The Hordes of Chanakra (Knights of Aerioch) (20 page)

"Bertan," Kaila said after calling a halt. "Have you no duties this night?"

"Aye, Lady," he said. "I have the watch, so if I may be excused?"

She nodded.

"He's a good kid," Kreg said.

"Aye." She nodded again. "He is well ready to be chosen as squire."

"He's hoping you'll take him for that," Kreg said.

"It is not unknown to me," Kaila said. "And yet, I think I shall not take squire again until the war is won.  The midst of battle is an ill place for one so young."

"I understand." Kreg began unlacing the girth of his saddle.

"Guards!" Bertan's voice rose in the distance. "To the King!  Assassins!"

Without word, Kreg dropped the girth, drew sword, and sprinted toward the King's tent.  At his side, Kaila did the same.

Kreg stepped aside to avoid a dark form that flew out of the doorway.  With a ripping sound a black, shadowy figure tore through the roof of the tent.  Something vaguely manlike, but twenty feet tall and wrapped in shadows of its own making, stood there.  It carried something in one huge claw, something that struggled.  With a shriek like a rusty hinge, it spread huge, bat-like wings and flapped into the air.

"Archers!" Kaila shouted.

"No!" Kreg grabbed Kaila's arm to restrain her. "It's got the King!"

The tent was empty except for Dahren who stood staring at the gaping rent in the roof.  Kreg found Bertan lying outside the tent, where he had landed.  Deep gouges welled blood from his left arm and side.

Kreg clamped on hand hard on the wound in Bertan’s arm and another on the one in his side, applying pressure in an effort to stop the bleeding.  He heard Bertan moan softly as he shifted in unconsciousness.  Bertan was alive at least.

"You were saying-–“ Kreg looked up, his eyes meeting Kaila’s. "--that a battlefield was a bad place for boys."

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"Thus it happened," Kaila said.  "King Marek is captive of some beast or demon."

Kreg, Kaila, and Bryon sat on stools around the map table in Marek's tent.  Bryon had invited Dahren, but he had begged off, claiming that his wound--the demon's touch had burned him when he had tried to grasp it--pained him too much.  A sloppy, hastily applied patch sealed the rent in the roof.  Above the center of the table floated an image of Shillond's head, next to it, one of Keven's. "That's bad," Shillond said. "That's very bad."

"Aye." Keven nodded. "My heart yearns to abandon all save the search for my father.  My head speaks that he would wish me to save the kingdom."

"This is, in part, my fault, I think," Shillond said.

"How say you, Mage?" Keven's image turned to look at Shillond's.

"When we defeated the compulsion on Kaila, I thought the danger was past. If such a clumsy attempt, from so far away, was the best they could do..."  Shillond shrugged. "I discussed the matter with King Marek and he thought much the same.  I think Marek may have had the army mages seeking outward, against another such attempt, and not near at hand against the conjuring of a demon."

"There was no mage near at hand," Kaila said.

"The mage need not have been present," Shillond said.  "The spell could have been cast into some small object, a ring or amulet perhaps."

"But why now?" Kreg said. "If they could do something like this, why not at the beginning, before we even knew the war had started?"

No one spoke for a long moment, then Shillond said, "Why indeed?  What was special about this night?"

"We won a great victory yesterday," Kaila said, "slaughtering the Schahi and their changeling armies with much slaughter."

Kreg nodded. "And this morning?"

"The Twins," Kaila whispered.

"I think you have it, Kreg," Shillond said. "A large changeling army slaughtered, the minor demons released to return with the rising of the sun, and then..."

"And then what?" Kreg asked. "That's as far as I got."

"And then the path to the demon realm is opened," Shillond said, "allowing the greater demon to be more easily summoned."

"So was everything, including our own victory, a deceit to spirit away the King?" Bryon shook his head. "It likes me not to think so, and yet..."

"If so," Keven's image said, "it shall not succeed twice."

"Keven is right," Shillond said. "Now that we know of this trick, we can guard against it."

Kreg looked at the others and, from their expressions, the agreement seemed to be general.

"Your Highness–-" Kaila bowed her head in the direction of Keven's image. "--what are your commands?"

Keven sighed. "It likes me not, but order the army as my father commanded.  Then, leave Duke Bryon in command and return hither."

"What of Kreg, Highness?" Kaila asked.

"Your squire returns with you."

"He is no longer squire," Kaila said. "King Marek, with his own hand, conferred upon him knighthood."

"Highness," Bryon broke in, "Kreg knows this new manner of fighting far better than I.  Mayhap he should..."

"Nay," Keven said. "He, and his knowledge, shall be needed here, methinks."

"As you will." Bryon nodded once, sharply.

Kreg caught up with Kaila as she strode from the tent. "Something is bothering you?"

"Zantor lies beyond the line that we are able to hold," she said. "They are my people and I am sworn to protect them.  Am I now to abandon them to the mercies of Schah?"

"I don't know," Kreg said. "I wish I knew something we could do."

#

It took ten days for the first units of the army to reach, and pass through, the Black Mountains.  The remainder of the army trailed over three to four days behind them.

"The army turns northward here," Kaila told Kreg. "We continue to the west and Norveth."

Kreg nodded.  He twisted in his saddle to face Bryon. "You'll be okay, won't you?"

"Aye." Bryon bowed slightly. "These tactics of yours are a thing unseen before, but methinks I understand someought of them. We shall hold."

By changing horses several times a day, Kreg and Kaila were able to reach Norveth in a mere three days.  In the Capital, new stonework filled the gap where the krayt had broken through the city wall.  Workmen had nearly finished the ditches that Kreg had suggested.  A wooden palisade sat atop the outermost off the earthen ramparts, further protecting the soldiers within.

Keven met them at the palace gates. "The situation grows more desperate," Keven told them as he led the way to the council chamber. "As you say, it has been needful to forsake the easternmost provinces."

Kreg noted Kaila's sharp frown as Keven said this.  Keven apparently noticed it too as he nodded in her direction.  He continued. "An army approaches from the west and we halt it not.  An envoy from Merona arrived last night.  They have come under attack and they implore our aid.  Since Merona has sent aid to us, I cannot in conscience refuse them so we weaken ourselves further.  And the King has been spirited away by demons."

"Damn," Kreg said. “When you put it all together like that...”

"And yet," Keven continued. "All is not darkness.  You have won us a great victory in the East before setting the army to guard the lines you have chosen.  The army in the west has proven to be smaller than at first report, mayhap because they draw forces to attack Merona, and we have good news from the south." He smiled. "Faron has sent word that he has broken the siege of Elam.  Even now, our army rides to Trevanta to discover if they too face foes and to aid them if they are.  And our ships raid the coast of Schah at will, although that has not stopped their armies from striking outward. "He opened the door to the council chamber and motioned Kreg and Kaila inside.  A large map of the kingdom covered the council table.  Shillond already stood by the table, studying the map intently.  They exchanged greetings.

"We need to make plans," Keven concluded as he took a position alongside the table.

"First we must secure our western border," Kaila said. "It matters not what else we do; we cannot leave enemies in the heart of Aerioch."

"I know not how to drive them from the land," Keven said. "Given time, perhaps..."

"Time," Shillond said, "is what we do not have.  The longer the Chanakran wizards have, the more armies they can conjure.  Given time they can conjure up an invincible army."

Kreg sighed and nodded.

"In a single day," Kaila said, "we destroyed a vast army in the east.  May we not do so in the west?"

Keven considered for a moment. "Kreg?  'Twas your counsel that gave us victory in the east.  What say you?"

"I don't know," Kreg said. "Possible, I guess.  The trick is to avoid meeting strength with strength.  Even if you win, that's wasteful.  You want to bring strength where they're weak and avoid fighting where they're strong.  If you can do that, you can win and numbers become less important.  If you can't, it's a slugging match with numbers on their side."

"It sounds as though you counsel to flee from a strong enemy," Keven said.

Kaila leaned forward. "Keven..."

Keven raised a hand and waved it. "I mean no insult." He smiled. "I am no Dahren to reject counsel that sounds strange to my ears."

Kreg nodded in response and said, "What we need, I think, is to find a good, defensible, position and let them break themselves on that.  That depends on being able to fight when and where we want."

"Then 'twill be no difficulty." Keven spread his hands, palms upward. "They chase the army, turning neither to the right nor to the left.  We needs must place ourselves where we wish to fight and allow them to overtake."

"Then we may smite them!" Kaila slapped the table.

"Somehow," Shillond said, "I don't think it will be quite that easy."

"It might be," Kreg said, "or close to it.  Are they still using that wave tactic?"

"Aye," Keven said.

"So," Shillond said.

"And so," Kaila said, "we have answered the question of the army in the West.  What counsel have we for Merona?"

"Once we have vanquished the army in the west we might send aid," Keven said.

"Nay, your highness." Kaila bowed her head in apology for contradicting him. "Merona has little of cavalry, and those they have are less skilled at arms than our own.  An' we wait, Merona shall fall."

"Then we must weaken ourselves further." Keven slumped into a chair as he said that. "For we are honor bound to their aid."

"Spartans," Kreg said.

"I know not this word," Keven said.

"The Spartans were a people on my own world a long time ago," Kreg said. "They were famous for their fighting spirit and skill."

"How are warriors from your world to help us here?" Kaila asked.

"According to legend, when one of the Spartans' allies asked for help, the King of the Spartans would send one warrior."

Kaila cocked her head slightly. "Just one? They were so redoubtable then?"

"They were, but not in the way you are thinking," Kreg said. "They knew the art of war as it was practiced then better than just about anybody else.  It wasn't so much the spear, sword, and shield that the Spartan brought, but the knowledge.  In a later day, the term was military advisor."

"Of course." Shillond's head bobbed in agreement. "And even if Merona cannot defeat the Schahi army, they may at least slow their advance until we can send more tangible aid."

"At least they'd have a chance, something they don't have now." Kreg thought for a moment. "And just maybe this strong defense on all fronts will be enough to make Schah back off.  It's happened on my world."

Keven nodded. "So be it." He paused for a long moment. "Now, what is to be done about the King, my father?"

"He was spirited away by a demon, was he not?" Shillond stared into the space between steepled fingers.

"Aye," Kaila said. "A most malevolent beast, wrapped in shadows with eyes of fire."

"He wasn't as big as that playmate of yours." Kreg nodded at Shillond. "But he was plenty big enough."

"If the King was taken by magic," Shillond said, "and demons are magic incarnate, then there should be a trail I can follow.  A spell of seeking should find him."

"Then why sit we here?" Keven sprang to his feet. "We must be out."

"Calmly, calmly." Shillond waved his hands in a settling down gesture. "The spell will take some time.  I can cast it this very night, but we will have to wait for results."

"Why?" Kreg asked.

"Kreg speaks well." Keven nodded, but he returned to his seat. "What cause is there for delay?"

Shillond sucked air over his teeth. "The spell calls up a minor imp to animate a brass owl.  The imp is a low order demon, too stupid even to rebel against control.  Once animated, the owl will follow magical traces given to it.  It will be able to track the demon that took Marek but it will take time."

"And in the meantime?" Keven growled. "What hellish tortures will be visited upon my father?"

"Keven!" Shillond snapped. "Your father is my friend and has been since long before you were born.  I do what I can, but there are limits to magic, as you well know."

Keven bowed his head. "I am sorry.  I worry for him, 'Tis my only excuse."

"I know, Keven," Shillond said. "I'm worried too, but we have work to do."

"So," Keven's voice returned to its normal strength. "What transpires when the owl finds my father?"

"The imp is released, but the owl remains.  I can use it as a link, much like this table and the map table the King takes on campaign.  We can communicate with him, and I can use the link to locate him."

"Requires it your presence to function?"

"No," Shillond said. "Any senior apprentice could use the link if he sits at the King's head of the conference table."

Keven thought...and thought.  Kreg began to fidget as the silence wore on At last, Keven said, "In the absence of the King, rule falls upon me.  These are our royal commands.  Kaila, you shall take command of the western forces.  You shall use the tactics brought by Kreg from his world to defeat the army of Schah.  Destroy them an' you are able.  Kreg, you shall journey to Merona.  Teach them the warfare of your land that they may stand against the army of Schah.  Shillond shall accompany you as it is needful that a peer of the realm head any such mission."

"Keven," Shillond interrupted. "I'll be needed here to help find the King."

"You have just told us that you are not so needed," Keven said. "We know your preference, but all have our duties."

"Yes, My Liege."

"On this expedition," Keven said, "It is needful that a herald accompany you.  Choose, therefore, any whom you require, saving only Kaila and Duke Bryon who are required to lead our armies.  There are our royal commands."

"So shall it be."

"I have a good idea for a herald," Kreg told Kaila as they left the council chamber.