The Exodus Sagas: Book IV - Of Moons and Myth (19 page)

“It worked, and we are alive. Had I not done something, we would not be talking now.” She sheathed her blades, felt the cold lacerations on her arm and legs, eyes never leaving the sight to the south. The orange mist vanished once more, the screams erupted from the ruins, and faint footsteps of a far off army of the dead could be heard through the pattering rains.
This time, much louder than before, many more steps soun
ded as the thunder the nighttime storm was
without.

“
I see ten sets o’ glowing eyes ahead, coming this way. Ye’ not thinkin’ o’ fightin again, are ye’?” He started to back up slowly, the awe of the scene drew his focus and sense away, captivating his mind with the glowing eyes so far off.

“No, we need to get to the others. Why do you ask?” Shinayne was pondering how they would ever get past such a force, even with their friends.

“I ask ye’ to make sure ye’ still have
some
sense. If ye’ had said yes, me hammer would have to knock ye’ out and I would be carryin’ ye
back
is all.” Zen shook his head free of whatever was trying to keep his attention on the
orange
light
s
. Half mile and closing, the stomping was louder, he heard the clanging of steel like an echo
ing mine
in the dark.

“Get rid of your light, time to move.”
Shinayne blinked, long and slow, also realizing the glow was compounding with the whispers
,
seemingly inciting her curiosity.

“Aye, let’s go then.
Vulthdre
!” He waved his shield over his hammer, the world grew darker, and the
unholy
orange flare
s
grew closer.

Blasphemers must pay…

Shinayne and Zen turned and ran back toward the ridge, in the dark of night, thousands of soldiers from the grave behind them.
Aching, wet, bleeding and tired, they ran toward the ridge of the Temple Way. Into the lowlands, through the bare forests, then up they climbed into rocky sandstone cliffs. Neither stopped to look, neither of them spoke, only ran as fast as their legs and breath would allow.

Green light from a cavern entrance shone like a beacon of salvation to the weary daredevils. Stumbling with exhaustion, Shinayne and Zen shook Saberrak and James as they came close to Gwenneth, who merely looked up over her tome. She raised and eyebrow to them as they roused everyone with heaving breaths.

“Second thoughts?” Gwenne smiled.

“Aye, and then some! Ye’ wouldn’t believe what is out there! Anyways, no time, need to…get..ready! They’re comin’!” He huffed, grabbing for his armor, tossing through his things in frantic fashion.

“Azenairk
…” Shinayne whispered toward him.

“What is going on now?” Saberrak stood, reached for his axes, then stretched and huffed.

“Thousands…thousands o’ the dead…heading this way! Get ready!” Zen had his breastplate on and was working on strapping his greaves into place.

“
By Alden
, did you two go out alone?” James crawled over to his chainmail armor and blade, scrambling, trying to get armed as quick as he could.

“How far?” Gwenneth snapped her fingers, the staff of Imoch whipped from the wall into her grasp, the book floated onto her bedroll and blankets.

“
Zen
…” Shinayne whispered once more.

“Bout’ a mile behind us at most, we killed a few hundred. Shinayne, ye’ tell em’ then.
Tell em’ we found Mooncrest!
”
Armguards next, belts tightening, he spun around to find where he had dropped his shield and hammer.

Gwenneth stopped at the edge of the cavern and turned back to the dwarven priest with a questioning glance. “Zen, you and Shinayne left about three minutes ago. How…?”

“
Zen, my wounds are gone
.” Shinayne whispered louder, still amazed as she looked to where her injuries from the ghastly blades should have been, where they definitely were. There were none to be seen.

“Well I be bleedin’ outta both shoulders, me ear, look, look at me face then!” Zen hefted the heavy blacksteel weapon and stood next to Gwenneth.

James and Saberrak walked slowly to their dwarven friend, looking in the light given by the staff, there was not a mark on him nor one drop of blood.

“You don’t have a scratch, dwarf.” Saberrak flared his nostrils.

“Aye? Look here…then…my…” His face went white, not a cut, and he knew there were at least eight that should be there. He recalled the cold blades, the warm blood running on his cool skin, the rain, the dead, he was confused.

“We were gone for hours…fought hundreds…saw …thousand more… something…
I do not like this place.”
Shinayne T’Sarrin breathed deep to calm the chill that was climbing her spine.

“Not possible…it’s not…” Zen grabbed his hammer and moons
symbol
and prayed.

“No, you were not gone long enough to make from here to the Temple Way. You just asked me to watch the others while you scouted ahead. I have only r
ead two pages since you left
.” Gwenneth looked out the cavern into the dark. She heard whispers in the pattering rain, a howl from far off, and saw lighting that made no noise. But no army of ghostly dead.

“Still, something is out there. I assure you, and it knows we are here.” Shinayne walked to the edge, blades out, and stared into the blackness.

“Saberrak, take the left side of the cave with Shinayne. Zen, over here with me now. Be ready.” Jam
es drew his blade and waited with vigilance
. He nodded to Gwenneth who had already ta
ken her spot back behind them
.

For long hours the five stood still and silent, waiting for what Shinayne and Zen said was
surely
behind them.
Their weapons drawn, eyes keen, listening to every sound near and far.
They were prepared for any whisper, to face any army or voice, anything at all. Yet in the pitch of quiet night, nothing came. As the black turned to a dark gray in the
west to mark the rising sun,
the winds began to rise in strength,
and
only
far off screams could be heard.

Castle Valhera, Valhirst, Chazzrynn

The Prince of Valhirst rubbed his temples with his thumb and finger, the stress of so much ongoing had quite a pain shoo
ting across his brow and down
his neck. Thousands had arrived to the western fields and hills outside his city, the banners of King Mikhail Salganat and of Chazzrynn could be seen from his battlements. He had expected three thousand or so, yet five
legions
or more there were, all preparing for siege.
Forces from
Loucas, Addisonia, Vallakazz, Silverbridge, and even Thoranack had answered their king. Johnas was not intimidated in the least.
He held the heir prince, he had the coveted prize of the field, and had no intention of giving it up.
On the morrow
, after h
is threatened fortnight, Bryant Salganat would hang from his walls
.

Now
however
, as ill timed as could be, the impatient and bewitching Lord Koligail had arrived from Devonmir to settle affairs.
An emissary from the
Caberran courts had tracked Johnas
down and was awaiting answers as to his motives in Harlaheim. Then, as if his plate were not full enough, rumor had come via the warlock mirrors that King Phillip had threatened war upon Willborne prematurely. An armed guard of men with Lord Valistor Waylen were insistent guests for the past three nights
, inquiring as to the reason Johnas was so involved with another kingdom
.
Sapphire of the East had reported that Crimson of the North was no more, Balric D’Vrelle and the fugitive once-king Richmond
the Second
had not surfaced, and rumors pointed to the possibility that Kaya T’Vellon may still be alive somehow. The Prince of Valhirst forced words out despite his troubled mind craving
but
a moments’ peace.

“
Jehrale, our men are ready?
” Johnas whispered to his left.

“
They are, even the Harlian forces. Yet the last ship never arrived. No sign of it. Lost somewhere near a cluster of islands between here and Taberlo
.”

“
Scout ships, nothing reported
?” Johnas was only mildly concerned at the loss of three hundred soldiers from Harlaheim.
He had enough in place to take the crown.

“Nothing. Lord Koligail awaits your answers to the Devonmir dispute, brother
.
His presence is unnerving at best
.
” Vermillion stepped aside for the visiting lord of the
three
damned
and
for
his older brother
to finish their dealings.

“
Very well, but I was much enjoying the view. Do you think Mikhail sees the bodies hanging from the walls and wonders if one is his son
?”

“
Surely, my Prince, surely
.” Jehrale peeked over the edge, noting the still dangling corpses rotting in the morning gray, remnanats from Bryants failed attack.

“Lord Koligail, your terms are surely elevated due to my obvious current entanglements. I will agree to half the amount requested.” Johnas nodded to Vermillion of the South and received a nod from beneath the hood of his brothers black cloak. Johnas looked down from his high vantage upon the armies to the west and the wet green landscape of Valhirst.
He knew his time to ride out was soon.

Black shrouds of his ornate burial robes whipped in the winds of the Valhera catwalk. Koligail felt not the pleasure of the breeze, the touch of sporadic rains, nor the warmth of the
morning
on his flesh, little as was left. He turned slowly and glared his red eyes toward Prince Johnas. He spoke in hushed tones from beyond the grave.

“And the minotaur?
He has taken many of our most profitable, we have need of replacements.
”

“Only if your support to Harlaheim
’
s new king is doubled. Kalaza
is a butcher beyond compare, as I am sure you have seen firsthand, and valuable to me and mine.” Johnas looked through his peripheral vision
,
as the sight of the red d
ry flesh over bone was disconcerting
. He knew well enough of the deals and curses the lords three of Devonmir had met with long ago, he needed not a reminder of their appearance.

“And the fugitives, there are many that wreaked havoc and have seen too much. Lord Trehad has found trace of the five with the Lazlette woman to the west, but what of your rogue members? The body of Kaya T’Vellon was not among those that Lord Maroguille has risen for research. She lives and knows too much of us
, to your failure
.
“
His whispers and hisses held arcane dark power as he spoke.

“
The White Spider is handling our own, all loose ends will be cut, and my new kingdoms will see it done above
ground
as well. Do not mention failure to me, cursed one. Remember who it is you are talking to.” Johnas sneered as he felt his blade throb at his side
, warning him of things it was concenerned with.

“
You realize, soon to be king of several kingdoms, that my brothers of the shroud and I have lived past many mortal rulers. Your politics do not frighten us below Devonmir.”

“Be that as it may, all thing
s end Koligail.
Even you
. When
I have Chazzrynn, Harlaheim, and Willbo
rne massed in force together
within a few weeks
time, I will invade your arenas with thirty thousand men. Now, are we finishing our business or no?”

“If I had an
y
inkling of your failure, I would say no and work my way toward the capital in Harlaheim, just to see you squirm.
Perhaps I could be the
next
implanted sovereign?
”

“That will not happen, not even in
your
lifetime
, sorcerer. Last offer, take it
or I put Devonmir at the top of my list.”

Koligail paused, his sharp teeth bared
at the sickening smells of mortal arrogance.
“It will be done. Half million in gold
to us
for da
mages done, Chalas Kalaza is
now
our
property, and
you have
our support to
both King Phillip and your agents
in Devonmir. We will speak to
Domenarch
Cadius alone on matters of business going forward
, since Rinicus is no more
.”