Chapter Nine

Rise and Fall 

 
The city of Corinthia was known for its hustle and bustle, even at night. However the city stood unnaturally quiet this night. The quiet suited the six hooded men who now rushed down the street checking each of the alleys as they passed them, their eyes scanning every window of every house. They moved quickly, staying close and most importantly they moved quietly. They made no sound as they navigated through the streets, trying not to arise any attention from the people within the houses. They ran under a sign with a hammer and wings that showed they had passed Jon’s old Tavern, the Flying Hammer. At first glance the building appeared quiet all windows showing nothing but a low glow from candlelight but in the back room stood two men arguing. Nathanial the wise, oblivious to the men outside who were so desperate to avoid detection, stood growling at the new owner of the Flying Hammer. A fat man who wore a tunic that was too small for him so his stomach burst out the bottom of the tunic which was also stained with sweat and goodness knows what else. Everything about the man offended Nathanial right down to his beady eyes staring through his dirty scraggly blonde hair but most of all the words that were coming out of his mouth!

“Listen mage! I couldn’t care less who you are! No one drinks for free in my tavern!” The man’s stomach rumbled loudly and he groaned holding his massive stomach,  he then let loose a massive burp,
“How dare you? Do you even know who you are insulting?” Nathanial shouted angrily getting ready to put the man in his place.

“I couldn’t care less if you were the mage lord of Corinthia, old Nathan himself, you don’t drink for free!”

All of a sudden there was a thundering crash and the ground shook so hard that the new landlord flew forward and crashed through the card table splintering the wood making it skitter across the floor, which saved his life as the roof of the inn collapsed where he was standing. Nathanial threw himself to the side to avoid the tumbling rubble. When the world stopped shaking around him Nathanial lifted himself up from the floor and with shaking hands he brushed dust off himself and shook his head to stop the ringing in his ears. When the ringing sound stopped it was replaced with the sounds of the citizens of Corinthia screaming in the night, Nathanial checked the owner and satisfied the man had just been knocked out he climbed over the rubble that seemed to hold a type of black stone as well as the brown brick the tavern was built with, he found the door to the bar and he forced it open pushing back the rubble so he could enter in to the bar to find help for his unconscious host. He was not prepared for the sight that awaited him when he did make it into the bar. The prison cube had fallen from its magically held height and part of it had crashed into the Flying Hammer causing it to crumble and fall as well, the barroom was nothing but crumbled walls and collapsed ceilings.

“What the hell is going on? Where are my mages?” Nathanial thought looking around at the horror around him, fires had started in the bar from the spilled lamp oil, the owner’s wife had been behind the bar when it collapsed there was no hope for her anymore. Suddenly he heard a crash from the back, he rushed back to the door but it burst open as rubble and dust poured through, the back ceiling had collapsed sending the owner to join his wife but before Nathanial could even register the shock of the two people dying he heard a rumble and looked up in time to see the ceiling above him crack and fall, he raised his hand and a magical barrier appeared below it and held it in place. He looked around to the broken window and crumbling wall and with a swish of his hand the wall crashed outward opening a space for escape. Nathanial released his barrier and tried to act quickly.  He twisted and his body magically faded as he tried to become mist as the rocks fell around him.

The entrance hall to the Galgorin, the home of the mages was dark and deathly quiet. Four bodies littered the marble floor, two mages lay in the middle of the hall and two guards lay against the main entrance doors. They slid across the polished floor as the doors suddenly burst open as the six hooded men marched into the hall. Five of them moved to defensive positions as they scanned the hall for movement with their hands inside their cloaks, while the sixth man marched in standing tall and proud, for he was unafraid.

“Is any one home?” his voice boomed mockingly throughout the hall echoing back and forth. The hall answered him with deafening silence. He laughed and he twirled his hands and cast them down at himself while muttering,

“Clem’ardo sphaera rap allindas.”

A shimmering ripple magically appeared around his feet and passed over him as he walked to the center of the hall. the ripple passed over him and magically replaced his long brown hooded cloak into hooded robes of scarlet then it passed over his head it revealed a deformed red mask, the most prominent feature of the mask was a hideous grinning mouth full of jagged teeth running all the way up one side of the mask.

“And what, pray tell, would have happened if it hadn’t worked?” one of the hooded men barked at him marching forward,

“Have faith Nirab.” The Sorcerer replied, Nirab dropped his hood as another of the hooded men also dropped their hood revealing a mane of curly black hair, surrounding an aggressive yet pretty face of a Dourgal woman.  She was discernable from the others as she wore the clothes of a mercenary as they did.

“We should have faith… Dramada promised us the death of the mages and it is so…” She said full of wonder. Nirab scowled at his new wife, another of the benefits of his rise in station to chieftain of the Kazatet tribe, he had his pick of the women even the ones his uncle had had his eyes on.

“Kara!” He snapped, “He isn’t a god! Respect him but do not worship him. He is…”Nirab looked at the sorcerer who chuckled and performed a mock bow,

“We are merely Rae’thor’s Servants.” He said,

“Indeed, Orin’kie.” Nirab smiled,

“But you cannot deny your wife’s wonder Nirab you were promised the end of the Insindium and look around you, they are all dead!” he said casting his hands out and flames erupted into life and flew to the unlit torches burning life into them, the hall filled with light illuminating the dead bodies in the hall as well as more bodies down the hall from where they stood, mages lying on the ground looks of terror and pain etched on their faces forever more. The hall echoed with the sound of the sorcerer Orin’kie laughter. Suddenly two of Nirab’s men flew forward and crumpled in a heap, smoke rising from their backs which were scorched.

“Your almost right.” A voice said as the remaining Dourgal and Kara flew through the air and crashed into the wall of the hall Kara smashed into a portrait of Baal, the former leader of the order of mages, on the wall then tumbled down to the floor in a heap with the fallen portrait landing on top of her. Nirab and the sorcerer turned towards the entrance to the hall where Nathanial the wise stood covered in ash and dust.

“What have you done to my mages?” He snarled, Orin'kie laughed loudly,

“Come then mage test yourself.” Orin’kie cried stretching his arms out palms facing Nathanial and said, “Arngulis ignalis farine!”

Nathanial felt the magic forced to do his bidding by the vile use of spells, no mage used such means to use magic they learned to be part of magic not abuse it as sorcerers did. He saw flames erupt from his adversary’s hands and form the shape of burning snakes, they pounced and wrapped in circles around and around him, the heat almost overpowered him but he managed to erect a shield around himself, Orin’kie smiled as he forced his snakes of fire wrap tighter causing severe strain n Nathanial’s shield.  A mist began to form above the flames like a tiny storm cloud, which then quickly dropped turning to water as it fell extinguishing the fire.  Nathanial sprang forward surprisingly nimbly for a man his age as the flames died away and two spheres of fire formed in his hands and shot forward at Orin’kie who simply leant to the side and twisted on the spot evading them, one of them connected with the last of Nirab’s men as he stood shakily to his feet, there was a moment of silent horror on his face but before he could utter a scream of torment  he turned to ash, Nirab dived to the ground avoiding the second fireball. This was no mere magician they faced, he thought from the ground staring at the pile of dust that had just been a man, this was a very powerful being. Nathanial focused his energy into a barrier around him as Orin’kie cried,

“Faliegur col garie ail biat!”

Lightning from his fingers struck Nathanial’s barrier, the air crackled with magical energy, Nirab felt the hairs on his neck rise. The ground around Nathanial’s feet began to crack. With a grunt Nathanial the formed the barrier into a shield in front of him and sent it flying straight at Orin’kie who had to dive out of the way. Nirab saw Kara climb to her feet clutching her arm, she slowly let go of her injured arm and drew her dagger and began to sneak towards Nathanial. He began to turn around and would clearly attack her,

“I killed them!” Nirab called suddenly, Nathanial turned to face him, his anger evident on his face. “That’s right old man. Me! I killed every mage here with an old magical poison, Karinaf potion it’s called I think…” Nirab shouted moving backwards away from the advancing mage, “… I poured it into the Galgorin water supply!”

Nathanial growled as he slowly moved towards Nirab, Orin’kie pulled himself up slightly

“The last one in existence… crafted by the sorcerers of old… how fitting it should be it should be used to wipe out their murderers! To think all of those sorcerers the Insindium burned and still one of those long dead sorcerers has killed you all!” Nirab laughed loudly, “And do you want to know the best part, old man? The potion lies dormant until the spell is cast… Then… Then the effects are very painful…” Nirab scorned, “Look at their faces… just think how they suffered, old man!” Nirab realised he had edged towards the wall and had nowhere else to go, he tried to stall for time by saying, “The real question is, how did you survive, old man?”

“When I want a drink…” Nathanial answered moving closer to Nirab, the words oozed from his mouth like venom,”… I go to the Tavern.”

Then Nathanial screamed his anger and lashed out with his magic, a gust of wind strong as a hurricane crashed into Nirab flipping him backwards. Then two things happened at once, Kara jumped at him and Orin’kie screamed, “Glakiet sladius konjalat!”

 The air in front of his hand froze into a shard of ice which then flew toward Nathanial, who spun and magically lifted the body of a nearby scorched Dourgal into the air into the path of the flying shard as the power of his mine blasted Kara to fly the full length of the hall and crash through the entrance doors, the shard struck the elevated body and with a flick of his wrist the body flew through the air and crashed into the sorcerer knocking him to the ground.

“Who do you think you battle here?” Nathanial the wise shouted, fireballs erupted into life and floated above his palms, as he stood over Orin’kie, who rolled to the side and screamed,

“unumbra dellatorae serrvius!”

The shadows of Nathanial and Orin’kie seemed to twitch for a second then one of them  began to rise from the ground where it belonged followed quickly by the other, their shape began to solidify and then the shades drew shadows of swords from their darkness and began to awkwardly advance on him. The old mage smiled, stepping backwards to the center of the room,

“I’m far too old to be afraid of the dark,” He said staring at the shades advanced on him, each movement becoming easier and smoother as they drew close to him, “Especially when it is easily chased off with light…”

He dropped to one knee and slammed the spheres of fire floating in his palms into the ground, immediately there was an explosion, the marble floor around him lay broken and burned as the blast flew out all around him, the shadows burst into flames and then disappeared into nothingness, the heat hit Nirab like a burning wall, it scorched his face and singed his clothes as he was thrown away from the blast. Kara shrieked and dove through a doorway leading to another room avoiding the blast. Orin’kie screamed for a moment as he was in the center of the blast before he managed to shield himself, the sound of the spell he used was lost among the wall of fire. The heat and sound seemed to last for an eternity but eventually died away leaving only Nathanial unharmed. He then held out his hand and said,

“Now I will send you to join your Mor’Draed.”

“NO!” Kara burst from the doorway dagger drawn and swinging madly trying to protect her husband, she caught the mage unawares and cut his cheek deeply causing him to stumble backwards, but as the maddened woman screamed in rage and slashed downwards he unleashed his magic. The tip of her dagger froze solid and the ice ran magically down the blade freezing the metal as it went. Kara cried out and let go of the blade but not before the ice caught two of her fingers freezing them as quickly as the metal, but to Nathanial’s astonishment she quickly drew a knife from her cloak and with gritted teeth she sliced off her frozen fingers without hesitation. He swung his hand and she flew through the air, landing in a crumpled heap,

“Help me sorcerer!” she moaned,

“Katanie fertuma pindous!” Orin’kie screamed, suddenly the smoke rising from his singed robes flew towards Nathanial and turned to chains that shackled to his wrists and two massive boulders that appeared, weighing him down.

“I am no novice scared of your tricks sorcerer! I am Nathanial son of Baal who ruled the Galgorin before me!” He growled pointing to the fallen painting of Nathanial’s father that Kara had crashed into, “I have studied every fabric of magic all my life!”

He shrugged and funnelled his magic into the shackles and boulders. Then he swung his arms upwards, the boulders flew through the air as if boulders weighed nothing to him but crashed against the ceiling and down into the ground with their full weight crushing the marble floor, Orin’kie looked at Nirab and even with the mask on Nirab knew he held the look of helplessness. Then he swung both arms again and the boulders swung back then with a crack like a whip they flew forward and then he made the chains magically turn back into smoke causing the boulders to fly free at Orin’kie and Kara.

“Sulsista!” the sorcerer cried, causing the boulders to stop and fall with a crash. But then the old mage took advantage of his distraction and he used his power to manipulate the air and lifted Orin’kie off his feet  and  slammed him back into the wall with such force he slid to the ground dazed.

“I am a master of this art!” Nathanial screamed in rage, “None of you can kill me.”

“You’re almost right…”Nirab, whose face had already blistered, whispered in his ear. Nathanial gasped as Nirab’s slammed his blade into his back, “…Old man.”

Nathanial shuddered as the blade slid gently back out of him, even he knew this was a fatal wound. He considered attacking again until his dying breath but he vaguely heard Orin'kie cast a spell which pulled him backwards  through the air, he felt the air rush through his hair and then the ground collide with the back of his head as he was slammed down, his arms then he was lifted slightly so he was leaning against the wall. Nathanial squirmed as he felt the back of his robes become wet as his blood ran down his back. Nirab whispered to him,

“Was a time once that your death would be celebrated, such a fine warrior passing was a time to celebrate the warrior was surrounded by happy friends… Those old ways are gone now but I will sit with you mage as you leave this world.” He sat cross-legged in front of the old mage, as Orin’kie approached he raised his hand but Nirab shook his head, “Let him die.”

“Who…Who… are you” he managed weakly, finding the deformed mask.

“I will tell you as you leave this world.” Orin’kie chuckled, he leaned in and whispered a single word into Nathanial’s ear. Nathanial gasped and shook his head in disbelief, one thought ran through his mind, he had to warn them…

Orin’kie laughed until suddenly Nathanial used every last bit of energy he had left to form a message and then his  mind screamed the message to any mage survivors with in ten miles from the city.

“No!” Orin'kie screamed, “Ignalis!” flames ignited on his robes and Nathanial’s body burned in flames that he never felt as he was already gone with the last message he could send.

“We have to be quick.” Orin’kie barked and stormed from the entrance hall as Nirab and Kara followed behind him, he marched them through the dimly lit corridors past the various bodies of the poisoned mages as if they weren’t there. He led them straight to the hall of records, inside was thousands of thousands of bookshelves. Orin’kie led them through the rows of bookshelves until he reached one in front of a wall.

“There is a secret room behind this book case. Stand back.” Orin’kie snarled standing in front of a tall bookcase full of scrolls and books. “Traf’hara!”

The bookcase creaked for a moment as it strained against the pull of the spell then it flew across the room crashing into another bookcase smashing to pieces revealing a secret room inside, there was a single desk with a single scroll tied up and sitting on it.

“Esalun det in magica.” Orin’kie cast, cleansing the room of it protective spells, then walked over to the desk and looked at it for a second before grabbing the desks edge and flipped it over, the table landed upside down and the scroll rolled away. He pointed to the thick bottom of the desk and Nirab nodded and swung his dagger hard crashing into it breaking the wood revealing a secret compartment. Inside the compartment was a single hidden book.

“The Gala Nata codex.” Orin’kie began to laugh manically as he picked the small book up. “No one will stop us now.”

Nirab looked at his wife as she tied a cloth around her maimed hand and felt his blistered face, this mission had been promised to be a simple task, he turned angrily and said,

“Let us leave this place… and let it burn with Nathanial.”

Orin’kie led them out of the hall and then he turned and pointed his finger back into the hall of records and whispered,

“Ignalis.” And they left as the hall burned behind them.

“Hurry up!” one voice hissed,

“They are right behind us!” another whispered urgently,

“Oh come on mage, we could use you just now!”

“Wake up! Wake up!”

“It’s no good he’s out of it!”

He tried to open his eyes but dark shades swirled everywhere. The voices could be made out although they sounded distant, almost as if heard through water. Suddenly the darkness washed over him like a raging ocean wave… enveloping him until it was all he knew for an age it seemed until he could hear the voices once again,

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, yes. Now come on I can hide you!”

“How far is it to this hiding place?”

“My father’s farm, it’s…”

“Quick they are coming!”

“They’ve got Boyle!”

“They ‘re everywhere!”

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!” someone screamed as the darkness engulfed him again, he tried to fight it but it was relentless and he lost himself for a time again. When he was aware of the voices again they were calmer and held a strange echo,

“I don’t think…”

“It doesn’t matter what you think! We had a mission! I have to see it through!”

“But he can’t be moved! The potion takes time to heal the damaged skin and muscles”

“I know! You will have to stay here! I’m going.”

“I will go too. Someone needs to watch your back.”

“But maybe the big man you were with…”

“I can’t take the chance…”

For the third time the darkness took over him. When his thoughts were his own again he could hear a small voice whispering close to him.

“I’m sorry… I can’t stay here. Azrael is depending on us, someone has to get to the king… and I can’t find Damon and Jon… I think they are… I think they are… dead. So even though I want to stay with you I know I have a duty. Tristan and Aldricht will look after you until your well. But you have to be careful you are surrounded by enemies here. Good luck…Tallius.”

“NIAL” Tallius cried sitting bolt upright. Pain exploded in his back and he cried out and collapsed back slamming down onto a makeshift bed roll. Falling down onto his back caused more pain to erupt between his shoulders, as he cried out again he heard someone chuckle in the gloom. He looked around and thought for a second he had been captured as he was in a cold damp stoned wall that looked like a cell, after a second he realised he was in a cellar not a cell.

“Nice to see you’re up.” A cold voice said, Tallius looked around and saw a shadow sitting at a table drinking from a cup. The floor between them was littered with make shift bed rolls. The captain of the Seaswift was the man at the table,

“Carver?” Tallius asked a bit dazed sitting up again more carefully than before.

“At least your memory is okay.” He said sarcastically.

“Where are we?” Tallius asked wrapping his blanket around himself,

“On a farm, just outside of Lincoln.” Carver said, “The others are out looking for survivors. The farmer told us the attackers are Sam’ru warriors, they arrived in Lincoln three weeks ago.”

“Three weeks?” Tallius repeated in disbelief.

“Yeah, they seized control of the town in the night… dragged all the little kiddies from their beds… Like the monster stories you tell kids… the Orcs will get you in the night… Well there haven’t been Orcs for over  five hundred years but these bastards are just as bad, they used stolen kids to pacify the men here. They can’t fight back…”

“…In case they hurt the children.” Tallius finished in disgust.

“Exactly.” Carver smiled, “They might be bastards but they’re clever bastards.”

“Has no one tried to rescue the children at all?”

“Yes and they all ended the same way…” A voice said from above, they looked around and Tristan came down a set of stone stairs Tallius hadn’t noticed before, he was followed down by two sailors from the sea swift, Tallius recognised on as Aldricht but he didn’t know the other one, he was broad chested and wore a bushy beard and his black hair hung loose and messy down to his shoulders.

“Tallius this is Zane,” the man with the beard nodded his head to Tallius who returned the gesture.

“Enough pleasantries!” Carver snapped, “What did you find out?”

“Well most of the crew are dead. We saw some Sam’ru collecting washed up bodies.” Aldricht said scowling at Carvers tone, “The farmer’s son, who found us in the forest, is searching further up the coast but the six we have found may be the only survivors…”

“The Sam’ru patrol the town in threes, they are not pleasant visitors… they beat and harass anyone they please.” Tristan continued after Aldricht had gone quiet, “There’s a large building in the center, of town where the mayor lives apparently, and it’s surrounded by large spikes in the ground… and a lot of the spikes are decorated.” Tristan’s face looked grim as he looked at the others,

“Anyone who opposes them is dragged to the house and beaten with in an inch of their life then they are dragged outside and they are impaled on the spikes and left to die in front of the town’s folk as a warning.” Zane said quietly, “It is not a pleasant way to die.”

Carver stood and drained his drink then narrowed his small beady eyes,

“As soon as the farmer and our other lads are back we will get provisions and get the hell out of here.”

“What?” tallius cried not believing what he was hearing, “These people need help! Not to mention this is an invasion of the kingdom of Gallahan! Its an act of war!”

“Listen mage, I’m a ship captain! Not a soldier! Now you can stay here and die all you want but we are getting out of this damn place!”

“What do you mean ‘we’?” Tristan asked, “I ain’t going anywhere.”

Zane and Aldricht nodded in agreement, Carver glared at them.

“This is mutiny!” he screamed at them, “I’m your captain and you will obey my orders!”

“In case you haven’t realised Carver this isn’t a ship it’s a cellar! The ship burned.” Aldricht said, “And on land I don’t take orders from you.”

 “You’ll hang for this!” Carvers said his face bright red, “I’ll see to it!”

“No you won’t.” Tallius said simply, “I am a very close friend of the king and his brother the prince and I will guarantee a pardon from whatever crime you charge them with. They have already sworn to the service of the king so…”

Carver laughed sarcastically,

“Swore? Ha! Swore? No they didn’t they were forced into the navy, and a lucky sentence that was for pirates!” He said gleefully,

Tallius looked around at Tristan in shock.

“Sorry mage. We aren’t what we were.” He said simply, “But we have served four years on the sea swift which is twice as long as my time as a pirate cabin boy. So I’d say we’re more navy men than pirate now.”

Tallius looked at them thoughtfully a moment before he nodded and then turned back to Carver,

“I’m assigning them to my service Carver they are my en now. So what about you? You can go if you want but I doubt you’d get very far without the lads to protect you… so what will it be cast your lot with us or go it alone?” Carver hesitated for a second then nodded.

“Good now the farmer what is his name?”

“Aryyn.” Said someone from behind them, tallius spun round and gritted his teeth as the pain shot up his back again. A man in his late forties stood before them, he had a thinning greying black hair and was slightly overweight, “And I believe these men are yours?” another four men entered the cellar, tallius recognised three of them from the ship, but the fourth one he didn’t know. The man was clearly Aryyn’s son as the resemblance between the two was remarkable. He stood slightly taller than his father. And his face was almost identical to his father minus the wrinkles.

“This is my son Marcus. He was the one who found you and your friends in the forest.” Aryyn said noticing tallius looking at his son.

Tallius looked around and noticed Nial hadn’t come in with the others like Tallius had assumed he would.

“Where is Nial?” He asked, Tristan and the others looked at each other and back again. “Where is he?”

“He left…” Tristan said, “He said you had a mission and that it couldn’t wait. He said he couldn’t risk the chance that your other friends, the big man with the hammer and the others, might be… dead. And he had…”

“…A duty.” Tallius finished for him, recalling his delirium, he had heard Nial talking about leaving.

“Yes.” Tristan said,

“I heard him talking to me…”

“Archer went with him. He’s a good man, Nial dragged him from the water and he refused to let him go alone.” Zane said, “He will protect the boy.”

“That boy can protect himself. He’s proved that.” Tallius said slowly,” And he was right to do his duty…and now we have to do ours.”

Nial rushed through the forest, jumping roots and ducking branches. Something whistled by him as they ran thudding into the trees he dodged. Nial looked at them as he ran, they were little star shaped bits of metal with sharpened edges which were embedded in the wood.

“They are throwing metal stars!” Nial called dodging a tree, he chanced a quick glance to his right and saw his companion Archer. The man ran as if running in a forest was the most normal thing in the world.  He moved almost gracefully as he dodged the trees and branches. Archer had messy short blonde hair and was dressed like a mirror image of Nial who was also wearing a short dark brown jacket over a white tunic, and a satchel over their shoulders carrying some provisions, having borrowed the clothes and provisions from Marcus the farmer’s son.

“I know!” He called back, “Don’t get hit!”

Nial rolled his eyes at the statement of obvious, he looked over his shoulder and saw that the group that was chasing them was five Sam’ru warriors they clearly were not used to running in a forest but they were still keeping up with them. No matter how fast they ran they just couldn’t lose them. Nial decided running clearly wasn’t working. He grabbed a tree trunk as he ran and swung around the trunk ducking behind it, instead of running on, drawing his dagger.  The Sam’ru crashed through the forest after him he waited until three had passed when one of them noticed him so he sprang forward crushing the helm of one of them and ducked as one of the other two behind him swung at him. Nial rolled to the side grabbing a branch from the forest floor throwing it over his head hitting the attacking Sam’ru as he launched forward out of their way. They moved around ready to pounce at him.

“Great.” He muttered he had hoped they would have acted rashly but their training had been excellent, one sprang at him so fast it was sheer instinct that saved his life as his dagger flew up barely catching the curved sword preventing it from decapitating him, fear suddenly flew through Nial. He had realised that if the second Sam’ru warrior attacked him now he could not fight them off, and Archer had not noticed him making his stand so had continued running. Nial ducked and ran around a tree to avoid another attack, the curved sword cut into the wood and Nial fell back startled. He could hear a strange noise and realised that one of the Sam’ru was simply leaning against a tree watching the other attack Nial and he was laughing. Nial moved into the open as the sword was pulled from the tree and he turned to face the attacker who stood looking at him his head tilted slightly.

“Come on then.” Nial muttered,

The Sam’ru flicked his sword out which Nial parried but despite his heavy looking armour the man jumped into the air kicking his foot out, Nial stumbled back winded as he took the kick on his chest.

“What the hell?” he stammered bent over breathing harder than the kick warranted, trying to draw his opponent into acting rashly. The Sam’ru dashed forward and Nial dropped to one knee swinging his dagger at knee height but the Sam’ru had jumped up placing his hands on Nial’s shoulders and leapt over him before switching position in mid-air and kicking backwards connecting both feet in between Nial’s shoulders sending him face first into the ground. His face scraped along the forest floor through mud and branches, he sat up dazed spluttering leaves, dirt and blood from his mouth. He could still hear the spectator laughing at the sight, Nial jumped up swinging his dagger wildly but his body suddenly exploded in pain, the Sam’ru warrior had jumped forward punching his wrist stopping his swing then delivering several lightning fast punches to pressure points on Nial’s body causing his body to seize up then drop to one knee gasping in pain. He grunted as he forced his body to jump up as he tried to imitate the Sam’ru and threw a kick but the Sam’ru blocked it by raising his knee and forcing it away then turned kicking with his other foot once again knocking the wind out of Nial , this caused even more laughter,

“Argh!” Nial  screamed running at his opponent who simply jumped in the air raising his leg up and slamming his knee into the side of Nials head causing him to collapse to the side his senses left him for a moment  from the shock of the blow

“Finish him.” He heard The spectator say in a heavy accented king’s tongue, removing his demonic looking helm, showing his dark, slightly greying hair and slanted eyes.  Nial pulled himself to his feet slowly, dagger hanging loosely from his numb fingers. He spat blood and wiped more from his nose,

“Your trainer must be very proud.” Nial muttered through the pain as he saw the Sam’ru raise his curved sword and take aim at Nials chest.

“I am.” The spectator said with a chuckle. In that moment Nial decided if he was going to die he would not die alone. Just as his executioner began to thrust his sword Nial spun round and swung his dagger letting it go as he felt his attackers blade go through his shoulder and burst through his chest, the dagger flew through the air very quickly and struck into the face of the spectator stabbing through his eye , the man barely had time to show his surprise before he dropped to his knees then collapsed forward with Nial’s weapon embedded in his face.

The man who had stabbed Nial screamed in shock and dove over the falling Nial to grab at his fallen companion, he began crying in Parashien as he cradled the dead man. Nial pulled himself to lean against a tree lying on his side because of the sword running through his shoulder. Suddenly the sky rumbled, and rain began to fall through the trees above, Nial laughed slightly,

“Some good dying weather…” he choked slightly to himself,

“He was my father…” He heard the crying Parashien say so quietly it was barely heard over the rain. Nial looked over, the man had removed his helm showing an almost mirror image of the dead man tears ran down his face as he slowly stood, “He taught me how to fight… how to be a man.” He reached down grasping his father’s sword and drew it slowly never taking his eyes from the bleeding Nial who laughed then coughed,

“Better be quick.”

“No!” the man screamed in rage, “It will not be quick! The man who took my father shall not die quickly!” the Parashien pointed the blade at Nial and screamed running forward,  Nial resisted the urge to close his eyes as the blades point rushed towards him when suddenly Archer came crashing through the bushes and undergrowth jumped and grabbing a low branch swung and slammed his feet into the running Sam’ru so hard the sprinting warrior flew to the side colliding with a tree which caused him to flip to the ground with a thud, he looked up through a bleeding face and his eyes found Nial ’s and he stared at him with pure hatred until Archer brought down his sword killing the boys would be killer. Nial’s breath returned to him as he sighed  breathing heavily the relief evident on his face, he had been seconds away from death. Archer threw his sword down and dropped down next to Nial, examining his shoulder.

“What… took… you so… long? Nial coughed,

“Just killing two Sam’ru and running through a forest to find a fool who stopped running!” he replied dryly, pulling bandages from his pack and tearing Nials shirt showing the area the sword had pierced through his chest.

“Brace yourself.” Archer said and as Nial gritted his teeth he suddenly grabbed the sword and pulled fluidly in one smooth motion, Nial screamed as the sword slid back through his body, his body convulsing uncontrollably until the blade pulled free.

“That… did not feel… very good…” he grunted as blood began to pour from both sides of the wound, “Now.. look.. what you’ve done…”

“Stop being such a maiden.” Archer said, grabbing the bandages,

“Shouldn’t… you be nicer… to the… dying.” Nial  muttered before passing out.

In a cavern deep in a cave at the base of the dead teeth mountains stood a large stone circle carved into the rock face, surrounding the circle on the polished stone floor and wall of the cavern were thousands or arcane symbols and writing wrote in a dark red stain.  A short way away from the large circle two Dourgals stood patiently waiting while a third stood guard at the entrance to the cavern. They waited silently when suddenly the stone alter was filled with alight as a magical portal opened inside it. The two guards inside drew weapons waiting nervously. Suddenly two figures appeared in the portal and Nirab and Kara walked through, the guards eased as the recognised Nirab who shouted,

“Bring two healers here!” one of the guards darted away without hesitation. Orin’kie stepped out of the portal. And it closed.

“Nirab…” He began,

“Later, my wife’s hand needs a healer as does my face!” Nirab snapped,

“No!” Orin’kie's voice filled the cavern, “Do not dare reach for that blade Nirab.”

Nirab’s hand froze inches away from grabbing the handle.

“You will listen now.”

Nirab looked to the other guard and signalled his wife should go with him, Kara rested her forehead against his then left. Nirab turned around facing Orin’kie,

“I am listening.”

“I must leave now, I have what I was sent for. You will lead the deserter clans to the kingdom and begin the war.  One of the thirteen sorcerers will join you in one week to lend magical help to you when you reach Ithaka. If everything goes to plan then the city should let you pass as they think you mean to pass them by. But now that the mages are gone with the help of two sorcerers  and your men you shall burn Ithaka to the ground.”

Nirab looked at him thoughtfully.

“So will Nirab the killer of a Gallahanian king and mage lords also bring its second largest city to its knees? Will he become the nightmare of the mountains to all who call the kingdom home?” Orin’kie asked, causing Nirab lose himself in thoughts of glory and legend.

“I will leave nothing but ash in my wake.”  Nirab said,

“Good! Orin’kie cried and stood up clapping his hands, I must take the book back to Dramada!” he stood and turned to face the stone circle and cried,

“Scrip’to rium pera’gri ut Saritha!” the cavern filled with light as a new portal opened and with a nod Orin’kie disappeared through the portal. Nirab stared into the light after him until it died away. Then he turned and walked out the cavern. He was a t the base of the dead teeth mountains.  All around were the camps of the eight deserter clans and he led them all. One of his own kinsmen approached him and bowed his head,

“The chieftains await you in your command tent.”

Nirab smiled, they waited for him in his command tent.

“I will be with them shortly. Tell them to send for their most trusted advisers...” Nirab ordered then turned and headed to the tents of his own clan.

The seven chiefs stood around a collapsible table which held a map of the kingdom and the men were becoming more agitated with each second that passed. It was bad enough, in their eyes, that they now had to take orders from the Kazatet but their young chief now had them waiting.

“This is unacceptable!” Slavic, chief of the Cralitet clan, he was the oldest of the chiefs but could still fight like a young warrior,

“The Kazatet have risen in stature somehow…” Valo’ury, another of the chiefs said grumpily,

“Higher than they should be.” Slavic answered, but before he could utter another word to the others eight Kazatet Dourgals entered the tent and took up position in a circle around the perimeter of the tent, then Nirab and Kara entered the tent both had changed clothes and Kara’s hand was sporting a bandage. Nirab took place in the center of the tent leaning against the table.

“Where are your advisers?” Nirab asked simply,

“What happened to your face?” one of the chiefs asked but Nirab ignored him and ordered,

“summon your advisers.” Nirab glanced to his wife who watched her husband hungrily.

Eight advisers entered the tent looking mildly confused. Nirab held his hands up stopping them from entering.

“That will be far enough.” Nirab said,

“What is the meaning of this Nirab?” Slavic asked but Nirab ignored him and continued talking to the advisers.

“I have been put in charge of this army. I have to lead you to victory, to do this I believe something has to be done.”

“What is that?”  Slavic of the chieftains asked.

“We need to bury old rivalries… get rid of the bad blood between the clans…”

“Nirab! If you ignore me one more time I will strike you down I swear!” Slavic shouted, Suddenly Nirab spun on the spot drawing and slicing through the air as he spun. Slavic's head flew through the air and Nirab kicked it in the direction of the advisers, one of them caught it and was horrified to see the eyes in the head lowly roll back after being decapitated.

“We need new blood!” Nirab cried and his men also drew weapons and pounced at the chieftains as did Kara. The slaughter only took seconds as most were still stunned by slavic's demise to realise they too were now dying. Nirab walked through and guts that now littered the ground, he reached down and dipped a finger in the blood and ran it down his forehead,

“You will rule the clans in place of the chieftains as my elite but they all the clans will belong to the Kazatet now! I will mark each of you with the blood running around your feet and then you will belong to me…”

“And if we refuse?” the man holding Slavic's head asked, Kara stepped forward and punched the head out of his hands and stabbed him in the stomach as deep as her dagger would go,

“Then six advisers will be just as good as seven…” She whispered before pulling her dagger free.

“Go now. Tomorrow we march on those blasted forts the kingdom built to guard them from us and we will burn them to the ground.” Nirab said after they had watched the man fall and bleed out until there was no blood left. Nirab then marked each man with a stroke of blood on their head as they left.

“Come Kara.” He said and the two of them left the tent, and walked towards their own sleeping tent. Nirab stood outside watching the advisers walk back to their camps shaken with the events inside the command tent. Kara entered their sleeping tent first and pulled the entrance curtain closed, she pulled her dagger belt off and placed it next to where she slept and then she stripped out off her cloak, trousers and jerkin throwing them down with her dagger belt, she stood wearing only her tunic which being cut for a man hung low enough to cover her body. She hardly felt the chill from being this close to the mountains with the adrenaline that still ran through her from the slaughter.

Nirab entered the tent and he smiled to himself as he unstrapped his leathers and pulled his tunic over his head, Kara fetched a bottle of wine and a goblet filling at as she approached her husband.

“I can lead their army…” Nirab said as she handed him a goblet of wine, “I can conquer the west…”

Kara watched her husband  as he took a large swig from his goblet, even now in his burned state she still hungered for him, he was a warrior any woman would be lucky to have as a husband he brought her honour.

“And with each victory I win the more honour and power I will receive… until I have enough to turn around and march my army back to the north…” Nirab continued, he seemed to not even know she was there but she didn’t care, just to hear him speak his plans filled her with excitement for the coming battles,

“What will you do in the north, my love?” she asked him breathlessly,

“I will place myself on the seat of Saritha where Rae’thor calls his own… and I will rule the north… I will destroy anything that stands in the way…” Kara jumped forward and slapped the goblet from his hand and then embraced him, she threw him to the pile of furs they slept on and said,

“We will destroy anything in our way!”

Nirab smiled and pulled his wife down onto the furs with him, he had chosen his wife well he thought as her body pressed close to him.

*                                             *                                            *