Zachania (44 page)

“Sire we should
make camp, the paths are to hazardous for the horses under the
blanket of night.”

King Arun
turned to Ganasis.

“What do you
think Ganasis?”

“I think it
would be advisable, we can resume our journey at dawn.”

So they rode
around the next valley where they found an open patch of land where
they tied their horses and began to build a fire.

They had chosen
a spot to camp, which was frequently used by merchants and soldiers
who did not wish to open to the vicious freezing winds that
sometimes swept around the mountains especially at night when the
temperature would fall dramatically.

Once the fire
was lit the men gathered around to keep them-selves warm where
Talon began to speak.

“Tell me
Ganasis what you would want to see at the border?”

Ganasis was
playing with a stick pushing and pulling it in the fire and when he
heard Talon’s question he threw the stick into the fire and turned
to him.

“Firstly I want
to see if the Talisman I hid is still there and secondly I need to
get a feel of the place.”

“A feel
Ganasis.” King Arun broke in.

“A sense really
I want to feel if there is any magic from the Empire’s wizards
there.”

“And if there
is?” Talon asked.

“Then I will
have to prepare, I will have to anticipate what they will do and
make precautions.”

“Are you saying
they could have left a talisman too?”

“No I don’t
think so; I would be very surprised if they did.”

Talon thought
for a moment then asked another question.

“You left one
Ganasis.”

Ganasis then
realised that he wasn’t explaining himself very clearly.

“Yes Talon I
did, but I had the great fortune to be taught by the god Apollo. He
showed me many secrets and the Talisman I left contained some of
his hair, he once cut some off and gave it to me, I was told I
could use it once to make a spell, a spell that would last forever,
but the spell could not be a weapon or a means to death but only
for defence, so I respected his word and made a Talisman that
stopped any magic entering Zachania at the border.”

“And we all owe
you our life’s for that Ganasis.”

Talon thought
for a moment before asking another question.

“Ganasis you
say no magic can enter Zachania but I have seen Zumal and other
wizards use truth crystals along with other things.”

“They are just
tricks Talon, wizards tricks passed down from decades and
centuries, the magic I speak of is magic that can change the
weather, or has the power to send imaginary flames onto the
battlefield which actually burn, powers that can summon plagues of
insects, things like this could have been used on our land if it
wasn’t for the Talisman.”

Talon and the
King sighed as what they had just listened to made them realise the
horrors of war and worse still what horrors may soon be to
come.

“So these are
the tricks of the Empire Ganasis, and they used this magic on us”
Arun asked with a caution in his voice as if he didn’t want to know
the answer.

Ganasis looked
at Arun out of the corner of his eye and replied in a voice, which
was cold and full of warning.

“They used this
and many other things and they will use them again.”

The King took a
fleeting glimpse at Talon before turning back to Ganasis.

“How by the
gods do we defend this?”

“We can make
our own spells but I cannot be present at every battle but then
again nor can the Empires wizards, these things level themselves
out over time that is part of the battle.”

Talon who was
thinking seemed distracted.

“Talon” Arun
said nudging him.

“What’s on your
mind?” Ganasis asked.

“I was thinking
of spinal powder and now you tell me that the wizards have the
magic to alter the weather.”

Ganasis smiled
at Talon picking up on this as he had already thought about it.

“I have been
thinking about it Talon, the wizards must have altered the wind to
a soft breeze just enough to carry the powder but not enough to
raise our suspicions, it was very clever.”

“What do you
mean Ganasis?” asked the King.

“They deceived
me! If the wind had suddenly changed direction and started to blow
a gale then I would have suspected something, but a light breeze it
never got my attention, it was clever and it worked but they will
not deceive me again!”

“It sounds like
you’re going to be busy Ganasis.” Talon added.

“Indeed! A
wizards task on the battlefield is a battle of wills, they send a
spell and I send a spell back, back and forth we go trying to find
a weakness in the others magic, it can go on for hours even days
and is exhausting, I remember one battle near Zanlia when we were
approaching a hill and then all of a sudden millions upon millions
of rats came into view coming across the hill, the whole hill was
amass of moving vermin, it looked terrifying, so quick as I could I
conjured a spell for the rats to fear us but with so many I had to
keep saying the spell over and over and this went on for hours and
after the battle I was so drained I had to rest for nearly a week.
Let me warn you now be ready to see and do battle against such
horrors, such of the like you have never seen of imagined before,
the Empire will use everything in their power to defeat us.”

Talon hesitated
for a moment then turned to Ganasis and looked at him very
seriously.

“I am ready
Ganasis, whatever comes I will fight it.”

Ganasis then
slapped King Arun on the leg.

“See my King!
This is what we need, blind courage and the strength to overcome
adversity; this is the will we need in our soldiers.”

Arun looked
back at Ganasis looking somewhat shocked.

“Ganasis I have
absolute faith in my army, their morale and spirits are high.”

Ganasis raised
his finger in the air as he replied to the King.

“You say their
moral is high good! well let’s see if their moral is high when they
have to march fifty miles and then fight a battle at the end of it
and march another fifty miles without rest, if you can still say
their moral is high after that then you would have succeeded in
being there King.”

King Arun just
nodded back as he contemplated the wizard’s words when Ganasis let
out a loud yawn.

“I think I will
sleep tonight.” he said allowing himself a little luxury.

“Yes old man
you sleep tonight, you have been working solidly for two days and
nights.”

Talon said
before moving closer to the fire and holding out his hands to warm
them where King Arun moved closer to whisper to him.

“I am really
taken by that old man.” the King said quietly as Ganasis was making
himself comfortable, Talon looked over his shoulder and saw the
wizard now lying and trying to get comfortable.

“He is some man
Arun, his zest and energy for life shames us all, I have never seen
a man with such life in him.”

Arun then
nudged Talon on the arm and moved his head closer making sure that
Ganasis could not hear.

“Talon we have
not forgotten that if it wasn’t for you then Ganasis would not be
here.”

Talon remained
silent for a moment before replying.

“Nor must we
forget that it was Neo who gave his life so Ganasis can be by our
side.”

King Arun just
nodded and looked at Talon sincerely enough that no words were
needed.

“I think it’s
time we get some rest to sire” Talon suddenly snapped

The King said
goodnight to Talon but stayed sitting fiddling about with the fire,
soon the flames made his mind wander and he began to think about
the future and what it was going to bring, after a few minutes the
King laid back next to Talon and just stared up at the stars.

“Talon.” he
said softly.

Talon who was
half asleep opened his eyes and answered.

“Yes Arun.”

The King paused
for a moment before speaking as if being hesitant he then rolled
his head over and caught Talon’s eye.

“Talon I do not
want to be remembered as a King who led his people to destruction,
do you really believe we can win.”

“Yes Arun I
believe, do you not believe.”

“My heart
believes but my head sometimes has its doubts.”

Talon then woke
and sat up.

“What do you
doubt Arun?”

King Arun
looked back at the stars and tried to hold back his pride as he
told Talon his fears.

“I think it is
the unknown that I fear and maybe I question my own competence, I
have heard stories about the Empire all my life but I have never
stepped foot outside of Zachania, tell me Talon is wrong for a King
to fear.”

Talon looked
across to Arun and spoke very strong.

“I won’t lie to
you Arun, the Empire is indeed something to fear but if we did not
fear them, then I would say we are fools, myself and Ganasis have
spoken frequently about you and we both respect and have full faith
in you, you ask me if it is wrong for a King to fear, my answer is
that it is a Kings duty to fear, your fear is for your subjects,
the men you lead but you will have to find a way to control that
fear, confront it and make it your friend, you must never let your
imagination turn your fear into your enemy, remember if fear
overcomes you then you will credit your enemy’s with qualities that
they do not possess.”

The King
thought for a second and then replied.

“How do you
keep your fears at bay?”

“I believe in
my abilities and I acknowledge the fact that sometimes you can do
the right thing yet still be wrong.”

“Talon but I am
King! If I am wrong then it could mean the deaths for many
people.”

“Is it not the
same for me Arun, there are no guarantees my friend, you could make
a right decision yet still life’s are lost, I think it is
confidence that you need and that will come with experience and
luck, you must accept that in the coming weeks thousands of
Zachanian’s may die and you have already took on the responsibility
as King, you are now our leader and I for one admire your courage
for that decision, you must now use that courage and channel it
into your confidence Arun, we are certain that you will be a great
King but you must believe that yourself.”

Arun then
reached out and took Talon’s hand.

“Will you help
me to be a good King and leader Talon?”

Talon frowned
as if reassuring his sincerity.

“I will always
be here for you, as your loyal subject and as your friend.”

There was a
cold chill in the air the next morning as wind blowing off the
mountains swept down into the valley making it difficult for
Ganasis who was trying without much success to light a fire.

“Ganasis! Are
you alright?”

“Damn fire!”
Ganasis snapped back.

King Arun woke
as Ganasis cursed and soon the men gathered their supplies and
after watering the horses they rode out of the valley and back into
the mountains, after a day’s ride they finally made it through the
mountain range where Talon studied the barren wilderness, it was
lifeless just rock and desert .

“The border is
not far now Talon.” King Arun said thankful.

“Arun this
place is so open and vast.” Talon said commenting on the
landscape.

The King agreed
as he looked around himself looking at the Zachra Mountains to his
left and the mountain ranges of Zabac to his right.

When they
reached the encampment at the border they came across their first
blockade where two soldiers one of which was a captain came out to
greet them, the other soldier who stood back a bit was a Colonel,
King Arun pushed his horse to the front where the colonel
recognised the Kings shield and instantly the colonel realised that
Prince Arun was now the King, the colonel dropped down on one knee
and saluted him.

“SIRE!” he said
proudly.

“Rise Colonel
Rise.” Arun said while using his arm to urge the man to stand. The
colonel got to his feet and asked the King how he could be of
service to him, the King told him they were checking the border and
asked the Colonel if all was well which the Colonel answered that
everything was fine.

King Arun and
his party then headed for the second encampment where they found
thousands of soldiers all busy practising drills and preparing
themselves. The royal party tied up their horses then the King,
Talon and Ganasis walked into the largest tent on the camp. When
they entered they met General Kanyan who was a senior and loyal
officer in Arun’s own army and had been a personal friend of Arun
since childhood.

“Arun you’re
wearing the Kings crest, is your father ok.” Kanyan asked looking
concerned, as he had not yet received word of the coronation.

“He is fine
Kanyan I am the King now.”

“Your father
stepped aside.”

Arun just
nodded and smiled.

General Kanyan
then saluted Arun by dropping to his knee.

“Sire!” he said
loudly before the King told him to get up.

“Kanyan, this
is Ganasis and this is Talon, you are to take orders from them
also.”

The General
stepped forward and greeted them but as he heard the name Talon he
stared deeply at him because even in this desolate and isolated
place his name had reached them. The General then turned his
attention back to the King.

“Sire what can
we do for you?”

“We need to see
Death Valley and see how the preparations are going for the
attack.”

“Sire the King
cannot go into Death Valley, it’s too dangerous.” answered the
General looking concerned.

“Nonsense!”
replied the King looking embarrassed.

“He is right my
King, it is too much of a risk at present.” interrupted
Ganasis.