Resurrected Soldiers: The Tyrus Chronicle - Book Three (14 page)

Myra frowned. “Isn’t that against the code of war?”

Ava snorted. “The Geneshans broke those codes long before they got into it with Turine. It was partly why they won their earlier campaigns. No one else had the guts to do the same. But we did. We could be just as dirty, if needed.”
I guess some of those stories about us were true after all.
“Anyway, the squad was in position, ready to make their move, when one of the flaps of the wagons opened, and a D’engiti emerged. You’ve heard of those, right?”

“Pa said they’re massive soldiers the Geneshan sorcerers created out of their own men.”

“Yeah. You want to talk about breaking rules of war. They’re unbelievably hard to kill. And all three wagons contained several.”

Her eyes widened. “It was a trap.”

Ava shook her head. “No. It was obvious that we surprised them. The problem is that they surprised us just as much. There was no trap. Remember, this was the early part of the war. Our intelligence system was not nearly what it turned into later. We had bad information and our plan went to crap in seconds.”

“What happened?”

“We got out of there as fast as we could. Nothing else we could do. Less than half our squad made it back alive though.”

“Wow. Did Pa get in trouble?”

“No. Balak was angry at how the mission went, but he didn’t place blame on Tyrus. He knew it was a miracle that the four of us who survived, did.”

“And you’re saying it was a miracle we survived the outpost too.”

She shrugged. “We did the best we could with a bad situation. You can’t plan for everything. You just do your best to try to.”

Myra bit her lip. “So I guess Pa did a better job at handling his losses than how I’m handling ours.”

“But that doesn’t mean you’re inferior to him. He was older. And frankly he didn’t have a chance to think about it too long because the very next day, Balak filled his squad back out and sent us on another mission. Your Pa got better at catching surprises though, and we grew tight as a unit. It wasn’t long before we were the standard that others were measured against. It went to our heads for a while, but there’d always be something—a setback, or the death of a squad mate, that would jolt us back into reality. Sometimes it would just be even a comment, a reminder of that first mission or something similar that would set it off. Tyrus never really gets over what he deems a failure, even if others don’t see it that way. He just learns how to cope, and uses the lessons learned as best as he can for next time.

“It’s all right to be mad and upset. I’d worry if you weren’t. Those feelings help you from thinking about the people under you like they’re game pieces in crests. It helps you think twice before making a careless decision. So be mad at how things turned out, but don’t let it consume you.”

Myra tilted her head. “Watching Pa, then Sivan, then you. I don’t think I ever want to be in charge.”

Ava started to chuckle.

“You’re laughing at me?”

“No. I’m laughing because every one of us felt the same. Yet, we all ended up leading anyway.”

She whispered. “Are you saying the same is going to happen to me?”

“Gods, if I know. I hope not, but if it does, I hope it’s not for a long time.”

“Me neither, because that would mean something would have had to happen to you first.”

That struck Ava cold.

“Yeah, we definitely don’t want that.”

CHAPTER 11

I woke in a cold sweat while the remnants of past memories worked their way out of my consciousness. So many faces haunted my dreams. Some were burning, others dirty and bleeding. All of them were men I had lost under my command. From Balak on down, many said it was a miracle I hadn’t lost more, if not the whole squad. I guess I was supposed to take solace in that.

I squeezed my hands tightly into fists to ward off the shaking as I tried to relax and still my beating heart.

The only positive to my dreams was that they reaffirmed my decision to defy Balak. If Balak had once been right and that without me the losses would have been greater, then I needed to be with my unit.

I put up quite a show for Balak as he handed Hamath the destruction globe. I tried reasoning, cursing, and even begging in the hopes he might change his mind. If I had given up without a fight, he’d likely suspect I was up to something. As expected, the general didn’t relent.

And he still had a man follow me after I left his tent. Apparently my performance was too good, and he didn’t think I’d stick to his orders. He was right. And though the man following me had been one of the better members of Balak’s personal guard, he was not good enough to stop me.

I didn’t injure him. I couldn’t do that unless I wanted to get in even worse trouble when I saw Balak after the mission. However, I did tie and gag him behind a tree on the edge of camp. The fiasco cost me precious time I needed to catch up.

However, I worked fast. I found my replacement, convinced him that everything he saw was a deception by Balak to confuse any enemy watching our camp, and his real orders actually included me sneaking off.

He bought it.

I heeled it out of camp with a full pack. It took a little over two hours to catch up with my unit. They were pretty happy to see me.

Hamath, not so much.

“Who do you think you are?” he hissed.

Thankfully the man had the decency to pull me aside to question me. I didn’t want to have it out with him for all to hear.

“Same man I’ve always been.”

“You weren’t known for openly defying orders before, Tyrus. Twisting and manipulating them, yes. But Balak was clear. No wiggle room.”

“I need to be here. This is the first mission. A lot depends on it.”

“And you didn’t think I could handle leading it?”

I blinked in surprise. “I never said that.”

“You don’t have to say anything. Your actions make the point well enough.”

“What? I have no idea what you’re even talking about.”

He shook his head in disbelief which made me question my own sanity. Was I really the one at fault in this?

I started to open my mouth, but he cut me off.

“I want to explain, but I just can’t find the words.” He made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. “We’ve got more important things to worry about right now. You’re here. Let’s just get on with the mission.”

He walked away, as if resigned to the situation. I was happy that he gave up arguing so quickly, but the inability for us to speak as easily as we once had put a damper on it.

CHAPTER 12

Our two squads congregated at the top of a small ridge that looked over a low forest. Before the eruptions, we wouldn’t have had a clear line of sight to the Geneshan camp. But the eruptions removed such bothersome things as leaves, some branches, and even several trees that might have once blocked our view.

Hamath and I were at the ridge’s edge on our stomachs looking through the few trees that had survived to get a better view of our target. Ira and Dekar kept people ready while Reuma patrolled an area farther out to make sure we wouldn’t get ambushed.

For a moment, I found myself agreeing with Hamath’s previous sentiment. Despite what was to come, once more in the thick of things, everything felt right.

Then I looked over my shoulder for Ava, and she wasn’t there. She was miles away with Myra and Zadok.

Without my family, things would never be right.

Unlike Hamath, it wasn’t the violence or conflict I longed for, it was just being around men and women I respected and trusted. If I had my druthers, I’d rather try to achieve a similar feeling over a game of cards than by risking my life.

The grin on Hamath’s face made it obvious we didn’t share similar views.

“What are you grinning about?” I asked. “That’s a lot more than three hundred.”

“I know.”

“Cavalry too. At least a hundred. Molak knows how they’re caring for that many horses.”

“We could ask them.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Just trying to lighten your sour mood. Figured you’d be happy by what you’re seeing. Basically proves your point that they were up to something more. It looks like they’ve settled in which means they’re probably expecting their numbers to keep growing. If we succeed, it will hurt their plans pretty badly.”

“Yeah, But it’s not about being right.” It was about keeping soldiers alive. “I’m glad Balak said the globe is twice as strong as the ones we’ve used before.”

Hamath looked my way. “How’d he come by it anyway?”

I shrugged a lie. “Leftover from the Geneshan War, maybe.”

“Then how do we know it’ll work? Wouldn’t the sorcery be null?”

“He promised me it wouldn’t fail.”

“And you trust him?”

“On this, yeah.”

Hamath sighed. “All right.” He pointed. “So we hit them at their center for maximum damage, right?”

“That would be the obvious plan.”

I tried to keep the bite out of my voice, but our last conversation was still fresh in my mind. If Hamath noticed my lingering frustration with him, he didn’t show it.

“It’ll be hard to reach them there given the setup of their camp. We’ll need to wait until night-fall and sneak in.”

A painful memory from a recent nightmare struck me. “I have a better idea. We make a new center.”

“What do you mean?”

I pointed to the horses. “I mean we set off the globe just inside their camp past the animals. We encourage the army to come to where we plant the globe by creating a commotion with their horses to make them think they’re under attack by a larger force. When we get their attention, we take as many mounts with us as we can manage and cut the rest loose.” I pointed. “Ideally, we should set the globe where that rock formation is. It will send enough heavy debris into the air that the blast itself won’t be all that kills people.”

“Hmm. I like it.”

“Good.” I held out my hand. “Give me the globe and get your men ready to secure the mounts while mine go in.”

Hamath gave me a look. “No.”

“What?”

“I said no. You defied Balak and came in here taking over the command he gave me. You’re not taking the globe too.”

“Hamath this is not about me or you, it’s—”

“If it’s not about me and you, then let me do it.”

I shook my head. “Why do you have this death wish?”

“Me? You’ve got two kids who I know are alive despite what you told Balak. Why do you have the death wish?”

I sighed. I was so tired of arguing with him. “Fine. Take it.”

He winked. “I knew you’d see it my way.”

“What’s your signal?”

“You’ll know it. It won’t be one of your crazy animal calls for sure.”

I gave his back a sour look and scooted from the edge.

* * *

We waited in four smaller teams of three in a semicircle around the perimeter. Me, Ira, Dekar, and Reuma led each team.

Timing needed to be perfect. My squad couldn’t go after the enemy guards on the perimeter and raise an alarm too soon. Otherwise, it would create an uproar in the Geneshan camp that would likely get Hamath and his unit discovered before he placed the globe.

We waited some more.

Patience is a virtue in almost any situation, but it is not an easy one to put into practice in times of war. The longer a soldier waits, the more a soldier thinks. And in the moments before battle, those thoughts are rarely good.

As time passed, I grew more worried about Hamath. How long would I wait before I called the mission a failure? Could I find an alternative to do some damage to the army? Would I go in after him, or assume he was likely dead and return to Balak with my tail between my legs?

All those questions were put to rest when a large ball of bright orange fire shot into the sky. It rose thirty feet above the ground before spreading and dissipating outward. A cacophony of confusion erupted from the Geneshan camp.

“Was that the globe?” asked Boaz next to me.

“Nope. I believe that’s Hamath’s signal.”

Molak only knew how he made it.

“Go,” I hissed, leaping up from the mounded earth we hid behind.

We made a straight line to the closest of the enemy guards. He was distracted by the commotion in the aftermath of the fireball and hadn’t seen our approach until we were almost on him. He managed to draw his sword, but he didn’t get it raised in time to defend against the edge of my weapon biting into his neck.

I left him for dead while quickly scanning the area. Boaz and Maksim, another older veteran, finished off a guard. I shifted my gaze, watching Ira, Dekar, and Reuma’s teams handle their targets with equal success. A total of ten Geneshans went down without any injury to our own.

Team leaders glanced my way. I waved them forward.

The horses were roughly fifty yards away, which under normal circumstances wouldn’t be too great a distance to cover. However, more Geneshan soldiers came running in from the left and right.

I surged past Boaz and Maksim to engage the enemy as the heat of battle began to overtake me. “Stick to the plan,” I yelled while bring my sword around.

It clashed against a Geneshan axe, sending a jolt up my arm. The soldier tried to pull away for another attack, but I pushed when he pulled, keeping our weapons together as my sword slid down the length of his. At the last moment, I twisted and dug into his arm.

He howled in surprise, pain distracting him long enough for me to thrust my sword into his chest and twist. I pulled the weapon free and engaged the next man, disposing of him with a parry and a slash down his chest and into his stomach. In the past, that slash might not have been a deathblow, but we had obviously caught the Geneshans off guard, and many were not dressed in full gear.

I shifted my stance with a fast pivot while turning my blade to catch a sweep coming in from my left. I brought my blade around low while ducking under a sword from behind. My sword took off the lower leg of the man in front of me. He fell back screaming.

I dove and rolled away from another stab from the opponent behind me. I came up ready as the man thrusted. I allowed the attack through, stepping aside rather than deflecting. With the Geneshan soldier’s weight mostly on his front leg, he was not able to turn and deflect my next attack, a cut at his midsection. He swung wildly in response. I knocked his blade aside and struck him with a fist. His head rocked backward, and my sword cut through his neck, collarbone, and chest.

I looked for another enemy, but the only ones I saw were dead, bleeding out on the ground. Casting my gaze farther out, piles of Geneshans lay about while the teams led by Ira, Dekar, and Reuma pushed on. Each team still consisted of three men. We hadn’t lost anyone. Yet. However, Lowt held his side with a bloody hand, and beside him someone I couldn’t make out shuffled on with a heavy limp.

The teams reached the edge of the horses just as a shout from Boaz caught my attention.

I spun, and ran into the shifting animals, following his yell. The horses were unsettled, shuffling and neighing with all the excitement. I had to be careful. Death by stampede did not seem like a pleasant way to die.

I nudged a dark brown mare aside. I caught a glimpse of Boaz holding off three Geneshans. He protected an injured Maksim who was on the ground, conscious, but it didn’t look like he would remain that way for long. He no longer held a sword, both hands pressed to his stomach. Blood covered his armor.

My anger flared. Though I had good reason to send them ahead, all I could think about was Maksim had suffered a mortal wound because of my decision.

I gave a growl that caused two of the three Geneshans fighting Boaz to turn my way. They came at me fast. I stepped around the first man, parrying his eager thrust. The edge of my sword swept around and sliced into the back of his neck, decapitating him. The sight gave the second Geneshan pause. It gave me none, and as the man gawked, I stabbed through his chest. I yanked my sword free before he had a chance to respond.

I wheeled hastily, worried about Boaz, but the third Geneshan was dead. Boaz kneeled at Maksim’s side. I noticed four other bodies besides the three just killed.

They had done well for themselves.

Maksim started to shake. Boaz looked up at me. “What do we do?’

“Can you stay in a saddle?” I asked Maksim.

“I’m done. Just leave me and—”

To Boaz I said, “Get him mounted, then you both get to the rally point as fast as you can. Try to lead off a few extra horses if you’re able.”

“But—”

“That’s an order. Go.”

I turned my back on them and began unhitching other mounts as fast as I could to create more chaos and draw more of the Geneshans toward me.

I looked over the top of the mounts and saw other squads unhitching mounts too. Reuma caught my eye and gave a thumbs up. That made me feel a little better.

“We’re off, Tyrus,” Boaz called out.

I glanced back and watched him lead four mounts away with Maksim behind him, leaning forward in the saddle.

Though we were not out of the woods and sadly, Maksim would likely be dead soon, a small weight came off my shoulders with Boaz out of immediate danger.

The remaining weight wouldn’t budge until both my unit and Hamath’s was out of range of the globe.

I cut a few more mounts free then looked again at the Geneshan camp. Several members of Hamath’s squad sprinted in our direction. I couldn’t see Hamath though. I swore and jumped on the nearest horse.

Higher, I caught a glimpse of him much farther back.

Geneshan soldiers ran full tilt after Hamath’s unit and toward us as they watched their cavalry horses melt away.

I turned to where the other members of my unit either fought random Geneshan guards, or busied themselves unhitching more mounts.

“Ira! Dekar! Both of you take a man and as many mounts as you can manage. Get them to Hamath’s squad,” I said pointing in their direction. “Reuma! Get anyone severely injured out of here and cut loose every last horse you can until Ira comes riding back your way, then everyone out!”

I kicked my mount forward. I didn’t need a response. They heard me. It would get done.

I galloped with sword in hand and rode past the first two men from Hamath’s unit. As I took the arm off a pursuing Geneshan, an arrow zipped past me, followed by another. I ignored them. Not much else I could do. I had light armor on so the arrow wouldn’t kill me if it found its mark unless it took me in the head or neck, an impossibly difficult shot to make when the target was on horseback.

Or so I hoped.

I took out several more Geneshans with a hack or a kick. Twice, I ran the enemy down using my horse as a weapon. A fearless mount was a handy thing in battle.

Finally, I reached Hamath. He had been forced to stop as several Geneshans encircled him. Another dozen were within moments of joining the group.

I dashed toward him, slicing off half a Geneshan’s face, severing an outstretched enemy arm, and kicking another in the chin.

“Get on!” I shouted.

From the corner of my eye, Hamath finished off another before jumping behind me. I spun the horse, knocking the sword from a thrusting Geneshan.

“Hurry,” he said. “We don’t have much time.”

I kicked my horse forward with the enemy charging. Arrows zipped by all around us. Ahead, Ira and Dekar fought against a small cluster of Geneshans as the last of Hamath’s squad got themselves mounted.

“Everyone go!” I shouted.

They all broke free and kicked their horses hard.

Something painful struck my right upper arm. I swore, glancing at the wound. The point of a crossbow bolt jutted out one side of my arm, the fletching poked out the other.

“Molak’s balls!”

“You all right?”

“Fine,” I said, urging my mount on.

The rest of the men, as well as any horses they had managed to wrangle with them, were ahead of us. Riding double had put us in the rear, though still far ahead of the fading enemy. I peeked over my shoulder as a couple of Geneshans managed to capture some of the loose horses. They might be on us soon, but I wasn’t worried about five or six against our number.

The earth began to rumble, a low growl like an alpha dog being challenged.

Hamath muttered, “I thought we had more time than that.”

The growl increased in volume. The earth shook, causing the horse to panic. It took effort to control the creature.

The rumble stopped suddenly. I turned the horse at an angle to watch the Geneshan camp as we fled. Then like a flash of lightning, a pulse that caused the air to shiver over the camp struck. It sent a wave of power outward in all directions. The ground rippled, dirt and rock took to the sky.

I didn’t have to kick the horse beneath me. It felt the power and ran harder. I just had to hold on. The others crested a small rise in the land ahead of us, quickly disappearing to the other side. We weren’t far from that rise and closing fast.