Novelas:The Heir
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[edit] Prologue: The Black King
In the throne room of Karouk, capital of Armesia, sat the monarch of the land, King Nardek. Nardek was not the true king; he was but the adopted son of the last king, Elias. Elias had found the boy outside the gates of Karouk after Nardek had been orphaned and abandoned by a mob of undead. As he had grown, he had become jealous of the king and his sons, totally ungrateful for Elias's kind treatment of him. Eventually, he had dared to ask the king for dominion of the land.
"The kingdom shall pass to my eldest son, Zake," Elias had answered. "You shall be a duke in the northern division." Most young men would have been quite satisfied with that reply, but Nardek, filled with anger, drove himself to murder the king and his sons that very night. But then the strangest thing happened; an army of goblins from the east appeared at the gates of the capital city the next morning and swore allegiance to Nardek. Drunk with his newfound power (and a good amount of wine), the youth took the throne that day.
Now, as he sat on his throne, the great euphoria of his victory decades ago had left him. He was worried, for he had heard rumors of an uprising in the north. The northern division of the kingdom, Galantan, had remained loyal to King Elias and his family, and so they housed a rebellion, known as the Eastern Resistance (the name was meant purely to fool Nardek, but it hadn't worked very well). Many of the members of this rebel group had been prominent officials in Elias's service. The leader, Suluth, had been Elias's head advisor. He, through some mysterious power, had sensed the evil in Nardek's heart and foreseen his murder of the king. Therefore, they took Elias's youngest child, and hid him in the capital of Galantan for a time.
Through the years, Nardek had grown in his terrible powers, even being able to sense the minds of others; it was all fueled by the Darkforce, black magic which flowed from the Shadow, an evil entity that lay in the east. But becuase of this his body was deteriorating. Now it had gotten so bad, that he had donned a hooded robe which concealed his features. His face could no longer be seen under it. He wore black boots and a pair of spiked metal gloves. It was known to the members of the Eastern Resistance that he was possessed by the Shadow.
And that could very well be true. His closest advisers had grown wary of him, realizing that some sinister change had crept on him. Now he was surrounded by a different set of advisers, all hooded, and an aura of terror spread throughout his palace. Many of the most famous and well-liked had died unnatural deaths, and almost all were accredited to him. Even the very groves that surrounded the capital city were dying off. It seemed everything natural was complaining against his corrupted rule, maybe with the sole exception of the people in his palace, who at any rate were too afraid to say a word against his reign.
For they had another name for this terrible being: The Black King.
"Gerlak!" The foul breath of the Black King hissed under his hood. At his command, a tall, man-like creature entered the courtroom. Aside from its basic shape and features, it was hardly human. Its long, black hair hung from its scarred black head unevenly. Its eyes were red, and its teeth were brown. Its breath was not to be spoken of. It was a goblin. "Bring the prisoners here to me," Nardek ordered.
The particularly large goblin bowed and left the courtroom. Nardek turned to one of his advisors, a tall, hideous creature that looked rather like a half-bat, half-human. This was Jabnul, a Vampire and the most powerful of the Black King's servants. Jabnul looked at his lord, his horrible reddish-yellow eyes flickering. His mouth opened, and a black slime dripped from his sharp fangs.
"Jabnul," the Black King said, "Soon I shall crush all resistance in this land, and then I shall control it utterly. Then I shall invade the other kingdoms, and soon, I shall destroy all who oppose me! Gaela shall be mine." The Black King laughed, which sounded more like a cat's claws scratching the surface of a blackboard. Jabnul gave a hideous chuckle.
Suddenly Gerlak returned, dragging the three prisoners with him. They were leaders of the Eastern Resistance, captured during Gerlak's last campaign against the rebels. Nardek pointed to the floor by his feet, and the three men were thrown on their faces. They had been bound, hand and foot, with powerful chains. They were wet; they had just been taken from Nardek's horrible water dungeons. Now, festering sores had broken out all over their bodies because of the filthy water they had been chained in for several days. Yet they did not groan or writhe in pain.
Nardek spoke. "Look around you," he told them. None of them moved their heads. The king laughed again. "You don't need to see. My power is too great for your pitiful "army" to fight against! Can you not see?"
"We can see," replied the middle prisoner. "We can see that you are a fool who thinks that the Darkforce will always avail you! The Shadow is treacherous! Can you not see?"
The horrible being gave a hiss. "I shall overthrow him soon," he said. "He was a fool to think that by granting me all this, I would serve him! When the time comes, he shall be my servant!" He laughed again. "You need not go back in the water dungeons," he said. "If you would but give me the location of the rebel base, I would free you and grant you great powers. You could each be generals of armies!"
"We would not serve you for all the power in the world," said the man on the left. "Understand that! We will as soon spend the rest of our lives rotting in your filthy dungeons than give away the location of our comrades!"
The dark ruler shook his head, sadly. "I cannot understand what drives you to suffer so much. Yet I suppose that is the way it will be! Gerlak," he said to his general, "Take these insolent little insects to the torture chambers! We will see who loses their will in the end!"
As the three were dragged off, the middle one called back, "The King's son will return! He will destroy you!"
Nardek stood up. "He has no son," the dark one hissed. "I killed them all!"
The door slammed. The prisoners were gone. Nardek sat back down. Turning to Jabnul, he said, "I sensed no insanity in his claim. He must be telling the truth!" He pounded his metal-gloved fist on the armrest of his black throne. "How could I have missed one? It isn't possible! But if he is still alive, I will destroy him." Jabnul faced him and said, "If it be your will, sire, I will hunt this rat down and squash him like a bug!"
Nardek shook his head. "I will have a party of my best goblins seek him out. They can smell a half-Elf anywhere. Gerlak!" he shouted. Within a minute the goblin was back. "Yes, my lord?" he said, his mouth dripping saliva.
"Send out Captain Oruk," ordered the Black King. "Tell him to find Elias's son at all costs." Gerlak saluted. "It shall be done, my lord," he said, and departed.
"Gaela shall be mine!" Nardek's horrible laughter echoed throughout the fortress, sending rumbles through the dark clouds that perpetually covered the skies above Carouk. "Gaela will be mine!"
[edit] Chapter One: First Strike
Dawn was coming. The sun was rising on the eastern horizon, sending its golden rays out across the great peninsula of Shiorta. On the western tip of Shiorta, the Brama mountains stood tall and proud, their peaks capped with glistening snow. Winter was coming, and as the peninsula was in the northern regions it would be quite cold. The village of Cirta, located in a small valley surrounded by the Bramans, was getting ready for the onset of the cold season.
The rays of the sun finally peeked over the edges of the mountains and into the window of a small farmhouse not far from the village and touched the back of a seventeen-year-old who was getting ready to go into the foothills to hunt deer. This was the best time to do it, as the deer were now on their way down from the colder regions into the valley. Opening the door of his bedroom, Ezra slipped past his father's door and hurried downstairs. In the kitchen, he took a satchel and packed some meat and biscuits. Then he went back upstairs and roused his eighteen-year-old brother. "Come on, Silas," he said, shaking him, "Let's get out as early as possible!"
Silas slowly sat up, stretched, and smoothed out his bushy hair. "Is everything ready?" he asked. "We should get going quickly."
"I've got our food packed," Ezra replied. "Now let's go!"
Soon the two of them were out the door and heading toward the forest. The sun was shining brightly, and a frost was on the ground. "Good thing we got the crops in early," remarked Ezra. "Now all we have to do is get some meat to store, and we're set." Neither of them realized that danger was coming close to their small valley.
As the ground began to ascend, Ezra looked back at the farmhouse. Smoke was rising from the chimney, and he could see the figure of his father Jonas going outside to hitch up the wagon. He would be going into the village to buy some hay for their steer and two sows. Jonas and his sons had worked their small farm as serfs for pretty much all their lives, serving the lord Ceeziak who was a former knight.
After travelling about two hours, the two hunters finally reached a good hunting spot. A fairly large clearing was in sight, surrounded by the pine woods. There was a pool of water in the center, and there was a herd of deer there. "What luck!" said Ezra in delight. "C'mon, I see a nice buck. Let's get him!" Silas nodded and the two split up. Silas went to the other side of the clearing, while Ezra stayed here. This way, they had a better chance of getting a deer.
Suddenly the buck looked up, as if sensing danger. "Great," said Ezra, annoyed. "How could he have sensed us so soon? We're downwind!" All of a sudden, the buck took off, with the rest of the herd following suit. Ezra swore, then suddenly an arrow embedded itself in a tree right next to his head. He examined it; it hadn't come from Silas. Not only was it not one of his brother's arrows, but it had come from the north edge of the clearing. It was a goblin arrow.
He whirled around to see where it had come from, and saw one of the hideous creatures deeper in the woods, notching another arrow to its bow. It growled at him, showing its filthy brownish teeth. It seemed about to say, "I've got you now; you're dead!".
Quick as greased lightning, Ezra fitted an arrow to his bow and let it loose.
It shot out straight at its target, the goblin, whooshing past Ezra's ear as the bowstring gave a resounding bounce.
A fulfilling spanking sound, and the goblin's arm stopped midway from releasing his bow. His eyes seemed almost to bulge out; his cry of pain was silent; his nerves, stricken and overridden by the force of the signals of pain that they were sending, could process nothing else.
Then, after two or three seconds, it finally, slowly toppled down into the blood-stained grass.
Ezra stood stock still for a moment, unsure of what to do next. If there were more, then he and Silas should run to the valley and alert the villagers of the danger.
Ezra felt a tingling sensation behind him, and paused, not knowing if he should turn around. The next moment he heart a gasping sound behind him, a gasp that was cut short.
He whirled around. Behind him was another goblin, eyes staring at him but with the specter of death hidden inside, of extreme torment. It stood motionless, both hands raised above him holding a scimitar ready to strike, and tumbled forward. Ezra leaped back a step, just in time to avoid the collapsing weapon. The goblin fell on its face, a solitary quivering arrow protruding from its back, all painted with a foul black liquid oozing out from the wound.
Ezra looked up, and saw Silas, his brother, lowering an empty bow, smiling back. He then walked up beside him, after taking a furtive glance on both sides to check for more goblins. Satisfied, he told Ezra, "There's a cave further up the mountain. Those devils had infested it, and now we've got them stirred up." Ezra shook his head in disgust. "How'd they find the valley anyway?"
"I get the feeling that they've been here for a while," replied his brother. "Though how they got here I have no clue."
"I do!" said a voice behind. Whirling around, they found themselves face to face with a strange old man. He had a long, white beard that was tucked neatly into his tunic. His white hair was long and went past his shoulders. However, his eyebrows were dark gray. He carried a long, stout ash staff and a sheath which housed a long-bladed sword.
Ezra stood in shock for a minute. Finally he asked, "Who are you?"
"Who am I?" the stranger asked with incredulosity. "I have many names wherever I go. You can call me Kyle, though," he said. "At any rate, you wanted to know about the goblins?" The two brothers looked at each other. "What do you know of them?" asked Silas.
"They arrived here just two days ago," said Kyle, matter-of-factly. Then he seemed to be talking about another matter entirely. "Well, since I've found you two, strong fellows, I guess the three of us make a good hunting team."
"What? All the game will have long been gone by now," replied Silas.
"Oh no," Kyle challenged. "I mean we go hunt for goblins--in the cave." He said it with a stiff resolve: he meant it.
Ezra smiled half-heartedly. He had never been a warrior. He tried to back away from Kyle.
"What's the matter? Afraid of a few goblins who are out for your head? Oh come on now, they're just goblins, right?"
"What makes you think they're just goblins? There could be a werewolf there too!"
Kyle became almost exasperated. "Watch this," he told the two. He turned around to a nearby tree, sucked in as much air as he could, and then breathed out--and from his mouth came a tremendous gout of fire--the very air had ignited. Like the breath of a dragon, Kyle's breath swirled around the tree, burning it to a crisp within moments.
"That's why," Kyle said at last. The other two just stood in amazement.
"So, are you fellows behind me, or not?" Kyle asked after a pause. Then he began walking up the mountain, all by himself.
The two brothers followed, afraid to disobey his invitation. Ezra added, "Yes we are behind you--way behind you."
Kyle didn't seem to note the irony of that reply.
[edit] Chapter Two: Into the Darkness
Kyle was the first to reach the entrance to the cave in the mountains where, he said, some goblins were waiting. Then Silas and his brother Ezra came in.
At the edge of the cave, Kyle beckoned them to come closer, and whispered to them. "Okay, they're in there somewhere, but where exactly is hard to say. That cave is quite large, and there are plenty of passageways, plenty of places to hide behind and launch an arrow."
The others nodded. They were frankly worried about the prospect of challenging a gang of goblins, but Kyle seemed to know what they were doing, and after all, if they didn't kill the goblins now when the goblins might be sleeping, they would have to defend the village below from them when they were wide awake, eventually.
Kyle continued: "So here's the plan: we sneak in silently, and assume that they're asleep. We go all the way inside the cave to where it's dark, and where we have a good view of the cave entrance. Then any goblins trying to escape, we'll get them as they're fleeing. Every now and then I'll use my flame breath spell, and when the place lights up that's your chance to see and shoot at the goblins. Got it?"
"Yeah, I guess so," replied Ezra, still not sure if this was going to work.
They snuck into the cave, silently but not too slowly either. The interior was moist, and dark. The gloomy air hung about, unwilling to wake up. Silas found a niche in the cavern right next to the cave exit, readied a bow, and sat so that he would have a good aim to the target. The other three ventured forth, deeper and deeper along one path, then another. In each case they got to a dead end without encountering any evidence of the goblins. But the goblins were definitely in the cave, because the entire place had their stench. The twosome soon came to breathing through their mouth rather than their nose, just to avoid that smell.
Then they came upon a cavern where they found the first two goblins in the mountain. All was quiet now. The goblins were fast asleep, and the two adventurers dared not make a sound. They both readied their bows so that they could fire at once. Though they were grappling around, they could make out in the dim torchlight where the goblins rested... and then they fired.
There was a mild groan from one, and a soft grunt from another. Both goblins in the first chamber had been hit in the heart, and they remained on the ground, dead, not making a sound.
Then the two proceeded to the next room, where the vast majority of the goblins were, it seemed. Almost fifty goblins were lying asleep, and about five were standing guard.
And they saw the newcomers immediately.
Immediately Ezra let his arrow fly, and it hit the first guard goblin. The goblin toppled over, its nerves fried by the pain of the arrow searing into its flesh. Right beside him, Kyle let out a burst of flame into two other guards who had rushed up to challenge them. Both goblins were incinerated within seconds, and their fried remains fell to the ground.
The alarm was sounded, and the goblins were stirring awake. Ezra fired another shot, while Kyle incinerated several more goblins while they were still attempting to get up. "Okay, time to back up," Kyle declared. The two retreated out of the inmost cavern, the first goblins hot on their track, their spears and swords raised. Primordial screams issued from the depths of the chamber, and clanging sounds could be heard: weapons were being brandished.
Ezra ran past the lit torch in the atrium, then returned to seize it. The goblins were fast approaching, so he brandished the torch as a weapon, against the onslaught of the goblins.
"NO!" shouted Kyle, but to no avail. Ezra was going to fend off the goblins now. He stabbed at the first one with the burning embers, forcing the goblins back; then another strike came in and slashed the torch in two. Charged with anger, Ezra picked up the two halves of the torches and flung them back at the charging goblins, but they did almost nothing. Meanwhile, another bow was flexed, and the whizzing of an arrow marked the coming of Silas to the atrium.
Ezra realized that his time was running out, so he dashed for the exit paths. On and on the three ran, turning occasionally to shoot their arrows at the enemies. All too soon, they had arrived at the entrance to the cave, and were about to rush out. "No, wait here, it's dark," Kyle told the other two, and pulled them into the shadows. "They won't see us," he whispered to them, as the goblins entered the cavern.
The goblins roared past: fully thirty of them, trampling their vile feet over the cavern and spreading the nasty smell of whatever it was they carried with them.
The goblins, not realizing that the trio were waiting in ambush, rushed toward the entrance, where they were clearly visible. Then Kyle let out a stream of fire, and the conflagration halted the onrush of the goblins, turning them into burnt corpses within seconds. The first few goblins fell down, and the rest were stunned, facing Kyle face on--who let out another steady stream of billowing flame, forcing the goblins to back away. Meanwhile, Silas and Ezra let their arrows fly---------and two more goblins came crashing to a halt into the floor of the dim cavern. The goblins were in disorder now, and fled back from where they had come.
"Okay, now let's go back."
"Huh?" Ezra couldn't believe Kyle's suggestion.
The trio walked back into the depths of the cave, still silently. Every few feet they encountered another goblin; they finished off those who had been wounded. It was common practice in these parts not to leave wounded enemies alive; there were enough here as it were. So amidst all the wails of the goblins in pain, the trio trodded forth.
They returned to the ventricle--that last room where the goblins had been sleeping--and there they found five goblins who had been left behind, dazed by the stampede. So of course it didn't take much time for Kyle, Ezra, and Silas to finish them all off. The place was reeking with blood by now.
The trio walked to the end of the ventricle, and noticed that it led indeed to an exit. They went out, out into the brilliant sunshine. First Ezra, then Silas--and suddenly, from above them, an array of spears enclosed around their necks, trapping them. Suddenly, the goblins appeared in full view. "If that wizard friend of yours does anything now, you're both dead," one of the more aged goblins said nastily. "We're not stupid, you know."
"Oh Zamn," Kyle said from below back in the cave, after he realized what fate had befallen those above. It was meant as a curse-word against adversity, and was a reference to the god of justice and the Midworld, Zamn. Then he turned around, and rushed back to the front entrance of the cave. If he were to be caught as well, then Ezra and Silas would be in real trouble.
The dazed Ezra could scarcely believe it. Goblins acting intelligent--as if all the accounts he heard at the Cirta tavern of cowardly goblins and stupid goblins were utter lies!
[edit] Chapter Three: Interception
Kyle watched as the two young men were seized, bound and gagged by the goblins. Then they led them off into the depths of the cave. Kyle cursed them again. "If they get away," he said to himself, "So will our hopes of ever eradicating Nardek!" Walking quietly, he sneaked into the cave and started following the trail of stench the goblins had left behind. Hearing the voices, he chose a small passage leading uphill. The air grew thicker with the stench.
Soon he could hear the goblins talking amongst themselves. "Have a look at this one," said one. "He doesn't look like a human! His ears are kinda pointy!" Kyle sneaked further in, and peaking over a large rock, he could see the party making their way upward. He waited until they were out of sight, then began following again. The voices grew louder.
"He looks like a half-Elf! I've never heard of anything like that before!" came a mocking voice. "Even his face looks like one!"
"It don't matter," said a gruff voice. "Nardek'll be pleased with them. Maybe they'll tell him where the headquarters of the Resistance is!" Kyle swore again.
Kyle followed the group for about three hours. Soon, they halted. "I'm tired," grumbled one. "I'm not goin' any farther 'till we get a rest!"
"Hey," said one, "Let's cook up our little captives here! We've had practically nothing except squirrel and rabbit ever since we got here!"
"Nardek wants our captives alive," growled a deep voice, probably the leader. "We're not eating them!"
Kyle peeked around the edge of the cave wall. One of the goblins leaped up to challenge the bigger one. "We don't need both of 'em!" he shouted. "One'll be enough!"
The goblin leader took his blade and pushed it against the throat of the smaller one. "Listen, maggot, I don't care if we've got nothin' but worms and grubs! The prisoners are not to be touched!" The smaller goblin snarled, then backed away. "Have it your way, rat-scum!" he hissed. "Don't blame me if we starve!"
The goblins were tired from their long march through the cave, so it wasn't long before, one by one, they dropped off to sleep. The torch that they had been carrying was starting to flicker out. Pointing his hand at it, Kyle set it alight again. Then, making sure they were all asleep, he slipped forward.
It was at that moment that the smaller goblin, who had only been pretending to sleep, got up slowly. Kyle stood stock still and pressed himself against the wall to see what it would do.
The goblin took his scimitar and then pointed the end at Ezra's throat. "You're dead now!" he sniggered quietly, and prepared to drive the blade in. But he didn't get far. Drawing his long sword, Kyle leaped into the air, and cut the blade deep into the back of the hideous creature. Without giving so much as a squeak, it fell down limply.
Then Kyle went forward and prepared to finish off the rest of the goblins. However, he accidentally knocked the torch off its hold in the wall. It fell down on top of one of the sleeping goblins. It leaped up and gave a horrible shriek, the flames searing its skin. The commotion awakened the rest of the monsters. Their eyes opened, and came in view of the chaos: Kyle was blazing around, his mouth open and letting out a constant stream of flame. The closest goblins were scorched instantly. As some of the goblins picked up weaponry, Kyle used his long sword to break the binds holding the two humans captive, and the trio of them brandished their melee arms against the dozens of goblins.
But the goblins were in thinned ranks now. Just as they threw their spears at the humans, Kyle opened up his hand, and suddenly the spears surged with electricity, and came to a clattering halt on the ground. Astonished, the goblins dropped their arms and ran for their lives as fast as they could. Meanwhile, the exhaused trio rested instead of followed suit.
"I think it's about time we went home," said Ezra, still very shaken by his close-to-death experience.
"Yeah, I think so too," replied Kyle, slowly.
But as they turned to leave, Kyle sensed something sneaking up on him. He whirled around to see the goblin leader approaching him with its schimitar raised. Kyle had no time to conjure up any fire or lightning blasts, so he leaped out of the way of the weapon as it came down, then drew his sword. "Fool!" the goblin snarled. "You dare to challenge Oruk, king of goblins!"
"King of Dipheads is more like it," the old man retorted, and charged sent his sword toward the creature. Oruk blocked it easily with his scimitar, then grunted. "You know nothing!" he mocked, showing his horrible teeth. Suddenly, there was a short blast of wind, and then before them stood, not a goblin, but a tall, cloaked man! The three stared in amazement, and Kyle dropped his staff. "It's you again!" he said. "Oruk the lich!" The man smiled sinisterly and pointed his long sword, no longer a schimitar, at the old man. "Yes, and you will pay for the wound you gave me!"
Kyle lunged at the lich with his sword, but the creature dodged easily. "Fool!" he hissed. "I have grown in power since we last met! You will not defeat me this time!" Then Oruk's great scimitar came crashing down on Kyle's staff--and broke it. The old man tumbled backward in mild shock, as Oruk lumbered overhead. "Your fate is sealed, old man," he snarled.
Just then Ezra shot an arrow at him...and hit him straight on! ...But it bounced off Oruk's plate mail armor harmlessly. Then Kyle streamed out another gout of fire. Oruk avoided it just as easily, but Silas was taken unaware, so that the fire scortched him lightly on the face, knocking him backward and resulting in a mild burn over his upper body. He fell onto the ground, reeling in pain.
The lich laughed at the futile attempts, but his laughter was cut short as an arrow lodged itself in his armor. He whirled around to face Ezra. "Your pitiful arrows won't hurt me, boy," he mocked. Then a searing blast of flame caught him in the back.
"Gaaah!" Oruk shrieked. "Your doom is sealed!" Another arrow found itself in the creature's shoulder, this time one of Silas's. The lich cursed and uttered a chant, then turned into a cloud which propelled itself back to the waiting goblins. Even Silas's spear passed harmlessly through its mist.
And so it could only be said, Oruk was too powerful, and the three were not a match for him. They now needed to return to the valley to recuperate.
The trio turned around, and headed up the steep incline toward the back entrance of the cave, through which they would go for their return home. On the way, Kyle told Ezra the secret that he had not been told for so long: "You, Ezra, have demonstrated yourself to be worthy of the quest that I now reveal to you. Your true test, is to vanquish the so-called Black King, who has for so long plagued these lands. Those goblins who said that you looked weird were speaking the truth: you are half-elven. The human half, Ezra, is the blood of the late His Majesty, King Elias."
And at that moment, Ezra understood why the goblins wanted him brought to the Black King alive.
And meanwhile, the remaining goblins kept running, further and further south toward the palace of the Black King Nardek. It would not be long now before "His Tyranny" would be notified... and before Lord Ceeziak's perceived insolence would result in the death of many in the village, and the kingdom...
[edit] Chapter Four: Broodings of War
As the three companions headed down the mountain, Kyle and Ezra were discussing liches. "They're extrememly powerful," Kyle was saying. "In fact, the only way to kill them is to destroy the crystal shards in which their souls have been placed."
"Crystal shards?" inquired Ezra.
"Yes, that is how they maintain their immortality."
"I recall hearing something about that at the tavern," said Ezra thoughtfully. "Don't they carry them around their necks?"
"No," said Kyle. "In their hearts. That is the safest place. You see, they used to be men. But when they succumbed to the tempation to use black magic, their bodies began to rapidly deteriorate. They began to fear death more than anything, so they asked the Shadow if there was any way to escape it."
"What's the Shadow?" Silas asked.
"A dark, powerful entity that has lain in the east for a long time. But I'll get to him later. The Shadow took the men's souls and stored them in crystal shards. Then he placed the shards inside their hearts, the hardest place to access. For that reason, the only way to kill them is to impale them. It will destroy the shard, and their soul will be banished into the underworld."
Suddenly, Ezra could hear voices through the forest, and soon he could see the lights of lanterns and torches. "Ezra?" he heard Jonas call. "Silas? Where are you?" Silas ran forward. "We're up here," he called back. Soon Jonas was seen running through the forest, upwards, with a small group of villagers. "Silas! Ezra! I'm so glad you're alive! I saw flames up on the mountain and thought you might be—" He stopped when he saw Kyle.
At first the two men could only look at each other. Then suddenly, Jonas laughed and ran forward. "Sarindin!" he shouted joyfully. The two embraced. Then Kyle backed and placed his hands on his friend's shoulders. "I never thought I'd see you again," he said with tears of happiness in his eyes.
"Hold on a minute!" exclaimed Ezra. "How do you two know each other?"
"We both worked for King Elias," explained Kyle. "He was a palace guard, and I was His Majesty's advisor. Jonas here saved you from Nardek's hand and has been your guardian ever since." Jonas nodded. "I assume Kyle has told you already?"
"Yes," said Ezra. "But I can't believe it!"
"I knew you might take it rather hard, so I hesitated to tell you," the old farmer explained. "Fortunately, Kyle saved me from having to do it!"
Kyle suddenly grew grave. "We had a little encounter up there," he said. "I fear that Nardek may have found out about Ezra. Not only that, but he was up there."
"Who?" asked Jonas, fear in his eyes.
"Oruk!" said Kyle. "He's become more powerful, and he broke my staff. He almost killed me." Jonas shook his head.
"That means we may have to prepare for the worst," he said. "There's no telling what that lich may do next!"
Jonas' wife, Solena, was in the kitchen cooking a pot of soup. She looked up as they came inside. "Heavens, Jonas," she said, taking her husband's heavy cloak off. "Did you find those two young rascals?"
"Yes," he said, holding the door for Kyle. The old man came in, and sighed with contentment when he smelled the soup. "My, Jonas, your wife must be a very good cook!"
Solena didn't seem very surprised by Kyle's entrance—this was not the first time they had ever had a visitor. "And who might you be?" she asked.
"This is Kyle, an old friend of mine," said Jonas. "He's been travelling for a good distance trying to find us, so it would be nice if we could offer him a place to stay."
"Of course!" replied Solena, taking the old man's heavy cloak. "You look cold and tired! How long have you been walking?"
"Oh, not that long," Kyle said, although long was relative; he had actually gone more than five-hundred miles!
Three days later...
The goblins under Oruk arrived at the Black Palace, where King Nardek dwelled. In the shadows of the monstrous war-beasts lumbering around in the streets--the giants--these goblins seemed minuscule rats scurrying their way toward the palace. The only one of them who wasn't scared seemed to be Oruk himself.
Nardek was already waiting. "What took you all so long?"
"Err..."
"Speak up!" There was fire in his voice, it seemed.
Oruk thought for a moment, then said, "We fought a great battle inside and outside the caves where we had encamped. We managed to catch the one you're after, Ezra the Half-Elf, but one of the Resistance leaders, Kyle, sneaked up on us and freed him, so I sneaked behind him and almost killed him if it weren't for those two young rips, Ezra and his idiot brother, who I maimed. The three escaped and I couldn't follow because the whole village would've been on us."
"WHAT?!" raged the Black King, sending terror into the heart of the lich. "I entrusted you with this important task and you let the fools escape? You fool!" The lich cowered under the harsh gaze of Nardek. "I'll give you another chance," the king said. "This time, I'll have no petty goblin nests. You will fight with he might of seige engines and giants. If you succeed, I will promote you to the position of General. But if you fail, I'll see to it that you remain a mere mist forever! You are to follow my imperial raven to the camp nearest the Bramans. You are to take the village, along with Ceeziak's fort, and destroy all who live there. Make sure this Ezra is killed! Now then, off you go!"
The black raven that had been standing on the Black King's arm fluttered out the window.
The lich turned into a cloud and floated out of the palace, out of the dark capital, following the black raven, toward a goblin encampment not too far from Cirta.
A group of the hideous creatures was huddled around a fire, trying to fend off the wintry chills. Clouds were coming in, and snow was beginning to fall. Suddenly, one of them sensed a presence nearby. Whirling around, it faced a skeleton clad in armor. The being suddenly shimmered slightly, and turned into a familiar-looking goblin.
"What's going on here?" Oruk asked, watching the others shivering as they tried to keep warm. "Didn't you blockheads know that there's a rebellious group that needs to be dealt with?"
"It has been dealt with," the smaller goblin snarled. "We got three of their leaders!"
"Idiot!" Oruk barked. "You think that's all that needs to be done? They haven't even told us anything! Besides, Nardek wants the village of Cirta destroyed! A rebellion's arising there!"
The other goblin spat. "Nardek's worried about that little rabble? What in the name of Netopyrus does he think they'll be able to do? At any rate, we're not goin' nowhere. It's freezing and there's no way to get over those cursed mountains now!"
"You want heat?" asked Oruk, a smirk forming on his horrible mouth. "I'll give you all some nice heat!" With that, he grabbed the goblin by the throat, and pushed him into the middle of the small fire. The creature raged and tried to jump up, but Oruk uttered a chant that caused the flames to engulf the unfortunate goblin. The fire roared. "Happy now?" mocked Oruk. "Good! Now get movin'! The next one that stands up to me'll get worse!"
Soon the whole encampement was on the move northwest, toward the towering Bramans.
[edit] Chapter Five: The Story
Ezra awoke a week later to see a heavy snow falling outside his window. Rising, he found that the house had grown extremely cold. "Time to build a fire," he thought to himself as he pulled on his wool-lined pants. He ran downstairs and to the front door. "Where're you off to, young'un?" Ezra whirled around to see Kyle standing behind him.
"We need wood," Ezra replied as he opened the door. A gust of frigid wind blew in, accompanied by a blast of snow. Kyle quickly shut the door. "Don't let any of that stuff in," he exclaimed. "Where do you get wood, anyway?"
"From a pile in the back of our barn," replied Ezra. "We keep it stocked during the rest of the year. Are you coming?"
"Sure," the old man replied. "After all, you need great physical strength for a task like this, and I've got some important things that you as the future king need to know."
The two headed out toward the barn, Kyle occasionally spouting little flames to keep his hands warm. Ezra watched and finally asked, "How do you do that?"
"Magic," said Kyle. "The Lightforce, to be particular."
Ezra didn't understand. "What's the Lightforce? I thought magic was something to be avoided."
"The kind of magic that's used by sorcerers and witches should not be used," replied Kyle seriously. "Those that use it for selfish gain fall under the power of the Shadow."
"Now what's the Shadow?" asked Ezra. "You never explained what that was!"
"Patience," said Kyle. "The Shadow, whose true name is Armoth, is a dark, foul being that dwells in the Far Eastern region of Netopyrus. He is very old; few can say how old. However, he first occupied the region about two-thousand years ago, during the Years of Chaos, when the land was filled with war and strife between clans. The men that dwelled in this part of the world were quite primitive and driven by an instinct of power, so Armoth, the Dark One, found it fairly easy to take control. He seduced their leaders with the promise of great power, and they used the Darkforce, his corrupted version of magic. They immediately began to age rapidly, and then they were filled with the fear of death.
"Begging Armoth, the Shadow, to find a way to preserve their lives, he agreed to their pleas and sealed their spirits inside crystal shards. These were sealed inside their hearts, and from then on they were immortal. However, they were now totally under his control now, and he used them to fulfill his dark plans on world dominion. Soon, the region of Netopyrus was under his control, and then the regions to the west also fell. The men here were more noble and strong, but they could not resist the terrible power of the liches, and were forced to flee. All seemed lost, until the great beings known as the Wizards came across the Great Sea."
"Wizards?" inquired Ezra.
"Yes, powerful creatures sent by the Shining Ones in the Far West and Far East of the world. They came and drove out the liches and goblins that were plaguing the land, and then a man from the west, Elgira, took control of the northern kingdom of Armesia. With the aid of a Wizard, he kept the country under the control of the West for decades, and when he died his son rose to power and did the same. It continued on for generations. But, of course, the Shadow hadn't given up."
By this time they had reached the barn, where the few animals were kept. A lean horse stood in one corner, and a large steer was kept in another. Two large sows occupied a third corner, and a pile of wood filled the farthest one. "There's our wood supply," said Ezra.
"Looks like you keep it full," said Kyle. "Impressive!"
"Keep going with the story," said Ezra as they began to pile wood into the cart. "What happened to Armesia?"
"Armoth had been observing the comings and goings of the Four Kingdoms that had arisen," began Kyle, "And so decided to take action. So, in the reign of the late King Elias, a lich destroyed a small, nomadic tribe. Only one survived the massacre: a young boy named Arman. Armoth had the lich take Arman to the capital of Armesia, Serengrim, and leave him there, where Elias found him and, out of pity, took him in and nursed him back to health.
"But as Arman grew, he became plagued with visions sent by the Shadow which were telling him that Elias was not the true king and that it was Arman's destiny to take the throne. He believed these lies, and one night slew Elias and his sons. Armoth sent him an army of goblins to enforce his rule, and he has ruled the country ever since, under the name of Nardek, the 'Black King' in Elvish."
"And I'm the only son you managed to save?" asked Ezra.
"Yes," said Kyle. "You see, I was His Majesty's head advisor, and I sensed what was happening to Arman the very night he began to have the dreams. I eventually got wind of what he was about to do, and told the rest of the court. They tried to protect Elias, but it was too late; that very night Arman poisoned the king's wine, and then killed the rest of his sons with the sword. We would have avenged him, but an army of goblins came the next morning, so we were forced to flee with your mother. She didn't survive long; grief overtook her, and she died, but not before giving birth to you."
Ezra felt tears beginning to spring into his eyes. "How could he get away with such a thing?"
Kyle placed an old, wrinkled hand on the youth's shoulder. "Do not fear the Dark One," he said kindly. "He was defeated long ago, and his time is not much longer. In the end, good will win and the darkness will pass. You see, even Nardek, once he began using the Darkforce, began to deteriorate rapidly. Right now, he's so disfigured that he has to conceal his features, and many of his court do the same, for their bodies also are quickly decaying. Soon, nothing will remain but spirits."
"Liches!" Ezra exclaimed.
"Yes," said Kyle. "And once that happens, their souls will be bound with Armoth. He and his master, Zamroth, are to be forever banished to the Abyss, along with those they managed to ensnare in their trickeries and lies. Zamroth will recieve the absolute worst of it, however, for he is the source of all evil."
At that moment, the door opened, and Jonas came in. "Ah," he said, "I see you two have been busy! Excellent! Now the house will be warm!"
"I've just been giving Ezra some history lessons," said Kyle. "The sort of information that he'll need to know as king."
[edit] Chapter Six: Peace and Prosperity
The wood was stacked, and now, with the help of Kyle's flame breath, a fire was blazing. Solena had a pot of oatmeal simmering, and the four men were now out preparing the sows to be sold to Selom the butcher later that day. Silas loaded hay into the cart so that the hogs could have a comfortable ride, and Jonas and Ezra were feeding them one last time. Kyle was fixing up the cart with his magic touch, as well as keeping the barn warm.
"Father," asked Ezra. Jonas looked at him. "I'm not your father, you know, although I wish I was" he said.
"You've been like a father to me for so many years!"
Jonas smiled. "All right then, what is it you want, son?"
"How long have you and Kyle known each other?"
"We in the court called him Sarindin," answered the farmer. "He's been around a lot longer than any of us."
"He looks like a Wizard," Ezra remarked.
"Yes, that's right," answered Jonas, looking in Kyle, or Sarindin's direction. The old man winked. "He came across the great ocean with the rest of the Wizards. He was the one who helped to establish the empire. So, what else did he tell you?"
"Pretty much the whole history of Armesia."
"Then you know who Elgira is?"
"Yeah, he was my ancestor."
"Well," Jonas began, "When the Union of Four Kingdoms first arose, a Wizard was sent into each to guide the kings. Sarindin was sent with Elgira to help him to govern wisely, which he did. He's been the personal advisor of every king of Armesia since, with the exception of Nardek." He shook his head sadly. "We were all forced to flee when Nardek rose to power, although we managed to rescue your mother. She died shortly afterwards, but gave birth to you first."
Ezra felt a sadness welling up inside him. "I wish I could have known her," he said. Jonas nodded and put a hand on his charge's shoulder. "I wish you could have too," he said. "She was an Elf, one of the fairest and wisest creatures around. Both she and Kyle helped your father be the best monarch he could be."
"What are Elves like?" asked Ezra, curiously.
Kyle took over from there. "They have pointy ears, as you probably know," he said, "And they're the fairest of the natives of Gaela. They're quite tall and have long hair. Some have beards, but usually they are clean-shaven. They're very wise, which is what made them so hard for the Dark One to corrupt."
"I heard from stories at the tavern that they're arrogant and extremely dangerous, and that they'll kill anyone who comes near their forests," remarked Silas.
Kyle snorted. "A filthy lie spread by Nardek!" he said indignantly. "Elves are actually quite humble, and they welcome travellers. But they are very cautious, and don't want any servants of the Dark One coming inside their borders. These people in the village seem a bit ignorant of the world outside these mountains!"
"Lord Ceeziak isn't," said Silas. "He told me that he was once a knight."
"Aye, and one of the best!" said Kyle in admiration. "I remember when that one was just a boy. I taught him everything he knows about fighting! He and I came close to killing a Vampire once."
"A Vampire? Aren't those bloodsucking creatures that live in coffins?" asked Ezra. "I've heard stories about them."
"Another example of just how ignorant these folks are," sighed the old man. "Vampires don't suck blood; nor do they live in coffins. Basically, they are extremely powerful liches, controlled utterly by Zamroth. Most are quite bat-like, but they can take other forms if they wish."
"I once saw a Vampire," said Jonas. "They're the most horrifying demons that could ever haunt someone's nightmares! They're somewhat manlike, but they're much taller and so much more evil." He shivered visibly.
Suddenly, a bell began to clang. Jonas whirled around. "Breakfast, everyone!" he said, dropping his pitchfork and making his way toward the door. "We'll finish up later."
In a flash, Kyle was in front of him and out the door. "Last one inside's a dead goblin!" he shouted, running for the house. The other three looked at each other. Jonas grinned. "That's Sarindin, all right," he chuckled. "Aside from His Majesty, he had one of the biggest appetites in the palace!"
The goblin army was on the move again. Oruk had allowed them three hours of rest the previous night, not nearly enough for all the running they were doing, and yet, fueled by Oruk's black magic, they were able to keep going. Accompanying the goblins were about forty Gurkles, tugging the great seige engines. The Gurkles, as they were called by Dwarves, were huge, lumbering war-beasts that somewhat resembled rhinos. They had two horns on the edge of their snouts, a single horn between their eyes and thick skin which prevented damage by fire or arrows. As they pulled the great war machines, they let out great bellows which could be heard for several miles.
"We're approaching the Brama Pass," shouted Oruk from the head of the army. "It's a good thing it's winter, otherwise the grizzlies would get us!" A bitter wind was blowing from the north, and the distant crashing of the surf on the shore could be heard. "Come on," urged the lich, "Get movin'! We'll be there soon!" The goblins riding the Gurkles urged the huge monsters onward by jabbing sharp pikes into the animals' backs.
Unbeknownst to any of them, a short, stocky man with a thick beard was watching the army's progress from the foothills. "Curse them," the Dwarf said under his breath. "What in the name of Bushis are they doing here? I must warn my people!" And with that, the Dwarf ran back to the cave entrance from whence he had come.
Having eaten breakfast, Jonas and Silas drove the cart down the cobblestone road which ran through the village of Cirta, while Kyle and Ezra rode in the back. The pigs had been very uneasy about being carted away, but Kyle had calmed them with gentle words.
Ezra smiled as he listened to the Wizard relate his stories from the past; how he had come to Armesia with Elgira and helped to settle the land, how he and Elgira had driven out the legions of goblins and liches that plagued the country, and then with amazement as Kyle told him about how he had first confronted Oruk.
"It was no easy battle," Kyle said, shaking his head. "He was powerful, but I managed to give the decisive blow to his filthy neck. But of course, that didn't kill him. He returned later, and only then I learned that his heart was the only vital organ. That's where his power comes from. Remove it, and he will be vanquished once and for all."
They stopped in front of the butcher shop, and then went around to the back. There they saw Selom, the butcher, surrounded by hundreds of delicious-looking cuts of meat. When he saw them, he gave a large grin. "Jonas!" he exclaimed. "Goodness, them's the finest looking swine I ever did see!" He came out into the open air to examine them. "You sure did a fine job of raising these here animals! I'll give you seventy-five crescents for them!" Jonas' eyes bulged.
"I couldn't accept that much!" he said.
"I'll make it more if you persist," the muscular butcher said, looking Jonas squarely in the eye. Finally, the farmer had to give in. "Oh, all right," he said. "At that price, you might as well have my wagon too!" The two men laughed heartily.
Leaving the shop, Jonas looked back at Kyle. "We've got to get back to the farmhouse. There's a feast tonight at the castle, and we don't want to be late!"
[edit] Chapter Seven: Eye for an Eye
Chapter Outline: The goblin army approaches Cirta and the villagers seek refuge within the castle. The goblins attack the castle during the annual Feast and attempt a seige which fails at the cost of many of the villagers' lives.
The wagon, containing Solena, Jonas, Silas, Ezra and Kyle, clattered up the road, accompanied by the many other wagons and foot travellers, to the gates of the lord's castle. The massive gates were standing open, and great flags hung over the sides. "This is a great time of year," said Jonas happily. "Ceeziak always holds a feast to celebrate harvest. Everyone in the village comes and partakes of the year's crops, meat and wine, and while eating we're entertained by the court jesters as well as the castle magicians." Kyle snorted when he heard that. "I could put any of 'em to shame," he said. "They have to trick people into thinking that what they're doing is magic. What I do is magic!"
As they entered through the walls, the old man couldn't help but be impressed by the great structure. The great towers reaching up to the sky, the great white walls on which knights stood guard against invaders, and the strength of the stone out of which the fortress was built all spoke of the former grandeur and beauty of Sengeredrim, now Carouk, the Black Palace. Kyle sighed as he thought of the deterioration of the great city that had once been full of light and beauty. But, no time for that! Tonight was a happy night, a night of feasting and joy.
The air was full of exited talk and banter as the villagers drew further into the great fortress of lord Ceeziak. As Jonas' wagon passed the next door, a guard stopped them. Looking intently at Kyle, he said, "Lord Serendrim, you are known to us!"
All eyes were on the old man now. Kyle eyed the guard, then jumped out of the cart with an agility that didn't befit one who appeared so old. "Etheran!" he exclaimed. "It's been ages since I last saw you!" The guard laughed and clapped the old man on the back. "I never thought I'd lay eyes on you again, you old warrior! How did you find us, anyhow?"
"It's never hard for a Wizard," Kyle said, winking. "All I had to do was follow—" He cut himself off here, and his face grew serious. "A small party of goblins was in the mountains last night. I followed them here; they're searching for young Ezra here." Etheran was horrified. "How did—how Nardek know?"
"This is just a guess," said Kyle, but I get the feeling that those three Resistance leaders that he caught may have revealed it to him!"
The guard sighed. "Lord Ceeziak must know then," he said. "You all go on, I'll talk with you later." Kyle got back into the cart, and the wagon continued. "Who was that?" asked Silas.
"That," Jonas said, "Was Etheran, another palace guard. He was my best friend, and one of the king's. I never did see one so loyal as him."
The carts stopped at the entrance to the palace. The villagers were now all on foot, pouring into the great banquet hall by the hundreds. Guards stood by, making sure everything was orderly and that there was no pushing or shoving and seeing to it that no one was hurt.
When they got into the great hall, there was a great, long table there. It had been set already and the food had been placed. Ezra saw many mouth-watering dishes; golden-brown chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, large, fatty roasts, sausages, steaming bowls of punch and more desserts than could be counted. There was one in particular that caught Ezra's attention. It was dark brown and covered with a creamy white glaze. It gave off a delicious aroma, one that Ezra had never smelled before.
"That is made of chocolate," said Kyle, pointing to it. "It comes from a bean which grows in the southern oceans. It's the Elves' favorite food!" Ezra nodded, able to understand why.
He looked toward the end of the table, and saw Ceeziak. The lord was dressed in a fine scarlet robe with a golden belt around the waist. He was a tall man with a scant beard and long, brown hair that extended to his shoulders. He had a very imposing image; he had a great muscular build that was enough to discourage most foes from attacking. Yet he had the kindest, widest smile of anyone in the room.
Soon, most of the people were seated, and a bell was rung for silence. Lord Ceeziak stood up. "Welcome, everyone," he said. "I am honored to have you all here for the feast, and I wish to thank you for your wonderful contributions. Jonas," he said looking at the farmer, "The pigs you gave us this summer have proven to be the best I've ever tasted. Many thanks!" Jonas smiled modestly. "It's the least I can do," he said.
Then the lord looked toward Kyle. "I see a familiar face in the room today," he said. "Serendin, it's been a long time since I saw you last!" The old man grinned broadly and stood up. "It's an honor to be here tonight," he said. "Your castle and village are truly admirable, even by the standards of Sengeredrim!"
"You're too kind," the lord replied, then went on to mention the other villagers who had raised animals which were now on the table. Finally, he said, "Let the feast begin!" He clapped once, and then several servants appeared. "Serve our guests," he said, turning to them. They bowed and, starting at the head of the table, began to dish the food out onto the plates.
On the southwestern edge of Cirta were the ruins of an old stone fortress, which had apparently been used by the Dwarves in the past. Now it was an outpost for the knights of the village, to watch the Braman Pass for any signs of invasion. Germeran, the captain of the guard, stood on the highest wall and looked out toward the great gap in the mountains, which were now white with snow. He shifted uncomfortably. "There's a foul scent on the air," he said to a knight standing next to him. "It smells of goblins." His subordinate nodded. "I've had the feeling all evening that something evil is on its way here."
Down below, a group of soldiers sat around a fire, eating bowls of stew. Suddenly, one of them looked up. "Did you hear that?" he asked his comrades. Several of them turned toward him. "Hear what?"
"That distant bellow! Didn't you hear?"
"You must be hearin' things," the one next to him replied. "I don't hear nothin'."
Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through one of the openings in the stone ruins and took a soldier in the shoulder. He grunted, dropped his bowl and fell backwards. The rest of them looked at him for a minute, then ducked.
Germeran heard the commotion, looked down and saw the knight with the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. "There're goblins out there!" he said, just as an arrow brushed past his ear, grazing it. "Get down!" he said to the five knights who were standing watch with him. They got down and looked through the slats in the stone. A host of lights were visible, moving rapidly eastward, toward the village. "Goblins!" whispered Germalan in an urgent voice. "We have to warn the lord!"
(unfinished)
A panic immediately broke out among the villagers. People ran two and fro, all trying to reach the castle at once. They and practically everyone else there were rushing frantically uphill toward the hill sitting on the side of the village and the majestic castle standing on it. Meanwhile, the smell of refuse--that detestable smell characteristic of the goblins--began to permeate through the alleys of Cirta.
Everyone was understandably worried. The goblins were a formidable opponent indeed, and they had reportedly destroyed the human castle in the most recent engagement somewhere to the north. But one had only to look at the castle on the hill, at the four turrets striving toward the sky, the faultless curtain walls, all white and stone, to feel the warmth of security return.
Lord Ceeziak strode to the window of the main wall, his bow tucked under his arm and a quiver of arrows strapped around his broad shoulders. He gazed out the window at the army of goblins, and past them at the burning village of Cirta. He cursed them under his breath, then composing himself, prepared to try to negotiate.
"What do you want? You've destroyed our village. We require no more reasons to destroy you instantly, but we are prepared to negotiate reasonably for you to leave our valley peaceably."
For a minute, the air was filled with a horrible guffawing, as the goblins mocked his attempts. Then, they parted ranks to allow a particularly large goblin riding a monstrous wolf-like creature through. He stopped before the gates of the wall.
"We demand that you surrender the castle to us, as well as telling us where we might find—Elias's son. Do so, and we will spare you and take you as prisoners to serve in Nardek's army."
"We will not surrender to you," replied Ceeziak. "As for this lost son you speak of, we do not know where he is. As far as we're concerned, Elias and all of his sons were killed by Nardek. Now leave, before we are provoked to fire upon you! Look at those we have already killed." He pointed to the line of dead goblins lying on the ground surrounding the wall.
"Your insolence has sealed your fate," replied the goblin leader viciously. "Now you shall all die in your miserable little—" He was unable to finish his speech, as Ceeziak's arrow found its mark between his eyes. He shrieked, cursed and disintegrated into a cloud. "Oruk!" muttered the lord under his breath.
Ceeziak signaled to his archers on the wall, and another volley of arrows flew into the front lines. The rank of goblins closest to the castle fell down uniformly, and fiendish cries of pain came calling out from the battle front. The goblins had brought up their siege engines, and were planning to take the castle: they brought up the battering ram, scaled the walls with siege towers, positioned trebuchets, and launched ballistas. Under the barrage of the goblin attacks, the very walls of the fortification shook.
Then another volley of arrows rained down on the besieging army, this time brilliant with fire. They landed on the wooden ramparts, blazed red and yellow on the siege engines, and encompassed the ballistas. Amidst yells of horror, the goblins saw their only hope of taking down the castle fall to ruins around them. The scorched remains of the siege engines, burned and twisted, collapsed onto the ground in heaps.
The goblins blasted at the walls of the fortress, creating such a loud boom that made the tingling sensation travel up Ezra's spines. Goblin archers fired up at the walls, taking down several of the knights on the walls. However, the walls were too strong for the ram to break easily. And it wasn't going to happen.
Another array of arrows, this time aimed at the battering ram. The goblins pushing the ram forward freezed their movement in pain, tossed backward, and flopped onto the ground, whole groups of them at a time. Meanwhile, the blazing fires below had darkened the visibility of the slopes.
The goblins began their retreat half-heartedly, but more arrows rained down, scattering the retreaters. The whistling noise of the volley was incredible; a beautiful, slithering music it was to Ezra's ear. The siege was broken; the goblins in full retreat; even yet more and more of their number fell, and now battle was joined by the dwaven knights, their avatars blazing, spinning in the air, paving the field with destruction. Standard after standard was pierced, fell, amidst the turmoil of the new strike, the shocked agony of the unfortunate; the horn sounded once again, scratching noises were all that could be heard now, very loud ones; the smoke of the flames drifted across the fields as the guards above threw their pails of water onto the roiling scene below.
All was silent, and the battle over. Disfigured, tortured corpses of the goblins rose everywhere, arrows sticking out of their chests or backs; broken fragments of war materiel lay everywhere, astrewn beside the dirt road which was now muddied with a river of black, foul-smelling blood.
A large raven had been perched atop the roof of one of the towers, observing the battle and listening to the conversation. Satisfied, it prepared to fly off east, toward Carouk, when Kyle spotted it out of the side of his eye, noticed that something unusual was with this raven, raised his bow at it, and shot an arrow.
Fzzt--and a cloud of red blood spurted into the air, the raven split into two halves, the pieces falling toward the ground.
Jonas turned toward his old friend. "What was that?"
"A messenger. But he's dead now." As the others watched, Kyle ran off toward where the raven had fallen, in the middle of the village commons, made sure that it was dead, then blew an immense stream of flame over it, as the corpse gave way to nothing but ashes. Then he returned. "That raven was sent by the Black King Nardek," he told them, as their mouths fell open in astonishment. "He called the goblins here, and had his raven report the aftermath of the battle. But we'll have that raven tell him that the goblins won, and that they had crushed all resistance.
Kyle nodded over to the pile of smouldering ashes. As the others watched, it seemed to come back to life--phoenix-like--and a black raven soared into the air, ready to report the lie to the Black King.
[edit] Chapter Eight: Revolution
Chapter Outline: With the threat over, the villagers are angry and band together, with the urging of Lord Ceeziak, to form a Revolutionary Army. Before long, the villagers are trained in the arts of war, and with the accompanying forces of Lord Ceeziak, they go marching off to a nearby village, to arouse their neighbors to war as well.
Ceeziak stood on the wall with Jonas, Kyle and Ezra. "I cannot imagine how these goblins might have found us," he remarked. "I thought we picked a well-hidden spot for this village." He turned to Kyle. "You've been around at least 2,000 years," he said. "What do you know of this?"
"Goblins have a good sense of smell," replied the old warrior. "Nardek is not stupid. But how on earth could he have found out that Ezra is alive?" Suddenly Ceeziak snapped his fingers. "On his last campaign against our resistance he captured three men, according to one of our messenger pigeons. They may have betrayed us!" Kyle shook his head. "They are stout fellows," he said. "They wouldn't have done such a wicked thing! Unless, of course, Nardek used his foul magic to extract the information from them!"
"That may bery well be," said Jonas. "I was not around the usurper very long, but I know from the news coming from the various divisions of the empire that Nardek is using foul magic. It's the work of The Shadow!"
"That it is," said Kyle. "He has been communicating with Nardek for a long time through dark magic. He has come close to taking over his mind!"
Ceeziak kicked at a goblin carcass. "These are larger than the ones I fought in my campaigns for King Elias," he remarked. "What could be happening?"
"It's his black magic," said Kyle. "Nardek is using it to breed bigger and stronger goblins. I can only hope that the Black King won't discern the fake raven I've sent. If he does, he will come after us again. And the next battle may not go so well."
Nardek heard a caw. Standing up, he strode over to the window where the black raven alighted. "My lord," it croaked, "The campaign has succeeded. The village is destroyed, and all in it are dead!" Nardek smiled a twisted fiendish smile under his hood.
"Excellent work, Gark," he said. Suddenly, however, he caught the scent of creosote. "You smell of fire," he said.
"I was nearly burned," the raven told him. "I was fortunate to escape with my life!" With that, the raven Gark took off into the air again.
Nardek turned to Jabnul. "I sense treachery," he said. "That raven does not seem like the same one I sent out. Therefore, Jabnul, I want you to go and make sure it is so. Take an army of goblins with you, and destroy any who are left living. I do not want any of the fool's descendants alive."
Jabnul nodded his terrible head, and then stalked off to do his master's bidding.
(unfinished) (continue chapter eight)
Ezra sat in the great hall of the Lord Ceeziak, along with the many other villagers who had been staying there. The lord sat at the end on his seat of honor, with Kyle beside him.
"This battle can only mean more to come," said Ceeziak. "Nardek will hear of this, and when he does he will be extremely angry. We must prepare for it. Ezra, tell us all you know."
"I only know what Kyle told me," Ezra said, nodding to the old man standing beside Ceeziak. "I am the former King's son, hidden at birth from Nardek's bloodlust. But what can I do?"
"You must reclaim the throne," said his uncle Jonas. "There is no other option. Nardek will certainly not die in the near future, for he is fed by the power of the Dark One in the east. As long as this happens, he will remain alive, though in the most foul form. Only when the Dark One sees fit to place another on the throne, he will remove Nardek."
Ezra shook his head, overwhelmed. "Even Kyle couldn't overcome Oruk, and he's just Nardek's servant. How could I even hope to destroy him?"
"With your father's sword, perhaps?" Kyle ventured. Ceeziak looked at him strangely. What was he talking about?
"My Father's sword?" Ezra asked, surprised. "A sword is enough to overpower the Black King? Nay, I think not! It would take a much greater power."
"It is not the mere sword I talk of, young one," said Kyle. "Thy father's weapon was indeed most formidable, and he had slain many goblins and even a lich with it. It was blest by the Ahurán. But nay, that would not be sufficient to slay Nardek. It is the One who guards the sword in which your victory lies."
"Who?" asked Ezra, now most interested. "Who guards it? And where is it?"
"The sword was hidden after your father's death by one of the Ahurán, long ways from here. But we knew that Nardek would seek it, so the Dragon Braékzyl was appointed to guard it. The one who can defeat him is destined to confront Nardek."
"A dragon guards it?" Ezra's heart sank. He knew he could never defeat one of the great beasts. "Isn't there any other way?"
"Nay, there is no other," said Lord Ceeziak. "Your destiny is to claim the throne; it was appointed by the Great One. You must either take it, or die trying."
"Than I shall certainly die in the attempt," said Ezra gloomily. "And then another one of the Dark Ones will take it again."
"It shall not happen!" Ceeziak said. "He who can defeat Braékzyl will have the Dragon on his side," he explained. "I assure you, there has never been a Dark One who could defeat that great Lizard, for he is one of the mightiest of the Ahurán."
"What?" Ezra exclaimed. "I heard all my life that they were thieving, curst brutes that slew knights and stole treasure. Is that not so?"
"For most of them," answered Ceeziak, "Although they swear allegiance to no one, and if confronted by the Shadow would almost certainly fight or flee. They have minds of iron. However, Braékzyl is one of the Shining Ones, and is on the side of the Light. But to prove that you are also, you must defeat him in combat."
Ezra scoffed. "Right," he said. "As if a mere farm boy could defeat one of the most powerful beings in the universe with a mere sword. Besides, if I defeated him than he wouldn't be able to help us! This is foolhardy. Surely there is another way?"
"Nay, there is none other," said Jonas. "But be assured of this: the Dragon cannot die. You must weaken him to the point where he cannot fight you, then he will know you are a servant of Light, and furthermore that you are the heir to the throne. You will then have his assistance."
"But how?" Ezra asked, still disbelieving.
"The Great One will give you the strength, if you will believe," Kyle answered. "That is all. Now, we must set out as soon as possible, for the harshest storms are yet to come, and we do not want to get caught at sea in the middle of one."
"The sea?" Silas asked, surprised.
"The Black Isle," Kyle answered. "That is where the sword is. It lies far to the north, where no goblins have ever dared venture, except the strongest, but those did not last long. Nay, the Great One has so far been gracious enough to keep the sword safe. He will grant us passage, but we must be quick."
Ezra stood up. "I suppose that since this is my responsibility, I will undertake it. But I must have aid!"
"And you shall have it," answered Ceeziak. "Unfortunately, I shall not be able to accompany you farther than the coast, for I must guard the valley here. It is one of the last strongholds against Nardek."
"I will go with you," said Kyle. "Of course I shall! For I may not settle until you are King."
"I too will go," said Jonas. "I was your father's guard, and also I shall be yours. But Silas, you are not under any oath. You may stay, if you wish."
"Ha!" the young man scoffed. "I would not miss it for anything! And he'll need my archery skills, won't you?" he asked.
"You're my brother as far as I'm concerned," Ezra said, placing his hands on Silas' shoulders. "I wouldn't want to be separated from you!"
Solem the butcher stood up. Several of the villagers looked up at him in surprise. "Ever since I was young, I've wanted that madman off the throne," the big man said. "And if this is our opportunity, then by the Wizards' cloaks I'll see it done!" He banged his fist on the table for emphasis.
Others offer
[edit] To be organized
Most of the village was burning, except for the lord's castle, surrounded by a strong wall, which the goblins were trying to scale. Some of the fortunate villagers had managed to take refuge within the castle walls, although many lay dead in the burning barns and houses.
"Oh Zamn," Ezra said after a moment. It was meant as a curse-word against adversity, and was a reference to the god of justice and the Midworld, Zamn.
And that was all that he could bring himself to say.
Kyle looked down on the devastated village and muttered, "I doubt if Jonas is still alive."
"You knew our father?"
"Aye, when we both worked for King Elias. I've only recently been able to contact him, which is what I'm doing here!"
Suddenly, from Lord Ceekiaz's castle, there came the bellow of a horn. Ezra turned exitedly to Silas. "They never use that horn unless summoning an ally! I wonder who'll answer?"
As if in answer, another horn, unfamiliar to Ezra's ears, blew from the north. "I've never heard that one before!" he said.
"I have," observed Kyle. "That is a Dwarf-horn! The last time I heard that horn was during the battle for Carabac in the far north, over a thousand years ago. Seems the Dwarves dwell here too!" The three watched as the goblins surrounded the Ceeziak's castle in an attempt to burn it. Arrows flew from the walls, mowing down the first line of monsters.
Suddenly Kyle burst out, "What're we doin', standing up here watching?! Let's go join them! CHAAAAAAARRGE!" he shouted, running down the mountain.
The brothers looked at him running down the mountain, and shook their heads sorrowfully. "He's going to get himself killed," they said to each other. "Maybe we ought to find Jonas."
Ezra stopped, pondering. "Maybe Kyle is right," he said. "It doesn't look like Jonas could have survived an attack by the goblin army. And if he's dead, and Kyle knew him as a child, then what we ought to be doing is protecting Kyle."
"How do you know that what he's saying is the truth? I mean, he said he fought in a battle a thousand years ago! I've never heard of anyone except Elves living that long!"
"Maybe he's a little crazy, but he does have magical powers. And how else would he have known Jonas's name? And besides, I trust the fellow."
Silas looked at his brother. "It must have been that foray into the cave, I'll wager." Then they headed down the mountain.
