Knights: Defenders of Ollanhar (Ollanhar Series Book 1) (33 page)

On some of the tables were the remains of a
feast—including large animal bones, some with meat still clinging to them. On
one table lay a large, half-eaten pig, its blackened flesh reeking of spices.
There were wine goblets as well, and the wine within them looked like blood.
The smell of incense and wax was strong in the air, as atop each table burned
incense stalks in vases and tall, red candles. A huge stone fireplace held
burning logs, yet the room still felt cold.

Lannon went to Vannas first and shook him, but the prince
would not respond. He was hopelessly lost in some trance, completely oblivious
to his surroundings. Lannon tried to remove the White Flamestone from his
hands—hoping it would awaken him—but he couldn’t budge it. The prince was
engulfed in a thin shield of pale fire that Lannon was unable to breach. He was
an immovable object that seemingly nothing could harm or affect in any way.

Lannon tried to free the others, but the Eye was unable to
pull apart their sorcerous chains. Lannon sensed that brute force wouldn’t work
this time, and he paused to contemplate the situation.

A noise reached his ears from behind and he whirled around.
A wine goblet had tipped over, spilling crimson liquid. A bloated rat was
creeping across the table in search of meat. It grabbed a bone with a bit of
ragged flesh on it and fled.

Nearby, the mist suddenly came to life—and a towering
figure leapt toward Lannon, long white claws tearing at his face.

Chapter
17:

The Defenders of Ollanhar

Three days had passed since the Gauntlet of Axes—three
days of Faindan celebrating in the tavern and being praised by his fellow
Knights. Now the mood had turned grim, and Faindan was summoned to a meeting in
Ollanhar’s Courtyard on a bright, sunny afternoon.

As Faindan stood looking about, he realized this could only
mean one thing: bloodshed was imminent. Gathered in the clearing was an army of
Divine Knights.
 
Furlus was there with
forty Red Knights, and Lort Greyshield and his twenty Brown Knights with their
spiked shields. Also present were the Nine Axes, and Fadar Stonebow and eight
elite archers.

Furlus got right to the point. “The time has come to
protect this tower,” he said, speaking loudly so everyone could hear.
“With the Council of Ollanhar absent, we knew there was a good chance we
would be attacked. Our enemies think we’re weak without the White Flamestone to
protect us. They think they can wrest the tower from our grasp!” Furlus’
eyes blazed as he talked.

The crowd watched him silence.

“Even as I speak,” Furlus went on, “Tenneth
Bard, our ancient enemy, is leading an army of Goblins and Blood Legion
warriors in our direction. I am certain he is secretly in league with King
Verlamer. This is an attempt to thwart Dremlock’s expansion, and they will show
us no mercy.”

Faindan glanced down at the stump where his hand used to
be. So this was a fight to the death. He had survived the Gauntlet of Axes—had
even emerged fully intact—but now he was faced with a different kind of
gauntlet, one where crazed Goblins and bloodthirsty barbarians would swarm on
him and his fellow Knights with the intent of killing them to the last fighter.
Any survivors would likely be tortured and executed. And apparently these were
all the Knights that Dremlock could spare.

“And there is more grim news,” said Furlus.
“Tenneth Bard wears the Hand of Tharnin—the gauntlet that caused us so
much misery in the past. That means his strength will be greater than ever.
Riding at his side is a powerful Legion Knight named Almdrax, who recently
returned from the realm of Tharnin. They lead at least one-hundred fighters,
including some kind of huge Centipede fitted with armor plating.”

“I don’t understand,” said one of the Brown
Knights. “How can we win against the Hand of Tharnin without the White
Flamestone?”

“Good question,” Furlus grunted. “I’ll get
to that in a moment, as I reveal our battle plan. Fadar and his archers will
shoot from the tower windows. Meanwhile, six Brown Knights will work our siege
engine.” Furlus motioned toward the large crossbow on wheels. “With
the Dragon Claw on our side, we should be able to take out the Centipede before
it does too much damage. The Red Knights will hurl burning lances into our
enemies’ ranks, and then we will close in.”

“What about Tenneth Bard?” asked Faindan.

“Leave him to me,” said Furlus, “and the
Nine Axes. We will attempt to surround the Black Knight and overwhelm him. We
will have to move quickly on horseback before he can use the Hand of Tharnin
against us.”

“Can I ride with you?” asked Faindan. “I am
an honorary member of the Nine Axes, after all. I want to go against Tenneth
Bard.” He spoke courageously, but inside he was afraid.

“Let him ride with us, Furlus,” said Valedos
Firehelm.

Furlus nodded. “Very well. But it could be a suicide
mission considering the foe we will be facing. Still want in?”

“Of course,” said Faindan, without hesitation.

“That brings something to mind,” said Furlus.
“I want to congratulate Faindan for making it through the Gauntlet of
Axes. Few Noracks have ever matched that feat. I believe Valedos has something
for you, Faindan.”

Valedos stepped forward. “I offer you this Glaetherin
shield. It is been modified for your missing hand. Give it a try.”

The Dwarf handed Faindan a small round shield that gleamed
in the sun. Faindan bowed and accepted the gift.

“The shield is actually a gift from Furlus,” said
Valedos, “but he felt I should be the one to present it to you. Guard it
well.”

Faindan found the shield to be a comfortable fit. It locked
into place securely on his forearm. He couldn’t believe his good fortune—ever
since losing his hand. How had it all come about? And why?

The Knights raised banners and cheered, vowing to defend
Ollanhar to the death. They took their battle positions and waited.

An hour passed, and a lone cloud blocked out the sun,
casting a shadow across the courtyard. Moments later a spy rode into the
clearing and gave a final report:
 
Tenneth Bard and his army had entered the oak grove. In moments they would
reach the clearing and the bloodshed would begin.

***

First came the Goblins, as usual, swarming into the
clearing like angry bees. Faindan sat in the saddle with his heart pounding,
waiting for the chaos to begin and wondering if death would find him on this
day.

In the midst of the Goblins was the Centipede, a crimson
beast twice as large as a horse, its spiked armor gleaming in the sunlight as
it scurried along. It moved with immense speed in spite of its bulk, its jaws
glistening with deadly venom. The sections of bony plates of the Centipede’s
body made clacking noises as it ran forward eagerly, driven to madness by dark
sorcery and craving human flesh. Behind the slew of Goblins rode Tenneth Bard
and Almdrax, along with twenty Blood Legion warriors.

Faindan glanced at Furlus, waiting for the signal to
proceed, but Furlus was busy shouting orders at his warriors.

A volley of arrows from Fadar Stonebow and his archers flew
from the tower windows, taking down several Goblins. Next came burning lances from
the Red Knights, which slew several more Goblins.

Meanwhile, the Brown Knights—with Furlus bellowing
commands at them—took aim at the Centipede with the mighty crossbow and fired
all ten spears. And somehow they missed, with two of the spears piercing the
ground on either side of the scurrying monster.

“Blast it all!” Furlus growled in dismay.

Then the two armies met, and the Dragon Claw no longer had
a clear shot and Furlus ordered it abandoned. Blazing swords hacked at
drooling, leaping Goblins, and black smoke rose into the air from smoldering
fur and flesh. The spiked shields of the Brown Knights tore vicious wounds in
their foes.

The Centipede bit an attacking Red Knight in two, its jaws
expanding around the unlucky fellow and then crunching through his steel armor
with ease. This caused shock and dismay amongst the other Knights.

But the Centipede was only getting started. After crushing
a Knight to death with its weight, it spit acid onto a group of Brown Knights,
causing severe burns that took three of them out of the fight. Swords, axes,
arrows, and spiked shields glanced off the Centipede’s armor and the hard shell
of its body.

Faindan couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The size and
power of the Centipede was very intimidating. The beast almost seemed
invincible as it twisted about searching for new victims. Faindan wondered how
Tenneth Bard had conjured up this monster and was controlling it—and he
suspected the Hand of Tharnin had something to do with it. The gauntlet was
known for its ability to control the mighty beasts of Tharnin that otherwise
were uncontrollable.

Furlus gave the signal, and Faindan and the Nine Axes rode
forward, cutting a path through their foes. Faindan steadied his nerves and
summoned fire into his sword, even as a Jackal leapt toward him. He smashed the
beast aside with his shield, and Valedos cut it down with his axe.

Tenneth Bard saw their advance and rode forward eagerly to
meet them on his Goblin steed, his black cloak billowing. His twin swords were
sheathed, but he held up the Hand of Tharnin as he rode, the pair of blue
stones in the gauntlet shining brightly with evil energy. As before, his face
was concealed by shadow beneath his hood, but his aura was unmistakable. This
was the Black Knight who had lived for centuries and was determined to see
Dremlock Kingdom fall and the Deep Shadow spread throughout the world.

Tenneth Bard pointed the gauntlet at Furlus and a fireball
shot toward the Dwarf. Furlus batted it aside with his axe, but he was thrown
off balance and fell from the saddle. An instant later several Goblins swarmed
on him.

Furlus rose, hacking at his foes with Dwarven fury,
momentarily distracted. A mighty Wolf rose up on two legs beside him and he cut
the beast in two. Foul Goblin blood dripped from his beard as he cleaved into
his foes.

One of the Nine Axes leapt from the saddle at Tenneth Bard,
axe raised high in the air. It was a quick, agile leap that looked as if it
would catch the Black Knight off guard. But Tenneth Bard caught him by the throat
with the Hand of Tharnin and shook him viciously while crushing the life from
him. Laughing, the Black Knight hurled the dead body aside.

His face twisted with rage, Valedos Firehelm swung at
Tenneth Bard’s neck, but Tenneth Bard deflected the axe with his gauntlet. The
Black Knight drew one of his gleaming, curved swords and shoved it against
Valedos’ chest. The sword failed to penetrate the Glaetherin armor, but the
force of the thrust knocked Valedos off his horse—sending him head over heels
from the saddle.

Tenneth Bard turned and shot a fireball at another of the
Nine Axes. It struck the Dwarf’s chest and burned right through his steel armor
that was reinforced with veins of Glaetherin. The Glaetherin strands remained
intact—but gaping holes were burned through the steel and the flesh was
destroyed beneath. The Knight gazed down in shock at his smoking chest, and
then he toppled dead from his horse.

Tenneth Bard bellowed laughter.

Almdrax slew a Brown Knight that tried to attack Tenneth
Bard from behind. The huge Blood Legion warrior, who was protected by dark
plate armor and a horned helm, drove his smoldering battle axe into the Brown
Knight’s spiked shield—splitting it in two and then cleaving through armor,
flesh, and bone. Almdrax’s eyes glowed yellow beneath his helm, his bearded
face bearing a sadistic grin as he watched the dead Knight tumble to the
ground.

Horrified by what he was witnessing, Faindan tried to ride
close to Tenneth Bard for an attack—but Goblins kept getting in his way.

High up in a tower window, Fadar Stonebow took aim at the
Centipede and waited. While the others continued to release arrows, the
legendary archer sought a perfect shot. It was extremely difficult to wait and
watch the carnage, but he held position like a statue, his bow bent to the
maximum.

His arrow burned golden with the Sacred Fire—a power that
Tree Dwellers were typically forbidden by law to wield outside of Borenthia.
Yet Fadar alone had been recently granted permission by the Birlotes to ignore
that law (thanks to some lengthy negotiations involving Aldreya and Prince
Vannas). It was an immense honor. He was supposed to use it only to defend
Dremlock, but he reasoned that because Ollanhar was a distant part of the
Divine Kingdom its use here was justified.

And then Fadar saw his opportunity, as the Centipede’s jaws
opened wide for a kill. He released the burning arrow—and watched it fly
straight into the Centipede’s mouth. The golden fire burned ever hotter, and
black smoke poured from the monster’s jaws. The Centipede went berserk,
thrashing around and sending warriors leaping and tumbling to avoid it.

In its fit of madness, the Centipede rolled onto its back
to expose its more vulnerable underbelly, and the Divine Knights fell on it
with their blazing weapons, piercing deep into its body. Soon it shuddered and
went still.

The Knights cheered.

But Faindan Stillsword was only vaguely aware of the battle
around him. All he knew was the real threat—Tenneth Bard—was still seated
arrogantly in the saddle, shooting fireballs at Divine Knights and doing
immense damage. Meanwhile, Goblins and Legion warriors blocked anyone trying to
get to him.

Faindan swung his sword at a Jackal and missed—nearly
falling from the saddle in the process. Valedos cut down the Jackal, but then a
leaping Wolf nearly took Faindan from his perch. He managed to barely duck it
as it flew over him, the Wolf’s claws raking the top of his head and drawing
blood.

A battle-scarred Legion Soldier—hooting strangely like an
owl—tried to ram Faindan in the gut with a spear, but Faindan blocked with his
shield and then kicked the spear upward, smashing the hooting warrior in the
nose. Clutching his bleeding nose, the warrior stopped hooting and ran away
with a horrified look on his face, as if he had suddenly lost the will to
fight.

Must have embarrassed him
, Faindan thought.
Weird
.

 
After being
momentarily lost in a sea of chaos, Faindan found himself right next to Tenneth
Bard. The Black Knight was looking in another direction, and Faindan had an
easy opportunity to attack. He was about to swing when he realized his blade
held no fire. He had let it falter in the confusion of battle.

Focusing his mind, Faindan called fire into the
sword—making it burn as hot as he possibly could. Once again he remembered the
image of Kuran Darkender that had appeared to him in the moat, and then he
heard cries around him from the Divine Knights:
 
“Behold, the White Fire!”

Faindan looked around, thinking Prince Vannas had returned
with his Flamestone, but then he realized the White Fire was in his blade. He
gazed at the pale flames that engulfed the weapon in surprise, and then he
lashed out at Tenneth Bard just as the Black Knight turned in his direction.

Tenneth Bard raised the Hand of Tharnin, and there was an
explosion of white sparks as the blade connected with the gauntlet. Both
Faindan and Tenneth Bard were flung from their horses—and both quickly leapt
up from the ground.