Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 11:31:56 EST From: Bwstories8@aol.com Subject: Sword of Kings - chapter 19 Legal Notice: The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts. The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality. Don't read this story if: **You're not 18 or over, **If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live, **Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex. The author retains copyright to this story. Placing this story on a website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's permission is a violation of that copyright. Legal action will be taken against violators. I wish to extend my thank you to Ed for his editorial assistance with this chapter. If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section. E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com. * * * * * * * * The Sword of Kings-by BW (Fantasy/Sci.Fi.). Copyright 2000 by billwstories Chapter 19 - The Ever-changing tide of battle. November 2001 King Brolin, one of Beraut's aides-de-camp, was among the first to notice the new development on the battlefield. It took the king several minutes before he fully understood what was actually transpiring, and he carefully studied what was happening on the flank. His first reaction had been that the Dark Lord had called up reinforcements, to help crush the bothersome opposition, but now he realized that was not the case. This new commotion was the result of the tardy Northern Army entering the conflict, causing that section of Madumda's forces to be in total chaos. The king was ecstatic to note the arrival of his countrymen, as he had been fearful about what had happened to them, but now he watched in delight as they began to crush the black clad forces. He did make a mental note to find out what had delayed them, but he deemed there were more important things to do now than to concern himself with things that couldn't be changed. Brolin now did what he could to get Beraut's attention, wanting the mage to be aware of the new development too, but he soon discovered that the wily old wizard was already well aware of what was taking place. The newcomers had charged headlong into the rear and flank of Madumda's horde, bewildering the gnomes and Merropites fighting in that area. The dark clad warriors were not ready for the emergence of reinforcements into the conflict, and this now placed them in severe jeopardy. At first they didn't realize what was happening, but when they became aware of their predicament, they didn't know what to do. The enemy ranks began to splinter, as they tried to escape the trap, but that didn't help, as they were being pursued and cut down before they got to an area where more of their own forces could help to protect them. The middle of the Tarolian army saw what was happening and perceived this as a major retreat. What they did not realize was that the northern army had joined the melee, causing the dark clad warriors to flee from their superior numbers, but this still sent a new shudder of enthusiasm reverberating along the entire battle line and the tide of battle now turned in their favor. The units loyal to the kingdom lunged at their opponents with a new vengeance, and this began to erode the almost swaggering assuredness that the enemy had exuded previously. Over time the enemy ranks began to give way and the allies began to push them back farther and farther, taking a greater toll on their numbers, driving them backwards, and causing their ranks to split. The accumulation of corpses and those who were seriously injured began to mount, and the ground began to accumulate pools of crimson, from all the blood shed in such a short period of time, and soon the entire area was stained in this unholy hue. Enraged by this sudden turn of events, Madumda moved toward the heart of the battle, spewing a string of profanities from between his clenched teeth. The villainous figure lifted his right arm to shoulder level, his staff extended forward of his clenched fist, and a blinding burst of white light shot from the rod's cap. The luminous bolt flew toward the intruders, as they made their charge at his fleeing soldiers, and it struck a small band of the dwarf warriors as they made their way into the fracas. The blast propelled the fighting men into the air, scattering them about in all directions, and left their uniforms smoldering from the intense heat generated by the beam. The necromancer then turned his body slightly and focused on another group, before he released a second bolt, which elicited equally devastating results. Madumda must have been unaware, or more likely indifferent, of the fact that his powerful assault was also killing and maiming many of his own troops as well, because he didn't relent. Heedless of the consequences, he continued his barrage, turning slightly each time to face another area, and then unloosing another jolt into the ranks of the interlopers and those nearest to them. The momentum of battle had now reached another stalemate, as the Tarolian army recoiled from this show of magical force, and the Dark Lord's army turned to stand their ground once more. Beraut was now concerned that the impetus of the battle might shift back toward the other side, and he knew he could not allow that to happen. He started barking new orders, trying to cover any gaps in the lines created by Madumda's magical outburst, as he tried to come up with a way to gain the upper hand again. He even considered challenging his wayward brother to a duel of their supernatural powers, but he was doubtful that he could defeat him in that manner, so that idea was soon cast aside. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the cause, but he could see no meaningful gain from such a suicidal move and thought it best that he be there to help continue the struggle. If it came to sacrificing himself to give Kieren the extra time he needed to find the Sword and make his challenge, he would gladly go one-on-one with Madumda, but he felt there were other alternatives he could yet explore, other possibilities which might prove more advantageous than dying needlessly. 'Perhaps this tantrum, that Madumda is throwing, will weaken him enough to benefit me in a future confrontation,' the wizard conjectured. 'Therefore, it may be best for me to bide my time until the appropriate opportunity arises.' Beraut continued his thoughts on this matter, until he was disturbed by something else. At that moment he realized that something else was about ready to enter the battle, another new power to contend with. Mentally moving as nimbly as he could, he recalled previous bits of information he had stored about this threat, knowing it was now time to use those morsels to his advantage. As he focused on the target of his concern, he watched its massive wings flapping rhythmically in the air and he knew the time had come for him to deal with this problem. The giant condor swooped over the plains, his shadow suddenly darkening the battlefield, and it selected a cavalry squadron for its first assault. The monster ripped men off their mounts and terrified the battle-hardened steeds, causing much confusion in that area. One sturdy beast whinnied in pain, as the claws from the monster tore out a chunk of its flesh, as it snatched the rider from its back. This sent blood splattering over everyone in the vicinity and then sent the writhing beast trampling those closest to it, as it tried to deal with its pain and fear. The allied forces, which had been fighting tenaciously to defeat the Dark Lord's army, now noticed the threat from the sky and diverted their attention accordingly. It was not easy parrying blows from mortal assailants, dodging lightning bolts from Madumda's staff, and now having to watch for that damned bird swooping at them from out of the sky. This caused the impetus of the battle to shift dramatically, causing the Tarolian army to begin to give ground, which energized the Dark Lord's brigands and caused them to increase their attack. Forcefully the black clad warriors threw themselves at their retreating foe, their weapons slashing at everything before it, and cries of aggression emanating from their lungs. These shouts were meant to frighten anyone who would dare stand against them, as well as shoring up their own courage, and it did actually have that desired affect. The officers in charge of the loyalist forces tried desperately to reorganize their fragmenting ranks, but the din was too loud to allow their orders to be heard or understood. Without losing hope of getting things back under control, they patiently labored to get their instructions across to those under them by riding back and forth and directing small groups individually. What made it worse was that, by having to get so close and so involved to be effective, they were sucked into the fighting too, making them battle to save their own lives, as well as direct those under them. They had nearly succeeded in regaining control and had almost halted the impromptu retreat, when another condor appeared on the horizon and made its way toward them. As soon as it was in range, it joined the other in the attack, emitting a piercing scream as it did so. The appearance of this second freak of nature was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. The troopers in the area where either bird was attacking would whirl and retreat, knowing nothing they did would be effective against those monsters, and they showed no concern about the threat that their other opponents posed for them as they turned tail to run. Beraut noticed this turn of events and grudgingly decided that this was the time he must enter the ruckus and add his own personal touch to what was happening. First he directed the retreating warriors to a common area, where they could be reorganized and stand united once more, and slowly he gathered these forces around himself. Once he had negated the flow of bodies heading in the wrong direction, the wizard began to mutter a spell, one that would allow him to be heard above the clatter of the weapons of war, slowly directing this army back into an offensive posture. The allies momentarily forgot about the two condors, as they listened to the wizard's calm and reassuring words, but Beraut still remembered those beasts were still there. As the momentum of battle started to shift once again, Beraut looked to see if he could discern what his evil brother was up to. As he scanned behind the Dark Lord's black clad horde, he located Madumda, who was trying to replicate the success Beraut had enjoyed in altering the impetus of battle. Unlike the wise and caring mage, Madumda was trying to inspire his underlings by using threats of punishment or even death, but they didn't seem to be effective at that point. Just as Madumda was becoming frustrated in his attempt to motivate those around him, Beraut felt the release of an awesome surge of magical power. The wizard focused on Madumda, to see what he had done now, and he was shocked to see his evil brother transfixed, a strange look of disbelief frozen on his face. Madumda now appeared very pale, as if all the blood had drained from his body, and Beraut was momentarily confused about where that release of magical power came from. After struggling with this perplexity for a brief time, the wizard came to realize that the only other source of such powerful magic would have been Kieren's medallion. Now he was merely concerned about the reason the prince would have used it, why the prince would have revealed his existence like that, and if using the medallion had protected him from whatever threat it was that he was facing. Madumda cursed violently, as he too realized that there was now a new variable in this equation, and he sought to pinpoint its location. After focusing on the general area he had felt the blast originating from, he realized that this new threat was probably at or near Treblanc. He was also aware that whatever was wielding such power could endanger his quest to take control of the land and he had to concern himself more with that threat, than the battle of mortals going on around him. Although he had no way of knowing who or what had been responsible for the magic, he did know that such a release was something to be reckoned with, and he instinctively knew that Beraut probably had something to do with it. He did not have time to figure out how this had been accomplished, and he was a long way from concluding that an heir to Ethelbert had truly survived all his treachery and genocide, but he knew he could not linger here any longer. Spewing commands and threats with equal ease, he filled his field commanders in on what he expected of them, before he fled the battlefield, heading to his fortress posthaste. It was some time before someone other that Beraut perceived that the Dark Lord had departed the area, but the ever-observant General Daveel noticed his absence next and then disclosed this fact to others near him. As the word spread on both sides, this eventually caused others to try to verify the report. As the rumor began to reach all corners of the battle, the hostilities began to ease, as each army tried to locate their own and the opposing mystical defender. When it was verified that Madumda was no longer present, the news sent shockwaves through both sides, as no one, except for Beraut, had any idea about WHY Madumda had fled so suddenly. Those fighting on his behalf wondered if it was because he feared for his safety or if he felt the battle was going poorly. Others interpreted it to mean that the Dark Lord had confidence they would be successful without him, so he went to tend to other matters. The allied forces were more concerned that his supernatural powers no longer threatened them, and this gave the common soldiers the encouragement that they could defeat his mere mortal followers. As each Tarolian warrior now acknowledged that his current opponent was no more powerful than he was, a new wave of confidence swept through him, giving him a renewed sense of purpose and drive. Those loyal to Tarolia began a powerful surge forward, gradually pushing their opponents backward and loosening the coils of the trap in which they had previously been snared. This further demoralized the enemy soldiers who believed their leader fled out of fear, and their lines soon began to break. This encouraged the allies even more, causing them to aggressively charge the black clad horde, and soon the Dark Lord's minions were retreating, or even fleeing. Beraut and his senior staff had to halt this aggressive charge, as their army would have chased Madumda's troops all the way back to Treblanc, if left on their own, but they were concerned that this might be a trap, staged to lure them into a compromising position. The final signal that the battle was over for the time being came when the bugler sounded assembly, to get the scattered troops to return to a designated area and form up for inspection. A cheer rose from amongst the front-line ranks, as they reluctantly halted their pursuit of their enemies, showing their sense of superiority at that particular moment. Slowly they returned to their places in formation, and a hastily organized roll call was taken to determine how many fighting men had survived. Their revelry and confidence soon melted however, when the winged duo returned and dove at them, as they formed up on the plains. Archers quickly notched arrows on their bowstrings and took aim at the underbellies of the behemoths. Other raised lances and pikes, the only weapons they used that would reach past the groping talons of their attackers, and they tried to defend themselves in that manner. Both creatures were able to snatch various individuals almost at will and drag them aloft, only to later release them and let their bodies plummet back toward the ground. The warriors' weapons were having little effect against the pair, and they began to conclude their weaponry was not sufficient to ward off this adversary. The projectiles that did find their mark were no more bothersome than needles to the tough hide of a blacksmith, but suddenly, and without warning, the two condors ceased their assault and soared northward. Even Beraut was puzzled by that turn of events, as he was considering what he should do to stem their fearsome assault, but now they were leaving of their own accord. The mage felt as if he should give the troops some kind of an explanation for their departure, to fend off rampant speculation among the ranks and to prevent the fighting men from reading more into this than was there. After waiting a few seconds to organize his thoughts, the wizard spoke. "I suspect my evil brother has called his pets away to assist him with some other foul deed. It is also possible that your arrows and quarrels had some effect on that pair, causing them to retreat to have their wounds tended to. Whatever the reason, it is a relief to be rid of those pesky devils, but we must all realize that this war is far from being over. Even with this battle won and Madumda being distracted by other matters, this conflict will not end until he is either dead or victorious. I don't imagine he will be gone from here for very long, however." "Are you sure he's really gone?" asked one curious trooper. "Yes. He was drawn away by something else." "And how do you know that?" "I know it because I sensed the same magic he did, my inquisitive friend." "Magic? How can that be? I thought that only the two of you had such powers," one of the mid-ranked officers commented. "That is true, to an extent, but we both felt a powerful surge of magic at the same instance, and we thought it was the other who had released it. When we realized it wasn't, I think he fled to discover its source." "But you're not curious about that too?" someone else inquired. "I am, but I have a fair guess as to who released such power. I am not free to disclose the details of my knowledge, but let it suffice to say that I believe the user is someone who I gave that ability to. Therefore, its use is something that sent ripples of fear through Madumda's unfeeling heart, and a sign that bodes in our favor." "What exactly does it mean?" someone else shouted out. "I can't go into details, and I don't know all the facts, but let's just say that I believe someone used that magic to complete a mission that I assigned to him, and that may mean that this conflict is nearing a resolution. There is only one thing I know for certain, and that is that Madumda's army will return to engage us once more, once their officers regain control of the situation. I suggest we take advantage of this brief respite to regain our strength and take care of the wounded. It would also be a good time to take some nourishment as well." In addition to doing the activities the wizard suggested, other details collected the dead and placed them in piles, so the bodies could be disposed of later. There was a great deal of activity going on in the camp, as everyone fulfilled his duties, and Beraut took this time to isolate himself, so he could tend to more urgent matters. First, he concentrated on Kieren and tried to make contact with him. Seeing Madumda already knew of his presence, he now felt it safe to look in on the lad and see if he could find out why he had used his powers. Try as he might, however, the wizard was unable to conjure up any clear images of Kieren or the others, except to learn that they were apparently still alive and that they seemed to be in the tunnels beneath Treblanc. Beraut couldn't tell if he was free or a prisoner at this point, but it seemed that he had used his medallion to protect himself or his companions from some sort of dangers. There was still plenty of hope that they were fine and could complete their mission, so Beraut broke off contact, knowing he had learned all he could for now. Slowly the mage's thoughts drifted back to their current situation and he looked about at the troopers who had so heroically been defending the land. The wizard realized that this unscheduled break was a Godsend, as the fatigue of battle was not easily drained from the body and his troops had not fully regained their stamina after the battle on the previous day. He also recognized that this little hiatus was also a morale booster and a welcome diversion from the horrors of war, giving them a chance to think about more pleasant thoughts. Unfortunately this didn't last for very long, as the battle horn sounded once again. This time Madumda's army was being driven forward by the whips and sword points of their merciless cadre, and the common warrior looked no more eager to resume the battle than the Tarolian warriors. Some soldiers were executed on the spot for their hesitation or lack of cooperation, mostly as an example to others who might be thinking they didn't want to fight either. Timidly the black clad horde moved forward, and Beraut and his senior staff set about getting their own army ready to do battle. The cavalry was asked to make rapid, but brief attacks upon the front ranks, to slow them down just a little and allow the others more time to prepare. While Commander Tristan was leading his men on these quick forays aimed at various points along the front, the rest of the allied forces were busy aligning themselves into a defensive wall and getting their battle orders. When the foot soldiers were in proper formation, a horn sounded, letting the cavalry know they should disengage, and they rapidly retreated to a safe area behind their own lines. The Dark Lord's army, still being prodded by those in charge, was soon in striking distance and shortly the two sides resumed the bloodshed. The sounds of weapons clanging off weapons, or off shields, soon filled the sky, and now each side fought fiercely, to make sure they lived for one more day. Almost imperceptibly, the center of the Tarolian Army began to give way, inching slowly backward and slowly sucking their adversaries in with them. It was a calculated move, as the center pulled farther inward, drawing both flanks with them a little at a time. This maintained the illusion of an unbroken front, and even those leading the hoodwinked opposition didn't recognize their plight until it was too late. By the time Madumda's officers realized they were gradually being encircled, like being trapped in the jaws of some monstrous beast, there wasn't anything they could do to counter the move. The dark clad warriors now fought without encouragement, knowing it was either that or die, and slowly a collection of bodies began to litter the battlefield. By now the allies had trapped their enemy within a giant horseshoe formation, but they could not keep them all from escaping, and some of Madumda's soldiers were able to flee at the last moment. Those who were unable to break away were either killed or captured, and each side began to hope that this was truly the end of the day's fighting. As the allies began to round up their prisoners and lead them away to a detention area, a sort of a cheer erupted from what was left of Madumda's forces. At first no one understood why the defeated group suddenly seemed so upbeat, especially after what had just happened to them, until they noticed that the black clad horde was staring upward, and now they all suspected why. There in the sky above them glided one of those giant birds, obviously sent back to do its master's bidding, and it was heading back toward the Tarolian lines. Beraut was greatly annoyed by the reemergence of the winged devil and immediately decided to take matters into his own hands. Extending his arms in front of his body, he pointed the cap of his staff at this feathery foe and unleashed a lightning bolt in its direction. The avian behemoth screeched in pain as the blast struck it, sending feathers flying in all directions and leaving deep burns in its newly exposed flesh. Now it struggled to stay aloft, fighting to regain its sense of balance, and once it was back under control, it headed straight for the one who had caused its pain. With hatred dancing in its eyes, it dove toward the mage, its talons ready to rend Beraut's flesh, but the magician stood his ground and unleashed another thunderbolt at the plunging devil. This time the bird saw the streak heading toward it and pulled up quickly, winging its way skyward, and the bolt sailed harmlessly beneath it. Now the beast reevaluated the situation and chose to circle the battlefield until it found its next opportunity. While it was doing this, it also had time to deal with the pain from its last encounter. While the wizard had been battling the giant condor, Madumda's officers had once again reorganized their command, and now the dark clad warriors charged into the allied ranks. They had watched the battle between Beraut and their winged champion, noting that neither side had gained any distinct advantage from this encounter, and now it was decided it was once again time for a more conventional approach. The two armies were now completely engaged, so the mage shifted his attention to what was happening on the ground a short distance away from where he stood, and he continued to give orders to shift troops to areas where they were needed most. The cavalry was directed to make a charge into the location where the opposition had the greatest advantage, to neutralize this edge, and soon they were making their impact felt. The fighting was fierce and the casualties were mounting on both sides, and it was obvious this engagement would not end quickly. While the ground battle raged on, the feathery titan watched from above and noted that the wizard was now paying it no heed. Making an instantaneous decision, it plunged from the sky in his direction, emitting an ear-piercing shriek as it did so. This cry was meant to instill fear and unnerve the one being attacked, but in this case it merely alerted the mage to the new threat. Once more the sorcerer lifted his arms and a blinding flash erupted from the crest of his staff. Not expecting his sudden recovery, the condor was unable to adjust completely as it sped toward him, and it took a glancing blow in the process. Having been singed a second time, the beast was now livid and seeking revenge, so it made another bid to lunge at its tormentor. This caused Beraut to release another bolt, but the creature was ready for this one, and it rapidly ascended, so the beam would pass harmlessly below it. The wizard had also been taking notes about the condor's maneuvers and anticipated that move, so he released a second jolt, aimed slightly ahead and above where the bird had been flying. This second streak caught the feathery fiend as it soared upward, and a loud crack echoed through the air from that collision. General Daveel, who had been busy directing the troops in the ground engagement, heard that thunderous clap and lifted his head to see what had happened. He just had time to see the gigantic beast plunging toward land, its head split open by the wizard's last thunderbolt. As the horrible creature crashed into the ground, it squashed all the warriors who were unfortunate enough to have been occupying that patch of land. Though stunned by what had happened to one of the condors, the Dark Lord's warriors continued to fight, and Beraut sought to discover if the second beast had also returned. While scanning the area to determine if that other bird was present, the wizard discovered another commotion on the eastern flank. He was using his keen eyesight to find out what was happening, when Andrieu interrupted his thoughts. "What new ploy is Madumda up to now?" asked the military leader from Leander. Beraut did not immediately answer, but instead continued to peruse the area to see if he could find the cause of this new disturbance. When he had learned what he could from his inspection of that flank, he turned to inform his subordinate what he had discovered. "This is not of Madumda's making, nor is the outburst caused by any of his allies. It is the Eastern Army joining us in battle and attacking the Dark Lord's forces in that area. I'm glad to see that they were only delayed, and not destroyed." After a few minutes of fierce fighting, Madumda's troops began to retreat once more, pulling back and trying to work their way out of this new trap. Once the Dark Lord's army had broken free, Beraut had the trumpeter signal assembly, so his army would not pursue the others, and then he sent a messenger to have the eastern army's commander come and brief him on what had happened to them. When General Nasrollah finally arrived, he was taken to Beraut so he could tell him why they had been delayed. Before the two had a chance to converse, something new began to happen and both men focused on this new development. What they saw was Madumda's army returning to the battlefield once again, but this time they were joined by an odd collection of new warriors, a vast assembly of civilians armed with an assortment of common weapons and farm implements. The ages of the new combatants ranged from pre-adolescents to the very aged, but this group appeared stiff and unaware of what was happening. Their faces were blank and expressionless, and they moved forward as if guided by some unseen force. General Nasrollah turned to Beraut and commented on this new development. "These be not warriors," he stated, with great concern. "An army doth not battle the elderly, women, and children. What manner of foe is this?" "I can only conjecture on this point, but I believe this is something I heard about in my youth, something one of my older brothers warned me about. After Madumda had turned on the Council of Wizards, the older mages went through the volumes of black magic to see what types of things our wayward brother might have learned. I was told that there was a procedure given that would allow the mind and will of a person to be completely controlled, thus making an army of puppets for whoever commanded them. These beings were referred to as the soulless ones." "But why would he use civilians like this to fight? He can't believe that they'd be effective?" "I think he has his reasons, though I'd rather not go into what I suspect they are right now." "Thou cannot expect our fighting men to fight such a foe. Warriors only battle other warriors, not peasants. How canst we inspire our men to battle an opponent whom they have been trained is protected by our codes of honor?" "Now I believe you've just answered your own previous question. I suspect Madumda is using the soulless ones to raise questions amongst our fighting men and to eat away at their confidence. I believe this will be a case where our troops must learn that they will have to defend themselves from any enemy who is trying to do them harm. We will have to convince them that, in this situation, it will be kill or be killed. We must focus on the fact that this army has no will of its own, so they will be dueling the Dark Lord's will, not the old men, women, and children they see before them." This information was quickly spread through the ranks, but you could see that the professional soldiers were not at ease with this concept. As this new army approached, interspersed with the black clad troopers of the traditional army, they concluded that they would do what was required of them. It was obvious as soon as the two sides clashed, that the soulless ones were not capable fighters, but these mindless beings could distract a soldier long enough for one of the Dark Lord's warriors to slay him. It was also evident that the soulless ones were capable of killing someone too, but only if that person was distracted by another at the time. It was now more than clear that the allies would have to kill or be killed. While the soulless ones came at them carrying knives, meat cleavers, pitchforks, scythes, and sickles, their movements were not fluid and they couldn't react quickly to countering blows. It was easy to dispatch of such poor fighters, but the soulless ones did claim a fair amount of victims, as they attacked in groups or killed a soldier while he was engaged with another combatant. After a few minutes of such close fighting, and after seeing their friends lose their lives to such unusual foes, the Tarolian army soon began to accept the fact that they would have to slay these atypical adversaries. Bodies were now beginning to mount up all along the battle lines, and it was becoming more and more difficult to move and to defend oneself. By now the allies had become callous to dealing with these unusual opponents they were facing, but they were still more at ease when facing off with one of the dark clad professionals. At this point the fighting was intense and both sides were fully engaged when, without warning or explanation, the entire army of soulless ones fell limp and lifeless where they stood. This surprised both sides, and the fighting temporarily halted, but then Madumda's troops turned tail and fled, seeing this as a bad omen for their chances of being victorious. This turn of events left the allies befuddled, looking around to see if any other threat appeared around them. They didn't comprehend exactly what had happened to the soulless ones, and they thought the others might be fleeing to make room for a new opponent to take its place, but they could see nothing else around. That's when the warriors began to question those in charge about what had happened. After order had been restored, Beraut tried to address their concerns. "Look, I can't tell you precisely what happened, but I can make a few guesses as to what might have taken place. First of all, it could be that Madumda was distracted by something more pressing and lost contact and control of his mindless fighters. It is also possible that someone has somehow countered the Dark Lord's magic, such as by destroying the receptacle that he would have had to use to store the souls under his control. Another remote possibility would be that Madumda has been destroyed, thus negating all of his black magic." This discussion brought a great deal of murmuring throughout the ranks, as they tried to determine which suggestion made the most sense. Finally a brave soul decided to speak up, asking the question that many of the rest of them had also been wondering. "But who, besides yourself, has the power to do any of those things?" "Well, I guess it would no longer be harmful to disclose a secret which has been dearly guarded by me for many years, one that the Dark Lord might now also be aware of. An heir of Ethelbert has survived being executed by Madumda's assassins, and I believe he has entered the fortress at Treblanc in search of the Sword of Kings." "Do you think this heir has killed Madumda?" "That is one possibility, but I seriously doubt that has happened. I believe I would have felt something if that had occurred, but I've had no indication that anything like that has taken place. I think it best that we not dwell on what might have happened, for we shall learn that soon enough. For now we must set about locating and tending to our wounded, and we shall march on Treblanc at first light." Immediately details were formed and they went out to perform the duties they were assigned. They worked well into the night, taking care of everyone who needed attention, using torches to see by once the final rays of daylight had faded. As they began to relax after the long day's efforts, Beraut persuaded General Nasrollah to fill them in on why the eastern army had arrived so late. "I will begin by telling you about what happened as we began to move the army of the combined northern city-states from our homelands to a place near the Mystic Forest. We were to meet the river elves there, and they were going to transport us across the Shady and Shadow Rivers, so we could get to the Plains of Asimae. First, our army made its way to a point northwest of the Faerie Forest, which surrounds the northern edge of the Devil's Horseshoe, as we were planning to stay close to these woods as we made our way to Hell's Gate. From there we were going to make our way to the point where we were planning to rendezvous with the river elves, along the banks of the Shady River, between the Mystic Forest and the Arden-Woods. "It all began routinely enough, as we began our trek along the lush woods of the Faerie Forest, but we soon discovered the entire area was heavily patrolled by Madumda's troops. They were wandering all over the lands between the Devil's Horseshoe and the Iron Hills, and posed a serious threat to our mission. In an effort to avoid a gnome patrol, we entered the forest and moved further into its depths as the patrol made its way closer to the fringe of the enchanted woods. They hadn't seen us, but we felt it imperative to move deeper into the woodland, so they wouldn't inadvertently discover us. Once we had journeyed into the bosom of the woods and safely out of sight of our enemy, we became hopelessly confused and lost, unable to work our way back out. We marked the trees we passed, cutting notches into the bark, but this didn't seem to help. We thought it would allow us to retrace our steps, if all else failed, but it would also tell us if we were wandering aimlessly in circles. Even this simple strategy failed to work, as things never seemed to be the same as we thought it should be, and it seemed we would be stuck forever in that forest. "By now the time factor was becoming critical, as we were expected to arrive and take part in the battle shortly. Beraut had given us ten days from the Second Council of War, until our part in the battle plan was to be sprung. What you might not know was what we did to keep our cover as we left the war council. First, we departed Leander by ship and sailed the Great Western Sea to Akikta. From there, we traveled overland to our cities and got our armies ready to march. The journey by sea took three days and it took us four more days to get to our homes, get everything organized, and meet up with each other. We had only three days to get to the battle, four if things didn't go as planned, and we knew we had to hurry. It would be a tough schedule to keep, seeing we had to travel through territory being used by the enemy, but we knew we had to get to our designated area. Now we were lost in these enchanted woods, spending precious hours just wandering aimlessly about. It was during our third day trying to find our way out that we finally began to release our frustrations, and things began to change. It all started when General Loki drew his sword and threatened to cut down every tree in sight to find his way out. Then General Hevel agreed to help him, screaming that he would rather die trying to chop his way out of this mess, than let Beraut and the rest of Tarolia down. "It was then that a voice boomed out of the darkness, in response to that simple comment. It asked who we were and what our mission was, but none of us were sure that it would be wise to answer. We thought Madumda might be using his magic to keep us there and this was just his voice trying to discover our plans. It was then that the voice said, 'If you are truly aligned with Beraut, you be aware of the name Cenobia'. Without thinking, I blurted out that was Kieren's mother's name, and then I was fearful that I had betrayed a confidence and revealed the secret that Beraut and the wood elves had worked so long and hard to keep. There was nothing I could do to take back my words, however, and prayed that this trickery was not of the Dark Lord's doing. It seemed an eternity before the voice spoke again, but this time it informed us that it would assist us in getting to where we needed to go. Suddenly a pathway opened up amid the trees, as if the trees had actually moved to allow it to appear, and we followed it to the southern edge of the Faerie Forest." At that point a confused voice spoke up. "Excuse me, but how would that be possible?" inquired Captain Baith. "Who spoke to them and how is it possible that trees move about at will?" "I think I'm the only one who can explain this," Beraut began, "but I must take you back to the time when the Council of Wizards first selected Treblanc as its home. The Council was always concerned with intrusions by those who would seek to harm them or those who would try to steal the secrets contained within its library, so it did many things to protect itself from such threats. One of the things they did to protect themselves was to plant an enchanted forest from the banks of the Melancholy River, around the north side of the Devil's Horseshoe, and down to the northern shore of Shadow Lake. The wood sprites and wood nymphs that dwell there still possess the ability to move and rearrange themselves, giving them the opportunity to delay or trap unwanted visitors. Madumda was never able to gain control or exert influence over them, and they have worked hard to frustrate those aligned with him. It is my hunch that the spirits of the forest believed that you were working for him and therefore attempted to keep you from finding your way back out. It was fortunate that the general inadvertently blurted my name out in frustration." "One indiscretion that I would gladly repeat," interjected the Nardian military leader. This brought about a little good-natured snickering, as everyone had been thinking much the same thing. "Now, General Nasrollah, if you would please continue your story," the mage urged him. "There is not a great deal more to tell. By the time we reached Hell's Gate, there was only a token guard defending it and we quickly dispatched several small groups to take care of them. Our units sneaked up on them in the dark and then eliminated them. After that we made our way as quickly as we could to the banks of the Shadow, then Shady River, and followed them until we were safely hidden besides the Arden Woods. We were scheduled to meet the river elves there, but we were not expecting them to have waited for us, as we were considerably late. They had been very patient however, and they were still keeping themselves hidden, awaiting our arrival. From this point of the story, I think it would be best if I let Captain Kaeril relate his leg of the journey and finish this tale." Captain Kaeril, who had been sitting inconspicuously off to one side, readily inched his way forward and began to tell of the river elves' experiences. "Our journey was not nearly as interesting as General Nasrollah's, though I am grateful for that small favor. After our delegation returned to Eurielle, we immediately loaded several merchant ships with cargo and troops, as our part in the war effort. We set sail for Leander, like any of our merchant fleet might routinely do, and we unloaded a token amount of merchandise when we arrived there. Then we continued to sail up the Shadow River to Cassander, continuing our deception by unloading more goods there. "Our ships had been fitted with false interior walls, giving us hidden rooms in which to house our warriors and shield them from being spotted by any spies helping to unload the vessels at both locations. After we finished unloading supplies at Cassander, we allowed our crew to take shore leave until evening, which would have been expected. We boarded the ship as evening fell and then we quietly slipped out of port. Under the cover of darkness we headed north, which might have raised a few eyebrows if it had been noticed, but it seems that no one was concerned with what we did next, as we did not appear to be a threat at that point. Once we reached the place where the Shadow and Shady Rivers merged, we took the fork that led between the Mystic Forest and the Arden Woods. When we reached the spot where the river bends into the Mystic Forest, we anchored and waited for the northern army to arrive. Seeing no one ever ventures along this route, we weren't worried about being discovered, though we did take some precautionary measures. We stayed that way, awaiting our late arriving comrades, sending scouts out routinely to see if they could locate them and to watch for any of Madumda's henchmen who might be patrolling the area. "Our scouts did report that they observed several contingents of gnomes and Merropite warriors ford the river farther upstream, so they could join up with their evil master, but none journeyed far enough southward to pose a threat to us. We did start to become gravely concerned when our northern friends failed to arrive at their appointed time, and we held several heated debates over what we should do next. Some suggested that we go ahead on our own, to offer what assistance we could to our combined army, while others felt that we had to wait for their added strength, or our arrival would be negligible to the cause. We had almost decided to go it alone when a scout reported their arrival, and from that point it was an uneventful, but harried trek to join you a few hours ago." Prudently, Beraut waited for the murmuring and the discussion to die down before he stood to speak again. "I suggest that it is now time to retire and I urge you all to go get some desperately needed rest. We shall begin our march toward Treblanc at first light, and it will be near that place where the next battle will take place. I can see that this conflict is nearing its conclusion and, with the continued blessing of the Gods, we shall be victorious and restore Ethelbert's heir to the throne of our kingdom once more." At this comment, a cheer erupted from the throng gathered around the mage, as they all acknowledged that the fighting was nearly over and that they stood a good chance of being victorious. Slowly the crowd dispersed and the camp slowly began to grow quiet, except for the light snoring, occasional cough, or the other typical nocturnal sounds one might expect. The guards continued to silently make their rounds, though none of them expected anything out of the ordinary to happen, and nothing disturbed the tranquility of the rest of the evening. * * * * * * * * If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me at http://members.tripod.de/wolfslair, in the 'Other Stories' section. E-mails may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.