Avandor's Gift

“A battlefield is no place for either of you. Your positions will mark you as targets.” I said for the hundredth time to both Noräin and Garima and for the hundredth time, they refused to listen.

“I am blind not disabled. I can still fight, like I have been doing since morn.” said Noräin.

“And I have my own gifts and will manage.” said Garima who then launched in a series of chanting followed by a loud crash as another of the Láetian catapults fell.

“You women can be so... exasperating. I am going to find Sonis, just be careful. Alehondria watch out for them.” I said to the Sebánese duke.

“Will do Your Majesty.” He bowed slightly.

“Well don’t I get a farewell kiss? It has been two years.” said Noräin.

Garima turned sharply towards her, “I don’t think that would be possible as the king has already kissed his queen today. Twice.”

Noräin pulled up her shoulders. “Only twice?” she said. “That is hardly much to boast about. Treasure those moments while you can as those might be the last ones.”

The tension between those two was thick and cloying. The battle lines had been drawn and if we lived through this conflict, something had to be done about these two. My wife and the woman I love.

I was sure that my face was cherry red and Alehondria could poorly conceal his smile. “It wouldn’t do for His Majesty to be distracted at this time, which I am sure a kiss from you...either of you,” he backpedalled as Garima turned to glare at him, “would do.” He finished.

I nodded my thanks and disappeared before I got snared into another of Noräin’s and Garima’s fights for my attention. The old me would have relished such a prospect but now I was just angry.

How could the gods be so unfair! If only I had known that Noräin was alive I wouldn’t have chosen Garima as my mate. Then again Manneth would have killed her. Hell! The old me could live with that, but this conscience ridden fool I had become couldn’t. Hell and damnation!

I would now be forced to live forever with someone whom I didn’t love while I would probably have to watch the one whom I truly did get married to someone else. I didn’t know if death wasn’t preferable over the future that was laid out before me.

“Oh curse the gods,” I muttered as I mounted Silver-paw.

Gareth, said the wolf who rarely ever chose to speak to me.

“Yes,” I answered.

Greyshanks is approaching and she has a message from your brother.

Thank you, I will wait on her.

I soon saw her coming through the building towards us. “Wolf you have a message for me.”

Yes, she said and then replayed the scene between the two of them in my mind.

“Will he come back?” I asked.

It depends on how he fares when he takes on the magic. The last time it nearly killed him, but he thinks that because of the change it will be different now. She said and I could hear the worry laced in her tone.

“He can’t possibly know that. That brother of mine is always trying to get himself killed!” I roared. “Where is he now? I will have to try to talk some sense into him.”

I do not know, but I think he would prefer it if you stayed here. The soldiers will need to think that he is alive and so continue fighting. I think that it would be probably best if you rode me and not Silver-paw.

I saw your wounds are you well enough?

I am well. Evander healed me thoroughly before he left.

Very well then. I dismounted Silver-paw and climbed unto Greyshanks’ back. “Silver-paw, I will coordinate the attack of the bloodwolves through you, so listen for my instructions. He hummed his assent and then disappeared into the city.

As we got closer to the fighting it was hard to see who was winning from here as the battle had moved from the fringes and was now well into the city. The palace wall had made up an entire section of the city’s defences, but with it demolished, the city was laid open to invasion. “I will have to carve our way through to the front line.” I said as I withdrew my sword. I saw a battalion of Sebánese soldiers who were fenced in an alley and was about to be destroyed by the Láetian men.

“Why don’t you sons of nalas leave those men alone and you try your luck on me.” I said drawing their attention to me.

The first soldier advanced. These Láetians were either extremely brave or stupid as most of them forgo wearing any armour and fought bare-chested, their coppery skins shimmering in the mid-morning light.

He swung his club towards me but Greyshanks pranced out of the way. I slashed at his with the sword but it seemed that as soon as it was about to touch his skin it was met with resistance by some kind of invisible armour.

He wears thread armour made by Tet. It only covers his chest. Greyshanks said while she sank her teeth into the arm of another soldier who had come to aid his friend. I looked closer at the man and I could make out the thin gossamer like material. Grey was right it only protected the chest and back. The arms and necks were left unprotected.

I swung again this time at his neck; his head was severed from his body. I then un-capped another soldier who was prodding Greyshanks in the side with his sword.

“Aim for the head and neck!” I shouted to the other soldiers who were still trying to wound their opponents by aiming at the deceptively bare torsos.

I jumped off Greyshanks and met two more soldiers head on. I made short work of them as my reflexes were in top form today. More and more soldiers poured towards me and they all met the same fate as their predecessors.

My sword dripped with blood and the ground was littered with headless bodies. I waited for another opponent but no one stepped forward.

The Sebánese soldiers approached me cautiously. I thought I saw fear in their eyes. “Go and join the others.” I said. They didn’t hesitate to pass, running past me as if afraid I was about to pounce.

“What’s wrong with them? I just saved their lives.” I asked Greyshanks.

You singlehandedly killed a battalion of one hundred men in minutes. You don’t have a scar to show from it. She answered.

“They already know what Evander and I are capable of because of the magic.”

That was beyond magic Gareth. In the stories told about you two, none of them indicated that you had fangs. I was sure I heard her laughing.

“These things come out at the worst times.” I said touching my mouth.

She kicked a decapped head towards me. A helmet would help.

“Maybe you are right.” I said as I slipped the golden helm from the Láetians head and put it over mine. “How did you know about the thread armour?” I asked as I mounted her once more.

Tet made it for Evander and me once. She said as she rode off.

The streets were becoming more and more saturated with fighting. It was going to be next to impossible to get to Sonis.

“What are they up to now?” I said as a group Láetians walked into a decrepit looking shed. At the door were two men in civilian clothing but their colouring betrayed their nationality.

One of them walked around to the side of the shed where I was waiting for him behind a barrel. I grabbed him from behind covering his mouth and finished him off with a blade through his neck. I hid the crumpled form behind the barrel and stood on it so that I could see what was going on inside through the window.

A group of Láetians all in civilian clothing stood around a small table on which there were several maps spread out. I couldn’t hear what they were saying so I climbed onto the window sill. My attempt at stealth was shattered as the helmet slipped from my head and clattered on the ground.

“Nicely done,” I chastised myself as I jumped into the room

The men looked up and one of them flung an axe at my head. I moved to the side quickly. It missed by a few inches to be lodged in the wall. The rest of them drew their weapons and charged.

I kicked the lead one in his gut sending his staggering backwards into the others. I looked around in time to see one levelling his blade to cut me across the knee. I blocked him and swung my sword around to cutting across the neck.

Gareth, what is going on in there? I heard Greyshanks’ whining from outside.

Nothing that I can’t take care of. I said as I uncapped two men. The other had retreated and was gathering up the maps laid out on the desk and throwing them into a nearby brazier.

I lunged at him stabbing him in the thigh and hit him across the head. I then went over to the heath and tried to scrape out the papers which were quickly disintegrating into ash. I stamped the fire out with my boot and took them up to examine.

The front door opened and another Láetian walked in. He raised his bow and was about to fire when a dark shadow appeared behind him and dragged him back. I heard a scream of agony which was then quickly silenced. Greyshanks then walked into the room her snout wet with blood which she licked away.

Others are headed this way. It is best we leave.

There was no arguing with that as I gathered the rest of the papers on the desk along with the charred ones and folded them up putting them under my shirt. I pushed the helmet over my head and mounted Greyshanks. We shot out of the room frightening the men in our way.

It was a little after midday when I finally found Sonis. He was looking over an impromptu camp for the wounded inside the cathedral. More and more men kept on pouring through the doors wounded, some dead and the others near dead.

He was speaking or rather arguing with one of the priests.

“...you do not argue when these men fill this sanctuary and make the offerings to Avandor from which you take a generous portion for yourself!” roared Sonis.

“This is a place of worship and not of death. This is an offence to Avandor the god of light and life. Death is quite the opposite of all he stands for.” Argued the priest.

“If this place is indeed a sanctuary of life, Avandor would not object, since what we aim to do here is preserve it.” I said interrupting the two who were too deep in their argument to notice my approach.

“Your Majesty,” said the priest startled. He seemed to catch up on himself and bowed. “I am your most humble servant in all matters of the land, but in these matters I am the High priest of Avandor, his representative and mouthpiece on this earth. If I think using the citadel as a camp for the wounded is an offence, so it is.”

“By the gods all of you priest are the same!” bellowed Sonis, “Why I ever thought that the lot of you were any different from that bald-headed fool Astred is beyond me!”

“Well we have considered ourselves warned of the offence according to you, so consider yourselves absolved as you have done all you can to stop us. The next time I see Avandor I shall pass the message along.” I said becoming irritated with this man.

“You claim to speak with the gracious god?” he said looking horror-stricken.

“Yes.” I said dryly. “You are his priest, don’t you?”

“Blasphemy!” he uttered. “King or not I shall let all know of your transgression.” He said as he shuffled away.

“Tell them that the same time you inform them that you want to leave their injured relatives in the streets to die.” I said as he huddled with the lesser priests who disappeared into the back.

“You won yourself another enemy.” said Sonis. “And why are you wearing that Láetian helmet?”

“I will deal with him when the time comes and the helm’s for protection but right now I want an update.”

“The battle is going well considering that it was unexpected. The demolition of the palace has gravely affected our defences, but with the Sebánese soldiers fighting amongst us, victory seems likely.” He said.

“Let us not just make it seem likely, let it be so.” I said as I drew out the bunch of papers I had tucked in my shirt. “I found these.” I said laying them out on top the altar.

“Found?” he asked.

“Alright some men had to die for me to find them, but they might be of some help. When they saw me they tried to destroy them.”

He seemed to be studying the papers more carefully. “These are maps of the city outlining where they are planning to attack next. From what I have seen so far today all seem to be going as planned. See a red mark placed over the palace where the feldünstar had struck. I can’t tell but there also seems to be another spot of red right here, but I cannot be sure due to the charring.”

“It seems to run close to the river as it passes the city. That’s it, the dam. They are planning to flood out the countryside. When the river Nain reappeared I am sure many farmers were affected.”

“The city itself lies along its path. It might have taken days but it would have eaten away at the north wall. Evander had to build a dam further upstream to slow down the flow as well as a diverting wall to change the river’s course.”

“Part of the map is missing so we cannot tell if it will be one or both spots that will be hit.” I said frowning. “It might already be too late for us to stop the plans at the dam and if that happens the retaining wall won’t hold up.” I said.

“Naturally it would be both. Possessed by magic or not, it was my mind that conceived the plan and I am anything if not thorough.” said a dark-haired woman who came to stand between Sonis and me.

I had seen her before all silver and light, but this black-haired version was stunning in another way as most of her features were marred by scars. Some so recent and deep I wondered how it was she walked around seemingly oblivious of the pain.

“You still have time to stop it, maybe an hour.”

“Why should we listen to you? You have betrayed us Tet.” said Sonis.

“I in my right senses and with full control of my own mind Sonis, have never betrayed you or any of your kind. You know that more than anyone else. Besides if I did want you dead why not kill you now?”

“As we will die when the river comes down.” He replied.

“That is true,” she moved her head to the side looking slightly amused. “But I wouldn’t have come here to warn you. The fading sound of battle isn’t because you are winning, but because the Láetians are retreating. They know what is coming and you like them should start running.” She said as she shared a look between both Sonis and me before leaning off the altar and walked away.

“So he saved you, is he...” I asked.

“Dead?” she finished. “No and I don’t know how that is, but you do I suppose. Both of you have changed and I am going to find out how from Evander personally when I catch up with him.” All looks of amusement had gone. A look of worry passed over her face.

“You mean he is not with you?” I said turning fully to face her.

“War has broken out in Envladane the same time it did here. He needs to be there to stem the tide in our favour, for if he is too late the outcome of the war here will cease to matter. As Láetian, Addan, Sebánese will serve one master, Ballahad.”

“Ballahad?” I asked.

“The one that did this to me.” She said touching her face. “This was his way of being kind, what he will do to you will be unspeakable. That is if he chooses to keep you alive.”

“So are we just supposed to wait and do nothing?” asked Noräin.

“Hardly,” she said as she came back towards us. She stared at me for prolonged period and then at Noräin and Garima. “I usually speak in parables because it amuses me to watch you figure them out. Time is against us so I will speak frankly. The first thing to be done is to get a new king or queen.”

“What!?” was the garbled response that came from around the room.

“Do you know what you are saying?” said Sonis.

“You asked my advice, so I will give it. It is time for humans to be ruled by humans. That said neither Evander, Gareth and if my nose doesn’t deceive me Garima qualify. Manneth’s price has to be paid and it will have to be princess Noräin that pays it or this war might never end.”

“And just how would you propose doing something like that?” I asked.

“Start with the simple things, save the city but not yourselves.” She said looking pointedly at me and Garima.

“You want us to kill ourselves?” asked Garima.

“Or pretend to die.”

“Faking ones death comes with consequences.” said Noräin.

“No one knows this better than you. Country over self is your motto. The last time you faced this decision, you did choose correctly, but the situation was wrong.”

“There has to be another way, you are asking me to give him up to her.”

“Fate has been unkind to you in these matters princess, but it was meant to be this way. Neither of the twins were meant to be yours. Accept that quickly and move on. This continent will need you to move on.” She touched her on the shoulder once. “Keep safe and move swiftly Your Highness. I have given my council it is for you to decide if you should heed it.” She said bowing slightly and then disappeared out the door.”

“I preferred when she spoke in parables.” said Sonis.

I walked over to the window and stared outside. While the others remained silent.

“Gareth what are we to do?” said Garima.

“Noräin, Alehondria will lead the evacuation of the city just in case things don’t go well. Garima, Sonis and I will go to the North wall to ensure that it isn’t necessary.”

“It might already be too late.” said Noräin.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I already hear water coming. Lots of it.”

We all turned north but saw nothing. “I don’t see anything.” said Garima.

“You are looking in the wrong direction. Look down.” she replied.

At our feet there was water less than an inch high. The ground was thirsty and it swallowed it soon enough. But I knew that the time would come when it was full and when that happened, we would all be swept away.

“Get as much people as you can to safety.” I said to the others.

“Where are you going?” said Garima as she held on to my hand.

“Give me the gems Garima.”

“What are you planning on doing Gareth?” asked Noräin.

“My brother destroyed a wind storm. I am going to slow down a river.” I said as I took the gems from Garima’s hand.

“Gareth!” I heard the strangled sounds coming from behind me, but I was already too far ahead and none of them could catch me.