Wine of the Gods 4: Explorers (4 page)

Then he led them out and around the Auralians, to start harassing them from the rear.

In their first sweep past the raiders their short bows hit two men, and several of the draft horses. That stopped the column's march, and they were able to lead the pursuing soldiers off into the badlands, split them and kill half a dozen of them.

Then back to the column, this time from the far side, with less success.

The horses were exhausted, and the sun setting. Jin pulled back into a draw with a tiny water seep. Knowing the ground was their only advantage, and he was going to use it. Leaving the horses, the tired men spread out across the dese
rt and crept toward the Auralian's position.

They were holding some sort of ceremony.

Burial rites for the men who'd died today.

The man officiating was not the older officer, but a youth. Slim and athletic, he stood on a flat stone shelf, a foot above the soldiers.

"Our brothers died in the name of Peace.

"As we came to bring Peace, they have brought us War.

"We came into this empty land and we were attacked, slaughtered.

"Empty handed, in friendship, bringing the blessings of civilization, we came.

"Thus were we received, but we shall bring Peace.

"Tomorrow we will push on to this 'Gemstone', and we shall make it ours in the name of Peace, and we will dwell peacefully among them.

For a moment Jin wavered. He had not, in fact, asked the strangers their business. But then he looked over the assembly. All male, all armed, military discipline and marching order . . . There were a few women in the wagons, whores, or possibly captives. The only way this many men would live in peace in a town the size of Gemstone would be if they killed all the men and kept their wives. Jin winced at bitter memories. He should know. The Old Gods knew their wives knew how it worked.

The soldiers were up on their feet now, chanting "Peace! Peace! Peace!" as other armies had been known to chant 'Victory!'

Jin heard the clink of shod hooves, and slid backwards, bow in hand, ready to slow the first alarm and pursuit as the soldiers to one side became aware that a string of horses was departing. Two men, only slightly alarmed, trotted to catch the string and Jin waited as long as he dared before he put an arrow into the leader. Hostilities confirmed, the alarm went up and Jin withdrew carefully as commands flew and organized forays replaced the initial chaos.

They only kept one of the strings that had been cut loose, but the invaders had spent the better part of the night chasing, and then guarding, horses. Jin and his men shot a dozen more invaders, and Risti was injured. In the pre-dawn they saddled up and headed home.

Whether the delay had been worth the risk, only time would tell.

They were nearly ambushed in turn by their own men. Jin blessed Ornisto and briefed Young Henner on what they faced and what he was planning on doing. "They only have a two-to-one advantage on us, and we'll whittle that down a bit as they move today. We'll keep about of a third of our people mobile, and the rest will hold the ridge." He pondered logistics. "I'll send food and grain to the Middle Springs. Make sure the Auralians, or whoever they are, don't follow you there."

"Yes, sir." With a snappy salute.

Hmm, maybe mil
itary discipline could survive two years of farming.

He was back on the ridge shortly after dawn.

Ornisto briefed him. Jin returned the favor. He frowned when he spotted Mev on the ridge.

"She insisted. And there are so many little foot paths up over the ridge that I need the older women to watch them, and throw and roll rocks while they scream bloody murder. The younger women have taken all of the children and the less useful of the horses off for the High Vale. Lady Cina says she'll keep a watch and cross the pass if the wrong men come after them." He looked suggestively at the tents set up on a flat spot.

Jin nodded. "I'd better eat first through. Then I'll sleep. And then fight."

He slept fitfully, as horses and men came and went. By noon the Auralians were in sight, and dismounted to form up in their fighting array. Uniforms glittered, a flag hung limp. Yep. Auralians.

They sent an emissary, and Jin walked out with two officers, the Corporal, and a boy to run messages.

"We come in Peace. Why do you make War?" the man demanded in a loud orator's voice. He kept his distance and ensured everyone could hear.

"Why did you not come first? Your armed spies prowling at night attacked a man here in our town. A poor start to proving the peaceful intent of two hundred armed men in a military column, bearing the colors of a foreign nation."

"We sent no spies. If your constables cannot find your sneak thieves, it is not our fault, although we can assist you in fixing the problem. In these unclaimed wastes, we must all work together for Peace."

Jin snorted. "We need no assistance, and these lands are part of the Kingdom of the West. I hold these lands through a grant of King Rebo Negue."

"King Negue cannot give away what he does not own."

"Indeed. Is this a Declaration of War I hear? Does Auralia seek to contend for the control of these lands?"

"We come in Peace, to unite all of mankind under a single banner, to stop all strife, forever."

"Nothing is forever."

"Peace is. Behold! The God of Peace has arrived!"

Light flashed at the flat top of a rock knob halfway between Jin and the Auralian army. The youth from the ceremony last night, mounted on a horse. In the daylight, youth and horse were equally golden. Jin's skin crawled and the hair stood up on the back of his neck.
Not again! Not Wizards!

"Do you accept Peace?" T
he golden youth's voice carried unnaturally.

"Turn and leave us, and we will both know Peace." Jin called back.

The youth spun the palomino. He raised his hand to the Auralian Army. "Bring them Peace!" He bellowed, and swept his arm down to point at Jin.

A roar rose from the Army, and they started advancing in order, shields up.

Jin caught muttering and unease behind him. "Hold steady lads, we know all about magic." He hesitated, this could be a bad idea . . . "Get me torches, six of them, quickly." Jesse took off running as Jin and his officers retreated more slowly.

The Auralian Emissary was retreating too, and Jin checked out the terrain  . . . a flat topped knob, only about ten feet across, but three feet high. This would do. He climbed up as Jesse returned with the torches, one lit. Smart boy.

Jin lit the rest, and lay them equidistantly around the flat topped knob. In the daylight, they were more noticeable for the thin strings of dark smoke from the tar that impregnated them, than the actual flames. He stepped  back and raised his voice. "God of War. God of Defenders. Help us today as we fight for our families and our freedom." He turned to face the ridge. "War!" he bellowed.
Let them take heart, do not let a bit of flash steal their resolve.
Let them believe.

"War!" His men yelled back at him. "War!" as he jumped off the knob and started back for the ridge. "War!"

He saw the Corporal's eye widen in shock, and spun, ready to defend himself.

A black horse reared in the center of the torches, the rider all in black and silver, a glittering sword raised. The horse's front hooves touched down in the inadequate space. The rider faced him.

"Who calls the God of War?"

"Jin Genero. Liege of King Rebo of the Kingdom of the West. These Auralians threaten our homes, in the name of peace." Jin braced suddenly weak knees.

"Peace." The god's dark eyes glittered deep in the helmet, and the black horse spun. "So I see."

The golden youth had been watching silently, and now he spoke. "We outnumber you two-to-one, Old Man."

"Obviously you know nothing of war, Boy. Were you three-to-one against a prepared defense, I might be concerned. As it is, you are about to be given a lesson in battlefield tactics." The black horse leaped from the knob and stretched out in a flat run. Jin gasped as the huge creature bore down on the golden youth.

The boy gawped for a moment, fumbled for his sword and a panicked expression spread across his face as the black horse closed the distance with uncanny
speed. A flash of light, and Peace was gone. The black rider swerved enough to bypass the knob and bore down on the dismounted foot soldiers. Officers screamed orders, but the charge had been too sudden, too swift. A few pikes came into position, but the black horse swerved and hit the least prepared part of the front. Men screamed and the glittering sword swung, throwing red from its tip. The black rider burst through the back of the formation and bore down on the  rear guard. They were minding the horses and the wagons, in no formation at all and were slaughtered in a single zigzag pass. The horses scattered, bolting or milling around. The black rider swung around for another pass, and Young Henner popped up out of an arroyo at a gallop, ten lancers forming up on him.

The Auralian officers were asserting order, but with the black rider on one side and the lancers on the other they were in trouble.

Jin turned and bellowed up the slopes, "Archers forward! Ornisto, get a shield wall down here."

The lancers made a pass through the back of the troops, and turned for another. The black rider had killed all the soldiers around the wagons, and Jin could see about half the wagons being driv
en off to the east by the women that he'd seen last night. Two of the other wagons, without drivers, were moving, the horses spooked and driven at the Auralians as they started getting a shield wall organized. The black rider hit a horse with the flat of his blade and the team broke into a gallop.

Most of the Auralians got out of the way. One horse was impaled on a pike, bringing its teammate down in a thrashing, kicking tangle as the wagon tipped and rolled into the foot soldiers. Henner and the
god charged into the confusion.

The Auralians managed to rally, and retreated behind a shield wall to the remaining two wagons, and Jin grabbed a horse and galloped out to command his men to let them go.

He organized his people quickly, one force shadowing the Auralians, the others rounding up stray animals and the women's wagons to limit the Auralians' resources.

When he paused to catch his breath and look around, there was no sign of the God of War.

"I may have to build a temple," he muttered.

***

Lefty cleared his throat. "I don't suppose anyone could explain that to me? I've gotten used to wizards popping in and out, but that was strange even for you. Us. Whatever."

"Someone has prayed to the God of War, and like it or not, he's gone to deal with their problem. He'll be back soon enough." Harry looked worriedly out the door. "Although one always worries what is going on in the
world, that requires the attention of a god."

As explanations went, that one was unsettling. Lefty looked at the others, then back to Harry. "Did you say 'The God of War?' You don't mean
The
God of War, do you?" His stomach was sinking at their surprised expressions.

Never snickered. "I keep forgetting you didn't grow up here. Yes.
The
God of War.
The
Auld Wulf. What did you think he was?"

"A mage." Lefty looked around the Tavern, eyeing the men and women. Eyed Harry. Never and Question were rather obviously trying to not laugh.

Dydit nodded toward Harry. "God of the Roads."

"Do you mean to tell me you were being
serious
when you called Romeau the God of Love!"

Harry tapped a spot on the map. "You've penciled in some mountains here?"

Lefty gave him a dubious look over, but pulled his attention back to the map. "Yes. When the wind is strong enough to clear the steam and fog, you can spot mountains that stick up through the ice cap. The increased elevation may be why we haven't cleared the ice, yet. Unless the hotsprings quit altogether, we should be out fairly early this summer."

Dydit tapped the map thoughtfully. "Once we're out, we should have warmer weather, and if we keep going south, we could stay out quite a long time, maybe
spend winter far to the south over there. We could report, pick up supplies and send the kids back for school, before we get too far from the Rip hotsprings."

"No! Not without us! We'll be good!"

They all blinked at the little girl in the corner. Never looked exasperated. "Aren't you supposed to be in school."

"Miss Nina said I could read while she worked with the other students." Rustle held out a thick story book, as evidence of her exemplary behavior.

"I suspect she expected you to stay at school while reading." Never pointed out the door. The girl slunk out.

"Once she starts doing 'unnoticeable' consciously she's going to
be impossible to keep track of," Dydit said.

"Ha! Just look for someone who's talking about something interesting. Or failing that, the Auld Wulf. Bad case of hero worship there."