Terry W. Ervin Read online

  Road Toad, Seelain and I were in the lead. We ran past a wrecked panzer, veering towards the drifting prince while a new force of ogres and goblins emerged from the distant woods. Their ragged formation disintegrated as they raced us to the prince.

  Wizard Seelain screamed, “No!” Still 150 yards away from the prince, she called deep upon her reserves. Slowing to a trot, she sent enough power to strike at the foremost dive-bomber and sent it spinning out of control to crash among the enemy yet in the woods.

  The second Stuka swept in with guns blazing, its pilot intent on ramming the prince. Even if the gunfire failed, the spinning nose blades or the high speed impact would kill Prince Reveron.

  At the last instant Prince Reveron pulled the release catch that harnessed him to the parachute. He fell, causing the Stuka to miss. One hundred feet above the ground the prince gestured an incantation and slowed his descent. He hit the ground hard, but survived.

  Rolling unsteadily to his feet, the prince looked about. He saw us nearing and the enemy from the woods closing. He turned, drew his sword, and ran towards the cavalry. Despite the morning light, his sword cast an eerie red glow.

  Road Toad stuttered in his stride. “He carries the Blood-Sword.”

  Even in the Doran Confederacy we’d heard of the three ancient weapons of power long wielded by the Kings of Keesee. Among them the Blood-Sword had the most malevolent reputation.

  “Reveron!” called Grand Wizard Seelain, waving her staff. I struggled to keep pace with her and Road Toad. He was driven by duty, and she by some apparent bond.

  The prince spun about and spotted her. “Quit this battlefield!” he shouted. Already a number of goblins and ogres had turned from the broken cavalry, intent on capturing the prince. “Flee!”

  She ignored Prince Reveron’s order and he abandoned his effort to reach the horsemen fighting desperately on his behalf. I followed close on Wizard Seelain’s heels, not at all sure I wanted to be anywhere near the Blood-Sword. I looked behind to see that the eighty Keeseean soldiers supported by a dozen mercenaries were fifty yards back. I didn’t see Wizard Golt among them, but a harnessed elemental spirit—a large one was. If I’d have been standing still I might’ve felt its stride through the ground. Despite running, maybe I did, because its presence bolstered my confidence on the open field with hundreds of the enemy closing.

  We’d reach the prince seconds before the nearest six ogres overtook him, screeching goblins following in their wake. From deep inside confident resolve settled in me. I knew I’d fight for the prince, even die for him. I wasn’t sure why. My thoughts focused on protecting him until the earth elemental got there.

  Then, some of the goblins hesitated. Shrieking, a few turned and fled. The rest fell to the ground and hid their faces while the Keeseean knights struggled to control their rearing mounts. The ogres stopped and stared. At first I thought it was the prince and his Blood-Sword. But it wasn’t. I followed the ogres’ gaze back towards the woods. An enormous figure pushed several young oaks aside and emerged from the tree line.

  The hollowness forming in my gut confirmed what it was. The most feared of the Necromancer King’s minions, a bone golem. Lashed together with dark magic and the sinews of a thousand men, the sickly white titan scanned the battlefield. It looked like a crudely assembled skeleton of a man, yet stood taller than five. It wielded a curved iron scimitar in each of its four arms. Stories said that within a bone golem’s chest beat the heart of a demon.

  With gigantic strides the golem advanced on the prince. It waved its scimitars and unleashed a searing cry from the depths of hell. My flesh went cold and my bones rattled until every joint ached. I staggered back and would have fallen except for the support of my spear.

  Any goblins that weren’t on the ground paralyzed with fear now dropped in abject terror. Even the ogres backpedaled. Grand Wizard Seelain stood, huddled behind the staff she held out before her. Prince Reveron had made it to Seelain’s side. He stood with an arm around her and the Blood-Sword leveled between them and the bone titan. Road Toad still stood, but was visibly shaken. The warm sensation running down my legs betrayed that I’d lost control and wet myself.

  But I hadn’t fled. About a dozen of the Keeseean soldiers and half that many mercenaries held their ground against the bone golem’s hellcry. Every other man and horse had fled or fell to the ground, oblivious to all but the terror that gripped them.

  The only thing that advanced was the earth elemental—and far behind it, the company of Crusaders marching forward with shouldered rifles bearing bayonets that sparkled in the sunlight. In the middle of their line an orange flag bearing a white cross flew and, instead of a battle cry, they voiced what sounded like a unifying hymn sung in their foreign tongue.

  The golem’s long strides gave it the speed of a quarter horse. Road Toad shouted above the surrounding moans, “Prince! Retreat toward the elemental.” He hurled one of his javelins at the golem. The Algaan blessed javelin arced toward the creature and struck it in the hip. It bounced off, leaving only a small black mark. “The Blood-Sword will not avail you against this foe!”

  “Agreed, Major Jadd,” said the prince, pulling Wizard Seelain back. But by now it was too late. I ran forward and stood on Road Toad’s right, interposing myself between Prince Reveron and the giant golem. Each of the bone titan’s closing steps reverberated through the ground.

  “Run, Prince!” snapped Road Toad as if giving an order. “Flank Hawk, spread right. Give it two targets.”

  I did, and held my spear ready. I had no intention of attacking, but instead prepared to dodge its attacks. I prayed quickly to M’Kishmael that the golem didn’t cry out again.

  Road Toad and I gained a reprieve when a three hundred pound boulder crashed into the golem’s ribs. Only then did it take notice of the earth elemental. The golem looked once more at us and ducked, causing a second hurled boulder to miss. It then turned its attention to the elemental who hurled a third boulder. Like the first, the third boulder struck with devastating force. The bone golem staggered back as some of its bones cracked under the impact.

  The earth elemental wrenched free a wrecked panzer’s cannon muzzle. The bone golem let loose with another hellcry before the two clashed in a flurry of blows.

  The force of the second hellcry staggered me, but I steadied myself. The bone golem dwarfed the earth elemental. “Wizard Golt’s creature can’t win,” I said to Road Toad.

  He put a hand on my shoulder. “No, it won’t. We must act.” We looked around. The prince struggled to sheath his weapon.

  “The Blood-Sword is feeding upon it,” Prince Reveron said. He finally succeeded and, with the power of the Blood-Sword stifled, I felt a fraction of the battlefield’s dread lift. “We must reach the Crusaders,” said the prince. “Seelain,” he called to the wizard who’d retreated twenty yards. “This way.”

  “No, the battle is almost over.” She ran toward a horse that fought madly against its bridle tangled in a dead ogre’s grasp.

  She was right. The earth elemental had shattered one of the bone golem’s four arms. But it had lost one of its own in the process. Two deep gashes marked where an iron scimitar had cleaved deeply into its earthen body.

  In a desperate bid, the elemental hurled the cannon muzzle at the golem and dove for one of its pillar-like legs. Grasping the leg with its remaining arm, the elemental began sinking into the ground, pulling the leg with it. The golem rained down scimitar blows, shredding any cohesive remains of its foe.

  The prince retrieved the wizard. “Won’t take it long to free its leg.”

  “Goaff,” called the bone golem in a hollow, unearthly voice. It strained to free its buried foot. “Shez-an dub nye-ee!” It pointed one of its scimitars at the prince.

  “Friend Prince, we shalt take the demon down!” shouted a distant voice. One hundred yards from the bone golem, the Crusaders had formed into two rows. The front knelt while the rear stood. Swinging downward with his saber and shouting in his
native tongue, the Crusader captain ordered his men to open up. Gunfire crackled and smoke billowed from the front rank’s rifles. Flashes of gold light marked where the bullets struck the golem. Shards and bits of bone flew away.

  The Crusader soldiers sang on, their words dampening the evil emanating from the bone golem. Their captain signaled and shouted again and the rear rank fired. Again, flashes marked a dozen impacts, staggering the golem. I realized they must be using saint-blessed weapons.

  The golem cried out, “Aff, neecha o ga grullta haw!”

  The once cowering goblins climbed to their feet and the nearby ogres responded to the golem’s call with bellows echoing their newfound boldness. The bone golem hurled one of its iron scimitars at the Crusader formation, but it fell short.

  The eighteen mercenaries and soldiers joined Road Toad and I as we surrounded the prince and ran towards the Crusaders and our distant defensive line beyond.

  The Crusader captain shouted to his men. They fired and this time the united blast nearly toppled the bone golem.

  I found Pops Weasel next to me at the rear with the other mercenaries. He was limping. “That demon spawn just said it’d eat any that didn’t rise to kill the prince.”

  “The Crusaders will take care of it,” I said.

  “But who’ll take care of them?” he gestured with his sword. Already a growing mob of goblins backed by ogres were closing on our heels.

  The bone golem, tattered and nearly broken, let out a grumbling howl and a sulfurous wall of flames leapt up from the ground. It stood between us and the Crusaders.

  “It will endure until the Crusaders slay the demon-beast,” called the prince. He drew the Blood-Sword. “Turn about and hold until then.”

  Pops Weasel readied his sword as I did my spear. “That’s one powerful demon to stand to them Crusader guns,” he said, watching the enemy close.

  “Forward to meet them,” ordered the prince, “or they’ll drive us into the flames.” He led the charge with red sword held high. I hoped its emanating dread fell upon the goblins. Road Toad was on the prince’s left and I shouldered my way to his right. Wizard Seelain was among us, shouting such encouragement that frothing spit flew from her lips. It was our twenty against a hundred. Even if help came, the enemy from the woods would still overwhelm us.

  I ran the first goblin through, nearly losing my spear to its momentum. Pops took out another of the yellow-skinned enemy before it could stab me. Seelain wielded her staff, cracking skulls and blocking spear and dagger thrusts. Cries of agony arose around the prince. Whenever the red sword found its mark a goblin fell back. Soon after, blood oozed from the wounded’s nose, mouth, ears and eyes. They fell to the ground with red splotches signaling massive hemorrhaging beneath their skin. Then the ogres crashed among us. A broad, squat one charged directly at Wizard Seelain. Fearless, she stood ready. I leapt in from the side and set the butt of my spear to the ground. Before the ogre could react I guided the stout tip into the brute’s groin. It penetrated the chain-mesh armor skirt and drove deep. I let go and rolled to the side as the spear shaft snapped under the force.

  I didn’t look back to see what had happened. I drew my sword before a pair of spear-wielding goblins were on me. My sword skills were moderate at best and not up to two foes. I gave ground to their stabs and thrusts. A third joined them.

  A blue-robed figure leapt to my aid, knocking aside a spear and smashing the goblin between its slanted eyes. Seelain spun around and caught another across the helmet, ringing its skull. Her distraction allowed me to get past the third goblin’s guard. I sheared away the fingers on its left hand as it hastily parried. Seelain caught the maimed goblin in the throat and it stumbled back, gagging for air.

  Seelain said before turning, “Flank Hawk, the fire has dropped.”

  We broke from the enemy and gained an initial lead. Road Toad was in the front with Prince Reveron. Seelain was faster than me and strove to catch up with them. Only eight of us remained. I caught up with Pops Weasel who was limping badly.

  “Pops,” I said, slowing to his pace.

  “I’m done fer,” he said and pushed me away. “Good knowin’ ya. Save the prince.” Wiping a sleeve across his nose, he stopped and spun with sword ready.

  “Krish!” shouted Road Toad, “We ward the prince!”

  “I’ll remember you, Pops!” I said before abandoning him. Pops Weasel shouted a string of curses against the shrill goblin calls before falling silent. Deep down I was thankful he fell instead of me. That thought hurt. I didn’t look back.

  We made it to the Crusaders and circled behind their lines. They’d rallied around their flag bearer, still singing as they fired and reloaded. The prince and Wizard Seelain flinched but the Crusader’s words poured a vibrating warmth across my skin. The Crusader captain continued using voice and saber motions to direct his men, and they cut down the ogres pursuing us. Their gunfire rang my ears nearly as much as a panzer’s cannon.

  Road Toad grabbed my shoulder and shouted into my ear, “The prince assigned Wizard Seelain’s safety to you. We go.”

  I wondered if the prince realized Wizard Seelain fought better than me. Short Two Blades blocked my path. Blood ran from a gash under his left eye. He nodded and slipped something into my dangling salt pouch and tugged at the strings, closing it. “My debt and honor endures,” he said before pushing me toward the wizard. “Call upon me through it.”

  I didn’t have time to ponder the meaning of Short’s words. The prince and Wizard Seelain had already broken into a sprint for the mound. Running with a sword was harder than with a spear. Ten seconds after Short Two Blades uttered his parting phrase, the sound of hand-to-hand combat rose. The Crusader song faltered, men called warnings, threats, and cries of pain. Goblins and ogres did the same.

  We’d escaped. Short’s and the Crusaders’ sacrifice enabled it, but for how long? At least another thousand goblins were less than one hundred and fifty yards behind us. Prince Reveron crossed the spanning plank, followed by Grand Wizard Seelain. His black cape and leather armor splattered with mud and blood matched her stained sky-blue robes.

  A scattered volley of goblin arrows rained down as Road Toad and I reached the mound and scrambled over. Defenders’ cheers calling the prince’s name brought a smile to his face. I was too winded for any expression above huffing exhaustion.

  Master Wizard Golt approached the prince and bowed. “Prince, the m’unicorn cavalry has arrived.” He gestured behind him. At least two hundred of the horse-unicorn crossbreeds stood ready beyond the palisade. Women soldiers armed with short bows and light swords sat upon the steeds. “The heavy infantry regiment is thirty minutes away.”

  I’d never seen a true unicorn, but twice a mule-unicorn had passed through Pine Ridge. A short blunt horn rising from the forehead along with flowing silky manes and tails indicated their unusual heritage. While sturdier, they’re said to be far less fleet and nimble than a true unicorn. Still, compared to a horse, a m’unicorn’s swiftness was like a barn swallow’s to a duck.

  I hadn’t realized the prince was winded until he breathed heavily between phrases as he answered. “They’ll be tired. How many yet defend? Enemy disposition?”

  General Ellis climbed over the wooden wall. The prince met him halfway. The general bowed. “Prince Reveron, we’ve begun evacuation of the wounded. Seventy percent casualties among the foot soldiers.” He looked to Road Toad. “All but five mercenaries have fallen and only twelve knights and their mounts made it back. Only two of the dragon bevy remain. Night Shard and Hell Furnace, with no serpent cavalrymen.”

  “The air and earth wizards?” asked Grand Wizard Seelain.

  “All but three air wizards survived, Grand Wizard. As Prince Reveron directed, when they’d expended their strength they retreated.”

  Wizard Golt added, “One third of our number, Greater Wizard Kobal, Lesser Wizard Dondon, and Journeyman Finnate, fell.”

  A runner, a sergeant, approached the prince and bowed.
When acknowledged he said, “Prince, the enemy has withdrawn to reform their lines.”

  “They may have sensed our reinforcements,” said General Ellis.

  “Their numbers are vast,” said the prince. “When aloft I spotted their reinforcements. They’ll out number us seven to one.” The prince dismissed the runner. “General, are the dragons capable of flight?”

  “They are, Prince. The red returned with only minor wounds across her back. Night Shard was tended to by one of the healers.”

  Road Toad and I followed Prince Reveron, General Ellis, Wizard Seelain and Wizard Golt over the wall and through the waiting m’unicorn cavalry.

  “These are my orders,” said the prince. “Fall back to the fortified city of Morthis. Defend the city, to the last man if necessary. If you use the m’unicorn cavalry wisely to harass the enemy, you should be able to outpace them.”

  Prince Reveron removed his helmet and handed it to Road Toad. His grit-covered face and matted hair made him look more like a combat officer than a prince. “To deal with the new aerial menace, I will request my father to send as many air wizards as he can. Dragons are ill equipped for such duty.”

  “Stukas,” interjected Grand Wizard Seelain. “That is why I am here.”

  “To warn me of them?” He laughed sarcastically. “That is why my father would risk his future daughter-in-law.”

  General Ellis said, “We shall hold, Prince Reveron.”

  The prince stared at the ground in thought. “I must consult with my father.” He turned and took his helmet from Road Toad. “Maj—Road Toad, are you up to flying a serpent under the king’s banner? Under the circumstances I do not think my brother will object.”

  Road Toad bowed. “If you desire, my Prince.”

  “Select one to be your aft-guard. Seelain you will accompany me on Night Shard.”

  “They need me here,” Seelain hotly responded. “Not hiding in the king’s palace.”

  “That may be true, my dear Seelain. But should we encounter any Stukas along the way.” He added in mock seriousness, “You have long pointed out my lack of discipline and skill in the fine art.” Wizard Seelain took a deep breath, but before she could respond the prince turned to General Ellis. “As soon as we are provisioned, we will depart. Do as you see fit to reach Morthis. And if you discover a more effective way to delay the enemy than a death stand there, employ it. You have my complete confidence, and thus, that of my father, King Tobias.”