For a few moments, Jacob wasn’t sure if he was still alive. The world had seemed to turn upside down following the initial attack and he didn’t know where he was any longer. He felt pain from somewhere but he couldn’t tell specifically where it came from. He thought for a moment and figured that it was coming from the general direction of his left side. He concentrated and his vision slowly came back into focus. He wasn’t too pleased with what he saw.
Where there had once been a ceiling was now a gaping hole, letting in a bit of light from the full moon overhead. There were apparently similar holes in the ceiling further down the room, as well as in the walls. He saw lights flickering and it took him a moment to realize that it was a fire. He wasn’t sure what could have caused a fire but he didn’t like the idea all the same. With a groan, he tried to sit and realized that he couldn’t move. Turning his head, he suddenly realized that a large wooden roof beam rested across his shoulder and rubble was piled up upon his legs.
“Aidan…” He coughed and tried again. “Aidan, where are you? Are you okay?”
There wasn’t any response and Jacob’s mind methodically wrapped itself around the idea that Aidan could be dead. It wasn’t really something that he wanted to think about. He was tired, after all, and he just wanted to get some sleep. He was just closing his eyes once more to rest when he felt the pressure leave his left shoulder. His eyes slowly hinged open once more to see Michael standing over him.
“’Lo there. Give me your hand,” Michael said.
Jacob’s hand moved as though under its own power, for he surely wasn’t commanding it to do so. Michael grabbed his hand and started pulling. For a moment nothing happened, but then Jacob’s legs slid free of the rubble and he was pulled to his feet. Consciousness was having another go and Jacob’s mind was starting to work in full once more.
“Michael. What happened?”
“I’m guessing Paredes has something to do with this. That was cannon fire I heard. But we don’t have time for this. Help me get these people out of here.” With that, Michael quickly turned and started calling out, looking for more people to save.
Jacob looked around, trying to find Aidan. He had been right beside him, he was sure. How could someone completely disappear? He didn’t see Noreen, either. The thought of being all alone hit him rather hard. Taking a deep breath, he turned and emulated Michael. He found two women pinned until a table piled upon with debris. With all the strength he could muster, he flipped the table, freeing the women. They ran for a hole in the wall and disappeared into the darkness.
Just as they left, however, a large quantity of men poured through the holes in the walls carrying torches. For a heartbeat, Jacob was afraid. Were they the people who had shot up the hall? But then he realized they were wearing Town Watch uniform and he sighed in relief. They didn’t bring a large quantity of good news, however.
“My Lord Faryden, Easterners managed to cross the Watchguard in force and moved completely undetected all the way here. There are thousands of foot soldiers, a score of ranged men, and…” The soldier glanced around as if just seeing the destruction. “And perhaps
“Questions for later. First, we need to get these people out of this building and put out that fire before it spreads. Get some men in here immediately.”
“But my lord, they could be at the walls in a matter of…”
“They will not breach the Great Wall so quickly, I assure you. Your men are needed here, sir.”
The soldier nodded and began barking orders to the men behind him. Jacob wasn’t sure what to do with himself, but Michael answered that question for him. He waved his hand, calling Jacob over.
“I need someone to check on various things for me as quickly as possible. It appears that my regular runner has gone missing and I know that you can run fast.” Michael smiled reassuringly. “What do you say?”
“I…I am yours. What do I need to do?”
“Get to the eastern gate. I need a report on the situation there. Good luck.”
Jacob wasn’t used to this sort of fast-paced action, but he did the best that he could. He ran outside and took a few seconds to get his bearings. Then he was off again. Occasionally a thump sounded off in the distance, followed a few moments later by a building roof shattering or gravel being thrown violently about from the road. A ball landed not ten feet from him, pelting rocks into his entire right side, sending him sprawling. He propped himself up on his elbows, trying to catch his breath. There were a lot of explosions issuing from the eastern front and most sounded like they were hitting the wall. Jacob didn’t know how safe getting his report would be.
Regardless, he was up and running again in no time. He reached the gate, which was violently shuddering as cannonballs pounded and bounced against it. He frantically looked back and forth, but couldn’t find a single way up onto the wall. He yelled at a passing soldier – whom he had to hail three more times – and was finally pointed in the direction of the stairs.
His breath was coming in short, quick gasps and his chest felt like it was on fire by the time he made it to the top of the wall. Searching, he located a man that seemed to be in charge. He was fairly easy to find as he was one of the few barking orders like mad.
“Sir, Lord Faryden requires a status report.” Jacob mentally patted himself on the back for his official-sounding request.
“And maybe that bloody Lord could summon us up some powder guns. Otherwise we won’t be holding this gate. Damn the Federation.”
“Umm…sir? The report?”
“Right, yes. We have five hundred and thirty-seven men currently manning the main gate here. The counter-siege weaponry is being hauled up and should be firing within the next three minutes. We have four trebuchets and a dozen ballista aligned within the immediate perimeter. With the current firing rate of their cannon, I estimate the gate will buckle in approximately twenty minutes. The portcullis will hold through the night, perhaps, but the gate’ll be useless soon. The walls should hold indefinitely. Most of their balls are bouncing right off; that’s why they’re shooting the gate so heavily.”
The man suddenly turned and walked away, apparently finished with his report. With yet another deep sigh, Jacob turned and started back down the stairs. As he ran back to Michael, he realized the chaos that such an attack had caused. People were running around in the streets, despite the face that stone-roofed buildings were probably safe, unless they were completely flat. Aside from the initial bombardment against the keep – and subsequently the Eastern Hall – there was little serious damage throughout the city. The psychological effect, however, was startling.
He finally made it back to the hall, only to find that Michael had moved into the keep. It took another five minutes before Jacob was able to find him and give his report. Michael stood for a moment in thought, staring off into the distance. Jacob studied him and noticed how strangely calm he appeared. The noise of cannon and the screaming of men didn’t seem to faze him in the least; it was definitely a trait needed in a leader.
“My lords,” Michael said, addressing the other men in the room with him. “I suggest we ride from the northern gate and eliminate these pesky cannon.”
“That would be suicide,” one lord responded. “There are over two thousand men aligned outside the walls. The horsemen will be surrounded and killed.”
“Not the Kyrithian Knights. A hundred knights should be able to hammer their way through the lines and destroy their powder toys. Another five hundred will be used in a frontal assault on the force in order to draw its attention away.”
“Five hundred Knights? It could work, I suppose…”
“We’ll lose the surprise factor the Knights have, using them so early…”
“But we’ll get those cannons off our walls…”
Jacob listened to the men speak and was completely shocked by what he was hearing. There hadn’t been a full-scale war west of the
“It’s decided, then. Jacob…” Michael quickly scratched a note on a piece of parchment. “I need you to give this to Captain Werner. He’ll be at the Knight’s Hold. You know where that is?”
“I think so, my lord.”
“Good. Then go deliver those and then meet me on the eastern wall. This will be a sight to see.” He smiled that reassuring smile once more and Jacob started out.
Jacob found Captain Werner standing calmly on the first floor of the Knight’s Hold; a massive, three-story building that served as stables, smithy, and barracks for the legendary Kyrithian Knights. There were two Knight’s Holds, one in Haden Hill and one in Constagra, but the Knights considered the one in Haden Hill their home. The Knights, themselves, were also moving about rather calmly considering the situation.
Werner read over the order slip twice then nodded to Jacob. “Knights, form up.
Jacob walked out of the building, wishing that he could be as brave or as skilled as the Knights. Historically speaking, the Kyrithian Knights were the finest fighting force ever conceived. Before the Old Empire, two thousand had held off an Ancient Men invasion of over thirty thousand. They also showed their valor in the Great War, scattering entire divisions of men and Gaileon. During the Old Empire, they had retained autonomy and had served under the Dragon Lords by choice. They were the thing that all children, regardless of heritage, wished that they could be.
Jacob’s musing was cut short by a hand suddenly falling upon his shoulder. He winced in pain and spun around to see Aidan standing before him. His clothes were a little dusty and torn but otherwise he didn’t seem any worse for the wear.
“Aidan? You’re okay?”
“Thought a little thing like cannon could hurt me?” He chuckled and Jacob noticed the similarities between Aidan and Michael; neither seemed to be bothered by combat. “I managed to move out of the way from the debris. I grabbed Noreen and got her back to the inn; first floor, she should be safe. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I was just giving the Knights their orders.”
“They have you working for them, then. Very well, but don’t decide to make a career of it. I need to get back to the keep. I’ve been enlisted to help clean the place up.”
“It sounds like I got the better job, then.” Jacob laughed and patted Aidan’s shoulder. “Take care of yourself. I’ll see you back at the inn.”
Jacob quickly made his way back to the eastern gate and by the time he made it to the top of the wall, he wasn’t feeling quite as tired as he had before. Michael and a few of the other lords were standing directly over the gate, pointing and staring out into the darkness. Fires burned out among the army and torches were moving through the ranks, back and forth.
“They’re doing that to intimidate us,” Michael suddenly said to Jacob. “You see, they move the light around just to show us their massive numbers. For all we know, though, most of them are simple farmers. That will not fool the people of Haden Hill.”
The strangest thing Jacob noticed, suddenly, was the lack of noise. He had always thought of sieges as these terribly loud events with people screaming, fires cackling, and siege equipment rumbling to life. But to the contrary, despite the occasional boom from the cannon, there was very little to be heard. That’s why it wasn’t a great surprise when he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves beating upon the ground en masse. It sounded like thunder and Jacob wondered if the enemy could hear them coming over their powder-guns.
Within moments, a massive body of horse came riding around the northern district and barreled straight toward the major fighting force. The Knights had no banners streaming or trumpets playing as the rode; they simply rode. Jacob was amazed by the speed of their horses, as they almost appeared to be flying they were traveling so quickly. It only took what seemed like a heartbeat for the Knights to cross the field and slam into the front of the opposing army.
It was apparent even from the top of the wall that the easterners hadn’t been prepared for a full cavalry charge. They quickly buckled as the horses and lances pounded into their ranks, driving them back hard. A few spears and pikes were raised in defense, but it was too little too late. The entire center of the enemy line seemed ready to break when another body of horse suddenly appeared off in the distance. It was behind the army – Jacob had no idea how they had managed that – and was riding toward the rear of the cannon virtually unopposed.
With the progress they were making, Jacob didn’t understand why the entirety of the Knights wasn’t being used. To him, it appeared as though the six hundred, all told, may be able to turn the tides all by themselves. Just as he was about to express his thought to Michael, however, things began to change.
The Paredes Army had managed to rally and was driving back against the Knights. The horsemen had lost the momentum of their charge and were now engaged in individual combat from the saddle. The noise that Jacob had been expecting suddenly came welling up as massive amounts of spear and pike were turned to bear upon the Knights, slowly pushing them back toward the walls. Likewise, the ranged soldiers had gotten their equipment together and were firing upon the horsemen at pointblank range. The Knights’ armor was strong, however, and most simply glanced off.
It was impossible to tell from that distance in the dark whether or not the cannon had been eliminated, but Jacob noticed the sudden lack of cannon fire and started to hope for the best as the Kyrithian Knights were given the order to fall back to the walls. He turned and looked to Michael, who had a large grin upon his face.
“Paredes relies too much on his cannon nowadays. They probably don’t have other siege equipment built and that’ll take some time. We’ll be able to harass them with the Knights the entire time, as well. This is good, gentlemen.”
“My Lord, it appears as though you were right,” a lord said.
“Yes,” Jacob said. “How did you know it would work, though?”
Michael simply smiled once more. “You don’t rule two cities for eight years without learning a bit about siege and combat. Besides…”
“Petard!” The word flew down the wall, seemingly from nowhere and cut Michael’s words short. Jacob had no idea what that meant, but the others did; and the looks upon their faces weren’t encouraging.
A man suddenly came sprinting forward out of the darkness that had settled in between the army and the wall. Under his arm was a large bundle of some sort with two support legs coming down from it. Arrows began blossoming in the man’s chest, yet he barreled forward and propped the petard up against the gate. With the pull of a small cord, a fuss suddenly sprung to life and started burning hard as the man fell down dead.
“It’s full of powder. Damn, that’s clever. Wasn’t prepared for that.” Michael and the others cleared the top of the gate as the fuse ran down.
A massive explosion rocked the wall, sending Jacob to his knees. A giant billow of smoke shot from the gate, as well as splinters of wood and metal. Coughing, Jacob crawled to his feet and looked to the others.
“Was that strong enough to break the gate?”
Michael shrugged and looked to Werner. “Captain, report!”
“The gate’s gone, sir. As is the portcullis. We’re wide open.”
“Damn,” Michael muttered to himself. He then stood up tall and raised his voice. “All men to the gate! Prepare to defend the breach!”
Jacob was suddenly rather scared once more and decided that the safest place to be was at Michael’s side. Michael made an attempt to go for the gate but the other lords stopped him.
“My lord, we can’t have you fighting there. It’s dangerous.”
“And it’s dangerous for my men. Get out of my way.”
“But what would happen to the Federation if you were to die? You have no heir.”
That caused him to pause and consider the situation for a moment. Finally he surrendered and they turned to return to the keep in haste. Jacob was once more surprised by war; he was learning it wasn’t at all like he thought it was. For some reason, the Paredes Army had paused before storming the gate as if they weren’t sure if it would fall, either. This gave the town militia and regulars time to form up in the gate and prepare for the attack. Archers rained down waves of arrows as the enemy stormed toward the gate. Jacob simply hoped that it would be enough.
“How do you stop something like this?” Jacob asked as they jogged into the entrance hall of the keep.
“The gatehouse will have an auxiliary portcullis. Hopefully the other was blown off of its tracks so that they can drop it. It only takes about two minutes to move it into place, so they should at least have that up soon.”
Jacob had never thought of that but it made sense. Why have just one portcullis when you could have multiple ones. It would definitely be a surprise to the enemy.
Another massive explosion suddenly shook the ground and caused many within the keep to scream. Jacob looked around but he couldn’t tell where the damage was.
“Lord Faryden, they’ve just blown the northern gate!” a man said as he can running up the stairs.
“The northern gate, too? They’re dedicating a lot of powder into this little siege. What’s the status of the northern gate? How many men do we have over there and how many can we get over there?”
“There were about two hundred there, my lord. I don’t know…” The man started sobbing and stumbled out of the room. Michael just watched and shook his head.
“Some wedding,” he muttered to himself as he looked out the northern window. Jacob walked over and looked as well; sure enough, smoke could faintly be seen rising into the night sky. “Pull the men from the southern and western gates and send them to where they are needed. Everyone, please take a few moments and arm up. We don’t need to be caught unprepared here. Jacob, do you have any weapons to your name?”
“We don’t have much need for such things down south.”
“Then head back to the Knight’s Hold. Go see if anything strikes your fancy in there. If you are challenged, tell them I gave you the order.”
Just as Jacob came out of the front of the keep temple, a group of men came charging around the corner from the direction of the southern gate. They were dressed in bright surcoats and mismatched armor. They were also cutting down anyone who got in their path. He slid to a halt as a force of Town Watch rushed out in front of the intruders and yet another battle was started that night. Without thinking, Jacob ran back into the keep and up to Michael.
“They’re through the southern gate, as well, and are closing on the keep. A group of soldiers are not a thousand yards from the temple entrance.”
“So the city’s been compromised, then,” Michael said as he adjusted a strap on the top of his gauntlets. Within the two minutes that Jacob had been gone, the apparel of those within the chamber had drastically changed. Michael’s dress clothes were now covered in fine leather armor and a long sword hung from his hip. Tough leather gauntlet and greaves were laced up his arms and legs and a small metal-studded buckler rested at his feet. The other men within the room were also bearing swords and axes and a few had even managed to begin putting on plate armor.
“Michael, what do we do?”
“We have a small change of plans,” a tall, skinny lord completely without armor said. “You’re still to go to the Knight’s Hold. But you’ll need to have some horses readied and bring them and a group of Knights to the keep. It appears as though our time here is up.”
“I don’t think so, Craigen,” Michael spoke up. “I’ll not abandon my ancestral home to a bunch of eastern pigs. We can beat them yet. We have an ample supply of men and weapons.”
“This isn’t a time for heroics. Paredes is if nothing else at least kind to the people he conquers. He only takes his wrath out upon the lords of the city. We must escape, my lord.”
“He is kind to the people he conquers, is he? Perhaps you did not hear the reports coming from Qam. He killed a quarter of the people within the city. And that was within his province. How do you think he will treat us Kyrithians? You’ve seen what he does to the border villages. The man is out for glory and territory, nothing else. No, he will not treat the people here gently.”
“Be that as it may,” Craigen persisted, “the fact remains that he managed to knock down three of our gates in a matter of an hour. This city was not equipped to handle cannon. But Constagra is. Let us fall back there and we will call the Federation into council. We must unite if we are to win the war.”
Michael paused to consider the man’s proposal. To Jacob, it made sense. The streets were filling with the soldiers of the Paredes Army. It didn’t look like the men of Haden Hill were going to win the day. He hoped that Michael was able to see it, too.
“Alright, Jacob, see if you can get some Knights over here. We’re going to need a way out. But don’t worry bout our horses, we have some here in the keep. Men, prepare to retreat.” The admission of defeat seemed to pain him greatly.
Jacob once more found himself running through the streets of the old city and he wondered to himself whether he would be able to ever come here again. He mentally kicked himself a moment later, however, because he wasn’t even sure if he was going to survive the night. As he ran, he suddenly realized where he was and stopped cold. Looking about, he quickly found the inn that Noreen should be at. Despite his better judgment, he turned and ran inside.
The room was full of chaos, with women and children screaming, crying, and praying while others tended to those wounded in the attack. It took him a few moments before he saw Noreen, bent over an elderly woman who had taken a blow to the head.
“Noreen!” Jacob cried, slipping through the crowd over to here.
“Jacob! It’s good to see you, boy,” she said, pulling him into a deep hug. “Aidan said that he hadn’t seen you and I feared the worst.”
“Yeah, well I’m fine. But the gates have been compromised and we have to get out of here. Michael’s back at the keep with the remainder of the high lords. Aidan should be around somewhere over there, too. Get the horses and wait for me to get back.”
Noreen just stared at him for a few moments before shaking here head quickly. “Right. To the keep, yes? Where are you going?”
“I need to go get some Kyrithian Knights for an escort. It could be dangerous, though. The easterners have entered the city. Be careful.”
“You too…” Her voice trailed off as Jacob dashed back outside and continued down the road. The Hold was in sight when a man suddenly stepped out in front of him. He was a short fellow dressed in the fashions of the eastern soldiers of the day. A wicked looking short sword was held in his hand and a small stream of blood trickled down from it.
Jacob locked up and stumbled back a few paces as the man turned and looked him over. Moving quicker than Jacob had thought possible while wearing armor; the man raised the sword and dashed up in front of him. Exhaling deeply, the world seemed to slow as the man’s sword began to fall. Without warning, however, the slash stopped as the side of the man’s head was crushed in by a swinging cudgel. Jacob watched in horror as the man’s skull collapsed and couldn’t help but think that he had seen the club before.
“Fancy meeting you here,” Gregory said as the soldier crumpled over at his feet. “So, how was the wedding?”
“Uh…thank you.” Jacob blinked a few times and remembered how to talk and move. “You’re okay. The gates have been taken and the city is going to be surrendered. You have to get out of here. A group of us are meeting at the keep to try and…”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll try my hand at a few more of these easterners before I leave. Its good practice, you know?” He smiled and for the third time, Jacob found someone unaffected by battle. He had thought that it was somewhat of a rare disposition, but perhaps he was mistaken. “Now get going and keep your head down.”
Without waiting for anything further, Gregory took off running down the road, apparently searching for someone else to kill. Jacob thanked the Father for his luck and continued on toward the Hold. Unlike earlier, the Knight’s Hold seemed to be in a similar situation as the rest of the city. People were running around left and right, screaming at one another, clanking weapons together, and generally making a lot of noise. Jacob decided that he had liked it better when it had been quiet. Looking about, Jacob located Captain Werner.
“Captain, Lord Faryden asks that you bring some men to the keep. The lords will be attempting to win free from the city and make for Constagra.”
The Captain thought for a moment and looked over his shoulder. “Melvin, get your unit ready. Lord Faryden and I have a task for you.” He then looked back to Jacob. “Go find yourself a horse and a weapon if you need it. Unfortunately, some of our brothers won’t be coming back for their horses.”
Jacob quickly found himself a horse that was conveniently already saddled. After asking for directions, he then managed to find the armory upon the second floor. He looked through the massive array of weapons and had no idea which one to grab. They were swords of varying length and shape, axes and picks, hammers and pole arms. Finally he grabbed a four-foot-long spear with a six-inch spearhead upon its end. It seemed to be made from a stained oak and Jacob hoped that it was as strong as it was impressive-looking.
Running back downstairs, He hoped onto the back of his horse just as the contingent of Knights rode toward the door with Captain Werner at their head. The Captain looked over and Jacob and beckoned him on. “Come, let’s go save the lords.”
They came out of the Hold and made their way down the road in a slow trot. Jacob thought that they should be moving a lot faster, but decided that the Knights were the master horsemen and they knew what they were doing. On two occasions, men burst into the street ahead of them but the Knights dispatched them without trouble. They rode past the inn in which all of his clothes were sitting and he silently prayed that Noreen had made it to the keep.
He had little to fear, however, as the group came riding up in front of the keep. Michael and the lords were all mounted, looking rather imposing with their armor and swords. A small group of ladies, including Christine, were mounted behind them and they looked markedly out of place. With them he was glad to see Noreen and Aidan. He nodded to them before turning his horse and walking it up along side Michael’s.
“A job well done, Jacob. Now what do you say we get out of here? This town is too small for me, you know?” He smiled like he did and Jacob just shook his head.
“My lord, the Kyrithian Knights are at your disposal.” Captain Werner made a strangely graceful bow from the back of his horse.
“My thanks, Captain. Let’s see if we can all make it through the night. Let’s go.”
With a flick of the reigns the small convey started moving down the main road toward the western gate. The Knights fell in around the group, making Jacob and apparently many others feel a little more secure. As they made their way down the street, just as before, the Knights easily fought off anything they encountered and kept everyone moving. As they rounded the last corner and looked to the western gate, however, Jacob had to gasp.
There was a giant battle taking place before the gate with the soldiers of the Paredes Army struggling to capture it from the Town Watch and the Haden Hill militia. Werner gave the signal and over half of the Knights broke off from the group and charged into battle. For a few moments, the group stalled.
“There is a postern gate a few clicks down from the main one. We’ll be able to get free there and most likely there won’t be fighting there.” The group agreed and Michael took point as he led the group toward a side street.
Jacob looked back to the battle and suddenly recognized Gregory within the mix. His cudgel was swinging wildly and he had picked up a knife from somewhere, which he also hacked away with. Jacob waved his hand, but it was obvious that he wasn’t going to be able to see him. So he stood up on his stirrups and started to call Gregory’s name but was suddenly cut short. An arrow hammered into Gregory’s back and then another slipped through his ribs into his lung. He toppled back and fell to the ground as the battle continued to rage around him. Jacob stared in horror, not moving at all. Aidan grabbed the reigns to his horse, however, and pulled him along.
“He knew what he was doing. He knew he probably wouldn’t survive the night.”
“You talked to him?”
“He stopped by the inn to see if everyone was okay. He had family here, like he said. He was defending them, Jacob. Remember that. Remember what has happened here and how the brave fall. It is one of the most important lessons of war.”
Jacob thought on Aidan’s words as the group wound through the narrow streets of the city before finally emerging beside the wall once more. Only twenty yards further down a small stone door was visible within the wall, being loosely guarded by a few soldiers. Michael called out to them and they started opening the door.
“Alright. There are likely more eastern soldiers out here. Knights, form a wedge. Everyone else, stay within the wedge. We’ll be pushing our way through.”
“With our help, my lord,” Captain Werner said as he and about half of his men rode up behind them. “The gate is lost. I ordered our soldiers to throw down their arms and surrender. Perhaps some will survive.”
Michael nodded and ordered the group to move through the gate. It was little more than a small hole cut in the wall and as such only one person could go through at a time. After the
A line of soldiers, four men deep, stood out before them, apparently waiting for the gates to be opened. They hadn’t seemed to notice the group yet, however, for which Jacob was glad. He looked at the others and saw that, in general, the lords appeared just as frightened as the ladies.
“Prepare to strike,” Michael whispered. “Everyone, when we and the Knights charge, stay right on our heels and follow us through the breach. Men, let’s go.”
A sudden rush of courage swept through Jacob and he rode up beside Michael, hefting his spear. The two men looked at one another before nodding. Jacob wasn’t used to riding at a full gallop, let alone trying to kill someone while he did so, but he decided that he should probably keep that little fact to himself. Perhaps it was something that one could only learn through experience.
Aidan appeared to Jacob’s left, a longsword clenched in his left hand. It was strange; Jacob hadn’t noticed the sword before. It felt good to have the man beside him, however. After everyone was in position and ready, Captain Werner sounded the charge. Jacob kicked the flanks of his horse and sped forward with the rest, his spear held out to his side in a death grip. His heart was pounding and sweat formed upon his brow but all Jacob could see was the line of men before them.
It took only a moment for the horses to cross the distance before Jacob was suddenly face to face with the Paredes Army. He stabbed his spear downward, not really knowing at what he stabbed. He felt the spearhead bight into something and the spear was almost pulled from his hand as his horse continued forward. Holding on as tight as he could, the spear pulled free of what Jacob now saw was some poor fellow’s chest.
As quickly as it had begun, it was all over and Jacob, Aidan, Michael and all the rest were riding out into the field surrounding the city. He looked over his shoulder and saw that all of the women had kept up and were safely surrounded by the Knights once more as the horses slowed to a trot once more. He leaned over and patted Michael on the shoulder and noticed the fellow’s dower expression.
“You saved us, Michael. Thank you.”
“The night is young, as they say. They’ll be sending men after us soon once they form themselves back up. We need to keep moving.” Michael spurred his horse forward, effectively ending the conversation.
“It’d be hard to leave an entire city to the enemy. Give him some space,” Aidan said as he rode up to Jacob. He had a cloth out and was wiping the blood from his blade. “Fighting isn’t quite like what you thought, huh?”
“Not at all,” Jacob said, shaking his head. “It’s too fast.” He held the end of his spear up and realized that he should probably clean the end of it soon, as well.
“Well, it looks like you were faster. Don’t get a taste for killing, though. Such things will destroy a man. Here.” Aidan tossed him is rag, now thoroughly covered in blood. “That’s a fine spear. Wouldn’t want it to rust. I’m going to go back and see to Lady Noreen. You’ll be alright.”
Jacob nodded and Aidan pulled his horse back. He was suddenly all alone and the fear that had somehow been absent during the siege finally caught up with him. He remembered that his father had once told him that Aton Paredes claimed he wouldn’t invade the west until he had the entirety of the east under his control. Jacob had seen the maps and knew that was a large amount of territory and a large amount of people to press into military service. The entirety of the Kyrithian province felt strangely vulnerable all of a sudden.
“You work that spear well, my lord,” Werner said as he rode up. Jacob was glad for company of any kind and he nodded gratefully. “Perhaps I’ll be able to show you a few pointers on how to use the thing once we reach Constagra. What’s your name?”
“I’m Jacob and I would appreciate it, sir.” Jacob paused, considering his words. “Captain…are the easterners strong enough to conquer Kyrithia?”
“I seriously doubt it, my lord. The main force of the Knights is currently in Constagra and that is a formidable fighting force, to be sure. But the Federation has been slow to take the threats of Paredes seriously. Even as he rather quickly united the lands of the east, the lords deliberated. And now it appears as though he is on our doorstep. It will be a long, uphill battle but we will win in the end. It all really depends on if we get any help or not.”
“Help? Who else is there?”
“Why, the Ancient Men. But I am speaking above my station. If you’ll excuse me, I need to see to some things.”
Jacob had never considered that the Ancient Men would come to the aid of Kyrithians. Long before the Great War, they had been allies. During the War they had fought a common enemy, but there had been no love lost between the two peoples. The Dragon Lords of the Old Empire had spent half of their time settling disputes between the Kyrithians and the Ancient Men. He silently wondered what could cause them to ride with them once more.
“It appears as though this is going to be a longer trip than we had first guessed,” a lord suddenly said to the group. “Lord Faryden has spotted a war camp up ahead of us. We’ll be moving to the town of
Michael suddenly rode forward from the dark and rolled his eyes as he passed Jacob.
“It’s going to be a long night. They spotted me.”
Jacob sat in the middle of a giant padded couch staring at the high-vaulted ceiling above him, dressed in his finest clothes. From what he could figure, he had been sitting there for the better part of an hour and he was growing quite bored with the place. He had figured that since it was the entry chamber to the room in which the lords of the Kyrithian Federation met it was bound to be interesting. Unfortunately he had found himself rather disappointed.
The room was large, to say the least, but surprisingly empty. A series of rugs covered the floor, dazzling in their brilliant patterns and beautiful colors. The walls, made from some strange white stone, were similarly draped with massive tapestries. Unlike the ones he had seen in the house he had illegally entered, however, these held no famous scenes of battle or the like. They had patterns and colors which complemented the rugs but where otherwise unremarkable, according to Jacob. There was a small gallery composed of ancient suits of armor which ran down one of the walls and he had occupied himself for a while looking them over. The only one that really interested him, however, was an odd looking suit that was mainly green with gold trim. It looked ornamental, at best, yet it held scratches and dents that spoke of battle. The plaque upon the base of the armor stand read, “Lord Diatar of Helmfrost,” and Jacob had absolutely no idea who that was.
He looked up and down the large chamber, wondering where everybody was. When the lords weren’t meeting in Haden Hill, the building acted as a sort of town hall, where people of the city came to pay their taxes, file market quotas, and do other mundane activities. It was middle of the week and the building was eerily empty.
Sighing, he stood and walked over to the armor again. He looked over the old green armor, trying to envision the battles that it had been in. He pictured Lord Diatar of Helmfrost riding upon a massive green dragon, his armor and the dragon’s eyes and teeth shining in the noonday sun. The lord had obviously been a tall man, but he would have been almost unnoticeable upon the back of the mighty dragon. According to a few of the books Jacob had read about the subject, the average dragon had been seventy feet in length. He didn’t really understand what a man could do from the back of a dragon but he didn’t doubt that riding one was rather exhilarating all the same.
“Jacob!” The scream pierced the silent and resounded through the empty vault.
With a start, Jacob lost his balance and stumbled into the shoulder of the armor. It wavered back and forth for a moment before, to Jacob’s horror, the armor came crashing down upon the floor. The pieces fell away from the wooden frame holding them together and went sliding and rolling across the floor.
“By Elihu’s Beard, why did you yell?!” Jacob stammered forth.
“It’s a surprise the building is still standing,” Noreen said, calmly walking toward Jacob and shaking her head. “You’ve no respect for anything. Clean that mess up this instant.”
“No respect? You’re the one that startled me.”
“Then you need to be more observant. Now here, where does this go?” she said, bending over and picking up the left gauntlet.
“Are you serious? Where do you think it goes?” With a huff, Noreen tossed it toward Jacob and walked over to the couch. Glaring at the woman, Jacob went about the arduous task of propping the armor stand back up and resembling the thing. He was surprised by how much some of the pieces weighed and decided that it would be a pain to wear such a thing around all day long, let alone fight in it.
“I’ve got us a carriage for this afternoon. We’ll be picked up at the inn in about two hours and we’ll ride to the keep from there.”
“But the keep is just right around the corner. Why can’t we just go over there and wait for the wedding?”
Noreen rolled her eyes and looked at him as if he was a complete dullard. “This is a royal affair and one of the most important things to happen to your family in generations. After today your family will have ties to the Faryden line.” She said the name with such passion that he imagined she wished it was her getting married.
“I don’t know of anything a Faryden ever did for
“I know your father has explained this to you before.”
“Yes he has and I’d rather not hear it again.” He yawned and he stepped back to admire his handwork. From where he stood he couldn’t tell that the armor had ever been touched. “So how long will this wedding take? An hour or two?”
“Well, the actual ceremony should only last an hour and a half or so, yes. But we’ll be required to attend the worship ceremony before and the feast afterward. It’ll probably last long into the night if I had to guess at a length.”
Jacob did his best to make his sigh as audible as possible. He had forgotten about the worship ceremony that would come beforehand, but that should only last ten to fifteen minutes at most. He hadn’t counted on the feast, however. In
For almost their entire time in the city, Aidan had stayed within the suite or at least within the inn. He had grown quiet after Highwood, which for him meant that he pretty much didn’t speak at all. Jacob had tried to engage him in conversation but it never seemed to work for long. He hoped that perhaps the ceremonies and feast would help to lighten the man’s spirits.
“Well, now that you’re all done I suggest we get back to the inn. Come along.”
Jacob was amazed at how Noreen continued to treat him like a child, despite the fact that he would be turning twenty in a few days. But he supposed it was because she had helped raise him since his mother’s death all those long years ago. He surveyed the armor once more to make sure nothing was amiss and then jogged down the room to catch up.
They arrived back at the suite a half-hour later to find Aidan quietly sitting by an open window, reading a book. Noreen said that she had to get ready and disappeared into her room.
“Didn’t she just get ready a few hours ago?” Jacob asked Aidan.
“Never question a woman’s right to prepare as many times as she’d like,” Aidan responded.
Jacob awkwardly stood there for a few moments, not knowing what to say and not wishing to sit and wrinkle his clothes. He knew Noreen would throw a fit over that. Casually, he walked over to the window and glanced out over the district.
“So, what are you reading?”
“The Dragon’s Sorrow and Other Tales.”
“Never heard of that one. What’s it about?”
Aidan paused for a moment and glanced at Jacob as if he had just realized that Jacob had actually tricked him into talking.
“It speaks of the wounding and death of Akorius the Dragon King. It has other stories set during the Burning Years and some right before the formation of the Old Empire. It’s a good book.”
“Sounds like it. Sounds like something Guy Longtongue would write.”
“It was dictated by Yonrhy. I’m sure you’ve heard of him.”
“He was a dragon! Wow. There aren’t many books written by dragons still around. Where did you get it?”
“The Court library. They have a large selection.”
Try as he might, Jacob couldn’t think of anything else to say and it didn’t look like Aidan was going to take over the conversation. With a nod, Jacob slowly paced back and forth for a while before going to his room. He wasn’t about to stand around for an hour and a half, regardless of what Noreen said, so he plopped down onto his bed. He yawned and tried to think of some way to skip the required feast after the wedding. Slowly, though, his mind began to dull and he found himself drifting off to sleep.
He abruptly awoke just in time to avoid slamming directly into the floor, throwing his arms forward to break his fall.
“What are you doing sleeping on a day like this? The carriage is here, let’s go.” Noreen stomped out of the room leaving Jacob there to try and figure out what had just happened. A few minutes later, he walked out of the front of the inn and looked around for the others. For a moment he thought that they had left him; which was fine by him. He finally saw Aidan, who had managed to slip into some fancy clothes, and jogged over to them.
“You look a mess, boy. Straighten your collar and coat. My goodness, they’ll think we’re from some backwater.”
“Umm…we are sort of from a backwater.”
“That’s beside the point.”
Jacob gave a quizzical look to Aidan, who simply shrugged and got into the carriage. To his knowledge, Jacob had never ridden in a carriage before and he was quickly realized why. Though the temperature outside was pleasant, perhaps even a bit cool, the inside of the carriage managed to feel like a furnace. The science behind how that was possible eluded him, but Jacob knew that he wanted to be free of the thing as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that wasn’t quite the case.
About a thousand yards from where the carriages were releasing the lords and ladies, Jacob’s carriage came to a halt. Sticking his head out the window, with horror he saw a giant line of carriages and buggies. He decided that he wasn’t going to wait around for that.
“I’m getting out, this is ridiculous.” Jacob stood and made a move for the door.
“I don’t think so, mister,” Noreen said, grabbing the tail of his coat. “You’ll be staying right here. How do you think it would look if a relative of the bride went walking up to the keep? Do you not care about your father at all?”
“Leave my dad out of this, Noreen. Aidan, what do you think? Let’s just walk.”
Aidan didn’t seem to like being put on the spot without warning, but he recovered quickly. “If we walked up we would be able to mingle with more lords and ladies otherwise.”
Jacob had to hand it to Aidan; it seemed the man knew how to play Noreen like a fiddle. Her eyes lit up and she started shaking her head. Without waiting to see if she’d change her mind, Jacob quickly jumped out of the carriage and started for the main gate of the keep. A moment later he heard Noreen fussing behind him, so he slowed to allow them to catch up.
“You see, this is a good idea.”
“We’ll see. I just hope they let us in.”
A few minutes later, Jacob and the others walked up to the entranceway.
“Your name, please.” The man attending the door had watched them walk up and seemed to look down upon them.
“I am Jacob Gerhard and this is my maid and my manservant.” Noreen subtly nodded her head at him, indicating that he had spoke properly; just like she had told him.
“Of course you are.” The man made a show of looking over the list. “And where are you from, again, my lord?”
“
“Of course not. I’ll just need to go check with his Lord Lady before I can…”
“Listen here, sir. It took me over a week to get here from home and we traveled hard in order to see my lady cousin wed to his Lord Faryden. I would hate to have to tell dear Christine that we were held up at the gate by someone who didn’t know his place.”
The man appeared physically shaken by the retort. After a moment, he bowed low and waved his hand past the gate.
“Please enter. My apologies, my lord. I wasn’t aware…”
“Thank you, sir.” After they had passed through the gate and were walking up the steps to the keep, Jacob looked back to Noreen. “See, I can act the lord if I wish.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t get us thrown out of the city.” She shook here head and Aidan chuckled as the group entered the keep.
Sometime in the past, someone had decided to attach a temple to the front of the keep. It was thought that King Miccael the Pious had the structure commissioned so that everyone who entered the keep would first be able to cleanse themselves of their transgressions. From a practical standpoint, Jacob thought it was a great idea if you planned to have a large sum of weddings. It considerably shortened the travel distance for the guests.
Even though it was small when compared to Haden Hill’s actual
From what he could see, Michael Faryden and Christine Gerhard were already sitting up on the front row of the pews. They were being swarmed by lords and ladies wishing luck and giving their congratulations. Exhaling sharply, Jacob almost felt sorry for them. Surveying the area around him, he spotted an empty pew on the last row. He made a move to sit down on it but Noreen grabbed his arm. She didn’t say anything; she just shook her head and pointed up to where Aidan had already sat down. It wasn’t empty but it wasn’t full of people so Jacob acquiesced. They were sitting down just as the chief priest stood and began his speech.
“Welcome my lords and ladies to this most joyous of occasions. We are here today to give thanks for the joining of these two young persons, whom have decided to become one through holy matrimony.” The priest ruffled through a few sheets of papers and cleared his throat before continuing.
“On this day, it is good for us to recall the foundation of our faith and why it is that marriage is such an important step in our life’s journey. Long ago, in the beginning of all days, the Creator Tynia brought the world into being. He called forth the land and sang the ocean into being. With a wave of His mighty hand, He covered the land in grass and trees and with another, all manner of animal began to walk, crawl, and hop upon the land. For a week, however, He worked and toiled in creating stewards to care for his creation. He created the Mak’ra, who were given control over the land and told to care for it, and the Dragons, who were charged with protecting the land.
“With His creation in place and secure, Tynia began His great work. For an entire year, he meticulously formed into being Elihu and Dareia, the Father and the Mother. They were placed upon the world where they soon fell in love. Their joining brought into being the race of
“And so we beseech you, Father, we call to you, Mother, and ask that you be with Michael Faryden and Christine Gerhard and aid them in their journey as they strive to become one and to become closer to you. Amen.”
Those gathered responded in unison with a hearty amen. Without any further word, the people began to rise and talk as they slowly made their way toward the keep entrance. Jacob was mildly surprised at the length, as he had been expecting something a little longer. Apparently, he decided, they didn’t like wasting time here in the big cities. He, Noreen, and Aidan waited for a few moments for the aisle to clear before standing. Noreen was blatantly ogling some of the ladies in attendance and seemed to constantly smooth her dress.
“What’s wrong with her?” Jacob asked Aidan.
“She’s just worried about her appearance. Women get excited about that sort of thing.”
Jacob shrugged and continued on. He pretended to study the statues of the Mother and Father as they shuffled forward in order to avoid direct eye contact with others. He wasn’t exactly in the mood to be chatting it up with lords and ladies. He suddenly chuckled at the thought of all of these lords and ladies. They took noble titles and they played their noble games and yet there wasn’t a nation to which they belonged or a single king to which they bowed. It was almost as if the Old Empire had ended but the nobility had decided not to notice.
The crowd slowly moved into the main hall of the keep, which was starkly different from the temple. Everything about the structure spoke of strength and age. Even there in the main hall, murder holes looked down upon the entrances and the staircase leading up to the second floor was narrow and split into two staircases halfway up. Jacob assumed that made it easier to hold the staircases in case of a siege. The High Hall, which was attached to the side of the keep in much the same way as the temple, looked markedly different from the others, as well. It looked as if the entire room was made from one large rock. The ceiling was over fifty feet high and had a clear span of over a hundred feet, yet there wasn’t a support column to be seen. The windows were tall and narrow, letting in long shafts of light that crisscrossed the floor.
Jacob had a lot of time to admire the room because the crowd bottlenecked a few yards in from the door. Peeking around people, he realized that the bride and groom were individually greeting every person that entered. He rolled his eyes and glanced back behind him. There were easily five hundred people back there; it was going to take an hour to say hello to all of them. He just felt lucky that he was close to being through.
Ten minutes later, he finally found himself at the front of the line. Straightening quickly, he looked up at Michael Gerhard.
“My lord, let me extend my lord father’s…” His words trailed off as he looked at the man’s face. It was long and tanned and framed by dark hair. His face was a study on surprise. Suddenly Jacob found his voice. “You! You’re the one marrying my cousin? The drunk?!”
“My lord…uh…” Michael seemed to be at a complete loss.
“Michael, what’s this young man speaking of?” Christine asked.
Both Jacob and Michael, however, simply stood there staring at each other. Noreen luckily stepped in to continue the proceedings.
“My lady, this is Jacob Gerhard. He is the son of your father’s brother.”
“Jacob! My father was sure that you’d come. I haven’t seen you since you were only a small babe. How are you?” Her voice was high and she seemed to have a habit of squeaking the last word of each sentence.
Jacob quickly shook his head and looked to Christine. “I am fine, my lady. It’s an honor to be invited. My lord father offers his congratulations and asks that you forgive his absence.”
“Of course, Jacob. We heard of what happened to your father only recently. I hope that he will be well soon.”
“Yes…I’m sure he will be…” It was as if he was living in a dream world. The man who had nagged him in the bar, the man who tricked him into breaking into someone’s house, was the great Michael Faryden. And in a few minutes he would also be a relative. It was more than he could wrap his mind around. It seemed, however, that Michael had recomposed himself.
“Sir, I’m glad that you are able to be here. I…uh, believe we have some things to discuss after the ceremony if you don’t mind.”
“Yes, I think we do.” Jacob’s tone was bordering on anger. He didn’t want to make a scene however – as his father would absolutely hate that – so he quickly excused himself and made his way to a seat. A moment later Aidan and Noreen sat down beside him.
“What was that?” Noreen tried to ask as quietly as possible. “Why are you mad at Michael Faryden?”
“He’s the bloody drunk I was telling you about! They one who-”
“Now’s not the place, Jacob,” said Aidan in his ever-calm tone. “Try and keep your voice down. You will talk with him at the feast, I’m sure.”
Jacob nodded, trying his best to calm down. He had thought about the night they had entered that fat man’s house a lot sense the episode. For an entire day, he had been too afraid to leave the inn. He was sure that at any moment some of the town watch would walk into his room and drag him off to prison. He also thought about how close he was to getting his head mashed in by that guy’s club. He had never really been attacked by someone wishing to do him harm before and it wasn’t an experience he ever wished to repeat.
His mind was reeling by the time the ceremony got underway. He was only moderately paying attention, though he recalled having to stand at least once when the bride’s family was being recognized. The traditional songs were sung and the traditional prayers were given. The Father was asked to be with Michael and help him to be a good husband. The Mother was asked to be with Christine and help her to be a good wife. As the thing continued, Jacob was surprised to find how similar it was to the weddings they had in
When Jacob and the others finally entered the Eastern Hall, however, he finally found something that was different from home. The hall was ringed with tables, the farthest of which were upon a raised dais so that they could be seen from everywhere within the room. The smells of a thousand different foods wafted through the air and easily fifty smoking, well-cooked turkeys sat cooked upon the tables, as well as large bowls of some sort of soup. When he asked, Jacob was told that this was only to get things started; they were expecting about thirty courses in all. He was utterly amazed.
Once everyone was settled into place, Michael gave a small speech and the feasting commenced. Michael and Christine danced for everyone while a full band played in the corner. They following dance, Jacob asked a beautiful young woman – on Noreen’s request – and they danced for a few songs. Then he finally bumped into Michael again. He didn’t look happy to see Jacob.
“Hello again, Jacob. What did you think of the ceremony?” Apparently small talk wasn’t the Faryden’s strong point.
“It was like all the other weddings I’ve ever been to. Now,” Jacob said, looking around to see who was within earshot. “What were you doing drunk in some second-rate tavern? Aren’t you the holy Michael Faryden?”
It was also apparent that Michael wasn’t used to being insulted and he was taken aback. “I was simply sampling my city’s numerous watering holes. It’s a good way to get a look at the community’s economy.”
“Right. You gain valuable economic information by getting hammered and wandering around the city in the middle of the night.”
“And what were you doing in there, huh?”
“Getting a drink. I’m just the son of a lord, though. I don’t even run one town, let alone two. And I’m not praised by thousands of people who have never met me, so let’s not try to turn this around.”
“Are you calling my character into question, sir?”
“I don’t think there’s any question about it, sir.”
They stood there for a moment, glaring at one another. They were starting to get odd looks from those walking past but they seemed not to notice.
“How old are you, anyway?” asked Michael.
“Twenty, give or take a few days,” Jacob responded. “And you?”
“I’m twenty-three, thank you.” Jacob started laughing at that. “What?”
“You’re only twenty-three? How, then, are you the Savior-Of-All Faryden? Why do these people even like a drunk like you so much?”
“Because I’ve been running Constagra and Haden Hill since I was fifteen! Because, when my father died, I pulled these places out of the dirt and gave them hope again; something my father never could.” He was breathing heavily and his face had turned a deeper shade of red. His volume had also increased and there were now a few people openly watching. Jacob didn’t care, though.
“Then explain the house.”
“I…ugh. To be honest…I thought it would be fun.” He rolled his eyes, realizing how stupid it sounded when he was sober.
“Fun? Have you ever been hit upside the head by a large metal club? No, I don’t think that you have. It isn’t fun, Michael. Let’s just get that clear: it isn’t fun at all.”
They stood staring at one another for a few more minutes, neither of them speaking. Suddenly Michael’s lips cracked into a smile and he slowly started to chuckle. Despite his best efforts, Jacob also started smiling. Within a minute, they were both laughing as though they had heard the funniest joke in the world.
“Jacob, I’m sorry. But you should have seen the look on your face…”
“Yeah, well I don’t know how you saw it; you sprinted out of there pretty fast.”
“Heh. That’s true. But then, I didn’t want to get hit by that fat guy’s club.” Shaking his head, Michael looked up at the window. “Will you look at that? It’s already dark outside. I should probably spend some time with my wife before they bed us. I’ll talk to you later, alright?”
Jacob also shook his head. “Whatever you say. Oh and congratulations.”
As Michael walked away, Jacob returned to Aidan.
“Where’s Noreen?”
“Off flirting with some lord, no doubt.” He nodded his head in the direction of Michael. “And how did that go?”
“It’s alright. He’s an okay guy. Actually…” Jacob stopped as he cocked his head. Seemingly off in the distance, he thought he heard a low thumping noise. “Do you hear that?”
Sections of the roof suddenly exploded downward, walls started crumbling inward, people started screaming and Aidan didn’t have time to answer.Captain Harwin Marshall was thoroughly miserable. He and his company had been marching through the
Approximately a week before, Harwin and his men had been stationed at a small crossing north of the Fork. From there they had been making quick striking raids into the western territories in hopes of clearing the area in time for the full-scale invasion. His company wasn’t a group of seasoned veterans but they had been involved in the siege of Qam and had participated in field operations with the main Paredes Army. Harwin was proud of his men and desired to prove their worth to the Great Lord.
That is why he had become so upset when a small group of Ancient Men had crossed the river and counter-attacked in the middle of the night. They had caught Harwin and his men completely by surprise and had managed to kill quite a few with their demonically accurate arrow fire. Before he was able to rally his men and attack, however, they had simply faded away into the night.
The Ancient Men were a strange people as far as Harwin was concerned. They were the descendants of the people of the Ancient States; city-states dating to before the Old Empire. They had remained half-savage and never managed to civilize themselves enough to form a coherent nation. Instead, some remained nomadic while others strived to survive from meager farms and domesticated animals. From Harwin’s point of view, they were a barbaric people that had only one thing in common: their ability to make war.
They were exceptionally skilled in the art of combat and it is theorized by historians that if they had ever united under one banner, they could have conquered the entire known world. Instead they chose to live in their mountains, forests, and plains and constantly irritate the Kyrithian kingdom, which attempted to treat them with respect. During the Great War, the Ancient Men had been easily the most skilled combatants on the field of battle and had managed to tip the scales in the favor of Men on multiple occasions. When the Old Empire had been formed, the Ancient States were welcomed into it as partners but were permitted to maintain individual control over their territories. It was probably the only thing that saved the people in the years to come.
When the Dragon Lords began to fight amongst themselves and the Wars of the Dragons decimated the lands, the Ancient States quickly reverted back to their old ways and made war as best they could. They were easily the least effected by the fighting and many of their permanent cities were left untouched. Since then, the Ancient States, as they have taken to calling themselves once more, have attempted to stay free and independent, refusing to join the Kyrithian Federation or listen to Paredes’ bids for consolidation. While the majority of the people in the Kyrithian province respected the Ancient Men, Aton Paredes had made it quite clear that he aimed to completely annihilate the people, in order to purge their “heathen religion” from the world.
Though Harwin considered them savages, he had to respect their prowess and admitted that he had no intention of fighting Ancient Men if he could help it. Unfortunately, the morning after the attack, he was ordered to take his company across the Watchguard in pursuit. His men’s blood was still pumping and they were all rather eager as they crossed the river and started marching northwest toward the
Unfortunately, the eagerness of his men didn’t hold as three straight days were spent with heavy rains falling upon them. Near the end of the third day, Harwin decided to make camp on the outskirts of the abandoned city of
During the Great War, the Gaileon had been the crack soldiers of the Gyr’ra. Supposedly, thousands of years ago the Gyr’ra had subjugated the Gaileon beasts to use in their wars. What the monsters lacked in numbers they more than made up for in their destructive capacity. They stood anywhere from six to seven feet tall and were generally similar to humans in build. Their arms hung down to their knees and were twice as thick as a man’s. They had no neck to speak of and their face was surprisingly flat, with no apparent nose, a thin line for a mouth and two large, solid red eyes. From its shoulders sprung giant wings, similar to those of bats and dragons, which they used for short flights. Their entire bodies were black as night, though they usually wore a tanned leather loincloth. While they generally used their fists and claws for fighting, they were known to carry three spears which they threw down on their enemies before landing to engage.
The Gaileon had been a terror upon the armies of Man and had even been a thorn in the side of the dragons because of their ability to fly. It wasn’t until the advent of the Dragon Lords that the Gaileon were able to be driven back into the mountains, where they had fled after the war. They were completely unseen throughout the entirety of the Old Empire, most likely because they feared the wrath of the Dragon Lords. However, when the Empire crumbled, the dragons died out and the Lords disappeared, they moved down out of the mountains once more. They came into
The men had been out on patrol during the night and had simply vanished, horse and all. Despite the fact that the men were friends, Harwin and the others didn’t take much time to look for them. Instead, they had quickly mounted up and moved off. They had been riding somewhat hard since then, wishing to fight the Ancient Men over the creatures that haunted
Harwin turned and look back at his men who were strung out along the narrow forest path behind him. The woods were dense and dark, which none of the men liked, and the path, which had originally been a wide highway, had slowly closed in and become little more than a glorified footpath. Harwin’s scouts were confident that the road widened again a few miles ahead, for which he was grateful. He didn’t like to show it, but he had a fear of close space and he wasn’t at all comfortable within the forest.
His men were tired and were quickly losing their drive to bring revenge upon the Ancient Men. Some had openly said that they were turning around if they didn’t find something soon. Harwin was also a little tense about the situation. It was odd that they hadn’t seen a single living soul since they had crossed the Watchguard a week before. They had seen the occasional village but they were always deserted and he didn’t see any point in burning empty houses.
He also bemoaned the small road they found themselves on. He had almost a hundred men on horseback. It was a powerful group if brought to bear in the open field. Riding two abreast through the woods, however, rendered them almost completely useless. He didn’t like their vulnerability and so had a higher than average number of scouts out around the main group.
A loud popping sound suddenly issued from the right flank and Harwin’s sword was in his hand in a flash. The other men reacted just as swiftly as they turned toward the noise. Harwin’s heart was beating rather quickly when a scout rode through the trees up toward him.
“
“It was nothing, sir. A tree struck by lightning during the storm a few days ago finally broke. I thought I should let you know before knights went riding through the woods after it.” He gave Harwin a toothy smile.
“Very well. Return to your post.”
His men grumbled to one another and sheathed their blades, looking thoroughly relieved. Harwin held on to his, however, as he turned his horse and signaled for the company to continue forward.
About fifteen minutes later, Harwin glanced down to a small hourglass hanging from his saddle. As the last grains of sand trickled down, he looked about the woods. The scouts were due in to report. A few moments passed and none returned. His eyes narrowed and his heart began to flutter once more. He signaled back to his men and the all silently drew their blades. There was something there, Harwin was sure of it.
With barely a sound, small round balls began falling all through the company from the thick tree branches above. They were about the size of an apple and wrapped in a rough spun weave of hemp rope. A short rope stump stuck out from the top of each, silently smoldering away with surprising speed. Harwin screamed just as the wicks burnt down into the spheres.
A hundred miniature explosions ripped through the ranks, killing horses and men and scaring the rest. Small iron pellets tore through men and beast, soldiers were thrown from their horses and trampled but a few managed to stay mounted. Harwin was thrown from his horse to land face first in the dirt of the road. Rolling onto his back, he propped himself up and yelled to his men to come together.
More, smaller bangs sounded from the trees above and more men began to scream and die. Small holes opened up in men’s chests, backs, and helmets with blood pouring forth while more conventional arrows rained down, as well. A few men attempted to stand and fight but were quickly shot down. Harwin’s mind was reeling, trying to figure out how they had managed to get cannon into the trees as he stood and beheld the carnage that had fallen upon his men. Suddenly a man emerged from the nearby underbrush and walked confidently toward Harwin, casually stepping over the dead and dying bodies of Harwin’s men.
He was a tall man, bordering on seven feet. He had the darker, tanned skin of the Ancient Men, as well as long black hair bundled in a loose tail that ran down to the middle of his back. He wore a dark red leather vest adorned with beads, stones, and shells. It hung unbuttoned from his shoulders with nothing beneath. He wore rather baggy green cotton trousers with brown leather sandals laced up his legs. Around his neck hung a large necklace adorned with approximately a dozen bright red gems that clattered lightly as he walked. Over his right shoulder a sword hilt could be seen and in his hand he carried some strange device made from metal and wood. It reminded Harwin of cannon and suddenly he understood what had happened.
“A mess we have ‘ere, Cap’n. What’re you doin’ in the
Harwin stood for a moment trying to catch his breath. The man before him was obviously a man accustomed to battle and his clothes showed that he was daring, as well. No man wore so many adornments into battle unless he was rather confident in his abilities. Finally, Harwin got enough courage to speak.
“We were pursuing a group of Ancient Men who crossed the Watchguard and attacked our camp. Apparently you found us first.”
“Heh, aye. T’was a bloody good show in your camp, Cap’n. Your men were less prepared than a pig bein’ led off to slaughter. We didn’t want to have ta kill all of your men, though. You shouldn’t have come. This is Ancient land.”
The slaughter behind him and the insults against his men were too much for Harwin to take and he found himself becoming angry.
“You’re a butcher! We were military regulars engaging in regular military activities. You ambushed us and killed us with your cannon powder tricks. You have no grievance against us and yet-”
“No grievance? Do you remember a village called Vallidyr? T’was the home of o’er a thousand of my people. There’s isn’t a village called Vallidyr any longer, Cap’n. This is how we Ancient Men play our wars. This land will never belong to you easterners.”
“You say so now,” Harwin spit out. “But soon the full might of the glorious Paredes Army will come marching through your pathetic woods and you will beg for mercy. And your southern neighbors won’t be able to help you. We march toward the Kyrithian province even now. We will purge the land of you pagan heretics and unite the world once more.”
For a moment, the Ancient man didn’t move. Finally, he shook his head, causing beads to clack together, and looked into Harwin’s eyes. He then raised the barrel of the hand cannon and placed its end a few inches from Harwin’s face. Before he could even display his surprise, the Ancient man’s hand twitched and Harwin’s world went dark.
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