Knights: Book 03 - The Heart of Shadows (32 page)

"Prepare
yourselves!" Taris commanded.

One
of the Thallites--the leader--blew a great golden horn, a noise that thundered
through the hills. And then the catapult arms shot forward--filling the sky
with boulders and smaller, gleaming objects that looked like spiked balls. The
sky above the Knights on the hilltop was suddenly raining death.

***

 
The spiked balls dropped from the sky and
exploded in golden flashes, killing, injuring, and temporarily blinding some of
Dremlock's warriors. Two Knights were crushed by falling boulders. The Brown
Knights were able to deflect many of the spiked balls with their shields,
though some of them still suffered damage from the resulting explosions. The
protective sorcery cast above Prince Vannas held, and three spiked balls
exploded harmlessly in the air above him. But the initial assault by The
Colossus was devastating--with four Knights slain and eight more injured to the
point of being rendered useless in the battle.

Immediately
following that first assault, the two smaller siege engines hurled boulders at
the Knights in the valley below, and several of the warriors went down,
battered by the heavy rocks. Some of them did not rise again. Bellis was
content to hold back and pummel Dremlock's forces--as long as the Divine
Knights chose to hold position. The fighters below looked to Taris for the
signal to charge, but Taris did not give it, even as another wave of boulders
crashed down.

Prince
Vannas struck back from atop his platform, blasting white fire at The Colossus.
But his eyes widened in shock when the fire did little damage to the monstrous
catapult. "The range is too great!" the prince cried. "The fire
is weak when it arrives, and I must move closer!"

"Increase
your focus," Taris replied.

The
prince looked doubtful for an instant, but then his eyes smoldered with
determination. The white fire seemed to brighten some, but the great wooden
beams of the catapult still did not ignite.

As
the smaller catapults prepared to launch boulders again, a group of Red Knights
suddenly charged from the ranks and through the valley in a surprise attack.
They held lances that blazed with a sorcerous fire called Silverbane--a fire
seldom used by Dremlock's warriors because it caused severe burns to those who
cast it. In spite of wearing thick gloves, the Red Knights groaned and cried
out in pain as their hands and faces were scorched. They hurled the lances at
the two smaller siege engines, burying them deep into the wooden beams. Bellis'
Knights threw water from buckets on the flames, but the silver fire burned too
hot to be contained. Soon both siege engines had become blazing fireballs
(along with some unfortunate warriors who got too close to the flames).

The
Red Knights bellowed in triumph, then retreated. Some of them had been burned
so severely by the Silverbane that they were barely able to guide their horses
and would be unable to participate further in the battle. Aldreya gazed down
upon them, impressed by their courage. They had sacrificed their bodies (and
possibly their lives, if the burns were not effectively treated) to destroy
those siege engines. She felt fiercely proud to be a servant of Dremlock
Kingdom.

In
light of the surprise attack by the Silverbane, Bellis changed its strategy and
charged at Dremlock's forces. The two armies clashed in the valley below. Bellis'
Knights fired exploding arrows from crossbows that did tremendous damage, but
Dremlock responded with the flames of sorcery. Soon the valley was filled with
flashes of light, smoke, and buzzing sparks. Some of the Thallite giants had
entered the fray, and their huge hammers were devastating to the Divine
Knights. They towered above everyone else, their mighty hammers rising and
falling.

Meanwhile,
The Colossus launched more boulders and exploding, spiked balls at Prince
Vannas and his hilltop defenders. Vannas seemed almost insane with focus, his
body trembling at he launched fire at the catapult. Bellis' Knights threw water
on the catapult's beams, however, and managed to smother any flames that arose.
There were so many warriors throwing water that it seemed Vannas would never be
able to ignite The Colossus, but the prince did not give up.

Then
four Thallite giants started down the hillside. Unlike the other giants, these
four were armored from head to toe--including crimson, horned helms shaped like
the heads of bulls. They seemed impervious to attack--as flaming weapons
glanced off their armor without even scratching it. They smashed anyone aside
who dared block their path. They had one goal in mind--to crush Prince Vannas.

The
four giants fought their way up Dremlock's hill, leaving dead and injured
Knights in their wake. Soon only some Blue Knights, sorcerers, and the Divine
Shield stood in their way. With Vannas focused entirely on The Colossus, he
wasn't even aware that the four Thallites were closing in on him.

Trenton--or
the wolf beast he'd become--charged at one of the Thallites and flung himself
onto the giant. He seized the giant's helm with his clawed hands and pulled on
it furiously, tearing it away. Trenton flung the helm aside and then buried his
teeth into the giant's throat. The giant struggled to dislodge the wolf beast,
and the two of them went down. The Blue Knights helped Trenton finish off the
Thallite.

Jerret
charged another giant and struck a vicious blow to the man's armored leg. The
giant staggered but did not go down, as the armor held. The giant shoved Jerret
away and the Squire tumbled head over heels, losing his grip on his sword.
Jerret lay stunned for a moment, but wasn't seriously injured.

Galvia
cried out in fury and swung her glowing hammer into the Thallite's ribs. The
blow--backed by the power of Olrog Fire--drove the giant backwards. But it
didn't stop the Thallite, who shook off the blow and resumed his charge.

Jace
leapt through the air and struck a blow with his fist to the giant's helm,
causing the Thallite to stumble a bit as if in confusion. With the giant
temporarily stunned from his sorcery, Jace clung to the Thallite's shoulders
and removed its helm. Jace then leapt away from the giant as Taris charged
forward and slew the Thallite with a huge fireball to the face.

The
Blue Knights brought down another giant with ropes, pulling him to the ground
with a monumental effort and removing his helm. Then, before he could fight his
way free, they finished him off.

The
remaining Thallite swung at Taris with his hammer and missed, as Taris leapt
aside. Then the giant charged toward Prince Vannas' platform. Only two
defenders remained between the giant and the prince--Aldreya Silverhawk and
Furlus Goblincrusher. Aldreya hurled a fireball into the Thallite's chest, but
it did no damage to the crimson armor. Aldreya had done all she could, and now
only Furlus remained to stop the charge. As the twelve-foot-tall warrior
hurtled toward the Dwarf, it seemed Furlus would be crushed into the ground.

For
an instant, Thallite Giant and Grey Dwarf stared each other down--members of
races that had been ancient enemies. Then Furlus charged forward, swinging his
great, burning battle axe that was made of pure Glaetherin that only the Grey
Dwarves could mold. Furlus' eyes blazed with uncontrollable Dwarven fury, and
the strongest Knight at Dremlock leapt into the air and drove his axe into the
giant's armored chest. The axe split the crimson armor and lodged deep into
bone underneath.

The
Thallite staggered, as Furlus wrenched his axe free. The giant took a step
toward Furlus and then collapsed. "So much for Thallite armor!"
Furlus bellowed, standing over the dead giant.

Immediately
after the four giants were dispatched, another Thallite--the leader--began
firing arrows at Vannas from a huge bow. The arrows were as long as spears and
had tips made of a rare substance called Runestone, allowing them to more
easily penetrate shields generated by sorcery. The sorcerers had gathered near
Vannas again to defend him. Aldreya watched in awe as the oversized arrows shot
toward them with immense speed. Two of the arrows broke against their energy
barrier, but a third one made it through and struck the prince's shoulder.
However, Vannas was protected by some of Dremlock's finest armor beneath his
cloak, and it did not give way. Instead, the prince was flung from the
platform, though he maintained his grip on the White Flamestone.

Aldreya
rushed over to him and helped him up. Vannas was in great pain from the arrow's
impact, but his eyes still burned with determination. He started to climb onto
the platform, but Taris ordered him to wait.

"Trenton,"
said Taris, to the hideous wolf beast, "we need to take out that archer.
Can you do it?"

 
Trenton growled in response, and then bounded
off down the hill and through the valley, scattering warriors in his path. His
claws lashing out left and right, he fought his way up the enemy's hill--with
arrows and swords sticking out of his furry flesh. In spite of being impaled
multiple times, Trenton did not slow. However, he suddenly vanished beneath a
crowd of attackers.

Aldreya
watched in despair, for all she could see were weapons rising and falling where
Trenton had gone down. It appeared that he was finished.

But
suddenly the wolf beast broke from the crowd, leaving a number of slain and
injured warriors in his wake. As Trenton ran, he yanked blades and arrows from
his flesh. With a booming howl, he leapt onto the giant archer and tore into
his throat, taking the Thallite leader to the ground.

Taris
signaled for Vannas to proceed, and with Aldreya's help, the prince climbed
back onto the platform and resumed attacking The Colossus. Vannas' pain seemed
to make him even more focused and determined, and he sent out a furious blast
of white fire that ignited one of the catapult's beams, even as the
monstrosity's arms were lowering again in preparation to launch an attack.
Bellis' warriors immediately seized buckets of water and tried to kill the
flames.

But
Prince Vannas' face was contorted with a fanatical expression, and his eyes had
taken on a white hue. The energy from the Flamestone became blinding, and fire
spread everywhere over The Colossus. Huge, burning beams came crashing down on
Bellis' Knights. Soon the entire catapult was a raging fireball.

Cheers
arose from the Divine Knights. The battle had turned in their favor in multiple
ways, as Bellis' warriors were running out of explosive arrows or were having
troubling firing them in close combat. Sorcery began to prevail over
technology, as blazing weapons and energy-charged Knights took a massive toll
on Bellis' army. With the destruction of The Colossus, the Divine Knights were
flooded with confidence and fought all the harder--sensing victory was close.
And Vannas continued to hammer their foes with white fire.

At
last, the Lord Knight of Bellis blew of a Horn of Peace, indicating that he
wished to cease the battle. The fighting paused, and Dremlock's Knights looked
to Taris for a signal. Taris held up an open palm--a signal that they would
accept the Lord Knight's proposed end to the warfare.

Their
heads bowed in defeat, Bellis' warriors collected their dead and wounded and
began a retreat through the hills. As Dremlock tended to its own, The Colossus
continued to burn on the hilltop, until all that remained was a worm-shaped,
drooping, iron skeleton that would stand there for centuries gathering rust.

Chapter
21:
 
The Heart of Shadows

Lannon and the Blue Knights had gotten lucky, for the dead
Soldiers' horses were nearby and loaded with provisions for traveling. Then for
three days they had tracked Timlin through the mountains and into some
forestlands beyond. The going had been difficult, with travel slow in the
rugged peaks and very tiring. They barely slept, and at times Lannon was so
weary he thought he might topple from his horse. Lannon knew that the Blood
Legion was also searching for the Black Flamestone and was somewhere ahead of
them. Lannon could sense they were closing in on Timlin, which was why Shennen
insisted on such a relentless pace.

As evening approached on the third day of the chase, they
set up camp and cooked some rabbit meat in an iron skillet. They found a stream
nearby that contained delicious, icy water. Sometimes streams in certain areas
of Silverland were contaminated by the Deep Shadow, but Divine Knights were
able to spot such dangerous waters easily.

 
It was a good meal
and a badly needed rest. The rabbit meat was seasoned and fried to perfection
by Shennen, who seemed to have excellent cooking skills for someone who rarely
prepared his own meals. Lannon took a moment to simply enjoy the meat and put
everything else out of his mind. He was weary to the core and just wanted a bit
of relaxation before they resumed their grim journey.

Lannon drank deeply from his flask, savoring every icy
drop. It was so delicious it almost tasted like water blessed by the Divine
Essence. He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining he was back at Dremlock in
front of a warm fire in the East Tower Library and away from all this madness,
and he almost drifted off to sleep.

"No time for slumber, lad," said Shennen.

Lannon yawned and nodded. "Just relaxing a bit."
He took another large drink from his flask.

"Amazing water, isn't it?" said Shennen.
"This is surely a blessed forest steam, from ancient times. The water
relaxes the soul."

"I need it," Lannon mumbled. Again, he yawned. He
looked around at the ancient tree trunks--the mossy oaks and twisted beech
trees beneath sprawling branches that were like huge arms holding up the forest
roof. He wondered what terrible darkness lay hidden behind all that beauty.
Timlin was lurking in here somewhere like a deadly viper waiting to strike, and
until he was dealt with, Lannon wouldn't be allowed any rest.

"What are we going to do when we catch him?"
asked Aldrek, speaking Lannon's thoughts. The sorcerer peered at Shennen from
beneath his wide-brimmed black hat. "If Timlin actually wields the power
of that Flamestone, he'll kill us all."

"Not if we can sneak up on him," said Shennen.
"And that's where you come in, Aldrek. You must get us close to him, so I
can run my Flayer through his heart before he realizes we're even there. Timlin
is still mortal and can die from a single thrust."

"It's a good plan," said Aldrek, "though I
wonder if we'll be able to fool him. Who knows what powers of sorcery are his
to command?"

Shennen didn't answer.

Aldrek toyed with the brim of his black hat, looking
thoughtful. "I wonder how Timlin was able to learn to wield the Flamestone
so quickly. It must have been his link to the Hand of Tharnin--the fact that
Timlin was infested with evil from the device. After all, it was Vorden who
corrupted Timlin's soul. Thus, the Black Flamestone was probably drawn to
Timlin's evil."

"Perhaps," said Shennen. "But I'll leave it
to you sorcerers to ponder such things. To me, all that matters is that he has
found some way to wield it."

"Yet what this could mean," said Aldrek, "is
that Timlin may be able to gain immense power from the stone--perhaps beyond
even what Prince Vannas is capable of. It's a frightening thought, yet very
possible."

"Timlin will still die," said Shennen, "if a
blade finds his heart." He drew his Flayer and skewered a piece of rabbit
meat in the pan. He popped it into his mouth and ate it. "Make no mistake
about that, sorcerer. He is still a mortal man."

"Timlin could be almost a god at this point,"
said Aldrek, frowning. "Imagine the power of Taris Warhawk--only ten times
greater. Who could possibly challenge such power? With all due respect, not
even you, Lannon."

Lannon knew Aldrek was right. Timlin could destroy them
all. But he was too tired to worry about dying and had grown quite weary of
fretting over his potential demise. He was just going to take things one moment
at a time and hope for the best.

"Mere speculation, Aldrek," said Shennen.

Aldrek didn't reply, but continued to appear deep in
thought.

Lannon wondered how the battle with Bellis was going--and
if it was over yet. "If Dremlock lost," he said, "then Bellis
has the White Flamestone."

"Exactly," said Shennen. "In which case this
mission is even more important. We can't afford to have two Flamestones working
against us."

Aldrek shook his head and sighed. "If Dremlock lost,
then Taris and Furlus are either dead or imprisoned. I shudder to think of
it."

Lannon shared Aldrek's fears.

"It would be a devastating blow," said Shennen,
"but Dremlock Kingdom is still intact regardless, and our Lord Knight is
still in command. Anyway, we don't know the outcome of the battle and there is
no point in fretting over it. We must stay focused on our mission. The Black
Flamestone is too powerful and too evil to remain in the hands of mortals. It
must be returned to the Divine Essence, or I fear that great suffering could be
unleashed upon this land."

"I agree," said Aldrek.

"We've rested enough," said Shennen. "Get
the torches ready, for we will ride on through the night."

Lannon groaned, wondering how he would stay awake in the
saddle. The Eye of Divinity and his Knightly training weren't helping him
resist the black curtain of sleep that wanted to settle over his mind. In fact,
the more he tried to force himself to stay awake, the more drained he felt.

The night turned out very dark, with a blanket of clouds
blocking out moon and stars. Only their torchlight--and the Eye of
Divinity--was there to guide them along the winding trail through the forest.
Even the stout horses were beginning to show signs of wearing down, and the
riders were forced to slow the pace a bit. Lannon could sense Timlin's presence
very strongly and knew they were soon to catch up to him. Timlin was on foot,
but somehow he was moving along swiftly and tirelessly toward some destination
that only he knew of.

As they rounded a corner, they encountered Omharal and
Ethella and six Legion Soldiers. Also present was a pair of Jackal Goblins, two
Golden Knights of Bellis, and the two Goblin Lords that always accompanied
Ethella. Due to the presence of the Jackals, there was no point in Aldrek
trying to conceal them.

Omharal appeared to be deeply injured, with a thick layer
of bandages around his midsection. His face was pale and his breathing was
labored. He held his colorful, bladed staff loosely in one hand, as if he might
lose his grip on it. His green robe was charred and hung in tatters.

"Blue Knights of Dremlock," said Omharal, in a
shaky voice. "Masters of invisibility. We were expecting you, which is why
we brought these vile Jackals along."

Shennen nodded. "The Poison Claw of Bellis--though you
don't look so menacing now. It appears Timlin got to you already."

"Yes," said Omharal, with a grimace. The lean,
sour-faced Birlote shifted in the saddle and winced in pain. "I'm finished
on this journey. Not much left to keep me going. But I assure you, Ethella will
take the Black Flamestone to Bellis."

Ethella bowed. "The traitor Timlin will die, my lord,
and Bellis will have what it seeks." Her silver hair had come undone and
hung in tangles, and her white face paint was streaked with dirt. Her black
robe, adorned with red Legion symbols, was also shredded and charred, and she
had an ugly wound in her forehead that looked like a mix between a gash and a
burn. She held her crystal staff, and blue fire shimmered along the length of
it, sparkling upon the leering, demonic engravings. Her eyes were filled with
hatred as she gazed at Dremlock's warriors.

"You fools should turn back," said Omharal.
"We have no quarrel with you at this time. If you proceed on, you will be
destroyed. You have no idea how to defeat Timlin and his Flamestone. He has
become a demon--like nothing this world has ever seen. No weapon can harm him.
You Blue Knights don't stand a chance."

Lannon's mask concealed his identity, and he liked the
feeling of being hidden from the prying eyes of the Deep Shadow. It gave him a
sense of power--the confidence that he could strike from the shadows. This was
another unusual feeling for him, yet once again he found himself enjoying it.

Shennen shrugged. "We'll do our best."

Omharal smirked, then ordered the Soldiers and Jackals to
continue after Timlin. The Soldiers hesitated, then rode off down the trail
with the Jackals bounding along after them. Ethella motioned to her Goblin
Lords, who were on horseback, and they too rode off in pursuit of
Timlin--leaving only Omharal, Ethella, and the two Golden Knights.

Ethella raised her shimmering staff. "Turn back,
fools!"

Shennen turned to Aldrek. "Take the others and get the
Black Flamestone. Execute the plan we discussed. I will deal with these
foes."

Lannon started to ride away with Aldrek (though he hated
the notion of leaving Shennen to fend for himself), but Shennen ordered him to
halt. "Not you. I will need your help." Shennen was careful not to
speak Lannon's name.

The two warriors dismounted and stood together, their
blades drawn.

Ethella laughed. "Two Blue Knights against me? This
should be a pathetic duel. I take it you don't know who you're dealing
with."

"Ethella the Heartless," said Shennen.
"Isn't that what many call you? Who did you have to murder to claim
power?"

"Hoytus Shadowblood," she replied, looking
amused. "Omharal killed his fool of a brother at a Council meeting, and
Hoytus wanted revenge. So I slew him in his bedchamber when he was alone, so he
wouldn't be able to oppose voting me as the Legion Commander or try to order
Omharal's execution. With both Dwarven brothers dead, and Timlin now a mindless
monster running aimlessly through the forest, that leaves me in charge."

"You did well, my dear," said Omharal, smiling at
Ethella. "You have earned high praise from Bellis. The Blood Legion has
redeemed itself."

"Is your hunger for power now satisfied?" asked
Shennen.

For a moment Ethella's grin vanished and her face looked
haunted. "It will never be satisfied." Then she shrugged. "But
this is what I've always wanted. Who am I talking to, anyway? Is that you under
that mask, Shennen Silverarrow? I would guess the Lord of the Blue Knights
would be on this mission."

Shennen didn't reply.

"It doesn't matter," said Ethella. "When
you're dead, I'll remove your mask and see for myself." She started toward
them.

Lannon summoned the Eye and channeled it into his sword.

"Wait!" said Omharal, raising a trembling hand.
"Something isn't right here. I sense...something about that one." He
pointed at Lannon. "That one harbors great power and is not what he
appears to be. I believe he is a sorcerer--perhaps Taris Warhawk himself in
disguise. Let my Guardians deal with them. You're too important to put at risk,
and I need you to save your energy to protect me."

Ethella looked disappointed, but she bowed and stepped
close to the High Wizard. "I will defend you with my life."

Omharal nodded. "I know you will, but it won't come to
that. The Guardians of Bellis are not easily defeated."

The two Golden Knights drew their swords.

"We'll fight them one on one," Shennen whispered
in Lannon's ear. "Their armor cannot be breached by blade or sorcery, so
it must be removed--preferably the helms. Look for three latches."

"Weird," Lannon mumbled. "The armor, that
is."

"Yes," Shennen agreed. "A creation of the
Thallite giants."

Shennen moved away from Lannon, and the two swordsmen
waited. The Golden Knights casually strode toward them, seemingly in no hurry.
Lannon was mesmerized by their armor. It was crafted in stunning detail, with
various rune patterns that seemed to draw in the Eye and weaken it. Lannon had
never seen armor molded and etched in such intricate detail. It fitted their
bodies like impenetrable golden shells, yet moved fluidly with them.

Shennen suddenly dashed off into the woods, and his torch
went dark. The Guardians glanced at each other, and then one of them ran after
Shennen into the shadows, leaving Lannon alone to face the remaining Knight.
Lannon knew that Shennen stood a better chance of winning by using the
concealment of the forest, for Shennen was a master at fighting in the shadows
and crowded areas where a short blade had an advantage. Lannon, however, lacked
such highly developed skills and the woods offered him no edge over his foe.

The Guardian thrust his sword at Lannon's chest. It was an
incredibly swift strike--faster even than a Divine Knight could have managed.
Lannon deflected it with his own sword, and then hacked at the Guardian's neck
to test the golden armor. His sword glanced away without leaving a scratch.

The Guardian swung at Lannon's legs, and Lannon leapt over
the blade on instinct. This time Lannon attacked the Guardian's sword to sever
it. But the golden sword was as stout as the golden armor.

Lannon blocked a flurry of attacks that drove him
backwards. He almost stumbled and went down, which could have cost him his
life. Instead, he twisted around his foe, catching the Golden Knight from
behind. He sheathed his sword and leapt on the Guardian's back, trying to pry
open the latches that secured the helm. He managed to open one of the latches
before the Guardian threw Lannon off him.