The Ghost Of Eslenda (Book 1) (22 page)

"I do not know," said Onyax Lor. "It is best that we get some sleep. I know little of the ways of the Daerlan folk, but I think it will be long ere he contacts Navir."

The morning brought more of the chill air but the wind was not so strong. Still, they huddled about the fire eating their breakfast. Elthar had not returned for four days. Gaerhan sat silently, unable to tell his companions anything other than Elthar was in no danger. They could only wait.

"I have sent scouts ahead," said Per Tagjet. "We will know the road ahead by the time Elthar returns."

They kept out of the winds for the rest of the morning, speaking little, conserving their strength for the tasks ahead of them. They were preparing lunch when a solitary figure approached them.

"I have returned and my news is good." The Daerlan's face was pale but he smiled. "I have reached Navir. He was not pleased to be contacted and I endured much, but when I mentioned the Menaloch, he was eager to hear the rest of my tale. Navir will speak with us three days hence at the coast. We will need to move quickly to reach the coast by then. He is not known for his patience."

"Strike the camp!" shouted Per Tagjet. "We move at once."

The Nunari struck the camp efficiently, impressing James and Jed Turlane. Lan Tagjet led the company briskly northward, bundled in their heavy cloaks as the wind did not relent and cooled even more as they continued their trek.

They pressed on with only brief breaks each day. The ground became harder and the air colder. They squeezed around the night fires for warmth and slept in their cloaks and furs for comfort. The trees began to thin out and small shrubs dominated the hills. At last, they followed a stream down to the shoreline. White breakers thundered against the coast and a freshening wind assailed them. On a rock to the east a solitary figure stood. A dingy had been dragged from the sea and anchored off the coast was a dark brown schooner.

"Navir!" cried Elthar. The younger Daerlan rushed forward. Navir smiled at their approach and clasped arms with Elthar and Gaerhan.

"Welcome, friends," said Navir. There was nothing remarkable to his appearance and no great age could be seen. He could have been of age with Elthar, but his eyes were deep and canny. He wore clothes of gray and his hair was tied back by a red ribbon. He looked at the men as if not truly seeing them.

"I am Lan Tagjet. This is my son, Per and my daughter, Sena. This is Onyax Lor. Prince James of Eslenda and his man Jed Turlane."

"Again, welcome," said Navir. "Elthar communicated to me your quest. It is lucky for you that I was already coming this way. There are some people I am to meet in Eslenda. I must be blunt. If the Turucks were not involved, I would not be here. I care little for the fate of Men. But the Turucks walk in the shadow of the Menaloch, and that is evil beyond men. Once the Turucks and Daerlan were a single race. I led my people across the sea to Liannest to escape the shadow of our past, but it was not to be. The shadow followed us and sundered us and the Turucks returned across the sea to the desert land east of our old home. That was centuries ago." His voice was soft and precise as if he spoke to children who grasped the meaning of few of his words.

"Now the Menaloch has returned. It is a creature that seeks to destroy the Daerlan and very nearly did. The Kaliga is a weapon that may kill it, and I thought it had destroyed the Menaloch once before. I am no longer sure of the Kaliga. Was it the Kaliga or the strength of the wielder who failed? I had left a company of Daerlan across the sea with the Kaliga to guard against the return of the Menaloch. After many seasons, we stopped receiving news of them. I traveled across the sea to Arda and found the Kaliga point down in the sand, but no trace of the company of Daerlan did I find. Still, as time passed I began to believe they had succeeded in destroying the Menaloch."

"Where is the Kaliga?" asked Per Tagjet.

"Close by. But hear me. I know clearly the power of the Kaliga and I would not choose to wield it. It is a living thing now and is ever hungry. Whoever takes up the spear will surely perish even in victory."

"You used it," said Lan Tagjet.

"No. I merely carried it. Another wielded it and was consumed. Elthar once heard its call but did not yield to it. It is very seductive."

"You talk as if it's alive," said James.

"It is. It was shaped by ancient magic to fight the Menaloch, but now it craves the life force of any who draw near. It will sustain its own existence with the life force of the wielder. Whoever will wield it should not carry it lest their strength be gone before it is time to use it. The Turucks have crossed the sea. You will meet them in Eslenda. Two shall bear the Kaliga and a third shall wield. Choose now."

"What? Just like that?" asked Per Tagjet.

"You must choose before I allow you to take the Kaliga. Remember, the Kaliga will survive whether you do or not."

They stood silent, alone in their thoughts, not daring to meet the gaze of Navir.

"I will wield it," said Sena.

"No!" cried Lan Tagjet and James together.

"She has chosen," said Navir. "Let all who would support her listen to me. If she fails, someone else must destroy the Menaloch. This will be a battlefield decision. There will be no time to decide all the ramifications of your actions. The Menaloch must be destroyed with the Kaliga. You will have only one chance for the Menaloch will defend itself. Who will carry the Kaliga?"

"I will," said James.

"And I," said Per Tagjet, glaring at James.

"Kaliga lies before you protected by magic. Guardian Daerlan who will kill you if you approach."

"You will tell them to let us take it?" asked Lan Tagjet.

"No. You must prove you worth and defeat them."

"What is this trickery?" asked Per Tagjet.

"No trickery. Wards that I set centuries ago protect the Kaliga. Only those strong enough to break the wards will be strong enough to withstand the Kaliga. You must defeat the wards to gain the Kaliga. I cannot unlock the wards."

"Why not?"

"Please remember I thought the Menaloch destroyed. There was no need for anyone else to suffer from the Kaliga's use. I do not have the power to destroy the Kaliga. It was created by old magic that no longer exists. The wards stand until they are destroyed. Your choices are limited."

Navir stood aside and gestured toward a ring of stones just past the tide line of the beach and the twelve-foot spear appeared, standing up from the wet sand. Ten Daerlan stood around it, their golden swords glowing with power.

"I wish you luck," said Navir. "Truly."

"Why not stay and help us," asked James. "You could make all the difference in our struggle."

"Prince of Men, I turned away from my people nearly two thousand years ago. I do not desire the end of life, yet I desire no company. It may be necessary for Daerlan and Men to survive or not, but my battles are long over."

"The Menaloch will hunt you at the end," said James. "If you are the last Daerlan, it will not give up."

"Astute guesses, Prince of Men. But it has been thousands of years since I last encountered the Menaloch. It may be thousands more before it finds me again. I may be weary of life by then."

"Don't you care about anything except yourself?"

"Spare me your anger. I showed you where to find the Kaliga. Don't temp me to hide it again."

He walked over the hill and was gone.

Some of the best farmland in Eslenda lay south of Riverdowns to the river. From the ramparts of the castle, it offered a picturesque view with mountains rising to form the border with Masina. But from the ramparts as the sun set, the land seemed swarmed by insects covering both sides of the river, but on scrutiny, the shields and helmets of soldiers could be seen. The columns of soldiers streamed through the pass at Caeratan and filled the surrounding land as a tide rising.

Edward's soldiers lined the river's edge watching the approach of the Turuck army. The invaders were a vast army, some horsed, but most on foot. They marched silently with the thunder of huge drums sounding the march beat.

The concussion of the drums jangled his armor. Edward could feel the vibration in his mount's legs. His scouts reported the war hammers to be deadly and scores of black clad fighters walked with every column of the Turuck regular army. These special warriors surrounded even their Overlord, Tag Makk, although rumor from Masina indicated he needed no special protection. Tag Makk was the fiercest fighter of the Turucks, as it should be, thought Edward. A king should lead his army not let his generals take the glory. Edward reviewed his men again, looking at the line of the jaw of each man, the silence of patience and found few lacking. He was pleased. His men would fight well, but he still worried. The Eslendian army was outnumbered and dispatches had been sent to Howard Cane at Far Greening to forgo battle with Hal and hurry south to fortify the defense of Riverdowns. Cane had not arrived. The Turucks had overrun Masina much faster than Edward expected. He would not have allowed Cane the march on Hal if he had known he would be caught undermanned. Edward even sent a summons to Hal. This day they were all Eslendians.

Edward positioned himself on a bluff overlooking the river. He watched the silent Turucks spread out beyond the edges of his army as the shadows lengthened. The Turucks would be able to cross the river and outflank his soldiers; he did not have enough soldiers. He cursed Hal for escaping and he cursed Cane for his preoccupation with the Nunari. Eslenda would suffer for their selfishness.

The wind freshened and Edward's banners snapped in the breeze amidst the clang of sword and shield as the soldiers stood ready. The Turucks pike men stood at the front for the charge of the Eslendian cavalry. The hammer wielders ready behind them.

Edward commanded the center, Robert Tucker the left flank and William Tyler the right flank. They were good fighters but not war leaders of Howard Cane's ability. Edward glanced northward once more but saw no signs of Howard Cane.

"Howard, you must avenge us, you bastard," Edward muttered. He waited until the light of the moon peaked over the eastern mountains and he signaled his herald. The horns blared in the dawn air, hundreds of horsemen urged their mounts forward and the Eslendians crossed the river.

The Turucks cried out in one voice and raced forward, their war hammers swinging in wide arcs. The ground thundered with the passing of the armies.

The Turucks set pike men in the path of the horses and the collision was horrifying and bloody. Horses and men crashed to the ground thrashing and twitching in their death throes. The Turucks could afford to waste manpower to cut down the Eslendian cavalry. Turuck soldiers swarmed over the Eslendians, cutting more down before the Turuck cavalry made its first charge. The Turucks had far fewer horsemen but they were used well and the front ranks of the Eslendians were decimated.

The Eslendians fought bravely while giving ground to the superior numbers of the Turucks. Twice the Turucks disengaged and pulled back. Then they charged again, building up speed, smashing into the ragged lines of the Eslendians. Soon the defenders backs would be to the city walls. It was hopeless but they still fought on, not so much for their King, Edward, but for Eslenda. Robert Tucker, his right arm useless, crushed by a war hammer, wielded his sword in his left hand, keeping back the onslaught. His men rallied to him and beat back the Turucks and Tucker slipped back into the ranks of his soldiers. William Tyler fell with an arrow in his eye. The right side collapsed under the relentless pressure of the Turucks. Edward's troops were squeezed by the collapsed right and found themselves back to back in close quarters with the enemy. There was no chance to catch their breath. The Eslendians fought frantically, their blows rapid and endless but weariness soon began to curb their adrenalin.

Robert Tucker kept his men firm against the Turucks. They held the line for a time and then Tag Makk came. He moved in among the Eslendians and his hammer wrought death and despair. Standing a head taller than any around him, Tag Makk's progress was clear to Robert Tucker. The Overlord came for him.

Tucker moved to meet Tag Makk, both Eslendians and Turucks gave way for them to meet. Tucker lifted his blade in salute. Tag Makk grinned, raised his hammer in a like salute, and then came forward with such speed that Tucker's sword fell from his hand before he realized his good shoulder was now crushed. Tucker grimaced, staggered toward Tag Makk and tried to kick him. Tag Makk knocked his legs out from under him and then pulled out his long dagger. Tucker stared at him, defiant in his last breath.

A troop of Tucker's men found themselves cut off across the river. They drove a wedge through the Turucks and fought their way to the outer flank of the Turucks then crossed back to the Riverdowns side of the river. Seeing their leader fall, they shouted his name and fought a desperate battle to reach him but then Tag Makk beheaded him. Tucker's men screamed and flailed at anything within reach. They saw a dark wave rushing through the Turucks to reach them. The Shadow Runners struck silently but gave no quarter. Tucker's men fought their last just ten yards from where he died.

Edward left corpses in a ring around his position. No Turuck hampered his swordplay. Then the Shadow Runners came and Edward felt the oddness of them as he fought them. He wounded them but they showed little affect from the impacts as if they were only shells of men. He drove his sword into one's chest and it smiled at him as it died. He pulled it out, the dark blood dripping down it. He hesitated and a sword nicked his shoulder. He pushed the Shadow Runner away and struck at him, but the blow was blocked.

The Shadow Runner forced him backward, tripping over a dead body. The sudden fall knocked the wind out of him. The Shadow Runners were upon him before he could defend himself. A blow to the head staggered him and a Shadow Runner cut off Edward's sword hand. He stared at it, still clutching his sword. A noose was tossed over his head. The Shadow Runners dragged him to Tag Makk.