The Destiny of Amalah (98 page)

‘Thank you Empress, you are very kind,’ he said to her. He looked at her for a few moments and then spoke. ‘Shall we go back to the study now?’ he asked her.

‘No not yet,’ she replied. ‘There is someone who wishes to see you,’ she said as she led him to the Great Hall.

The two of them arrived at the Great Hall and Seth saw Joaquin, he ran towards him and as Joaquin saw his friend he stood up; Joaquin wanted to run but he was still too weak.

‘Joaquin!’ Seth said emotionally, as he reached his friend and hugged him. Joaquin hugged him back and the two men separated.

‘I came because…’ Joaquin began.

‘I know – Maddox,’ Seth said.

‘When I reached his cave he was already dead,’ said Joaquin.

‘What about the others? Seth asked.

‘Many are dead,’ he said, clearly traumatised at the thought of the fallen. ‘Many escaped though and are on their way here as we speak.’

‘Joaquin, will you now come with us and tell the others of what you know? They await in the study,’ Amara said.

‘Yes,’ Joaquin replied.

The three of them made their way to the study and when they entered, everyone looked on them but Joaquin was the main focus of their attention. They looked at him curiously and wondered what news of Equer he brought. Everyone in the room was sat, with the exception of Amara, Seth and Joaquin. Amara introduced Joaquin and she and Seth sat down while he remained standing.

He looked around the room and stared at everyone for a few moments before he began to speak and then he started to tell them of what had happened on that fateful night. He told them of the soldiers’ arrival, the noise, the night time attack and of everything he had witnessed. Everyone in the room gave their undivided attention to Joaquin and remained silent while he spoke; they listened to his every word and horror filled their faces and minds as each word passed his lips. When he had finished, the room became silent and they looked at him as he looked at them.

‘How could they have taken Equer so quickly?’ one council member asked.

‘There are those that are known as the Azari. There are six of them – all men and all said to be powerful in their own right. That night I caught sight of them and what a frightening sight they were. Each one of them wore a black cloak when the hood of the cloak went over their heads their faces disappeared from sight.’

‘What do you mean by that?’ Häkan asked.

‘I mean exactly that,’ Joaquin said, looking at Häkan. ‘I saw one of them put their hood on and as it went over his head, his face disappeared. There was nothing there, it was simply a black void; there was no face to be seen. They, they are the ones who brought Equer to its knees. They used dark magic or possessed great strength and swordsmanship and everywhere they went became silent, as death was visited on the people. They have power but the cloaks give them even more so,’ Joaquin said unhappily.

‘The cloaks make them invincible,’ Seth said, shaking his head slowly. ‘How do you know that?’ Michael asked.

‘Maddox,’ Seth replied.

‘Maddox?’ Michael questioned.

‘Yes, Maddox, he was like a father to me and he lived in the mountains of Equer. He was, among other things, a sorcerer. I know he made a cloak, which was magical, and it made the wearer invincible. Their face disappears as Joaquin says. They can glide across the land and no sword or dagger can penetrate the cloak.’

‘Now there are six cloaks,’ Garrick said bitterly.

‘So it would seem,’ Seth said.

‘Six men we know of,’ Callan Knight said interjecting into the conversation.

‘And they all have one each,’ said Häkan in dejected tone.

‘How will we stop them?’ A panicking council member asked.

‘I don’t know yet,’ Amara said ‘But we will.’

‘How?’ another council member asked. ‘They have already brought half of the world into chaos and now they are invincible – we are doomed.’ ‘No, we are not,’ Amara said forcefully. ‘We still have a chance; you cannot give into your fear now,’ she told them.

‘I could never make the cloaks that Maddox made,’ Seth said. ‘But I could make a cloak,’ he said, thinking out loud. ‘I can give the cloak power and…’

‘Make it,’ Amara said instantly.

‘I will need certain materials and ingredients,’ Seth said.

‘You may have anything you require and if you need something that is not here the guard will fetch you whatever you need.’

‘Thank you,’ Seth replied.

‘How long will it take?’ Amara asked.

‘Two days, maybe more.’

‘You have two days, maybe less,’ she replied. Amara was about to speak when a guard knocked and entered the room and by his side was another guardsman who had been in Parades. ‘What is it?’ Amara asked, as she looked at the bloodied and muddied guard.

‘The dark army engage the guard in the north and the west of Parades Empress,’ the guardsman said.

‘I was told to ride here and ask for reinforcements.’

‘And you shall get them,’ Garrick said immediately as he rose to his feet.

He looked at Amara who nodded in approval and Garrick and Häkan made their way out of the room to raise the guard.

‘How many shall we send?’ Häkan asked.

‘A thousand at least,’ Garrick replied.

The soldier who had arrived to give the news had arrived late. He had taken over two days to reach Amalah but as he tried to avoid the fighting and as the hours passed, Parades was falling. The runner, who had been ordered to leave by the major, was now only minutes behind the guard who had asked for reinforcements. When he arrived at the palace, he ran as fast as he could and continued at speed as he ran into Garrick and Häkan, almost knocking them over.

‘Watch where you are going,’ Garrick said in a harsh tone.

‘Sorry sir, sorry,’ the runner replied, as he realised who he had run into.

Garrick looked at the soldier and saw that he too must have come from Parades.

‘What makes you run so fast?’ Garrick asked.

‘I tried to find you sir – both of you and the Empress.’

‘Why?’ Häkan asked.

‘The major I was with, he sent me – Parades is falling. He sent me back to give this to you,’ the runner said as he reached inside his trouser pocket and pulled out the note that the major hade given to him. ‘He sent me back and any other soldiers that he could. He kept some there though and stayed himself, so he could give us enough time.’

‘Time for what?’ asked, Garrick.

‘Time to escape and get back here,’ the runner replied; ‘and judging how things looked when I left, I think Parades has probably fallen by now,’ he finished.

‘Then it is too late for reinforcements.’ Garrick said thinking out loud. ‘Yes, it is,’ agreed Häkan.

‘Then it is time,’ Garrick said.

‘For what sir?’ the runner asked.

‘War,’ Garrick answered.

‘Come with us,’ Häkan ordered the runner.

The runner did as he was told and followed Häkan and Garrick, who headed back to the Empresses study. When they arrived back, everyone was quite surprised to see the two men return so quickly.

‘Garrick?’ Amara said.

‘More news,’ Garrick said, as he turned his head and looked at the runner. ‘What news?’ Amara asked.

‘Parades has fallen.’

‘No!’ someone said, in a loud and shocked voice.

‘Yes,’ Garrick said.

‘How could it have fallen so quickly?’ Ellora asked.

‘The guard in the north engaged Rakan’s soldiers in the north. The guard forced them south hoping that the guard in the west would help to defeat them – they did. The guard in the west had also engaged soldiers, but they were still even on the numbers.’

‘Why did it fall then?’ Callan Knight asked.

‘Because a soldier must have ridden west and alerted the rest of the soldiers! Before long, we were facing the whole of the dark army.’

‘How many?’ Häkan asked.

‘Ten thousand or more,’ said the runner.

‘Are you sure?’ said Garrick sharply.

‘Give or take a few hundred but sure enough and the major said so himself, sir.’

‘So what happened?’ Zach asked.

‘We went into battle. The archers look out a fair few but then there were sorcerers there see, and they were casting spells and protecting themselves and their army from the arrows. Then when it all started, we drew them into the forests; it made our lives easier and for a while, it was anyone’s battle. That went on for a day and night but then those men – six men – all with black cloaks, appeared and we were all losing.

One of those cloaked men were taking on four or more of ours and winning. They were going through them quite quickly as well,’ the runner said as, he thought of the battle he had witnessed. ‘The major, he knew Parades was falling, he had to decide who would stay and who would go – he stayed. He gave me a letter to give to the commander and sent me on my way,’ the runner said and as the words left his lips, he thought of the major and a lump appeared in his throat. Not just because he had liked the major but because the major had chosen to die with his men and had chosen to let him live.

‘What now?’ someone asked.

Amara looked at Garrick and Häkan and then at Ellora and Michael before she spoke.

‘Now we go to war,’ she said gravely.

‘Everyone knows what they have to do, Häkan and I will take the soldiers now,’ said Garrick.

‘And Hassan and I will assist,’ added Hemi.

‘Very well,’ Garrick replied.

The four men rose and made their way out of the room.

‘Wait – what about me?’ Callan Knight asked.

‘You will leave at first light with the Empress, Michael, Ellora and John,’ Garrick told her.

‘But I will be needed…’ Callan began.

‘You are needed Callan Knight – believe me, you are needed and you will battle in the front line but you will leave at first light,’ Garrick told her.

Callan hesitated for a while and held eye contact with Garrick.

‘Very well,’ she replied, conceding to him.

Garrick, Häkan, Hemi and Hassan left the room and made their way to the guardroom. They woke the officers and assigned them their duties. From there, the officers began to gather the other guard and send riders to the camps where all of the soldiers had been living over the last few months. The guard quickly got ready and gathered their things together and made their way to the meeting place, which was to be at the foot of the temple of the Gods.

Garrick and Häkan made their preparations and then prepared to leave the palace. As Garrick was about to leave, he saw Ellora walking towards him; he continued walking until he was standing close to her and greeted her warmly and she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek and then stepped backwards.

‘Hello Garrick,’ she said.

‘Hello Ellora,’ he replied.

‘The time has come,’ she said looking at the fully armed guard commander.

‘Yes, it has,’ he said soberly.

‘I pray for your safe return.’

‘And I pray for yours,’ Garrick said, looking at Ellora.

‘I must go princess,’ he said, before he nodded slightly and began to walk past her.

Ellora grabbed hold of Garrick’s arm and he stopped still and turned and looked at her.

‘I don’t know what you will do if you face him either,’ she said to him. ‘But I know you Garrick, I know you will do what is right. I feel your pain Garrick, I truly do. Do not torment yourself over what may or may not happen.’

‘Princess I…’ Garrick began but then the words could not come and he remained silent. ‘I will try,’ he said gently, as he patted her hand before he smiled slightly and then made his way to leave again.

Ellora watched him go and when he was out of sight, she made her way to her own room. She found her bow and arrows and made sure they were all in order and then she found her sword, dagger and crossbow. She checked them all out and then laid them out next to her bow and arrows. She went to her bed and sat on the edge of it and looked at her weapons and numerous thoughts went through her mind. She thought of the last year and the years she had spent growing up in the palace with Amara and the boys and then she thought of Kalon. “Oh, how she had loved him.” She thought to herself. The pain was still unbearable for Ellora but whenever thoughts of Kalon entered her head he remained there for the longest time, even though it pained her so.

Ellora thought of the future and what it held for her and for everyone. Never before had the future of the world been in doubt for her and now, their very existence was at stake. She thought of those who had brought the world to its knees and still could not believe that those who had, had been Rakan, Rufus, Waldon and Kenaz.

They had been best friends once and she wondered Adriel had managed to turn them and why they had accepted his offer. She also wondered why she did not see it and she wondered if they could ever turned back, but then the picture of Rakan killing Kalon came into her head and she chose not to care about their redemption or any change; if anything, she chose to think of finishing this once and for all. Whatever happened, whatever side won, and she really hoped it was hers; she knew that this war would end and when she had mulled over all of her thoughts she got into bed and went to sleep.