Destiny (22 page)

Whistles blew as Centurions began giving new commands to their centuries as buglers around the grove relayed the order to withdraw. When over the roar of the mounting forest fire, Tiberius heard the sounds of combat. Looking towards the base of the burning Mother Tree, Tiberius saw a group of Minotaurs slaughtering a ragged line of Elven defenders. Even from this distance, he could see the battered Elves wore the insignia of King Elladan’s House.

The lightly armored Forest Elves fought desperately with swords and daggers to hold back the advancing Legion’s heavy armored lines to protect the handful of injured that had escaped the burning flames. Bright flights of powered arrows slammed into the advancing bulls from around the grove, but without the Ironidium Knights to hold back the legionnaires advance, they were being cut down like wheat before the sickle. Flaring his nostrils, Tiberius took a step forward focusing on the legionnaire leading the advance. With a loud bellow, he called Scipio’s second-in-command to him.

“Centurion Secundus!”

A second later Secundus’ fist thumped against his breastplate with a metallic clang as he snapped to attention behind Tiberius. “Legatus?”

Looking back over his shoulder, Tiberius pointed towards the base of the Mother Tree. “Who are those legionnaires advancing against my orders?”

Squinting through the smoky haze, Secundus met Tiberius’ eyes grimly. “Legatus, that’s General Volturcius and his personal guards.” Before he could say more, a resounding crack reverberated through the ground as the base of the Mother Tree suddenly crumpled upon itself.

For a moment, it looked as if the forest was falling in on itself. The massive trunk was as thick as a town’s Coliseum and the canopy of its limbs stretched out across the top of the forest a quarter mile in every direction while its crown rose above the forest a good hundred yards.

Open mouthed, Tiberius watched the humongous tree’s sudden collapse stop as it leaned precariously against the rest of the grove. Screams of terror filled the air as thousands of Elves plummeted to their deaths when the Mother Tree came to an abrupt stop. Tiberius’ heart sank as he realized those were the lucky ones.

With an unnatural speed, the roaring fire began spreading throughout the living city. Trapped in their homes high above the forest, the survivors were faced with the horrific option of being burned alive or leaping to their death. As the entire grove flared into a fiery inferno, Tiberius heard the tremendous sounds of splintering wood as the Mother Tree suddenly plummeted to the ground, crushing the smaller trees that had caught its initial decent.

After pushing the Tuonellian invaders from the Imperium’s overrun cities towards the end of the Great War, Tiberius knew well the destructive power of bursting wood. Yelling out a warning he pulled Secundus to the ground activating his Wolf Gauntlet.

“Delta Formation!” Heavy horned heads whipped around in shock at the urgency in Tiberius’ voice as his shield wall began deploying. Immediately his legionnaires’ combat experience and training took over. Triggering their gauntlets they dropped to their knees into defensive positions as a thunderous explosion ripped through the air.

Tiberius ducked behind his Wolf Gauntlets as the heat wave from the firestorm washed over the entire grove. With it came the deadly explosion of razor sharp splinters of tinnearlian-wood blasting through the air. Even though his scuta hadn’t fully deployed, enough of the scutum had formed to offer his body some protection from the burning chunks of wood slamming against his helm as the air was sucked from his lungs.

Slowly the pressure of the scorching blast dissipated as the fire rose higher into the air. Gasping for air, Tiberius staggered to his hooves pulling Secundus with him. Turning around, they both stared at the nightmarish scene before them. Looking around in shock Secundus spoke haltingly.

“What in Akras name just happened?”

“The trees of the grove shattered from the weight of the Mother Tree’s collapse.”

Thick billowing clouds of smoke stung their eyes from the roaring forest fire as burning ash choked their lungs. Smoldering splinters covered everything, some even piercing the legionnaires’ heavy armor. Across the clearing his legionnaires bled from numerous wounds, many withering in agony on the ground from the intensity of the explosion, except for the handful of bulls from his personal retinue who were already rising to their hooves. Except being battered and bleeding, his guards were otherwise unhurt. Like him they had used their gauntlets as a shield to protect them from the worsts of the flying shrapnel.

“About ten years before you joined the Thirteenth, we were deployed to help the Elves hold the Great Forest with the Eleventh and Twelfth Legions under my command. Retracting his shield, Tiberius met Secundus’ grim eyes. “The miles of devastated forest you saw on your march in were destroyed during the Battle of Daeron Fortress. The Tuonellians would use their fiery artillery rounds to shatter the trees above our heads as they drove to break our defensive lines.” As the haunting memories came back to him, Tiberius’ eyes took on a faraway look. “They almost succeeded. Our losses were so horrific during the invasion that we were driven back to the walls of the Fortress. If it hadn’t been for Ilmarinen Ironwolf coming to our aid, our lines would have never held.”

Shaking the memories away, Tiberius focused once more on Secundus. “It wasn’t until after the forest had been destroyed around us that we were able to drive the Tuonellians back.” As fresh legionnaires from the reserve century began moving around the grove to help the wounded, the rest of the bulls took up a defensive position around them as a grisly Centurion came to attention in front of Tiberius.

“Legatus, your orders?”

“Centurion Horatia, gather up the dead and wounded and pull back to the recall point.”

“Sir, yes sir.”

With a quick salute, the Centurion took off after his legionnaires calling orders as Tiberius turned to Secundus. “I want you to complete the Legion’s withdraw from the Great Forest and ...”

“Hhhuuurrraaalll!” The bellow of rage cut Tiberius off before he could complete his sentence as Commander Scipio leaped to his hooves. Blood streamed down his shredded face as he swung his horns in a wide arc with his powerful neck, goring the legionnaire helping him up. As the male fell back clutching his gut, Scipio's head whipped around head butting the second legionnaire holding him. As the bull fell backward stunned, Scipio charged blindly towards the roaring fire bellowing in rage.

Tiberius was the first to react. Leaping after the insane Commander, he ran as fast as he could. He couldn’t let the old bull escape. This was his chance to discover what was happening to his people! Tiberius managed to tackle Scipio to the ground near the base of the fallen Mother Tree as Cornisus made it to his side a second later. Together they dragged the enraged Scipio to his hooves as Secundus and Centurion Horatia came running up with a group of legionnaires a moment later. Breathing heavy, Tiberius bellowed to be heard over the raging forest fire.

“Do not let Scipio out of your sight and get my Legion to safety!”

Tiberius released Scipio to Centurion Horatia’s contubernium as the sounds of combat suddenly rang out behind him. Turning around in consternation, he froze as he saw General Volturcius lift a struggling Elf high into the air with a long clawed hand. From this distance, he could see the Elf was none other than King Elladan. Taking a closer look at the General’s face, Tiberius realized it was no longer that of a Minotaur, but the bleached face of a Tuonellian Hulk. He felt Cornisus tense at his side as they heard the creature’s guttural voice shout in triumph.

“Die knowing your people will be slaughtered for the Horde like cattle!”

In horror, they both watched the Hulk’s jaws open wide as its fangs tore the King’s face off in one bite. Throwing the body away, the Hulk howled as it began wading through the burning debris with five contuberniums following close behind.

Pausing for a moment, Tiberius watched the legionnaires sharply as his logical mind warned him something wasn’t right. There was a wrongness about the bulls’ movements that screamed out to him as he watched the five contuberniums fall in behind the Tuonellian in a disorganized mass. He’d never seen trained legionnaires move like that. Imperium Legions moved in precise formations at all times. Their tight formations moved as a single unit on the battlefield and were the trademark of the Imperium’s armies.

Squinting through the smoke Tiberius could see the creatures’ target. Two Elves and a beast on the far side of the clearing. Immediately Tiberius froze as he recognized the closest Elf before she turned away, disappearing into the smoke. It was Princess Lúthien of the High Elf Clan. Looking over his shoulder, Tiberius saw that Secundus was withdrawing the Legion. Already they were entering the woods at the far end of the clearing. Only Tiberius and his personal guard were close enough to follow after in time to help.

The firestorm was quickly spreading to the rest of the forest. If he went after Lúthien to rescue her, they would be cut off from the Legion. Tiberius’ thoughts churned as he watched the Hulk heading off in pursuit after the Princess. Lúthien had once been a close friend. If he could get her to listen there might be a chance to salvage the Alliance yet!

Five legionnaires against fifty monsters being led by a Tuonellian Hulk, it sounded like the start of a terrible saga. Meeting his bulls’ questioning looks, Tiberius’ eyes hardened as he came to a decision. The clanking sounds of his Wolf Gauntlets reforming were drowned out by his bellow.

“Legionnaires of the Imperium, follow me!” Spinning around, Tiberius charged after the Tuonellians.

***

Location Irlendria / Enelya Tasartir:

“Stop Argus, you're killing yourself!”

Grimacing in pain, Enelya buried her face into Argus' neck as she clung to his coarse fur for dear life. Between the pain pouring through their shared link and her broken ribs, she didn’t have the strength to swing up onto his broad back.

Lurching precariously from tree to tree, Argus descended the steep side of the mountain towards the Otso River at breakneck speed with Lúthien and Enelya clutched tightly in his arm. Blood matted his fur from numerous wounds and his broken chest heaved with strain. Still he launched himself heedlessly towards the next tree further down the slope without slowing down.

“Tell me what’s wrong!”

The terrible feeling of dread that flooded through their link made Enelya’s blood run cold as the mental image of a maggot-white mutated face took shape in her mind. Instantly she understood the fear that drove Argus’ reckless flight.

Enelya almost lost her grip as Argus’ mental cry ripped through their bond. By the tip of one clawed hand, he managed to angle their fall towards the next tree tumbling uncontrollably. With a knelling cry, Argus wrapped them both in his bloody arms protectively as they hit the trunk with a bone-jarring impact, before plunging uncontrollably down the slope. Normally Enelya rode on Argus’ back when they traveled. At full health, he could have easily carry her for miles, but between his internal injuries and Lúthien’s added weight, the physical strain of the jumps was simply too much in his weakened condition.

Enelya’s eyes rolled into the back of her head as they bounced off another tree. Pain lashed through her like burning fire as Argus’ scream echoed through her mind. Again and again, her body was racked with his agony when suddenly there was only soothing darkness.

***

Location Irlendria / Enelya Tasartir:

“Wake up Enelya! You have to wake up!”

Disoriented, Enelya struggled to lift her head from the cool, wet sand as Lúthien’s hands shook her urgently. Shooting pains in her chest forced Enelya to breathe in shallow gasping pants as the nauseating agony that had overloaded her mind receded to a dull ache. Anxiously she pushed herself up looking for her soulmate.

Seeing Argus’ broken body lying a couple of yards away. Enelya shook Lúthien’s hands away as she fearfully crawled to his side. Tears streamed down her face as she lifted his bloody head into her lap. Crying wordlessly, she stroked the silver star on Argus’ forehead as his glassy black eyes weakly flickered open.

Fighting back her choking sobs, Enelya laid her head against Argus’ forehead speaking softly.

“We are too close to the Pack for you to give up now my love.”

Argus’ long ears suddenly swiveled up the slope as Lúthien tugged on her shoulders urgently. “We have to keep on moving Enelya!”

Anger flared inside her as she turned on Lúthien screaming. “Then go, I’m not leaving Argus!”

Ignoring her words, Lúthien relentlessly pulled Enelya to her feet. “I didn’t say anything about leaving him. I need your help carrying him. We can’t be far from your Clan now.”

Wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, Enelya stumbled to Argus’ side while Lúthien waited impatiently. “Hurry up, we don’t have much time!” Painfully Enelya squatted down grabbing Argus’ forearm with both hands. Giving Lúthien a sharp nod, they lifted together.

Argus cried out in distress as they lifted his upper body off the ground. The pain of his injuries were almost too much for him to bear. Doing her best to ignore the waves of agony pouring through their bond, Enelya focused on putting one foot in front of the other as Lúthien led them further up the river. If they could make it to the hidden passage behind Ashima Falls they might be able to escape the Tuonellians chasing after them.