes. The Knight had risen early and stirred the camp awake even before Roder finished getting dressed. It was clear as a smudge on a guardsman’s boot the young commander was deeply troubled by the messages left by the Aakacarns, especially the invitation to join his former veterans from the Battle of Bashierwood. He seemed even more distressed now than when he went to bed and Roder wondered what more plagued the mind of the Chosen Vessel.

Wolves howling in the night seemed to set the mood in the morning and served to inspire most of the men to be on edge, which was a good thing. Grandma Keenan was a Seer and while Roder made no claim to having that talent, he did inherit a sense of impending violence, which had served him well in his career. That sense was screaming in the back of his head, keeping him fully alert.

He dropped back along the left column and began spreading the word on down the line. “Look sharp. Sir Daniel expects to catch up with the thieving Aakacarns today. They know we are coming and there might be a few surprises waiting for us along the way.”  He sent Corporal Duwin to give the same admonition to the right column.

Low-browed Chuc Carlin spat a wad of tobacco he had been chewing since daybreak onto the ground. “I always expect trouble, but I have to admit, I never figured on being under the direct command of the Chosen Vessel. So far, Sir Daniel and the Teki have done the fighting. We have only been along for the ride, what makes you think today will be any different?”

“None of us figured on serving under the Chosen Vessel, but the Queen deliberately placed us under his command, knowing exactly who he is, and believing that we would be needed,” Roder was quick to reply, “Because, as influential as his swirl seems to be, as good at the blade as he has bec
ome, he is still only a man.”

Carlin turned to Guardsman Lu Zannis. “Now maybe you will believe me after hearing it from someone more authoritative.”

Zannis fixed a squinty-eyed stare. “I never said we shouldn’t be ready for a fight, just that I think Sir Daniel will handle matters like he did the sixteen sasquatches.”

Roder had a feeling the young commander had the same idea; that he could take on the enemy alone and win while keeping everyone else from harm. “No one in a battle zone is exempt from the butcher’s bill when it comes due, don’t ever forget that, or you may be the one who pays the price.”

Carlin was nodding his head in agreement and Zannis actually widened his eyes, hopefully taking the warning to heart. Roder heard a branch snap in the trees over to his left. A huge black bear passed between an oak and an elm, glanced his way, yet made no move to come any closer to the procession. Roder blinked and wiped his eyes, not sure he was seeing what was in plain sight, a cougar walking beside the bear, and neither creature seemed to be concerned about the presence of the other. It had only happened for a moment and the pair vanished in among the trees. No one else commented, perhaps they did not see, so he shook his head and tried to put the incident out of his mind.

At the head of the procession, Sir Daniel’s hand came up, signaling a halt. It was not time to stop, the mid-day meal was marks away, and there was no obvious impediment to their progress. Roder heeled Dancer in the flanks and raced up to the head of the line.

“Why are we stopping so early? Why did you recall your forward scout? All the progress we made this morning will be wasted,” Jonah Ducalin was demanding of the Knight, while yet again voicing an unasked for opinion.

Silvia positioned her horse in between the Lord and the Knight. “He has his reasons.”

Both Teki were quick to back Sir Daniel in any decision he made, even when they seemed to have no more idea of his motives than anyone else.

“Eighty, how quickly can I add that many?” the Knight asked softly, apparently of himself, and behaving as if the Duc
alin had never questioned him.

David shrugged his shoulders. “You would be the best judge of that.” The Teki spoke as if he knew exactly what the commander was talking about.

Sir Daniel’s left eyebrow arched up, seemingly in surprise someone answered him, perhaps not realizing he had spoken out loud. He frowned and focused his dark-eyed stare at Roder. “Sergeant, have the men draw their swords and be ready. I smell a trap. Let’s make sure we don’t step in it.”

“I too sense the approach of violence,” Keenan admitted, and then drew his broadsword. “Out swords!” he called, and the sounds of metal sliding free of metal overwhelmed the buzzing of the bees as each man’s blade came free.   

Daniel fixed his gaze on Jonah. “My Teki Seer has foretold battle for us today, and to my knowledge, she has yet to be wrong.”

Everyone was staring at Silvia. Roder had wondered why Sir Daniel brought the pair of Teki, now it was becoming clear. All of the world leaders had Seers beside them, openly or covertly, and it only made sense the Chosen Vessel would employ one. Roder glanced at David, perhaps more than one.

Jonah drew his sword from its scabbard. “What sort of trap did your Seer predict?” The young Lord rarely addressed either of the Teki directly and often did his best to ignore them, perhaps he believed foreign peasants were beneath his notice, it was not an uncommon attitude among the nobles.

Silvia glanced at Sir Daniel, who gave a quick nod of his head. “Definite Aakacarn involvement, scores of sasquatches,” she proclaimed, took a breath, “and death,” she finished in a softer voice.

Sergeant Zaccum leaned forward in his saddle, “Whose death?”

Silvia bit her lip, not enough to draw blood, but enough to make her seem hesitant to answer. “The vision is not clear about who or how many.”

The Seer obviously did not like giving obscure revelations, although Roder had come across a few who enjoyed speaking in riddles.

Cale carved the air with his blade, swishing it in an elegant blur. “I’m going to kill some sasquatches, those are your deaths, and how many die will simply depend on the numbers sent against us.”

Keenan hoped the Lieutenant’s interpretation was correct, but had little faith the dying would be confined to the sasquatches, especially if the Aakacarns are directly involved. His eyes were on his commander, who was staring north as if he could see through the trees and foliage at what was coming. “Defensive positions,” Sir Daniel ordered, and then was engulfed in a red-orange cone of light emanating from between two trees. A topaz blue glow formed around him, and then he toppled and fell off his horse.

Sasquatches burst out of the trees, Silvia and David landed on the ground beside Sir Daniel, ready to defend him, and the horde of hairy giants came on running. Roder reacted immediately, shouting “Right column, swing to the north and charge!”

The back of the column swung up and Twenty-four horsemen galloped with Roder toward the oncoming beasts. He swung his broadsword, slicing through the neck of the closest sasquatch, and did not bother to see where its head landed. Carper and Zannis were on his right and left, swinging their blood-covered blades. They passed beyond the wave of beasts and turned around to make a second charge. All twenty-four men were still in their saddles, although some were covered in blood, but it was difficult to tell whether it was their own or the sasquatches. Nine of the stinking creatures lay dead. The rest were running toward the supplies, and seemed to be joining a score or more that were jumping on the packhorses, biting at their necks, knocking them over, and breaking their legs.

Sergeant Zaccum led the left column in an effort to defend Russ and the supplies. Roder glanced at Sir Daniel. The Knight was still down with his Teki defenders in attendance, Silvia trying to revive him, and David standing with knives at the ready, but the sasquatches did not go near them. The more desperate situation was at the packhorses.  Roder made his choice, “to the rear, charge!” he shouted, and his column galloped to the defense of Ross and the supplies. A brown sasquatch with a black leathery face, sharp teeth, and long claws, took a swipe at him. Roder swung his sword, taking off the right paw at the wrist, blood spraying from the stump, but the beast sprang up, caught him by the waist, and swept him out of the saddle. They both landed hard on the ground, strides away from each other. Roder’s grip had not failed. With broadsword still in hand, he sprang to his feet, and charged at the towering brute. He swung again but the sasquatch leapt above the swing and came down with a crashing blow delivered by a massive foot into Roder’s right shoulder. He heard the snap of bone before hitting the ground, and knew he was a dead man.

Sasquatches were lunging and leaping like acrobats, striking at men right and left, and ripping through any weaknesses in their chain mail. Guardsmen were on the ground and bleeding alongside their mounts. More than a few horses were being torn to shreds by the raging beasts, and Roder could do nothing for any of them. The one-handed sasquatch bent over him, saliva dripping from its mouth, hot putrid breath fouling the air. A black hairy arm swept in from the left with a huge paw, striking the beast on the side of the head, and snapping its neck like a twig. Lefty fell over dead and Roder found himself staring into the eyes of a huge black bear. It dropped back onto all fours and went charging after another sasquatch. All around him animals were attacking the sasquatches. Seven wolves surrounded one huge brute, diving at it and dodging its swipes while another would snap at its heels. The beast would turn to face the one behind, only to be bitten by those it turned its back on. They finally hamstrung the creature and then dived in for the kill, ripping out its throat.

A copperhead sank it fangs into the right foot of a light brown sasquatch that was in the process of tearing apart a sack of oats. The snake struck again and again, injecting its venom, causing the dying creature to stop what is was doing and run back into the woods, where it would most likely die a painful death. To his left another black bear was battling a sasquatch, both were getting bloodied, but the bear was the one dishing out the most punishment. The bear finally seemed to get tired of playing, let out a roar, and snapped the beast’s neck with one swipe of its massive paw. A cougar leapt on the back of another sasquatch, scratching and biting, while a second cougar went for the shaggy throat. The smelly biped fell to its knees, to the ground, and was then torn apart by the big cats. Swarms of bees came in from all around, stinging the sasquatches, yet not bothering men or horses. One of the beasts was covered from head to toe with bees, it finally fell over dead with welts all its face and body. Nature itself was on the side of the Chosen Vessel.