The Veredor Chronicles: Book 02 - The Journey West (20 page)

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As the day progressed the weather worsened and the overcast sky grew darker and more ominous.

‘There is evil magic at work in the sky,’ said Meara, lifting her eyes
toward the southern sky where the darkness intensified.

T
hey could all see the shadowy clouds gathering in the south; it looked like a veil was covering the land. The army marched onward, and a feeling of anxiety was growing among the men.

‘The enemy knows we are coming,’ said Baftel. ‘He is trying to threaten us with this sky.’

‘The man who makes threats is always a coward,’ said Chiara.

They rode on throughout the day
, and the sky darkened until the entire land about was shrouded in a gloomy shadow. By mid-afternoon the road led them toward the coast, and from the uplands Eben could see the Southern Sea in the distance. The road then led toward the coast and wound through valleys and over treeless hilltops.

In the la
te afternoon the army came to the height of a ridge with a clear view over the coast. Before them was a large bay in the shape of a crescent with a rising headland on the western side. The headland towered above the bay with a flattened top and vertical cliffs descending toward crashing waves below. Hundreds of ships were anchored in the bay. Smoke rose from a multitude of fires in the muckron encampment on the foreshore. A group of half a dozen wyverns circled in the black swirling clouds above.

T
he two kings looked out at the scene of the monstrous army before them. The muckrons had already formed ranks and were prepared for their arrival. Half the enemy army had formed about twenty lines protecting the shoreline of the bay and the anchored ships. The other twenty thousand muckrons were situated around and on the slopes leading to the headland; they were guarding all the approaches from the land.

‘The Prince of Shadows has taken a position at the height of the
headland,’ said Chiara. ‘It will be an uphill battle to reach him.’

‘The
Zyranians are with the army protecting the bay,’ said Baftel.

‘The answer is simple,’ said King Lenard. ‘We will strike the headland with all our might.’

‘No, such a move would allow the muckrons guarding the shoreline to flank us. We shouldn’t allow them to cut off our possibility of retreat,’ said King Edric.

‘
Retreat! If we don’t have victory today we are unlikely to have victory ever again,’ said King Lenard sharply. ‘The enemy only has about twenty thousand muckrons protecting him on the headland. We have fifty thousand men.’

‘King Lenard is right,’ said
Acartor. ‘We should focus our attack on the headland.’ King Edric nodded, conceding the fact that King Lenard’s plan was probably the best way to attack.

A great horn sounded and the allied army of Irvaria and Everdon started to march toward Crescent Bay. Red, Stella, and Cassiel rode with Eben at the front of the army.

‘I know the plan is for you to push forward
toward the Prince of Shadows with Meara, the Fiorians, and the Tabarians,’ said Red. ‘Stella and I plan to be there with you until the end.’

‘Thanks, Red,’ said Eben, happy that Red and Stella were
always such good friends to him.

‘I
will also follow if I can,’ said Cassiel.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The army of men moved down the gradual slope. As the land flattened out they formed ranks with the Everdonian army on the eastern side and the Irvarians on the west. The dark clouds in the sky were swirling above, and the smell of smoke drifted up from the pits of fire that were burning among the muckron ranks. Six wyverns circled in the sky. They were swooping down and screeching to intimidate the army of men. Eben sat on his warhorse and watched as the formation developed.

‘The Fire Order has arrived,’ said Meara, looking back toward the
top of the rise. Eben looked and saw the fifty wizards of the Fire Order standing behind the ranks of the army.

Acartor
and Chiara approached on their horses. They were followed by Sir Cian and Sir Tierran.

‘This is it,’ said
Acartor.

‘We will ri
de with the first cavalry advance. The cavalry will charge the muckron lines at the base of the hill and push toward the headland,’ said Chiara. ‘From there we will climb the rise and hopefully breach the enemy’s defences. The Prince of Shadows will be commanding his army from the height of the headland. He is sure to be well protected by more than muckrons, so be prepared for anything. The key is to keep moving to prevent the enemy focusing his strength on us. We mustn’t slow, and we certainly shouldn’t turn back. The survival of men and mer in Veredor depends on our success.’

Eben took the
glass case with the two candles from his backpack and placed it beneath his leather armour. He then tied his backpack to his saddle. King Edric and King Lenard were out in front of the army with their knights. They were discussing the best way to attack.

King Edric rode over.
‘Are you ready?’ he asked Chiara.

‘We are,’ she replied.

‘And you, Eben Ecorian, are you ready?

‘I am.’

‘Good. We will send a first wave of three thousand heavy cavalry and a hundred knights. They will be followed directly by our main cavalry force. Finally we will send the infantry. Be ready to ride; the charge is about to start.’

A few minutes passed and the feeling of anticipation was growing. King Edric
rode forward and lifted his sword. For several moments the King stared out at the enemy ranks. He then turned his mighty warhorse to face his army.

‘For
Veredor and freedom!’ he cried as he pointed his sword at the headland. A great horn resounded out across the ranks of men. All at once the heavy cavalry advanced at the pace of a gradual trot. Two hundred Irvarian and Everdonian knights rode out and formed a line at the front.

‘It is time
,’ said Chiara as she drew her sword.

Chiara rode
forward. Sir Cian and Sir Tierran were quick to follow. Eben moved his horse to a trot. Red was right by his side. Stella, Cassiel, Meara, and Arlen were further back.

‘Here we go again,’
said Red, drawing his sword.

Eben eyes were focus
ed at the enemy front line which was about five hundred yards ahead. The muckrons were forming positions around the base of the rise in order to protect the approaches to the height of the headland. Suddenly the dark clouds above started to glow red.

‘Not fire from the sky again,’ said Red, looking up as they advanced.

Suddenly a flaming beam of bright radiating energy flew over their heads and exploded in the muckron ranks. Dozens of muckrons were sent flying in all directions.

‘
That one was from the Fire Order! Watch out! The Zyranians are going to rain fire down on us!’ cried Meara.

A blast of fire shot from the sky and several riders ahead of them fell from their horse
s. In response a second flaming beam of energy blasted into the muckron ranks and caused an even bigger explosion. A moment later the sky above started to rain fire down on the charging cavalry.

‘Charge!’ cried a knight at t
he front as he brought his horse to a gallop. The first line of knights all lowered their lances and charged after the leading knight. Eben drew his sword. Fireballs exploded all around, and smoke rose from the burning field. Bright beams of fire continued to smash into the muckron ranks. Meara raised her hand and shielded those around her from the raining fire with a blue shimmering layer of light.

Chiara looked across at Eben and nodded.
The howls of the muckron horde filled their ears. A moment later they crashed into the enemy front line. Eben hewed down at a howling muckron as his warhorse knocked over another. The monstrous pig faced monsters surrounded them. The battle raged ahead as the knights pressed forward toward the rise.

Chiara and
Acartor were cutting down muckron after muckron. Eben stabbed out as he charged after them with Red, Stella, and Meara by his side. Cassiel had fallen back with Arlen. To the right Sir Cian and Sir Tierran were cutting their way through groups of shrieking muckrons.

‘Follow me!’
cried Chiara, breaking away from the cavalry. She rode onward and carved a path forward. Acartor was battling numerous foes not far behind. Eben brought his horse up beside Chiara and cut down at the muckrons again and again; muckron after muckron fell under his sword. The smell of smoke, the howls of muckrons, and the cries of men filled the air.

Meara
raised her hands, and a great blast of fizzing blue fire shot forth, tearing a path through the muckron horde. Sir Cian and Sir Tierran were in the thick of the battle, whilst Red and Stella were a little further back. Eben couldn’t see Cassiel or Arlen anywhere.

‘Keep moving!’ cried
Acartor from a little further ahead as he moved up the beginning of the rise.

Eben’s
heart was thumping heavily. He moved his horse up the slope. A moment later a wyvern with bright green scales swooped down, aiming itself directly for Eben. Eben turned his warhorse and held his sword ready, but before the beast reached him Sir Cian leapt from his horse at the wyvern. The Tabarian sliced one of the wyvern’s wings off. The beast screeched and crashed to the ground, smashing through a group of muckrons. Sir Cian instantly leapt after the fallen wyvern. He rammed his sword into the beast’s head, and a moment later the wyvern fell lifeless to the ground. Meanwhile another muckron slew Sir Cian’s horse. Eben cut down the same muckron an instant later. He turned back to Sir Cian who had engaged a group of the pig headed monsters on the opposite side.

Meanwhile
Chiara and Acartor, a little further up the hill, were cutting out a path through the hideous monsters. Eben charged forward and suddenly a green blast of energetic light struck his warhorse, sending him tumbling to the ground. He quickly regained his feet, but, Arrow, his warhorse, lay dead on the battlefield. An instant later Sir Cian was by his side.

‘
Watch out! There’s a Northern Sorcerer!’ cried Sir Cian as he fought his way forward with Eben toward Acartor and Meara. Eben looked ahead and could see a man in a black cloak with sunken eyes and greasy hair. The Northern Sorcerer raised his hand, and a green streak of light powered toward Chiara. Meara created a blue energy shield and stopped the attack; a mighty boom echoed out across the battlefield. Meara retaliated with three spirals of blue hissing energy that struck the Northern Sorcerer down.

‘Where is
Sir Tierran?’ asked Eben.

‘He’s dead
,’ said Sir Cian curtly.

Eben
felt deeply shocked, but he had no time to reflect on what he had just been told. He looked back down the slope to see Red and Stella struggling against a large group of muckrons about fifty yards away. They had both fallen from their horses and had been unable to keep up with the advance toward the top of the headland. They were clearly being overwhelmed. A muckron was smashing Stella’s shield with a massive battle axe as Red was wrestling with another hideous monster. Eben was about to turn back to help them, but Acartor grabbed his arm.

‘No, Eben
. We must move onward!’

‘I can’t leave my friends to die,’ cried Eben.

‘You have to!’ shouted Acartor desperately.

‘Eben, I will protect them
,’ said Meara, realising Eben’s predicament. ‘I’ll see you when this is all over.’

Eben nodded
. Meara then dashed down the slope toward Red and Stella. Acartor and Eben turned and charged up the hill with Sir Cian and Chiara just behind. The throng of muckrons scattered before them, their snouts howling and hissing as the Fiorians forced a way forward. Both Acartor and Chiara were amazing. Their skill and agility was second to none. They cut down the enemies to the left and right, creating a path through the hideous monsters.

‘We’
re almost there,’ cried Acartor.

For a moment Eben caught a glimpse of the battlefield
below; the whole field was completely alight. Thousands of men and muckrons were fighting to the death. Flames shot across the field from the multitude of wizards involved in the battle. Eben could see the second army of muckrons that had been protecting the shoreline were circling around behind the army of men.

As he was distracted
a huge muckron struck him on the back with a war hammer. Eben stumbled and lifted his sword to parry a second incoming strike. His ribs ached from the impact. The drooling yellow tusked monster struck out again. Eben ducked aside, simultaneously swinging his sword down; the muckron fell at his feet. He dashed forward to join Chiara and Acartor, but Sir Cian was nowhere to be seen.

Eben quickly scanned
the battlefield. He caught sight of Sir Cian’s lifeless body a little way back, a muckron spear protruding from his side. There was no time to stop as three muckrons assailed him an instant later. He cut them down as he dashed to the top of the headland where Chiara and Acartor were fighting through the last lines of monsters. A moment later they forced their way through and dashed forward.

Eben looked ahead. About forty yards a
cross a flat rock surface was a man who was sitting on a chair made of twisted metal. He was middle aged with greying hair and deep blue eyes. He wore fine black clothing. His human face carried an expression of indifference. Placed across his knees was a sword that appeared to be a perfect replica of the Sword of Light.

To his left stood a man in a long black cloak who looked like a Northern Sorcerer. His eyes were
deeply sunken and his thin hair was dry and grey. To the man’s right stood a huge muckron who was holding a massive bronze mace. The beastly muckron was wearing intricately designed golden armour. Ten Skatheans stood behind them, and two large black lindworms waited, completely still, on a rock outcrop behind the Skatheans. Directly behind the lindworms was a sheer cliff that descended hundreds of feet to the crashing waves below.

‘Well done,’ said the man in black, clapping as they approached. ‘I must compliment you on your achievement.
Honestly, I didn’t expect you to make it this far. I have to admit that you are truly remarkable warriors.’

Chiara and
Acartor walked ahead of Eben.

‘You
r evil reign is at an end,’ said Chiara boldly.

Th
e Astarian looked at Chiara and shook his head and slyly grinned. ‘Is this the Gatekeeper of Emeril herself?’ asked the Astarian. ‘I expected you to have better manners.’ He paused and then looked to Acartor. ‘Acartor; I must say you have done splendidly. You have achieved what few of us thought you ever could. Now, if you could please finish your task.’

Acartor
suddenly turned and stabbed Chiara through the chest, his blade penetrated out through her back. Eben’s heart nearly stopped. Chiara’s stared at the traitor, her eyes filled with shock and grief. She dropped her sword and fell to her knees as Acartor withdrew his sword and stepped away from her.

‘No!’ cried Eben, leaping fo
rward to intervene. Acartor turned his bloody sword and pointed the blade at Eben. Eben stabbed out at the traitor, but Acartor was quick to deflect and counterattacked with a torrent of blows. Eben focused and turned each strike away, but found he was being pushed back across the rocky ground. He felt his body straining as he only just managed to parry each incoming attack.

Eb
en felt grief and anger surging through his body. He struck back with an array of furious cuts and stabs. Using all his skill he managed to push Acartor back. Acartor struggled to defend himself. Eben forced him into the centre of the headland. He swung and stabbed again and again. Acartor lost his footing and fell. Eben went to strike, but an instant later Eben was knocked off his feet by a blast of green energetic light.

‘Well done, Baramak,’ said the
Astarian. Acartor grabbed his sword and leapt up, ready to finish Eben off. ‘No, Acartor. Step back! I want to have a word with the Ecorian.’ Acartor bowed and moved away from Eben to stand with the Skatheans.

Eben
looked across at Chiara. She lay beside him on the rocky ground in a pool of blood.

‘Eben,’ she whispered, he
r voice weak and near death. ‘I’m so sorry. I should have known; please forgive me.’

‘Chiara, I’m going to get you out of here,’ said Eben
, feeling raw emotion flow through his veins. He slowly got up off the ground and moved closer to Chiara.