The Realms of Animar (34 page)

He looked down at the two guards standing idle near the closed gate.

“One of you run and get Avryn,” he ordered. “The other get this gate open.”

The two men looked at one another blankly, unsure who should take action. “Now!” Semu roared.

***

Avryn climbed the steps leading to the walkway with Mordigal following closely behind. He had woken the assassin - although he wondered if the wolf ever really slept - after Semu had alerted him. Mordigal was their only insight into the mind of their enemy and, if the army was indeed approaching, his thoughts could be valuable.

The men reached the platform and quickly spotted Semu and Arodon, two strikingly different figures whose attention was now locked somewhere in the distance.

“Arodon, I heard there was a fight,” Avryn said as he approached. “Are your men ok?”

Avryn was immediately struck by the Aquan’s unusual features that were even more spine-chilling when cast in moonlight. His lipless mouth then opened.

“We met an attack party in the woods,” Arodon said. “There were twenty or so, it was dark and hard to tell. They were brown with thick fur and clawed fingers. They stayed in animal form mostly and didn’t last long, but a few got away. We surprised them when they tried to cross the river but we could not match them on foot.”

“Probably foxes or dogs,” Mordigal said. “Fatalis won’t waste his best troops on skirmishes like that. He was likely testing the forest before marching through.”

“Do you think he will attack at night?” Avryn asked.

“I doubt it,” Mordigal replied. “He will want to watch the event unfold personally.”

“Probably better for us then,” Avryn said. A thought then popped into his mind and he asked, “So what is his animalkind any way? We had some ideas but I meant to ask you about that.”

Mordigal stared up at the sliver of a moon. He then turned to the king, “Fatalis is an abomination, a giant cat unlike any other with enormous teeth and reflexes that amaze even me. They call him a sabertooth and when you see him you will know why.”

“Sounds charming,” Avryn said then focused his attention on the cloud cover above. “They are separating a bit. Maybe we can see something now.”

The others looked up at the sky then stared into the distance as a wave of faint light slowly crept across the land and slowly, ever so slowly, revealed the terrain. Their voices were silent as they watched, anxious to learn what lurked unseen in the darkness.

Far to the west, where the fields gave way to the forest, a swarming evil horde was exposed. The mass of carnivore soldiers blanketed the land near the trees and disappeared within to an unknown depth. From afar it seemed to pulse and throb, as if it was a single entity that had been plucked from the darkest realms of evil.

Avryn could not make out detail but their numbers were incredible. He had feared a thousand and several times that had come.

“Now there is a sight,” Mordigal said, breaking the tension that had captured the group.

“Indeed,” Arodon added.

“It’s not too late to head back Arodon,” Avryn suggested.

The Aquan shook his head and replied, “Our fates are tied now King of the Land Dwellers. Those that escaped us in the woods certainly told them of our kind and they will march all the way to the shore. There is no choice. We will fight to the death.”

Avryn knew he was right. Fatalis would not forgive any who dared challenge him. He then turned to Semu, “It’s time. Sound the alarm and get those not fighting to the tunnel. But first give me a few minutes to wake my son first. He isn’t going to be happy.”

***

Thane stirred quickly, almost the instant that his father’s hand touched his chest. Still in his clothes he sat up in bed, wondering if finally it was time to fight. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the burning lantern his mother was holding by the door. Her sad face was awash in a soft orange glow that danced about the room as if the burning wick was somehow excited by the imminent bloodshed.

“Is it time?” Thane said, practically leaping out of bed. “Are they here?”

“They are close,” his father replied. “Come, follow me. We need to get ready.”

Thane reached for his swords that he always kept next to his bed. Every night he placed them within reach, always within reach. He would sometimes feel for them in the night as if they somehow comforted his nightmares. He knew he had placed them there last night but now they were gone.

“Where are they?” he asked.

“I moved them to where you will get ready,” Avryn replied. “Don’t worry. They are safe.”

“Why? Why would you do that?”

“Come on,” his father urged, grabbing Thane by the hand. “We need to go.”

Thane shook his hand free and closed his eyes. He would go where he wanted. They couldn’t stop him.

“No!” his father yelled.

“I’m not going to the tunnel!”

“Listen,” Avryn pleaded. “I won’t make you go to the tunnel, I promise. But if you go now you won’t find them. If you want your swords you will have to come with me.”

Thane had no choice but to go with his father. As they left the room, he stopped at his mother when he spotted tears trickling down her cheeks.

“Sweetie, we love you,” she said, sniffling. “Always know we love you.”

Her words tugged at his heart. He understood her grief, she was afraid he wouldn’t return from battle.

“I will be fine mother,” Thane said as he hugged her. “Don’t worry about me. I will make you proud.”

Felia wiped the tears from her face. “Oh Thane, you already have honey.”

Thane smiled and paused briefly to carve her loving face to memory one last time just in case. He then turned to his father and followed him out of the house and into the night.

Together they walked at a brisk pace through the quiet village streets and eventually arrived at the stockade that had briefly held Mordigal a few months back. Two large guards were posted beside the door, armed with spears and standing at attention.

Thane stopped immediately and glared at his father. Avryn continued to the door, withdrew a key ring from around his belt and then looked over his shoulder.

“Oh come on, what are you afraid of?” his father asked. “We have them under close watch. Where else would we store them?”

Still uncertain, Thane felt something was wrong. After a brief hesitation he shrugged. There was no reason not to trust his own father.

The lock opened with a loud click and he followed Avryn into the small building where indeed his swords were waiting, still sheathed and sitting on a table in the far corner of the room.

Anxious, Thane moved past his father and toward the alluring blades. They called to him as if they yearned for his grasp, somehow longed to feel his power.

Before he could reach his precious weapons he was startled when something struck his wrist. It was cold and hard and when he looked down he was shocked to see a metal shackle had been clamped shut. It was a binding chained to the wall that had been designed to prevent escape. He had been tricked. His father has tricked him!

Avryn backed away as tears swelled in his eyes.

“I’m sorry son,” his father said. “Listen to me, please.”

Thane glared at him with hate-filled eyes. He thrashed and tore at the chain. He tried to use his gift but it was no use, his abilities were worthless when in contact with metal. He was a prisoner.

“NO!” Thane screamed.

“Listen son, please. This is for your own good. I can’t lose you, we can’t lose you.”

Thane then remembered his mother’s tearful exchange minutes prior. She had known. How could they do this to him? Why would they do this? As panic set in, he tugged on the chain as hard as he could, ignoring the pain as the metal tore into his flesh. Reason was gone and he was now consumed by anger.

“Please Thane stop,” his father pleaded. “They are here for you. Don’t you see that? This monster wants to kill you – you Thane! I won’t let him. I will find him and end this myself!”

Thane abruptly stopped his thrashing while his chest heaved while he caught his breath. His face was red and shrouded in anger.

“So you will just leave me here?” Thane asked. “Let them find me chained up? Why not serve me on a platter father? Is that what you want?”

“No. No, of course not. Several of us have keys. If the battle turns bad someone will let you out so you can escape with the others.”

A loud horn sounded nearby. It was the alarm.

Avryn moved toward the door. “You will have to find it in your heart to forgive me. Some day when you have children you will understand.”

“No! Don’t do this! I need to find Alia!”

Then, with one more saddened glance at his son, Avryn left the building. He ignored his son’s pleas and turned his attention to the larger problems he had to deal with. In a matter of seconds the once peaceful village had turned to chaos.

***

Peering through the darkness with feline vision, Fatalis could make out the tiny walls of the village that stood in the distance. It sat atop a rather steep hill and was just as Ash had described yet for some reason it seemed small. He had expected more. It would be over before it started.

Fatalis roared and paced in front of his army as he enjoyed the rush of power that his animal form provided. His superior senses fueled a bloodlust within him, a hunger waiting to be quenched by his long, sharp fangs that tore the thickest flesh with ease.

Astutely aware of his environment, he smelled the blood as it sped through his men and felt their footsteps in his paws. His power was incredible.

Fear was a crippling weapon that Fatalis had mastered long ago. He craved the thought of the mindless cattle as they looked upon the horde that had come for them. He could imagine their thick skulls peering above the walls with eyes filled with terror while whatever ounce of courage they had mustered vanished in an instant.

All around him a swarm of hungry soldiers yelped and cheered, ready for battle. They were an awesome collection, a massive force of the deadliest beasts from across the land. He wanted to turn them loose. Not yet, but soon.

From his homeland in the north he had personally brought the cats - lions, panthers, tigers and scores of smaller species. They were the most eager to serve him because, after all, they were his blood.

From the southwest, the dogs had joined. He naturally hated them, but they were eager to prove their value. The pitiful things, they failed to realize the significance of being sent in first. Useless fodder to soften up the lines, that’s what they were.

Called from all parts of Animar, Vulpo had gathered an impressive legion of foxes. Although they were small and weak their speed proved a valuable weapon. He would use them to chase down any who tried to flee his wrath.

From the south, Crocuta had brought her swarm of devilish hyenas. Scavengers of the worst kind, Fatalis could slaughter them all himself. Against helpless sheep however they had a purpose, for there was power in numbers.

Of course there were also the wolves, his favorite kind outside of his own. Now that he was properly motivated, Ash had provided the direction the lupines so desperately had craved. Leaving nothing to chance, Fatalis had assigned them a single yet important task - to bring down Mordigal before he inflicted too much damage.

Lastly, in addition to the forces his generals had gathered, ruthless mercenaries of other kinds had joined the fight - boars, jackals, bears and more, all hungry for blood and anxious for a cause.

For weeks they had marched but finally their destination stood before them. He longed to see the destruction he would unleash but it wasn’t time. When dawn arrived Fatalis would unleash hell upon the village and when he tasted the blood of Avryn’s precious boy his destiny would at last be secured.

Chapter 36

G
uderian held the door open as an elderly woman stepped into the underground tunnel, guided by a small lantern that shed light into the waiting gloom. He could hear numerous whispered voices spilling forth from the nervous villagers that had taken shelter below. The woman turned and looked into his eyes and offered a slight smile. He nodded and then closed the door that sat flush with the ground and heard a loud
clank
when it was locked from the inside.

Far beyond the village walls the chants of countless soldiers began to escalate. He looked to the sky and realized that daybreak approached. Never before had a sunrise brought such a sense of dread.

“Cover it up,” Guderian said to a guard standing watch on the tunnel. “You know what to do.” He then called to a brown horse that was waiting nearby, “Trella! It’s time.”

She was a sturdy specimen, with a pitch black mane and solid brown coat. The majority of the horses were foot soldiers, fierce warriors who preferred to fight without rider but a few, like Trella, were not as adept with weaponry and had offered their services as mounts. When teamed with a highly skilled fighter they were a deadly combination.

When the horse reached Guderian she lowered herself to the ground and he quickly climbed onto her back. He turned back and watched as the guard covered the tunnel door with dirt.

Content with his work, he then leaned forward and asked, “Are you ready?”