Tides of Blood and Steel (40 page)
Read Tides of Blood and Steel Online
Authors: Christian Warren Freed
Tags: #Science Fiction & Fantasy, #Fantasy, #Coming of Age, #Epic, #Paranormal & Urban, #Sword & Sorcery, #Arthurian, #Teen & Young Adult
“I believe it is time for us to return to Trennaron,” he told them.
“For?” Kodan Bak asked.
“Artiss Gran must remember where he came from.”
Pelthit Re snarled. “Traitor. He is no longer one of us.”
“He turned his back on us long ago. Death would be too kind.”
Amar shook his head. “Irrelevant. He will soon know the power of our full hatred. Gran must be neutralized if we have hope of succeeding.”
“There are but one hundred days left before the thousand years are expired.”
“Going to Trennaron is pointless,” Kodan said suddenly.
The others turned to him. “What do you mean?”
“Artiss Gran is no longer one of us. He is weak, incapable of properly defending the Hamr. The three of us traveling so far would only leave the north open for our enemies to regroup. We would be vulnerable again for no reason.”
“He is a threat unchecked. Don’t be so foolish as to believe Gran lacks power because he abandoned us,” Re snapped. “I agree with Amar. We must go and kill him.”
“No,” Amar said unexpectedly. “Kodan Bak may be correct. We cannot kill Gran, for he is still one of us. Only our masters can finish him. Perhaps we should focus on the wizard and his disciples. Kill them and the hammer is useless.”
“The Hags will hunt them down, but they are only Harpies. Vile creatures with little real strength,” Kodan cautioned. “They can track the wizard but will need assistance in dealing with him.”
“Leave that to me. Pelthit Re, return to Delranan and break the One Eye’s mind. Kodan Bak, you will stay here in Rogscroft and work on King Badron. Both are vital in the coming weeks.”
“Where will you be?” Pelthit Re asked. Suspicion twisted his tone. He floated up a few inches, hands crossed in front.
“I have business in the east. A new war brews and I must fan the flames to keep it from blowing out. Go now. I shall summon you when I need you again.”
The others drew their powers. The very air shimmered as if trying to escape. Darkness coalesced tightly as two Dae’shan folded in on themselves and disappeared, leaving Amar Kit’han alone. He smiled, the visage one of pure malevolence. One hundred days before their masters returned to take their rightful places as the masters of Malweir.
* * * * *
Artiss Gran stood atop the lone tower and watched as lightning wreathed the skies. The sky had turned a mottled purple, orange and black. His tired eyes witnessed the portents swirling around the sprawling fortress of Trennaron. Time was drawing to an end. Another cycle had almost reached conclusion. Yet unlike the ten times before, this time was different. Relevant heroes had stepped forward to challenge the rising tide of evil.
No stranger to dark times, the former Dae’shan struggled to comprehend the danger lurking just beyond reach. His brothers had lost their way, willfully succumbing to ever present desires and temptations. Artiss knew he should be sad, but couldn’t find the correct emotion. Their order once held so much promise. A glorious age had been envisioned shortly after their inception. Meant to maintain order, the Dae’shan then had roamed Malweir in search of corruption and overzealous righteousness. So much time had passed since their fall.
Malweir had never been a safe place. That level of insecurity worsened with time. Without the Dae’shan to ensure balance, the world plunged into perpetual nightmare. The Mages helped stave off the coming fires, for a time, but they, too, fell into shadow. Artiss wondered if this was simply the way fate meant it all to play out. He had lost hope, but never conviction. He turned to the primitive tribes of the jungle and developed them into great beings. Defenders and guardians had sprung from their ranks and helped keep the tentative balance in order. For a time.
That time was coming to an end. The final conflict was barreling towards them unchecked. Only a handful stood between doom and survival. Artiss wasn’t sure there was going to be any victor, even if the dark gods were finally defeated. The magic of creation was gone. An undying spark casually dimmed through misuse and wanton aggression. His soul ached for those unsuspecting across the face of the world who did not know the true depths of the horror approaching.
Artiss Gran rubbed his hands together. He had much to do before the heroes arrived. Much to do indeed.
END
Continue with Book Three of the Northern Crusade:
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Christian W. Freed was born in Buffalo, N.Y. He recently retired from a twenty year career in the U.S. Army. Armies of the Silver Mage is his first book for sale and was written during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. Much of the experiences and battle sequences in his novels come from his three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and a keenly developed understanding of military tactics. He graduated from Campbell University with a degree in history and is pursuing a Masters of Arts degree in Military History from Norwich University. He currently lives outside of Raleigh, N.C. and devotes his time to writing and to his family and their two Bernese Mountain Dogs.