Terry W. Ervin Read online

  Within five minutes bugle calls roused whatever soldier might’ve been sleeping. I watched as the handlers watered the two freshly returned black dragons and saddled the fourteen red dragons and six remaining blacks. I didn’t have to ask Road Toad why. Organized companies of mercenary, regular soldier, and even a few Keeseean militia marched past us to defensive positions along the edge of camp.

  Road Toad pulled out his tin of grease and drew his sword. “Good thing you paid to have your weapons warded.” As he greased his sword and spread salt, Road Toad walked over to where he’d set his tied bundle of five javelins. “Had these blessed by an Algaan priest just after the last sunrise.” From the bundle he pulled three crossbow quarrels. “These too.”

  I carefully placed them in my quiver. “I didn’t even think of that. We’ve been on duty through every sunrise. Thanks.”

  “Use’em well and I won’t even ask you for the three copper it cost.” He checked his equipment while reminding me with a laugh, “I’d remind a green recruit to use’em before next sunrise. They’ll lose some of their potency.”

  I was nervous, not quite shaking but tense. Road Toad’s joking confidence and smile helped. I asked him, “How many zombies you think the Necromancer King will send against us?”

  He shrugged. “There’s more wizards here than I’ve ever seen in one place. Pops said he’d seen over a dozen translucent-bearded air wizards ride in just after sunset.”

  One of the Keeseean guards nodded. “Heard that too. We think the prince is setting a trap for the Necromancer King’s forces. Just heard today the prince’s seer uncovered a spy two days ago.” The guard nodded toward the Crusader encampment. “You know what those masks they carry on their belts are for?” He gestured, drawing his hand down from his face. “With the long dangling nose tube?”

  Road Toad shook his head. “No, but I saw a Crusader sergeant showing his goggled mask to a couple of the air wizards.”

  “Hmmm,” said the guard. “Them conspiring together? Kind of like mixing water and oil.”

  I wondered why I never saw or heard such things. Probably because I didn’t know what to look for or who to listen to.

  The approach of the serpent cavalrymen silenced our exchange of camp gossip. I wondered what we would guard if all of the dragons took flight. Would we go to the front, or serve as reserves? The prince had mentioned to Road Toad about serving as more than guards. I realized Prince Reveron was among the cavalrymen after Road Toad nudged me while bowing himself.

  The prince ignored us and one by one the mounted dragons took off into the night. I’d become used to watching the dragons stalk to open ground before spreading their wings and leaping into the air. The first time I didn’t close my eyes, or look away when the beast’s wings buffeted the ground. It was the first and last time swirling bits of ground debris got into my eyes.

  Even flapping to gain altitude, the dragons appeared graceful. I watched as they spiraled upward into the near cloudless sky. Some dragons remained above the camp. Others flew north. The moon was nearing three quarters full. The stars twinkled. It wasn’t cold. Still, a chill ran down my spine.

  Both Road Toad and I stood atop ladders braced against the bevy’s equipment racks. Normally the ladders were used for working with the dragons. There were better viewing platforms, wooden poles set in the ground behind the front lines. Corporals and low ranking officers had climbed those, strategically keeping the bulk of the wood between them and the enemy whose movements they spied upon. Until the arrival of panzers, wooden towers warded against spells served that purpose. The growl of panzer engines during the night in the tree line four hundred yards away announced their presence. At that distance the panzers could easily target any tower, so they were abandoned.

  “It’s almost dawn,” said one of the handlers from below. “Don’t zombies come at night?”

  Road Toad glanced at me and I answered based upon what we’d discussed earlier. “Usually they do, because at night they hold the advantage. Goblins too. Ogres, it doesn’t matter.”

  “Maybe they’re trying to wear out our dragons,” replied another handler. “Maybe the soldiers. We get tired, zombies don’t.”

  “Must be more than that,” said Road Toad. “They’d have at least harassed the front lines. They have something else planned.”

  The first handler shook his head and smiled. “Nope. Them reds would’ve cindered them. And the prince has rotated his dragons.” He pointed back toward the area of camp where the market had been. “Half the bevy’s at rest, switching every two hours.”

  “Waiting’s over,” warned Road Toad.

  Looking to where he pointed, I spotted small bunches of zombies, no more than seven in each group. Spaced at least five yards apart and seemingly in haphazard order, dozens of these mini-hordes emerged from the woods. Heedless of the diving dragons, they shambled toward the trench line and earthen mound defenses.

  “They’ve got timber to span the trench,” I said. Two zombies in each group carried paired eight inch diameter logs lashed together. More and more scattered groups of zombies followed on the heels of the first wave. “They’re serious.”

  When the zombies had covered two hundred yards, one of the red dragons swept down upon them. The serpent cavalryman hunched low against his mount. The rear-facing rider leaned hard against his heavy crossbow mounted on a squat tripod held in place by broad leather tracings.

  The dragon smashed and scattered one zombie bunch with its tail while breathing a jet of flames. The breath weapon fanned outward as it raced from the red’s mouth to the ground. Four unflinching bunches of zombies burned, smoldered, and fell. Other zombie groups charged through remnants of the dragon’s flame that had ignited tufts of spring grass. The shambling undead took damage but kept coming.

  Just as the red angled away and flapped skyward, the chatter of machine gun fire, given visible substance by streaking white tracers, sounded. One of the lines crossed the dragon’s flank and tail. At first in surprise, then in pain its snarl transformed into a roar.

  “The aft-guard’s hit,” said Road Toad, watching the arms and head of the crossbowman bounce and flop lifelessly. Only the straps held him in the saddle.

  The defenders sent a rain of crossbow bolts, arrows and javelins into the zombies nearing the trench. Machine gun fire from the woods sounded with bursts raking the top of the earthen mound. Helmets and breastplates failed to stop most of the speeding lead. The struck defenders toppled down the back of the mound. The wounded’s cries of pain mingled with orders of captains, relayed by shouting sergeants and corporals.

  Dragons dove on the panzers in the woods, breathing acid and flame. A red and a black staggered in flight as machine gun fire found its mark, raking them. They fell, crashing into the trees.

  Men weathered the machine gun fire to throw javelins and shoot arrows before the zombies reached the mound. Fresh zombie picket teams with spears and swords rushed forward to reinforce the lines. I knew what the pickets were up against: brute zombie strength and mindless determination. They surged up against the defenders, punching and tearing in an effort to break through.

  It was like the battle in the Gray Haunt Forest all over again but on a much larger scale. I watched Prince Reveron’s men struggle to throw back the first wave and brace for the oncoming second. Some wounded were carried back from the front while others crawled over fallen flesh-rotted zombies and dead comrades to escape. At the bridge it had been a skirmish that ended in slaughter. This was raw carnage.

  I didn’t have time to ponder it. “Road Toad, Krish,” called Major Parks. He stood next to a pale-skinned woman dressed in sky blue. “This is Grand Wizard Seelain. Escort her to the front and defend her.”

  Standing next to the grand wizard, I felt her power, like cold shivers on my skin. Swirls of breezy air emanated from her and twirled around her bone-white staff. I knew there to be nine levels of wizards. I thought the powerful wizard at the bridge who’d summoned the earth elementa
l was a greater wizard. Grand indicated she had attained the seventh tier, surpassing him by two.

  Silver irises surrounded Grand Wizard Seelain’s pupils, and what appeared to be thin strands of white hair were only wisps among thick translucent waves. Despite her white hair, she looked too young to be a grand wizard. She pulled the hood of her cloak over her head with white-gloved hands. “Follow me,” the wizard directed in a quiet, authoritative voice.

  Road Toad walked two paces ahead and to the left of the air wizard. I followed two paces behind and to the right. He held his sword ready along with a javelin. I clutched my spear, wondering why such a powerful wizard didn’t have her own bodyguards, and why Major Parks had thought I was competent to defend her.

  Thumps, not unlike panzer cannon fire, only deeper and more distant, sounded. We were only fifty yards from the wooden palisade. Soldiers carrying stretchers bearing wounded streamed past us while squads sprinted forward, toward the line that had thus far held.

  Grand Wizard Seelain gazed ahead to our left at the Crusaders who waited behind the wooden wall. They’d removed their forage caps and were quickly pulling the goggled masks over their heads and faces. Then she gazed upward and scanned the sky.

  I risked a quick glance up, and spotted circling dragons. I didn’t take the time to count. I figured she could watch the sky; I’d watch for threats from zombies on the ground. Explosions that sounded like a panzer cannon’s impact rose from beyond the earthen barrier.

  Road Toad snatched a tattered cloak from a fallen officer and stepped in front of Grand Wizard Seelain. He held out the ruddy-brown garment adorned with purple and gold diagonal stripes. “Grand Wizard, place this over your robes.” He must have felt it was important, because he’d turned his back to the enemy.

  The wizard sneered in disdain and moved to step past Road Toad.

  Despite our proximity to the raging battle, Road Toad again blocked the wizard’s path. “I am charged with defending you.” The mercenary’s voice was deferential but insistent. “With this the enemy will not readily identify you as a target equal to your stature and strength.”

  Winds swirled about the wizard, like she was preparing to brush Road Toad aside. Even so, I swallowed and stood next to Road Toad, lending him my support.

  Two explosions, sending gouts of dirt and rock mixed with searing metal, slammed into zombies and defenders alike as they fought atop the earthen mound. A third shell landed midway between the mound and the wall. I flinched when its concussive wave struck my back. But Road Toad and Grand Wizard Seelain stood facing each other.

  She pointed. “That is the enemy’s artillery, Mercenary. Do you know what comes next? The Crusaders do.” She glanced over at them in their goggled masks, fixing bayonets to the end of their muzzleloading rifles. “I do, and I am more capable of defending myself than you could possibly imagine. I suffer your accompaniment only as an oath to General Ellis.”

  Road Toad stood his ground. “If it is your objective to expend your energies fending against enemy fire brought upon yourself, I will step aside.” Road Toad’s voice cut through the mayhem sixty yards ahead. “If you desire to focus your energies, aimed at the enemy’s destruction, don this garment.”

  Watching the dispute, I nodded agreement with Road Toad’s assertion.

  With a huff, Grand Wizard Seelain relented. Road Toad set the cloak over her shoulders and fastened it with a silver dragonhead clasp.

  Just as we reached the palisade, the tenor of shouts changed to choking screams. Instead of explosive metal, sickly yellow-green clouds rose from the area where the artillery rounds fell. Instinctively, I held my breath.

  “Chlorine gas,” announced Grand Wizard Seelain and spun her staff, pointing at one of the toxic plumes. Scattered dozens of wizards garbed as light infantrymen just behind the lines raised and gestured with their staves, summoning and harnessing elemental spirits.

  Wherever enemy artillery landed, it released the poisonous vapor. The soldiers retreated, pursued by the unaffected zombies. But, after the initial shock, few solders fell to the gas. Wherever a wizard pointed, a wind elemental rushed in and took up the yellow-green cloud in a whirlwind before spiriting it away, skyward. Two leveled out and sped clouds of the deadly gas toward the enemy. Grand Wizard Seelain added her strength as she advanced, sending a stiff breeze over the mound and back toward the enemy, carrying remnants of the chlorine gas with it.

  Even so, the zombies had crested the earthen mound, and the pitched battle now raged between the mound and the palisade. Desperate picket teams banded together into rings while captains led reserves over the wall to stem the zombie tide.

  “We must retake the mound quickly,” said Seelain.

  As if on cue, the Crusaders opened fire. The front rank’s volley knocked back a wall of zombies that had scaled the mound near the center and were preparing to enter the fray. The back rank opened up while the front reloaded.

  The effectiveness of Crusader firepower brought a cheer from Prince Reveron’s men. A third and fourth volley of what had to be saint-blessed bullets allowed the prince’s men to retake the mound’s center. Three red dragons came in low, laying fire on the field beyond the mound. Tracers chased after them, machine gun fire wounding one.

  Wizard Seelain stood between me and Road Toad at the wooden palisade. I blocked out the cries and looked past the gore of the fallen. Even as Prince Reveron’s men advanced to retake their positions, freemen with sacks of salt hurriedly stepped among the fallen zombies, scattering the white crystals on the still animated and grasping limbs. Other freemen with stretchers carried the wounded back from the line to the healers.

  Even I knew another enemy wave would soon follow. The salt and dead soldiers reminded me of Guzzy. What would it be like to be pummeled and torn apart by the enemy? What would I do if Road Toad fell? Would the coming carnage claim both of us?

  The grand wizard interrupted my thoughts with a question. “Mercenary, from whence do you draw your arrogance?”

  Road Toad had been surveying the scene as well. “Grand Wizard, I’ve stood to nine pitch battles equal to this. That doesn’t count skirmishes, and my career before becoming a mercenary.”

  “And your nervous young partner?” she asked, looking at me.

  “He’s wiser than either of us who bicker within sight of the enemy.” She faced neither Road Toad nor me, and instead inspected her staff.

  “He’s put down souled zombies and ogres,” added Road Toad. “And together we slew a panzer crew. He stood with me against the enemy when others fled.”

  “What are your mercenary names?”

  “I am Road Toad. He is Flank Hawk.”

  Road Toad’s statement surprised me, but I did my best to disguise it when Grand Wizard Seelain turned to me and nodded. I nodded in return, catching Road Toad’s wink.

  “Road Toad,” said Seelain. “Are there other mercenaries you trust as much as young Flank Hawk?”

  Road Toad pointed to two of our campmates, Pops Weasel and Short Two Blades. They were standing beyond the wooden wall to our left, near a heavy set, brown-skinned man. Grand Wizard Seelain led us to them.

  The dark-skinned man bowed his head at her approach. “Grand Wizard Seelain.” His voice rumbled as he spoke. “The enemy is reforming. Colonel Jantz says we are down to sixty percent strength. We’ve all but expended our reserves. Except for the horse cavalry,” he added, rolling a pebble between his thumb and forefinger.

  “That may be true, Master Wizard Golt, but we’ve yet to unleash your power and that of your fellow earth wizards.” When Wizard Golt smiled, revealing soil-colored teeth to match his deep brown eyes, Wizard Seelain continued, “Will you stand to battle with me and my assigned mercenaries, Road Toad and Flank Hawk? They vouch for the competence of your mercenary defenders.”

  Although a master wizard was only one rank below a grand, the earth wizard seemed to hold his magic in check better than Grand Wizard Seelain. Power still radiated from her, but at a fracti
on of its former strength. I knew very little about wizards. I didn’t know if seeping energies was a mark of attaining grand status. Maybe it was the earth wizard’s elemental specialty, or simply who he was that enabled such control.

  Short Two Blades crossed his arms over his chest and shot me a glance. Pops spit and grinned at me after Wizard Golt introduced them to Wizard Seelain. I was glad to have Short and Pops nearby.

  I stood, as did Road Toad, Pops and Short, watching different directions while our charges conferred.

  “I note that you are permitted to wear your brown robes, Master Wizard Golt.”

  Wizard Golt didn’t respond. Instead he studied his bare feet. They appeared dry and rough, like sun-baked sand. “Short Two Blades,” he said. “Inform Colonel Jantz that the Necromancer King’s force has organized and is prepared to advance.”

  Short sprinted off with the message.

  “Shall we hold the center?” asked Wizard Seelain. She hadn’t waited for an answer before striding toward the earthen mound.

  “I would suggest,” said Road Toad, “at least fifty paces either to the right or left of center.”

  Wizard Seelain glanced back at me and I nodded in agreement. She veered to the right. The Keeseean soldiers that stood ready at the base of the mound, and those that lay flat against it, made room for Road Toad to climb to the top. He signaled for the wizards. Pops and I followed them up.

  Wizard Golt asked Wizard Seelain as they surveyed the field leading towards the woods holding the enemy, “When did you arrive?”

  “Just before dawn.”

  “Does the prince know you are here?”

  “Of course he does,” she said.

  “Let me clarify. Does he know you are on the battle line?”

  She ignored his question. “Will the prince’s reinforcements arrive in time?”

  Wizard Golt pressed his body against the earth. “Cavalry, very light and fleet is close. The march of soldiers, heavy footmen.” He shook his head. “The enemy comes.”

  I readied my crossbow and peered over the edge of the mound. I slipped a slice of dried apple into my mouth. It was tart and lightly spiced with ginger, but I lost interest in the taste. Emerging from the woods behind a vanguard of at least five hundred zombies, rumbled twenty panzers. Running beside and behind them came hordes of goblins. And behind them marched armored battle ogres carrying spiked clubs and massive machetes.