Zachania (46 page)

“Grarlin.” he
growled before Grarlin excused the Generals quickly.

“You’re early
Jestika.”

“I made good
time.”

“You came from
Kallick Town?” asked Grarlin.

“How are things
there?” he added.

“Many whispers,
the word that war is coming is on everyone’s lips, why Grarlin have
you summoned me.”

Grarlin then
explained to his fellow wizard what had been happening.

“We knew of
this Talon of Tallasian and his escaping from us was something we
should not have allowed, now with what’s happening in Zanlia I
would say there is a strong feeling of resentment for us, I fear
the prophecy could be coming true Grarlin, the emperor is very
concerned.”

Grarlin agreed
with Jestika by nodding his head.

“Zanlia is
being taken care of but it is Zachania that concerns me more, I
feel we should attack but such a decision should be very carefully
thought upon.”

“You are right
to show caution Grarlin, the last time we attacked that land cost
us thousands of life and now with our wizards dead there we have no
way of knowing what to expect.”

The two wizards
spoke through the night where it was decided that they would
venture to the border in the morning and see if they could sense
anything.

As morning
broke Talon was still sleeping huddled up close to the rocks for
some shelter while Ganasis had been meditating throughout the
night, Talon suddenly woke from the sound of movement as Ganasis
suddenly snapped out of his trance.

“Ganasis.”
Talon said wiping his eyes.

“Talon wake up,
we are in danger.”

“What!” Talon
snapped waking quickly.

“Evil is
approaching us.”

Talon sat up
and joined Ganasis looking down the cliff.

“Where Ganasis?
I don’t see anything.”

Ganasis looked
from side to side frantically looking for something.

“I can’t see
Talon but it is approaching.”

Talon joined
Ganasis anxiously looking below.

“THERE!”
Ganasis suddenly said pointing.

Talon winced
trying to get a better view in the distance

“It looks like
two men.” Talon added.

“Wizards!”
Ganasis sighed back moments later.

Talon remained
silent remembering all he had heard about the ruthlessness and
power of the Empires wizards.

“Damn! They are
sure to sense me Talon.” Ganasis said looking very
uncomfortable.

“What shall we
do Ganasis?”

Ganasis looked
around at the ledge.

“We must make
sure they do not see us.”

Grarlin and
Jestika stopped at the blockade at the entrance of the valley where
Grarlin looked around strangely as if he smelt something.

“There is
something strange here Jestika.”

“I feel it too
Grarlin, the valley has a strong presence.”

“No it’s not
the valley, it’s something else.” Grarlin replied squinting his
eyes as he surveyed the valley.

“I was standing
here yesterday and I never felt this” Grarlin said as he closed his
eyes, trying to concentrate.

“I can feel
something, someone, it’s a feeling I have not felt for centuries,
but there is another presence I feel, power is strong, I feel
immense strength.”

Talon and
Ganasis were still hiding on the ledge looking down at the wizards
below.

“Ganasis they
are looking at everything, do you think they sense you.”

“This should
not have happened.” Ganasis said cursing himself.

Talon then
pulled himself closer.

“Ganasis, they
are alone, we could climb down and slit their throats.”

Ganasis looked
back at Talon contemplating his tempting proposal.

“Well” asked
Talon impatiently.

Ganasis looked
harder at the wizards ignoring Talon for a moment.

“Its Grarlin.”
he sighed.

“That’s Grarlin
Ganasis.”

“Yes it is
he.”

Talon then
began to get up.

“Then he dies!
We have to kill him Ganasis.”

Ganasis
forcefully pulled Talon back down beside himself.

“Control
yourself, he is too powerful.”

“Let’s find out
how powerful he is” Talon snapped back looking full of hate and
speaking with a stern and determined voice. Talon then grabbed his
sword and got to his feet again but before he could begin climbing
down he was distracted by Grarlin raising his arms up into the
sky.

“What’s he
doing Ganasis?”

“Come here!”
Ganasis barked screwing up his face at Talon’s rashness.

“He is making a
spell.” the wizard added.

Talon then
noticed the ground begin to shake so he quickly retreated with
Ganasis to the rock face to avoid the falling rocks above them then
looked back down into the valley at Grarlin and saw the ground in
front of the evil wizard begin to crack and open, Talon gasped
suddenly mesmerised at the power of the evil Empire wizard.

“LOOK!” Ganasis
snapped making Talon focus on what he was pointing at, they looked
below where it looked like there was a thick brown liquid oozing
from the large cracks until it clearly became obvious that the
brown ooze was alive.

“ANTS! ANTS!
Its ants! Talon.”

Talon leaned
over the ledge to get a better view.

“Ganasis
millions upon millions” he replied returning to the wizard by the
rock face.

The two men
stayed hidden where they soon noticed that the whole valley looked
like it was alive as billions of ants began making their way in the
direction of Zachania.

“Ganasis what
can we do?”

“Nothing Talon,
I can do nothing, I have no spells or artefacts with me.”

“Ganasis they
will march into Zachania and onto the King.”

Ganasis shook
his head.

“They will not
be able to pass the Talisman.”

Talon looked
down below and felt awestruck at the vast magic that Grarlin had
conjured.

“Ganasis,
Grarlin is leaving.” Talon said as he looked at Grarlin and Jestika
turn away and begin to walk back to their camp.

The two men sat
on the ledge for another couple of hours where the ants continued
pouring out of the cracks in the ground covering everywhere as far
as the eye could see. Talon noticed Ganasis looking upwards and
realised that he was planning something.

“What are you
looking for?” asked Talon.

“We have to
seal the cracks and stop these ants from escaping the
underworld.”

“How
Ganasis?”

Ganasis looked
back up again at the mountain.

“Rock
slide!”

Ganasis then
began climbing followed by Talon until they reached the top and
Ganasis began to push a large boulder.

“Talon assist
me.” the wizard strained.

Talon rushed to
his side and began pushing with all of his might.

“PUSH! Talon!
PUSH!” Ganasis shouted

“It’s moving!”
Talon shouted back.

Then as both
men strained the boulder moved and began crashing down the
mountain, soon the boulder created a massive landslide and
thousands of other rocks joined the momentum crashing down. Talon
moved to get a better view as the rocks smashed into the valley
below and after the dust cleared Talon and Ganasis smiled as they
saw the massive wreckage of stones had filled the breaches.

“It’s worked!”
Talon shouted.

“We did it.”
Ganasis replied punching the air.

Talons joy did
not last however as he turned his attention back to the billions of
ants that were still covering the valley below.

“We’re have to
wait here.” Ganasis suddenly said solemnly.

“What! What
for”

“For the ants
to die.”

“Are you insane
Ganasis, can’t you use some magic, we could be here for days.”

“Talon I told
you before I have nothing with me that could deal with such a
spell, what else can we do, we can’t go down there we would be
eaten alive.”

Talon picked
cursed and picked up a rock and threw it down into the valley.

“Why would
Grarlin do this?” Talon asked.

Ganasis
shrugged.

“I would guess
he wanted to gain some time.”

“Why would they
want to gain time?” asked Talon.

“I don’t know
but it looks like we have plenty of time to think about it.”

Two days passed
with Ganasis and Talon stuck on the mountain and just as Ganasis
had said the ants had stopped at the Talisman. Back in Zachania the
rest of Arun’s army had arrived and the King was preparing them for
the advance into Kratos. The King was also growing increasingly
concerned about where Ganasis and Talon were, he called some
soldiers and ordered them to take a search party into the valley
but they returned after a couple of hours and informed the King
that the valley was full of ants.

“ANTS!” replied
the King.

“Yes sire as
far as the eye can see.”

The King sat
down and rubbed his head.

“Ants” he
repeated totally lost for words or ideas.

“What are they
doing?” he added.

“I do not know
sire but have stopped just before our border, it’s; like there is
an invisible barrier blocking them.”

The King sighed
loudly totally lost for words and then he thought of Ganasis
talking about the Talisman.

“Take me
there!” he suddenly said.

When the King
was led to them he could not believe his eyes at the vast sight
before him

“Burn them!” he
ordered.

“Sire but there
are so many.” replied one of his soldiers.

“I don’t care
just burn them, light the logs and roll them on top of them, I want
them gone.”

“Yes sire.” the
General replied before gasping at the enormity of the task.

The King gazed
out onto the valley wondering what the damn was happening, then he
repeated the order and left the valley to return back to his tent.
When he returned General Kanyan was waiting for him.

“Sire I have
just been told.” added the General looking stressed.

“I’ve ordered
them burned.”

“Sire what is
going on, this is wizardry.”

Arun
shrugged.

“All I know
Kanyan is Talon and Ganasis entered the valley three days ago, this
morning I sent a party to search for them and they returned telling
me about the ants.”

“Do you think
Ganasis has something to do with this?”

The King
thought for a moment.

“No! Why would
Ganasis summon so many ants?”

“I do not know
sire but wizards have their own reason and thinking.”

“No I can’t see
this; Ganasis would not do this without telling me.”

“What must I do
then sire.”

“I want you to
organise the men to burn the ants, use the logs we were saving for
the Empire but have some men replace them, and Kanyan I also want
you to organise a search party of five hundred men to seek out and
find Ganasis and Talon.”

When the King
returned to where the ants were, there was already a strong
gathering of soldiers trying to beat back the ants with large
canvas sacks. They were slapping the sacks onto the ground and then
using them to sweep away the ants. The King looked on frustrated
and growing very concerned for Ganasis and Talon.

“Sire!” came a
voice from behind the King who turned to see that it was a General
whose name he could not remember.

“General Lagain
Sir!” answered the General seeing that the King was having
difficulty placing him.

General Lagain
was the youngest General in the army, 38 years old, in fact he was
the youngest soldier throughout the history of Zachania to be made
a General at the age of 36, Lagain stood tall and slim with a
muscular appearance, he also cut his hair very short which was
unusual in Zachania as most men wore their hair long. It was well
known in military circles of Lagain’s brilliance, his mind and
tactical awareness was exceptional and it was commonly thought of
that one day Lagain would be the most powerful soldier in the
land.

“Argh Lagain”
replied the King before turning back to the ants where a man was
shouting because he was covered in them.

“HELP THAT
MAN!” Arun shouted as Lagain walked next to him.

“Sire we are
beating back the ants but may I make an suggestion.”

“Yes” replied
the King without taking his eyes of the ants.

“Sire if we
proceed this way it will take days, I suggest we fetch the logs and
use them on the ants sire, burn them.”

The King’s
attention was still focused on the ants and the man who was now
being helped by his companions.

“Sire.” Lagain
asked pressing for a reply.

“I have already
sent orders for the logs General.”

“Very well
sire, I will assist in your orders.” replied the General before
excusing himself.

King Arun then
suddenly remembered where he knew Lagain.

“LAGAIN!” the
King shouted.

“Sire” replied
the General stopping and quickly jogging back to the King.

“Lagain you
used to be a General in Lord Heikan’s army, why are you dressed in
my regalia.”

“Sire General
Kanyan transferred me to your army, me and Heikan did not see eye
to eye.”

“What do you
mean eye to eye.” snapped Arun slightly angered.

“Sire May I
speak frankly?”

“Get on with it
Lagain.”

“Well sire Lord
Heikan is a fool.”

The King
suddenly span round so he faced the General.

“How dare you
insult one of the Lords of the great houses and how dare you insult
him to me! Take heed Lagain if Kanyan vouches for you then I am
sure your qualities as a soldier are unquestioned but your
qualities as a man do not impress me, I don’t care how you acted
under Lord Heikan but in my army such behaviour will not be
tolerated, you’re a General, act like one.”

Lagain bowed
his head.