Soldiers of Tyranny, page 9
part #5 of Aielund Series
“Don’t say that just to get me to join you,” she growled, her green eyes glinting.
“I’m serious,” Aiden insisted. “I never finished the research on how those markings work, and with some more study, we might be able to find something about removing them.” Sayana seemed to consider this for a long moment, her hair whipping about in the wind blowing through the ruins.
“I need to think about this,” she eventually said. “This isn’t a decision I can make lightly.”
“We’ll respect whatever you choose to do,” Aiden replied. “I’m going to get the others ready to move, but we’ll need supplies. How far are we from civilisation, anyway?”
“Robert told me this place is technically within the borders of Tulsone,” Sayana explained. “But their closest outpost is two days journey through the desert. The war goes quiet during the warmer months, as neither side endures the heat especially well. I have a few water skins you can use, and some emergency rations, but how desperate are you to go? You might consider waiting for sunset and travelling during the night.”
“The sooner we start, the better,” Aiden answered. “Thanks for all your help, just don’t let us leave without talking to us again.” She nodded briefly in reply, then turned and headed further into the old town to retrieve the supplies. Aiden watched her go, lamenting the changes they had all gone through over the past two years, before he headed back to join the others.
Upon his return, Aiden was greeted by the sight of Pacian and Nellise talking quietly to each other. Their discussion ceased as soon as he stepped through the doorway, with both of them seemingly self-conscious. Criosa was absent.
“I take it this is a good sign?” Aiden inquired.
“I didn’t relish the prospect of travelling together in hurt silence,” Nellise explained. “We have decided to put aside our past issues, and work together as mature adults.”
“As I’ve said, I never intended to stay with you,” Pacian added. “I will make my way back to the monastery once I have seen you safely to Lanfall.”
“We won’t be staying there long,” Aiden cautioned as he picked up his meagre possessions. “Once we have support from the king, we’re heading straight for Fairloch.”
“Look, I don’t want to overstay my welcome,” the ascetic hedged. “This is as difficult for me as it is for you, believe me. Sayana can’t be too thrilled at seeing me again — how is she, anyway?”
“Better than I thought, worse than I’d hoped,” Aiden replied. “She’s considering joining us on our little quest, though she has no desire to shed blood.”
“A sentiment we all share,” Nellise added ruefully. “But you can’t expect her to face the Ironlord once more.”
“Don’t worry, I have an idea,” Aiden assured them. “We need Sy to deal with Terinus, and if I’m right, he’ll have the relic staff he used to open the hatch on its back. We’ll take it, and use it to quickly disable the Ironlord.”
“So that’s your plan?” Criosa said as she came in through the door. “It would have been nice of you to share.”
“I put it together only a few minutes ago,” Aiden confessed. “Why risk a direct confrontation, when we can simply use the staff to render it vulnerable? Especially since we have only a fraction of the power needed to stop it this time — no magic swords, dragon spirits or ancient relics. The real problem here is Terinus, but we’ll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, we need to make our way to Lanfall. It’s a long journey but... wait a moment.”
Aiden snapped open the scroll case and leafed through the parchments within. With a smile of triumph, he pulled out a familiar incantation which would reduce the journey considerably.
“I knew Desmond wouldn’t have left without a spare copy,” he said. “We can simply teleport straight to the capital from here, and avoid running into any soldiers from either side.”
“Have you ever been there before?” Criosa asked, pointing out a flaw in his plan. Aiden stifled a frustrated curse, drawing a raised eyebrow from Nellise.
“I’m missing something,” she mumbled curiously.
“When using this incantation, typically one must hold the image of the destination in one’s mind,” Criosa explained. “Desmond was taking us to an associate in Lanfall, using a personal sigil as a guide. If you’ve never been there before, it’s extremely dangerous to attempt it blind.”
“Can you do it?” Aiden asked, drawing a disappointed shake of her head.
“I’ve been to Lanfall twice before, when I was very young,” Criosa said with a shake of her head. “Old memories of places which have since changed with time are just as risky. If I had an something recently from Lanfall, like a tree branch or a piece of clothing, I might be able to use it to guide us.”
“So, we’re walking,” Pacian surmised.
“Seems like it,” Aiden growled, then heard something heavy drop to the ground. Turning to look, they saw Sayana standing in the doorway with a leather pack at her feet, stuffed full of dried rations and water skins.
“The summer heat can be very intense, so I suggest you drink your fill from the well before we set out,” she advised curtly.
“You’re coming with us?” Criosa remarked with something akin to surprise.
“It has been my fondest desire for these last two years to have my powers removed, that I might live a normal life,” the sorceress explained in a heavy voice. “Aiden has promised to help me realize this dream, and however slim the chance, I must investigate the possibilities. To that end, I’m coming with you, but know this — I will not kill unless forced to do so. Do not rely upon me to vanquish entire armies for you, or you might find yourselves fatally disappointed.”
“Duly noted,” Aiden replied gruffly. He glanced at Criosa, who watched the others get ready with an odd expression on her features.
“Is there something wrong?” Aiden asked her quietly.
“Years and miles later, here we are, together again,” Criosa remarked with a wistful smile. “I’ve missed you all more than I can care to admit.” Before anyone could speak, she rushed forward and brought them all together in a group hug that none of them were comfortable with, for their own reasons. But it wasn't about them, Aiden realized — Criosa needed this more than she’d ever say.
“You done now?” Aiden asked with a wry grin as they separated once more.
“Yes, but that may happen again sometime in the future,” she warned, straightening out her tunic. “I can’t make any guarantees.” Sayana cleared her throat self-consciously and handed out large pieces of brown cloth.
“Wrap these around your head to protect you from the sun,” she explained awkwardly, still recovering from the first positive human contact she’d experienced in a long time.
“Sy, earlier you mentioned this is summer,” Nellise said as she began wrapping the cloth “I think you might be a little confused — it is the middle of spring, at the latest.”
“It’s early summer,” Sayana insisted.
“Surely it is difficult keeping track of the seasons in a place like this,” Criosa remarked, glancing around at the burned landscape.
“I can tell the turning of the seasons by the length of the day and the night,” Sayana explained. “It is early summer.”
“But it was definitely spring when we left Fairloch,” the princess said with an uncertain glance at Aiden.
“Time works differently in the aether,” Aiden stated, recalling his previous visits. “I’ve never heard of so much time passing in a single journey, but given the nature of our experience… is it possible we were in the aether for two months?” Nobody spoke as they processed this startling thought.
“If that’s true,” Criosa said slowly, “anything could have happened while we were gone.”
“We won’t find answers standing around here,” Pacian advised. “Less talking, more walking.”
“Well put,” Aiden muttered, wrapping his head in cloth and stepping outside into the powerful sun. “Which way is it, Sy?” The sorceress pointed off into the distance, and with that simple gesture, they left the confines of the ruins and headed out into the wasteland.
* * *
It was well past noon when they finally stopped for a rest in the shadow of a rock formation rising from the flat plane of the Hocarum Desert. Unused to such heat, Aiden was bathed in sweat. Criosa and Nellise were flaked out in the shade, somewhat overcome, but if Pacian was feeling the effects, he didn’t show it.
Aiden didn’t have a lot of energy for thinking, but even he had noticed the change in his old friend. Gone was the fidgeting, brash young man who was always looking for trouble. Instead, the implacable calm of the ascetic was almost disconcerting. What he’d gone through at the monastery must have been as profound as it was punishing.
Sayana was equally at home in the sweltering conditions, having removed layers of cloth from her body during the journey, as required.
“There is a place, not far from here where we can rest for the night,” she advised as she drank from a water skin.
“Can’t we stay here?” Criosa breathed, uncomfortable in the dark leathers she wore. “I’m practically done in.”
“It’s only a little further,” Sayana replied unsympathetically. “We don’t want to be caught outside without shelter after the sun has set.”
“You should probably take off some of that armour,” Aiden suggested, purely for practical reasons of course. She nodded wearily and with his help, took off the leggings and tossed them aside. Prepared for travel once more, they set out as the sun began its slow descent through the skies.
The sandy ground underfoot began to give way to more dry terrain as they continued, and there was even the occasional hardy shrub attempting to grow in barren wastes. But of greater interest to Aiden was the huge mound of rock they appeared to be heading toward. Far from being a loose collection of stone, this rock seemed to be almost spherical in nature, and as they closed in, Aiden was somewhat alarmed to notice it had been carved into the shape of a human skull.
“What in God’s name is that?” Nellise breathed as they looked up at the huge stone skull, easily fifty feet in height and just as wide. It glared over the surrounding desert with sightless eye sockets, and the entrance to a small cave of sorts was evident in its mouth.
“This used to be the home of the death cult we fought in Fairloch,” Sayana explained. “I think you might remember them.”
“All too well,” Aiden muttered, recalling the deadly assassins and their cultist allies Aiden. “You’ve never seen any of them here, I take it?”
“It’s deserted,” the sorceress said evenly. “Come, this is our shelter for the night.” Without waiting for word, she headed towards the gaping maw of the grotesque rock. The rest followed her reluctantly, and Aiden couldn’t help but avert his gaze as he passed inside. The interior wasn’t what he had expected, for a stairwell was cut into the earth and simple bedrolls were dotted around the place. Criosa slumped onto one of the bedrolls as soon as she entered, but Nellise had other ideas.
“This place carries the same stench the cultists did,” she muttered, glaring around at their accommodations. “If people come through here and use this as shelter, they carry away with them the taint of evil. I’m going to cleanse this chamber before I rest.” While she set about her task, Sayana nudged a very tired Aiden towards the stairs.
“You should see this,” she whispered. His curiosity getting the better of him, Aiden carefully descended the narrow stairs into another, larger chamber carved into the rock. Sayana opened her palm and a small plume of flame sprang to life, shedding its light over the walls of the room. Hanging from the ceiling in a macabre fashion were a number of skeletons, encrusted with grime from the ages, but arrayed in a circular fashion around the edge of the room.
“I really don’t think I needed to see this,” Aiden drawled as he looked at the curious decorations of the death cultists.
“Look closer,” urged Sayana, who kept close to his side. Reluctantly, Aiden moved in to examine the closest skeleton and noticed some disturbing discrepancies. He had thought they were human, but the bone structure was strangely elongated and featured an extra joint on the legs, which more closely resembled that of a horse or goat. But of even greater importance were the skulls, which featured four eye sockets instead of two, where the brow would normally be.
“What are these things?” Aiden muttered, glancing around at the gruesome display. Sayana didn’t answer him, but after a moment’s thought, he recalled something he’d seen once before. “Wait… I’ve seen a skeleton like this, in the complex where Alain DuFort had become stranded. He’d found that relic gauntlet on the hands of one of these things.”
“Then it is likely we are looking at the remains of the people who created those arcane relics,” Sayana surmised. “They may have been buried here, discovered by the cult, and paraded around as trophies or totems for their dark rituals. I have often considered the implications of this, but my knowledge is far too limited.”
“I don’t have any answers either,” Aiden whispered, “and now is hardly the time for such distractions. I’ll make a mental note to come back here once we’ve dealt with everything else.” Intrigued but too tired to investigate further, they headed back upstairs to rest for the evening.
The next day, their journey continued through the wastes. Their supplies were beginning to diminish, but should be sufficient to reach the nearest small town. A cool breeze stirred the air, coming in from the north to provide a measure of relief for the weary travellers, and with their strides bolstered by this, they made good progress throughout the day. More and more green broke up the dry land of the desert, and a mountain range was visible on the horizon.
It was mid-afternoon when they crested a rise and looked down upon a small fort nestled at the base of two hills. A flag emblazoned with the winged griffon of Tulsone flew high over its battlements. At this distance, it was difficult to make out details, but there was definitely a great deal of movement happening down on the dusty plain. More ominously than that, a pillar of smoke rose from the fort itself.
“I was about to express my relief at finally reaching civilisation,” Nellise said dryly, “but we seem to have stumbled into the war once again.”
“The fort’s walls appear to have been destroyed, and men on horseback are raiding the compound,” Sayana observed as she squinted against the sunlight. Although Aiden was listening, his gaze was fixed upon the flag of the Aielish force, whipping about in the breeze. When he finally caught a good look at it, his heart sank.
“Those are Lord Carbrey’s forces,” he announced grimly. “They were under my command, and are probably still carrying out my last order — to raze that outpost. We are going to have to face them if we want Tulsone’s help.” They stood in silence, looking down onto the battlefield as the smoke rose higher into the sky.
Chapter Six
The raid against the outpost continued without respite for over an hour, while Aiden and his companions lay flat against the ground, watching from a distance. Sayana was able to make out most of what was happening, and none of it was good. Again, and again the Aielish force, consisting of equal parts archers and light cavalry, clashed against the Tulsonite defenders who attempted to hold the fort against their attack.
Men fell on both sides of the conflict, struck down by arrows, bolts or other brutal weapons of war. Aiden cringed at the distant sounds of the fight, wishing they could be spared the bloody spectacle unfolding before them. This outpost was the only way to enter Tulsone for nearly a hundred miles in any direction, and they could only wait and hope the fight would soon end.
Only as the sun finally began to sink below the horizon did the assailants call off the assault, and pull back to the southwest, leaving the small fort standing for another day.
“This is our chance,” Aiden advised, dusting off his old robe as he stood. “Only Criosa is going to be recognised on sight, so we’re simply her entourage, okay? Don’t mention my name at all or we’re going to be in trouble.”
As one they agreed, and began making their way down the hill with the dry, cracked earth crunching beneath their feet.
It was over half a mile to the outpost, during which time the light continued to fade from the sky. Only the flickering of fires at the fort illuminated their way, until Nellise whispered a quick prayer and touched the end of Pacian’s staff, which immediately began to shed a soft light over them. It wasn’t just to allow them to see their way — approaching the gate of their enemies while fully lit would go some way to convince them of their honourable intentions.
The fort itself was really more of a gate, with a squat tower rising above the earth. Burnt slabs of wood had been thrown into the gap where the massive gate had been shattered in an earlier attack, and Aiden realised the only thing between the Aielish forces storming through had been the soldiers, who had paid a heavy price for their bravery.
Shouts of alarm came from the wall as their small group approached, and within moments a dozen crossbows were trained on their position. Aiden and the others came to a halt when Criosa raised her hand, then stepped forward and looked up at the battlements without any sign of fear. A commanding voice challenged her from the darkness in Tuscara, the Tulsonite language, and she responded in the same flowing tongue.
“You speak our language well, dear lady,” the commander spoke in near-perfect Aielish, “but your accent betrays your origins. How is it you come to be travelling through the desert?”
“Dire circumstances forced us to undertake a journey we were unprepared for,” Criosa responded. “To whom am I speaking?”
“I am Captain Sir Gaston Favre of the Fifth Chevalier Regiment, serving his Tulsonic Majesty King Osric Davignon,” the officer stated.
