Zachania (63 page)

“That’s if they
abide by them.”

“It will be to
both our detriment if they do not.” replied Talon just before
General Kanyan walked over to join them with a very solemn look on
his face.

“We have
suffered in this battle Lord Talon; over Forty thousand men we have
lost, another five thousand are wounded so bad they are out of the
battle.”

“Forty
thousand” Talon seethed as he shook his head.

Ganasis looked
up at Talon and saw the pain in Talons face, Talon saw that Ganasis
was looking at him, words were not needed as both me knew they were
both thinking the same thing.

“I am going to
get some rest.” Talon then said before walking over to a nearby
tree.

“What is the
matter with Talon?”

“Nothing
Heikan, let him rest………..he has the weight of Zachania on his
shoulders.”

Talon laid
himself down under the tree, as he raised his hand to place it
under his head he noticed his hand shaking, he clenched his fist
but the adrenaline from battle was still flowing through his body.
Talon then reached out and grabbed a nearby rag and placed it over
his head, slowly he began to drift into sleep where he entered into
the realm of dreams. Talon shuddered as in his dream he was
suddenly in the middle of the battlefield, the dream was so real it
sent a shiver down his spine. Talon looked around and saw that he
was standing in the middle of thousands of dead Zachanian’s, as he
looked up he saw that he surrounded by the Empire, then what seemed
like a million arrows were fired upon him. Talon jolted as one of
the arrows struck him in the chest and ripped into his heart,
suddenly he was filled with the most intense feeling of doom he had
ever experienced, it felt like death, worse than death, it was like
a feeling that he would suffer an eternity of pain.

As he lay
bleeding terrified and spiralling into a black well of darkness, he
was suddenly pulled back into the light again, Talon barely opened
his eyes but it was enough to see that it was the god Apollo who
had rescued him. Apollo then picked him up and carried him into
strange woodland, once they were inside Apollo reached down and
pulled out the arrow from his chest allowing Talon to breathe
easier.

“Apollo.” Talon
sighed.

“It is me, my
young friend.”

“What has
happened Apollo, I am the only Zachanian alive.”

“You are in
this life line.”

“What do mean
Apollo?”

“This is your
future Talon, this is Zachania’s future, in this world you die all
alone.”

“No Apollo, it
cannot be, we must win, did you choose me for this…..how could the
gods be so cruel…………I will not let this happen.”

“Do you have
the courage to change it Talon?”

“What must I
do?”

“You must leave
this battle.”

“Leave my
friends.”

“You must leave
this battle or you will watch your friends die, only you can change
this.”

“How?”

“You must
journey to the Forest of Deceit; there you will find the allies you
need.”

“The
beasts.”

“They are not
beasts Talon they are my subjects, centuries ago I saved the last
two of their race, I gave them safe sanctuary within the
forest.”

“Two of them
how can they help?”

“They have
multiplied, they await you Talon, make haste.”

“Why have you
not visited me up till now, I thought you had forsaken me.”

“I have been
observing you Talon, you have pleased me now go, wake from this
dream and do as I say….one more thing, read the book of Pang.”

“The book of
Pang……why?”

“Go now Talon,
in ten days’ time this dream will be your reality.”

“Apollo” Talon
yelled as the god faded into mist.

Talon suddenly
woke and sat upright, he was sweating and shaking and holding his
pendent, he rubbed his eyes and noticed that Ganasis was kneeling
besides him shouting his name.

“Talon……Talon”

Talon tried to
open his eyes wide and focus on his wizard friend.

“Talon, what is
wrong!” Ganasis shouted looking concerned for his friend.

“Ganasis, I
have just been visited by Apollo.” replied Talon trying to compose
himself.

“APOLLO!”
replied Ganasis shocked and intrigued as he noticed the look of
fear on Talon’s face.

“What did he
say Talon?”

Talon swallowed
and looked up at Ganasis and spoke almost in desperation.

“He showed me
our defeat………..I saw our deaths.”

“WHAT!”

“Ganasis, we
die here, in ten days’ time.”

“Why would
Apollo bring us to this…….why do the gods wish this for our fate?”
sighed Ganasis sounding exhausted.

“Ganasis, this
does not have to be our fate.”

“Talon what are
you saying?”

“He wants me to
find the beasts in the Forest of Deceit.”

“Why the
beasts?”

“They will be
our allies he said.” replied Talon as he rose to his feet and
grabbed for his sword.

“Then go Talon,
ride like the wind, follow this dream.”

“Will you be
alright my friend?” Talon asked showing concern for his wizard
friend

“Listen you
have been given a quest by the gods, do not think of me or nothing
else except your chosen path.”

“Stay alive
Ganasis, STAY ALIVE!... I swear I will return.”

“GO! Go on GO!”
replied Ganasis.

As Talon rode
south into the barren landscape he quickly began to doubt what he
was doing. Behind him he could see the Zachanian army and he knew
what kind of odds they were up against, he did not feel right
riding away from them but he knew he must follow his dream. He
wondered for a moment if he had been tricked by the Empires
wizards, was he being sent on a fool’s errand, Talon quickly shook
that thought from his head as he thought that Apollo would not
allow that to happen, he had been sent a vision, a vision of the
future and only he could change it, no matter what he must find the
beasts that Apollo said will help him and his people.

Grarlin sat
looking very pleased with himself which was making General Krustov
and the Empire Generals feeling uncomfortable,

“I am pleased
with today’s battle Krustov.”

“But sire we
have suffered thousands of deaths.” remarked General Sanda looking
very concerned at the wizards view, Grarlin looked at the General
coldly as if to say he knew how many casualties were suffered and
he did not need reminding.

“Continue the
same plan tomorrow, I want you to keep pushing their defence,
keeping pushing until we weaken them, I want their hearts broke and
then I will send in my Degrain’s.”

“The
Degrain’s?” snapped Krustov in utter disbelief at what he was
hearing.

“The Emperor is
sending me ten legions, they make haste from the Palace lands as we
speak.” replied Grarlin with a sinister tone to his voice.

A silence
suddenly filled the air as the Generals took in what Grarlin had
just informed them, Krustov winced his face and bit his lip as he
realised that this battle was now completely in the hands of the
Emperor and his wizards and that his army were being used like
lambs to the slaughter, swallowing deeply Krustov stirred up the
courage to reply to Grarlin.

“Sire are you
asking me to sacrifice my men taking Zachanian lives, to use my men
to weaken the Zachanian’s so that the Degrain’s will have an easier
fight.”

“That is
exactly what I am saying, and General I would take that tone from
your voice or you will be joining your men on the front line.”

Krustov bit his
lip and looked at the ground.

“As you wish
your highness.” he replied through gritted teeth.

General Sanda
also lowered his head as the atmosphere amongst the Generals
nosedived, they could see on everyone’s faces how they all felt, it
was a feeling of betrayal, Krustov waited for Grarlin to leave them
until he aired his frustrations by kicking over a nearby bucket of
water. His patience snapped as an overwhelming anger roused inside
him, Grarlin was stealing the victory from him and the other
Generals, it was a victory he had been waiting his whole life for,
a chance where his legacy would be known forever, a chance where he
would use his expert knowledge to outwit and out plan the enemy but
the news that his men were to be sacrificed to pave a victorious
path for the savage Degrain’s had shattered his dreams and
ambitions to be known as a great war General.

“DAMN THE
DEGRAINS………..WE CAN WIN THIS BATTLE ON OUR OWN!” he shouted.

The Degrain’s now were
descendants of the ancient Degrainian nation that had battled the
Zachanian’s centuries ago, over the last few centuries the Emperor
and his wizards had doctored their bloodlines, breeding them with
all sorts of beasts and monsters which had resulted in creating a
terrifying race who were absolute in their allegiance only to their
Emperor and his wizards.

Krustov excused
himself from the other Generals as he tried to compose himself, he
hated the Degrain’s, he remembered all the stories he had heard
about them when he studied as a cadet in his youth. He remembered
one story in particular when Grarlin placed one of the Degrain with
a soldier and his family, Grarlin wanted to see how the Degrain
would act when left alone with a human family, six months later
Grarlin returned to the soldiers home and found the Degrain had
murdered all the family and feasted upon their flesh, all that
remained were the family’s bones that were scattered around the
home.

Krustov had
heard many stories like this as Grarlin and his fellow wizard
Grand’s experimented with their bloodlines, after years of
experiments it was declared that the Degrain’s be left in isolation
within their own lands with only a few trusted beasts being allowed
to stay in the Palace lands as the Emperors personnel guard.

For four days
the Zachanian front lines were constantly attacked by the Empire
using Grarlin’s plan, Imperial soldiers and Zachanian’s died in
their hundreds of thousands, the land between both armies was now
littered with dead mutilated bodies and moral on both sides was low
as the battlefield stank of death. The Degrain’s had still not
arrived but were expected to arrive in the next couple of days.
Talon was exhausted as he drew his horse close to the Forest of
Deceit; he had been surviving by grabbing a few hours’ sleep
whenever he could.

Talon
dismounted his horse and fearfully looked into the thick
undergrowth.

“I hope to see
you again my friend.” he said stroking his horse before he pulled
out his pendant from his garments and entering the forest.

Slowly Talon
walked inside growing aware that there was complete silence, all he
could hear was the sound of his own footsteps; his heart began to
pound as he remembered the last time he was in this forest.

“I must not
fear……I refuse to fear…..fear will cloud my emotions………it will blur
my vision, my mind must be clear.” he thought to himself almost in
determination to rid his mind from negative thoughts, step by step
Talon advanced into the thickening forest, the undergrowth was now
so dense it seemed like nightfall as the growth shrouded the
sky.

“What’s that?”
Talon suddenly thought as he heard a sound.

He froze for a
moment as he tensed waiting to hear another sound, Talon waited
looking in all directions trying to see something through the
forest, he gazed back over his shoulder from where he had come from
as for a brief moment he thought of retreating.

“I must not
fear…..whatever happens…..I must not fear” he thought as sweat
began to drip from his brow.

Talon then
quickly turned his head as he heard a low deep growl, he
immediately recognised it as the same savage growl he had heard
when he had visited the forest before

“They are here”
he thought silently wondering what to do as he then heard the growl
again only now it was obvious it was getting closer, Talon turned
his head fast as he then heard another growl from the other
direction.

“There are two
of them.” he thought turning his head from side to side.

“Why do they
not attack?” he thought trying to calm his fear, then slowly he
took a step forward in the direction of the first growl.

“MY NAME IS
Talon!” he shouted out not knowing what response he would receive,
he continued to walk towards the first growl and could hear more
growls from behind him, by the sounds it was clear he was now
surrounded by several beasts, he continued forward telling himself
not look behind.

“SHOW
YOURSELF!” Talon shouted as he began to see an outline behind some
bushes in front, the noises behind him of breaking twigs and heavy
breathing grew louder as Talon began grow more fearful that this
was a mistake and that any moment he would be torn to shreds.

“SHOW
YOURSELF!” he demanded again only to be ignored once more, Talon
decided that if this was to be his end then he would go down
fighting so he reached down and pulled the sword of Apollo from his
waistband and started to advance towards the outline.

“I AM Talon……A
ZACHANIAN WARRIOR!” he shouted with such determination in his voice
it sent a rush of pride through his veins.

Talon was just
steps away from the outline behind the bush, he stopped and noticed
that the growls from behind him had now stopped, a sign that they
were listening or that it was imminent they would pounce, Talon
then found himself thinking of his Grandfather and how his
Grandfather had taught him how to communicate with beasts by using
his mind.

“SHOW
YOURSELF………I AM Talon a ZACHANIAN WARRIOR” he said silently in his
mind trying to project his thoughts to the beast in front of
him.

Talon then
noticed that the beast began to stand up, it soon towered above the
bush where it moved forward to reveal itself, Talon lost his
concentration for a moment as he looked on in awe and terror at the
giant bear like human that was now before him, Talon noticed
himself thinking how powerful the creature looked, never had he
seen anything look so strong, Talon looked the beast over, noticing
first its thick and hairy legs that supported a massive chest which
was hairy but did not have the same fur as it had on its legs,
Talon also noticed its arms and shoulders which were similar to man
but about four times the size. The beast then raised its massive
hand to brush away some hair which revealed its face, a face that
looked hard and strong, like it was carved in stone; he also
noticed the large fangs protruding from the corners of its massive
mouth.