Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (57 page)

"Your soldiers already serve the kingdom well," shouted the king over the pounding of the horses’ hooves.

Raising his hand the king gave the command for the column to slow. Seth quickly relayed his plan, and the king and Sirus both smiled and nodded their agreement. Leading the mass of mounted troops the remaining miles at a slowed pace, the king then turned the column off the trail into the forest, opposite their approaching foe. Time was of the essence, and leading his retinue over a quarter mile off the trail, the king finally gave the signal to halt. The vast majority of the king’s men had no idea as of yet what was happening, so the king signaled for all to dismount and a line was quickly stretched between two massive trees to tether the horses. Within moments everyone had gathered around the king and the plan to ambush the goblin raiding party was passed along the retinue. Hearing their instructions, the men and women abandoned their mounts after retrieving what arms and armor they had carried with them.

Quickly and quietly the king and his knights led them all back to the edge of the forest, facing across the trail where the goblins would likely exit the forest opposite of them. To a man, everyone hid within the shadows of the massive trees, cautious not to make a sound, each listening for the first signs of their enemy's approach. Seth could see most of his peers from his chosen hiding place and watched as many of them began to pray. Seth simply stood watching the forest ahead, his sword hanging at his waist, his newly acquired staff in his hand. Sara knelt on one knee behind and to the side of Seth. Drawing her crossbow she knocked her fist arrow, and waited, willing to defend herself and protect Seth if the need arose.

Tense moments passed as everyone in the king's command strained to hear any sign of the approach of the opposing force. Knowing the goblins would be on foot, Seth did not expect to hear anything too soon. It was nearly an hour before the howling of Seth’s troops could be heard in the distance. A half hour later the howls could be heard loudly, accompanied by screams of pain or the occasional clash of steel. Louder and louder the sounds came, becoming more and more distinct. After waiting nearly two hours in total the enemy approached.

The goblin horde was in full retreat, running wildly through the woods and being harried the entire way by loathsome creatures of another world. Fear drove the goblins into a panic, forgetting completely to hold their lines or maintain any form of order whatsoever. The goblins raced through the forest leaving their weaker or slower brethren to fall behind, hoping the creatures that hunted them would fall upon those in the rear thus allowing the rest to escape. Their hopes had diminished quickly. Whatever the creatures were that hunted them, they killed not for hunger but for sport.

The wicked beasts’ first attack had been devastating to the goblins. Borrik had instructed his men to attack from every side leaving only one direction available for the goblins to retreat in. The wolf men, being of single mind, pulled off the initial attack flawlessly. Rushing into the enemy ranks one by one, the creatures would maim several of the smaller goblins before dragging one, kicking and screaming, back into the darkness of the forest where the creature’s life was ended. Then the carcass would be tossed bodily back into the goblin force to land upon his fellows. Again and again the wolf men used this tactic striking from one direction and then another, forcing the goblins to turn first one way and then back. Though Borrik's men had only actually killed a dozen or so goblins, the fear that overtook the creatures had amazing effect. Within moments the goblins careened haphazardly through the forest, their orc leaders unable to regain any semblance of military control. As they ran, from time to time a straggler from the main force would disappear from one of the flanks, revealing only a flash of fur and steel before disappearing into the darkness where could be heard the dying screams of another goblin.

When the first goblin broke through the line of trees where ages ago a trail had been blazed through the forest, he first began to turn as if to follow that trail. However, thinking better of it, the leathery green-skinned beast rushed headlong across the clearing, dissolving into a pile of ash before making it even halfway to his hidden ambushers. Seth reeled in the sensation of the goblin's life coursing through him. He did not bother storing the power as he knew he would need it within seconds. Instead he focused on restraining it and keeping it separate from his own. Only half a second later more goblins emerged from the trees and they too rushed across the cleared expanse where the trail marked the midway point. Just yards behind these came more goblins, and more yet after those as the main force was making its way to the clearing's edge. None of the humans loosed an arrow, none gave a battle cry, and no magician unleashed a fireball into the approaching goblins. Instead all just waited until at last the poor creatures, racing ahead blindly from fear, blundered directly into their human ambushers.

Quietly and with meticulous care the first of the goblins were dispatched, not wanting to give any warning to the remainder of the doomed raiding party of the awaiting danger. Soon the flow of goblins out of the tree line across the clearing dwindled, and it appeared that the vast majority of the goblin force was now between the ambushing humans and the opposite tree line, nearly two hundred yards away. Seth’s wolf troops also sprang from the trees opposite, and flanking the goblins continued to drive the creatures to their fate just ahead in the darkness.

Without any audible command the humans struck the panicking, fear-blinded goblins. First Seth watched as twin fireballs lanced out from the trees, incinerating two goblins and sending a dozen others scrambling. Following the fireballs at least a dozen arrows sped to find their mark, arcing out from the trees to pierce the goblins with a thud and a shriek. Realizing their mistake, the goblins slowed their approach and attempted to recover from the assault. One greasy looking goblin began to shout orders as the others fell into battle ranks. Seth silenced the would-be commander with a thought and sent yellow-green lightning shooting out from his fingertips into the newly formed ranks of goblins, felling another dozen of the leathery green beasts.

Unsure which direction to take, the goblins surged forward as if to attack the ambushers ahead of them. Numbering only about seventy at this time, the goblins swarmed across the open expanse nearing their attackers. Several more goblins dropped, arrow shafts protruding from their bodies. Panicking anew the goblins began to break ranks and turn every direction, but before they could run, Seth’s wolf men were upon the outermost of them, forcing them back into a tight formation, giving them no room to flee, and driving them ever closer to the awaiting humans. Seth drained another two goblins as more fireballs flashed from the trees to ignite more of the foul beasts. Unwilling to be outdone, Seth unleashed a column of his yellow-green fire from each of his palms, taking down several more of the wicked creatures. Then the battle cry of Valdadore exploded from the trees, and Seth watched in awe as Sirus led his three fellow knights into the ranks of the fifty remaining goblins.

Philip reached the goblins first, his amazing speed rendering his attacks un-defendable as he danced lithely through the goblins with unbelievable speed and grace, his twin short swords arcing this way and that, leaving a path of gore and removed limbs. Next to hit the goblins was the dwarf Zorbin on his giant armored wolf. Swinging a huge battle hammer from atop the wolf, the dwarf felled goblins two or three at a time with bone-shattering accuracy whilst his mount lunged this way and that snapping its wicked teeth at any goblin that got too close. Then Garret and Sirus reached the goblin horde, each brandishing long broadswords of highly polished steel. Seth was both astonished and appalled to see his brother grinning and laughing as he lunged and swung his massive blade, cleaving goblin after terrified goblin in two. It was a spectacle to behold, the four Knights of Valdadore performing their craft as only master craftsmen could, and creating for those who watched a masterpiece born of death and gore.

Within moments the deed was finished, and the goblins had been slaughtered to a man. Seth had seen no trace of the orcs who were said to be leading the goblin party. Seth looked across the field of gore as the last of his wolf troops disappeared back into the forest across from his position. The men and women of the king's retinue began approaching the mass of mangled goblin bodies to either see the damage up close or congratulate the knights who had dispatched the majority of the enemy troops. Seth turned to Sara who had a disgusted look upon her face, and getting his attention she rose, removed the arrow from her crossbow and allowed it to dry fire before slinging the weapon over her shoulder. Uncertain of what to do, Seth led Sara back into the forest towards where their mounts had been tethered. It was obvious to Seth that the woman he loved had no stomach for battle, and to be honest he did not care to witness the aftermath of the carnage either. He was glad they were victorious, and so far as he knew not a single person had sustained an injury. Seth and Sara walked hand and hand through the forest, alone for the first time since they had left the castle, both of them knowing all too well that what they had witnessed this day was only a small portion of what they would see in days to come. As they walked slowly through the forest, Borrik, silent as death, joined them as if separating from the shadows themselves, coming to walk beside them.

"M'lord," Borrik said. "The men have captured three living orcs, and await your command as to what is to be done with them."

Seth thought a moment before answering.

"What of the king and the rest of our contingent?" Seth asked.

"For the moment they busy themselves looting the fallen goblins looking for messages, trinkets or treasures," Borrik answered after silently conferring with the pack.

"Then bring the orcs to me with all haste. We may not have much time," Seth answered.

With a nod Borrik relayed the message to the rest of the pack and assured Seth that within just a few minutes he would have the orcs. Borrik apologized that two of them had been slain but assured Seth that they were killed out of necessity. Seth nodded his understanding as sounds of another's approach could be heard coming from the direction Borrik had come from. Seconds later Seth’s troops hauled before him the limp forms of three orcs, each bound and gagged, and apparently knocked unconscious. These orcs were each dressed in mail armor, their blackened oily skin only visible upon their hands and faces. Seth took a moment to study them before turning to face the once men who served him.

"Who of you today was the most valiant in battle?" Seth asked. He knew they shared some form of pack consciousness and as such knew of each other’s every deed. One amongst them stepped forward.

"Who of you fought most ferociously today?" Seth asked. Another stepped forward from his kin.

"Whom among you is most respected, second to Borrik in command?" Seth asked again. A third member of his servants separated himself from the rest.

Releasing Sara’s hand Seth approached the first of his distinguished followers, and placing one hand upon the half-man half-beast’s forearm, Seth reached out with his mind and stripped the first of the three orcs of its life force. He instantly channeled it into his loyal servant, leaving a pile of ash and armor upon the ground. The half-man's eyes rolled in their sockets as pure pleasure overtook him, and craning his neck back the beast let loose a blood-curdling howl before falling to his knees, undergoing yet another transformation. Seth stepped past his now mutating devout follower on to the next. Performing the ritual two more times, Seth and Sara watched as the three prior wolf men wriggled on the ground as they mutated into something more spectacular than what they had previously been. As they recovered, the men, now appearing much like Borrik, rose and kneeled to their living god and Seth offered each a nod of approval. Now these three, like Borrik, were magnificent creatures. Gone were the hideous patchwork skull and hunched backs, gone were the long matted fur and sunken chests, and once again the man side of each of these three of Seth’s creations had dominance over the wolf side.

"I'll require five more orcs to complete the rest of your transformations," Seth said.

Turning from his newly transformed troops back to Borrik, Seth gave the man orders to continue scouting ahead, as well as to collect whatever they could of value from the fallen orcs and goblins. Seth knew there was more than one way to gather followers. He also knew that this night they would be staying in Raven’s Keep, the southernmost castle in Valdadore’s kingdom. Being the farthest to the south, the people here would be those who had felt the sting of the goblin's raiding parties again and again. Here would be the people who had lost the most and had the least. Here loyalty could be bought, and Seth planned to use such circumstances to his advantage.

Seth and Sara watched as the wolf men turned and raced off through the woods at breakneck speeds. Seth was surprised as how Sara could so easily accept his abilities, and the transformations he had performed seemed to not affect her at all. After his troops were lost to sight, Sara approached once again, and taking Seth’s face in both her little hands, she kissed him passionately, reassuring him once again of her love and devotion.

Sara knew she loved Seth completely. She understood the cost of them being able to be together was his use of the powers bestowed upon him by Ishanya. She knew that through Seth many lives would be altered or ended. She knew the man she loved was torn between his own wants and desires, and his many newly acquired responsibilities. She knew of his distrust in the gods, his unwillingness to serve them, and she was aware that he burdened himself with such service on her behalf. He sacrificed himself for her now, just as he had done in the cave the first time they had encountered a goblin. Only now his sacrifice was constant. He had given himself unwillingly into the goddess's service in order to be with her, and to assure a future for them both. In giving himself to the goddess, he had been sworn to the service of the kingdom and the king’s court, more sacrifices of himself just to be with her. Seth had created a new race of soldier in service to the king, and the soldiers swearing themselves to Seth left him yet another burden he willingly bore in order to be with her. Sara did not feel worthy of such unyielding sacrifice, did not feel worthy of such immeasurable devotion, but swore to herself that she would support Seth in any and all ways she was able. She would be at his side no matter the danger, she would sacrifice for him anything in return for his love. Though she knew his sacrifice would always be greater than hers, she hoped that she would be able to minimize the effects of his sacrifices on his conscience, and hopefully save his soul from the goddess Ishanya.