Warrior King, page 41
“We Elves have done our part,” said Elonin. “Did those of Mythanos not fight at the Battle of the Brinwald?”
“They did, most assuredly. In fact, they played a vital role in that battle.”
“And what did the Orcs do to help?”
“The Sky Singers did not participate in that battle,” replied Bloodrig, “but neither did the Elves of the Goldenwood. One of our masters of air, however, is now travelling in the company of the Mercerian General, Redblade.”
“Redblade?” said Charlaine.
“The name our people have given to Lady Beverly. I can also tell you that other tribes are not sitting idly by. Those to the west march with the Mercerians as we speak, while those to the east form an integral part of the Army of Therengia.”
“This war threatens us all,” said Charlaine, “whether we be Elf, Orc, or Human. Think of all that could be accomplished if you put aside your differences, focusing your hatred on those who deserve it.”
“You make a great deal of sense,” said Bloodrig.
“I agree,” said Elonin. She moved to stand before the Orc. “Let me offer my hand in friendship and let us bury the past, where it belongs.”
“Gladly.” They shook hands, but Bloodrig held Elonin’s in a firm grip. “My offer still stands. Give me two of your people and let us see if we cannot rid them of this curse.”
“I cannot raise false hope only to have it crushed when it does not work.”
“If that is your concern,” said Charlaine, “ask for volunteers. Warn them that the chance of it being successful is slim and that it’s unlikely to work. That way, they won’t be disappointed if it fails. If, on the other hand, it succeeds, it will give your people new hope.”
“I wish Sindra were here to hear this for herself. I shall do as you ask. When do you wish to do this?”
“Whenever your people are ready, even this night, if you so wish.”
“Won’t they all be asleep?” said Charlaine.
“Elves don’t sleep,” replied Elonin. “We rest in a meditative state. Please excuse me. I shall find two volunteers and return forthwith.”
* * *
News of the Orcs’ spell spread quickly, and the idea that a cure existed for the Elves garnered considerable interest. So much so, that some of the Human warriors had to be deployed to prevent them from crowding the Orc shamans as they conducted their ritual. Ludwig even came himself, along with Temple Captain Teresa, who was eager to learn what spell might be employed.
An Elven archer named Telieth lay on the ground, her head resting on a rolled-up cloak. Bloodrig closed her eyes and began chanting, her voice lower than Garok’s when he joined her. The two voices, initially at odds with each other, created a discordant sound, then Garok’s voice changed, and they blended together in miraculous harmony.
The air crackled with energy, and the hair on Ludwig’s arms stood straight up. The chanting quickened until the two Orcs placed their hands on the patient, and as they went silent, their eyes became blank and unfocused. Everyone who bore witness to this strange phenomenon held their breath in anticipation.
Bloodrig spoke, first in her native tongue, then in the common tongue of Humans. “Strange. Like the king, this patient’s body is riddled with peculiar green vines, but where his were fresh, these are sharp and brittle, likely due to their presence for many centuries.” She hesitated. “They are not vines in the true sense of the word, but it is how our minds interpret this ailment.” She lifted her hands up a finger’s width above the patient, then Garok placed his hands atop hers. They moved them over the patient, from head to toe, as if they were feeling the growth within Telieth.
“I see now wherein the problem lies. It will take time to remove the vines, then further healing will be required.”
Bloodrig started chanting once more, Garok joining in, but this time, their hands glowed with a faint light that slowly soaked into their patient, revealing a strange, vine-like pattern deep within the body, as if all the blood vessels there were emanating light.
The sweat built on the brows of both shamans, and Ludwig found himself once more holding his breath. The scene was mesmerizing, and he realized he was witnessing something that would have far-reaching consequences.
At last, the chanting stopped, and the two Orc shamans visibly relaxed.
“Our spell is complete,” stated Bloodrig, “but there is more to be done.”
“I do not understand,” said Elonin. “You claimed you could cure her.”
“And I can,” replied the Orc, “but first I must rest and recover my strength. The malady that sterilized your race is gone, but centuries of its presence have done terrible damage to those internal organs that allow a child to be conceived. A spell of regeneration is all that is needed to counter that.”
“And our males?”
“I suspect it will be much the same. Once we have recovered our strength, we will perform the same ritual on your male volunteer.”
“And where do these vines come from?”
“From the energy of the ley lines. Your people used it to carry your warriors over great distances, did you not?”
“We did.”
“The effect on you was very different from that of the king. I suspect each species reacts differently to its power. Lady Aubrey told me Orcs are immune to such effects, so perhaps it has something to do with our blood?”
“I don’t understand,” said Ludwig. “Do you not bleed like the other races?”
“We do, but our blood is black.”
41
Danger
Summer 1110 SR
Once more, Ludwig splashed water on his face, but it did little to freshen him. It had been a long night, for the Elves had seen fit to celebrate what they were now referring to as the second coming of their race.
In the end, Bloodrig’s prediction had proven true, and the male Elf, Escarial, was now free of whatever the strange condition was. The Orc shaman described it as green vines, but she’d also said that was the way her mind interpreted it. Whatever it was, it was invisible to the naked eye, making Ludwig wonder what kind of magic had been used to see it. Was it a spell that the Elf mage, Galrandir, simply lacked? Or was it something only the Orcs could do? He shook his head. No. Bloodrig claimed a Human had taught her the ritual.
“Sire?”
Ludwig towelled off his face. “Yes, Gustavo?”
“A messenger arrived from Temple Captain Hamelyn. He confirms the enemy is crossing the border north of Rotmar.”
“North? I thought the town sat on the river?”
“It appears there’s low ground on either bank, sire, which leads to frequent flooding. As a result, the town was built some five miles from its banks.”
“That’s disappointing.”
“On the contrary,” said Gustavo. “According to the messenger, the bell tower in town gives one a commanding view of the crossing.”
“It must be tall indeed to see that far.”
“I can only repeat what I’ve been told, sire.”
“And the message?”
“Carried verbally on the instructions of the Temple Captain. He feared the messenger faced the possibility of being intercepted.”
“A wise move, considering who we’re up against. Any more details?”
“He claims that somewhere between three and four thousand men are gathered on the other side of the border. As predicted, they consist of foot, horse, and bow.”
“That’s a large contingent for a legion. You’d best summon our generals; we’ll need to make some decisions. Any word from King Justinian?”
“Not as yet, sire. Do you think he could’ve run afoul of another legion?”
“If that had happened,” said Ludwig, “there’d be stragglers coming here, or at the very least refugees fleeing the invasion.”
“We’ve seen neither.”
“Precisely. Oh, while you're collecting people, ask Elonin and Bloodrig to join us. I would value their opinions.”
“Yes, sire. Do you want them to meet here?”
“No, we’ll meet outside, over by the horses. That’ll give the men time to pack all this up.”
“We mean to march?”
“We must eventually. Better to do so on our own terms than those of the enemy.”
* * *
The faces around him looked glum.
“How many?” asked Sigwulf.
“Three to four thousand,” replied Ludwig. “Enough to give us trouble.”
“That’s not so bad,” countered Cyn. “We beat the Holy Army; this lot is a bunch of amateurs in comparison.”
“I might remind you that the Temple Knights of Saint Agnes bore the brunt of that fight, not us, and the enemy didn’t have a balanced mix of foot, horse, and bow, merely knights, some on horse, and some on foot.”
“So what’s the plan? We talked about marching on Tormaline; is that still what we’re going to do?”
“That’s what we’re here to discuss,” replied Ludwig. “Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from King Justinian. We could end up marching to Tormaline only for a second legion to capture Agran from the north.”
“A difficult choice,” offered Charlaine, “but we have reliable information that an enemy is crossing the border near Rotmar. We can’t ignore that, nor can we afford to split our forces if the enemy has that many warriors.”
“I agree,” said Ludwig. “The problem lies in terrain, or rather, the lack thereof. By all accounts, the area between here and the border is a flat plain, hardly something that could conceal a surprise attack or allow us to flank them without being seen.”
“With the terrain being so open, they’ll try to use their cavalry to flank us.”
“Then we’ll have to count on your Temple Knights to prevent such a tactic.”
“Perhaps we can surprise them another way?” said Bloodrig. “As I mentioned previously, Garok and I are able to use our magic to communicate over a great distance. If he went north to find King Justinian, we could pass on your strategy to His Majesty.”
“I like the idea, but we need to decide precisely what that strategy is.”
“The sooner he leaves, the sooner he will find the king. Remember, Garok does not need to know the strategy until I pass it on to him.”
“He’ll need an escort,” said Ludwig.
“Then I shall provide one,” said Elonin. “Our horses are fast and capable of making more miles a day than a single Orc on foot.”
“Then it’s agreed. Garok will travel north, seeking out King Justinian.”
“Or Temple Commander Giselle,” said Charlaine. “If you recall, I sent her to find the king.”
“That’s right, you did. Do we know how many men are in Justinian’s army?”
“I believe it numbers eight hundred or so,” replied Bloodrig, “but that does not include the two companies of Temple Knights.”
“The problem,” said Cyn, “is we don’t know precisely how far north the king is. He could be two days away, or more than a week.”
“We can easily find out,” said Bloodrig. “Amongst our tribe, we have masters of air who could use their magic to seek out the Army of Deisenbach. They are also farther north than we are, allowing them to search areas that would take us days to reach. I can contact them through our other shaman who remained with the tribe.”
“Excellent,” said Ludwig. “Elonin, I’ll leave it to you to arrange Garok’s escort while Bloodrig contacts her tribe. In the meantime, I’d like a rider sent to Temple Captain Hamelyn. Have him retreat to Tormaline but avoid any contact if he can.”
“We should reinforce that position,” said Sigwulf. “At the very least, we could send some additional cavalry.”
“Actually, I’d like your entire division to advance, along with the Elves.”
“Does that mean we’re definitely going to make a stand there?”
“Let’s call it a working strategy for the time being, but I’m hoping we can do something else.”
“Care to let us in on it?”
“My hope is that our presence in Tormaline will slow the empire’s advance. You’ll have to be careful of their cavalry patrols, but I’d like them to think you’re going to make a stand. You might consider putting up some defensive works to give that impression.”
“Impression?” said Sig. “As in, we’re not going to fight? This is getting very confusing.”
“I think it’s safe to assume the enemy knows we’re here. I’m hoping what they don’t know is how many warriors we have under arms. If they believe they outnumber us, they’ll be eager to engage.”
“But don’t we want to slow them down?”
“A legion is a large formation, particularly when it’s oversized like the one we’re likely to face. If we draw them towards us, it leaves their supply lines dangerously exposed.”
“Where my cavalry can exploit it,” offered Elonin.
“Your warriors did a fine job of tearing into the Holy Army’s camp; I’m hoping you can do the same here. It won’t stop them, but it will force them to divert men to safeguard their supplies.”
“I like it,” said Cyn. “But what does my division do in the meantime?”
“Your men and the Orcs will camp halfway to Tormaline. From there, you can either reinforce Sig or fall back to the capital, depending on what happens in the north. If Justinian has been crushed, we’ll need to pull everyone back here, to Agran, but I’m starting to suspect that it won’t be necessary. My gut tells me the sighting of troops in the north was a ruse, in which case, King Justinian will be returning, hopefully sooner rather than later, but we must plan for both eventualities.”
“Including our allies,” he continued, “the Army of Hadenfeld numbers over three thousand, but add in Justinian’s men and we might be able to match the numbers of the empire.”
“Will that be enough?” asked Elonin. “If the enemy numbers four thousand, they still hold a slight advantage, and they are experienced soldiers.”
“As are we,” replied Ludwig. “Two civil wars gave us lots of veteran warriors, not to mention an invasion from Zowenbruch and a Holy Army bent on a crusade.”
“Bent?” said Elonin. “I do not understand the expression.”
“He means determined,” offered Bloodrig. “I have found that Humans often use strange terms when they become emotional. It is likely because they are such a young race.”
“A very astute observation. It appears we have more things in common than I thought.”
Ludwig couldn’t help but smile. “Who rules in Ag-Dular?”
“Our chieftain, Lurzak,” replied the shaman, “but he remains there to watch over the tribe.”
“Then perhaps you can tell me a little more about your hunters. I know the Elves have bows superior to ours. Are yours of a similar construction?”
“The Elven bows are superior to our own, although I learned recently that our people to the far east have created a new bow with similar qualities. Our current bows, however, would appear to outdistance those of your archers. From what I have observed, you utilize your archers in formed blocks. Is this true?”
“Yes. We call them companies, and by grouping them in ranks, we increase their effectiveness.”
“Our hunters rely on skill rather than numbers, and we tend to spread our archers out, the better to protect them when the enemy looses their own arrows.”
“So they’ve fought in battle?”
“On rare occasions, we have found ourselves forced to protect our lands. More often than not, these were brigands intent on claiming a bounty the Crown put on our heads, but many years ago, it is said we fought the forces of the king.”
“King Justinian?”
“No, one of his predecessors. During this conflict, we learned to spread our archers out to avoid excessive casualties.”
“Skirmishers,” said Sigwulf. “If you recall, Konrad had men leading his columns when we fought them.”
“I do,” replied Ludwig, “though in that case, they had axes and throwing spears, rather than bows. They proved ineffective, yet I suspect Orc hunters would be much more useful.”
“Might I remind you,” said Elonin, “we also have our two Earth Mages, Karalindel and Theran. They can use their magic to help create a fortified position.”
“Yes,” said Charlaine. “At the Brinwald, an Earth Mage created hills for us to make our stand on. We found it extremely effective.”
“And I can use Enchantments,” added the talon.
“We seem to be blessed with mages,” said Ludwig. “I know we have healers as well, thanks to Temple Captain Teresa and our friends, the Orc shamans, so we can help keep our losses to a minimum.”
“We can do more than heal,” said Bloodrig.
“What are you suggesting?”
“We shamans have a connection with the spiritual world that allows us to call on the Ancestors to provide hunters of the past to assist us in our endeavours.”
“Are you saying you can conjure ghosts?”
“We prefer the term spirits. They are not as effective as living hunters but can still fight.”
“How does that work?” said Sigwulf. “Wouldn’t they simply pass through everyone?”
“That is a misconception. When conjured, they take a physical form capable of fighting. Their weakness is that they can also be injured by the enemy, although they do not bleed, merely returning to the spirit realm once their temporary physical form is destroyed. It does, however, require a significant expenditure of magical strength to conjure enough of these hunters to make a difference on the battlefield.”
“Perhaps not,” said Elonin. “Humans are superstitious, are they not?”
“Many are,” replied Ludwig. “Why?”
“The mere presence of ghostly figures may help wear down their morale.”
“She’s got a point,” said Charlaine. “Typically, half a legion is made up of provincial troops, people forced into service from areas conquered by the empire, and they are less competent, thus possess a lower morale to begin with. That’s not to say they’re not effective troops, but they lack the discipline of the imperials.”
