The Sword of Light: Book One of the Veredor Chronicles (24 page)

The Skathean
slowly moved his horse forward. ‘Is this the son of Elons? Did you
know your father, boy?’ asked the Skathean with a sly grin. Eben
felt his heart drop and was astonished that this Skathean knew his
father’s name. He was speechless. The Skathean looked back to the
King. ‘His father couldn’t save himself. Do you think the son of
Elons will save you, King Ignis?’

‘
What do you know of my father?’ asked Eben. The Skathean
simply grinned evilly and said nothing.

‘
Even if we die today we will die with our honour,’ said King
Ignis firmly.

The Skathean
scoffed and sneered. ‘Honour! Your honour is nothing but a lie; it
is your greatest mistake,’ said the Skathean, sneering at King
Ignis with contempt. ‘You hope to hide yourself from the real
truth: there is always a price on a man’s honour. And freedom, we
Skatheans are free from the burden of your foolish morality. We
possess real freedom.’

King Ignis
held his head high and stared directly into the eyes of the
Skathean. ‘You are completely enslaved by your evil desire; freedom
has no place in you.’ The King’s voice was clear and strong. ‘Today
you will see our honour in all its glory, and you will see that
these good Ortarian men are prepared to sacrifice themselves for
the good of all people. What I speak of is real freedom. Freedom is
the choice not to be ruled by fear, pain, and desire. Such freedom
has no place in you, Skathean. Today you will see real courage, and
you will realise that you are mistaken. You have taken the dark
path because you believe you will gain something for yourself, but
nothing is ever truly gained that isn’t given.’

The Skathean
backed away and stared at King Ignis in silence. He then looked
from the King to Eben.

‘
I look forward to taking possession of the Sword of Light.’
He sneered contemptuously and then turned his horse back toward the
enemy lines. Falsig waited a moment before turning his horse and
following after the Skathean. King Ignis and Eben then rode back to
the waiting company.

**

King Ignis and
General Hugo were riding at the front of the army. The lines had
slowly advanced to be within a thousand yards of the enemy ranks.
Eben rode with Red, Cassiel, and Stella. They looked across the
plain toward their enemies. The army of muckrons was waiting in the
flat area between the two small hills. Smoke rose above the
monstrous army, creating a thick dark cloud that hovered low. The
three wyverns circled in the smoky sky as the sound of deep booming
drums echoed across the plain.

‘
They are using the hills and forest as a natural shield to
stop our cavalry flanking them,’ said General Hugo.

‘
We will ride directly at them and smash through their front
lines like we did in Scaldonia,’ said King Ignis. ‘Eben, I’ve told
my knights to challenge the Skatheans. I’m hoping that you, Red,
Stella, and Cassiel can focus your strength on the
wyverns.’

‘
We will,’ said Red proudly. King Ignis nodded and then turned
to General Hugo.

‘
Hugo, tell the archers to position themselves on the two
hills and to shoot at the muckrons below. Tell them to hold those
hills.’

King Ignis
then looked back at his army. The army was eager to make a move.
Hugo rode through the ranks of the men and shouted orders. The King
rode over to be beside Eben.

‘
This will be a mighty battle. If we are overwhelmed I will
blow a horn four times to tell the army to retreat.’

General Hugo
returned from giving the orders a moment later. ‘We are ready to
advance,’ he said. King Ignis rode in front of his army.

‘
Today we are called to rise up and fight for our freedom!’ he
cried. ‘We will show our enemies that this is our land! Ortaria is
our country! We will live free from oppression, now and always! Let
courage and bravery be your weapon! Be strong! Be true! Fight for
your family! Fight for all that is good!’ A loud cheer rose from
the lines of troops.

The men were
ready to advance. King Ignis turned to face the enemy. He drew his
sword and pointed the blade at the muckron horde. A moment later
the first line of heavy cavalry started moving forward.

Swiftwing
leapt after them and the pace rapidly increased. Red, Stella, and
Cassiel followed closely behind. The light cavalry followed further
back. King Ignis rode ahead with the knights toward the left of the
advance. Eben stared ahead at the front line of muckrons. They had
crossed five hundred yards. The smoke cloud above them was
darkening. Several moments later the cloud above began to
swirl.

‘
For Ortaria!’ cried King Ignis. The knights brought their
horses to a gallop.

The swirling
dark cloud began to glow red. Eben could see wizards standing on
both the small hills with their hands held high above their heads.
The sound of a mighty boom echoed across the plain; a moment later
fire began raining down on them from above.

Massive
flaming blasts exploded around them. Cavalrymen were being thrown
from their horses as the rapid charge continued. Eben felt the heat
of an explosion beside him; Swiftwing leapt over burning ground and
charged onward through the heat and smoke. Eben drew his sword. The
muckron lines were fast approaching. The knights and heavy cavalry
crashed through the front lines, and a moment later Eben was among
them. He hewed down a muckron as he rode forward into the enemy
ranks. Red and Stella were beside him, both of them swinging their
swords wildly. Cassiel was throwing bright flames to the left and
right as he rode a little back from them. Eben continuously cut and
stabbed in all directions. The muckrons scattered before him.
Swiftwing pushed forward through the throng of monsters.

Twenty feet
away a wyvern swooped down and dragged a knight from his horse,
casting him to the ground. Eben turned Swiftwing and saw Red
struggling with a muckron and Stella backing away as two muckrons
attacked her. He charged forward and cut down one of the muckrons
that was attacking Stella. Meanwhile Red cut down the muckron he
was fighting.

‘
We have to kill that wyvern!’ shouted Eben above the calamity
of the battle. Cassiel rode over. His hands were glowing
brightly.

‘
You lead the way!’ shouted Red.

‘
Follow me!’ cried Eben.

Swiftwing
dashed forward through the battlefield toward the red wyvern. The
four of them smashed their way through the horde of hideous pig
headed muckrons. Directly ahead the wyvern was causing havoc among
the Ortarian cavalry. The beast was leaping from rider to rider,
ripping them from their horses. Eben charged onward. The wyvern
turned itself around and howled. It then jumped at him ferociously.
Eben stabbed out with the Sword of Light, but the wyvern parried
the blade with the edge of its scaled arm. The beast then pounced
forward and knocked Swiftwing over. Eben fell to the ground and
rolled away. Stella swung her rope, and the grappling hook caught
on the wyvern’s horns. The creature howled ferociously and whipped
its head, dragging Stella off her horse. She leapt through the air
and flipped backwards in a feat of acrobatic mastery. Eben had lost
sight of Swiftwing in the heat of the battle.

Eben, now on
foot, ran at the fierce beast. He propelled himself at the howling
wyvern, stabbing out with the Sword of Light. A flash of red light
struck him in the same moment, sending him tumbling back. He fell
in the grass and for a moment felt breathless. Zarceler appeared
and was standing near the wyvern with two Skatheans beside him. His
hands were surrounded by a bright red glow.

Eben quickly
regained his feet. An instant later one of the Skatheans charged.
He parried the incoming strikes and counterattacked with several
cuts and stabs, but the Skathean blocked his counterattacks. The
other Skathean came into view.

‘
Hand over the Sword of Light!’ hissed the Skathean, leaping
at Eben. Eben deflected the first cut and the second. He then
struck back, knocking the Skathean off balance.

He felt the
claw of the wyvern grab him around the chest from behind. The beast
lifted him off his feet and squeezed him tightly as it beat its
wings and flew skyward. Eben turned himself in the wyvern’s grip
and drove his blade deep into the beast’s scaly neck. The wyvern
shrieked in pain and released him. The ground approached rapidly,
and a moment later Eben slammed into the field, dropping his sword.
The dragon simultaneously plummeted into the ground and heaved
around for a moment before it lay lifeless. Eben, in a daze,
struggled to get up and looked around for his sword. It had fallen
a little way off and he scrambled across the field toward his
weapon.

The shadow of
a Skathean moved between Eben and the Sword of Light. Eben stopped
in his tracks. The Skathean grinned as he approached Eben. Stella
quietly picked up the Sword of Light from the ground behind the
Skathean. The dark knight, catching sight of her, turned and
sneered, and an instant later he charged at Stella. Stella struck
out with the Sword of Light. The Skathean parried and
counterattacked, but Stella was quick to defend and deflected the
stab. Again the Skathean struck out, and again she parried. She
thrust the Skathean’s sword to the ground as she kicked out,
knocking him off his feet. The Skathean rolled backward and lay
stunned on the muddy ground.

In that moment
a great horn sounded, ringing out across the battlefield. It blew
again and again, and then a fourth time. Eben looked back and could
see the Ortarian army was retreating and being forced back by the
horde of monsters. Clearly the army of men were being completely
overwhelmed. The Skathean regained his feet as Stella handed the
Sword of Light back to Eben. A moment later Red came into view. The
muckrons were crowding the battlefield around them.

‘
The army is leaving!’ shouted Red.

The Skathean
laughed evilly as he stood up. ‘Your army is finished!’ he said in
a heckling voice. ‘Ortaria is ours!’

Eben looked
about and could only see muckrons and Skatheans; the main Ortarian
lines had fallen back about fifty yards and were being pursued by
thousands of muckrons. Stella and Red looked at Eben, worry etched
into their faces. They were trapped with enemies all around. Eben
could see the situation was becoming hopeless as packs of muckrons
approached from all sides.

A moment later
a great howl echoed out across the battlefield and every eye turned
to see its origin. A massive black wolf stood on top of the hill to
the north.

‘
Kiarn!’ shouted Eben, feeling his heart leap in his
chest.

They all
watched as hundreds of wolves, bears, jackals, and other creatures
emerged from the edge of the forest, flanking the muckron army. The
wild animals charged into the monstrous horde. The Skathean’s face
became deathly pale as he stared at the army of forest creatures
tearing into the muckron ranks. The evil knight dashed away at
great speed toward the rear of the battlefield and was gone from
sight moments later.

The horn
sounded again, ringing out just once, which was the call to attack.
The Ortarians cried out as they pressed forward against the lines
of muckrons.

Cassiel rode
over a moment later. ‘The creatures of Altus; they’ve come to save
us!’ he shouted as he looked across the battlefield in wonder.

‘
Let’s help them!’ cried Eben, rushing forward with his
friends following closely.

The muckrons
howled in horror, and in a short time the tide of the battle had
turned. The muckron army was being pushed toward the southern side
of the battlefield. The wolves and bears attacked them with savage
ferocity, and the Ortarians grew in confidence at seeing the
monsters in retreat and knowing they had such powerful allies
fighting with them.

Eben fought
his way through the horde. He looked ahead and could see a giant
bear pick up a muckron and cast it at another pig headed monster.
Packs of wolves were circling the muckrons and forcing them to back
away toward the southern side of the battlefield. To his right Red
and Stella were pursuing a small group of muckrons that were trying
to escape to the south of the battlefield.

Eben caught
sight of Zarceler. The evil wizard was blasting the wild animals
and Ortarian soldiers with his magic. Eben rushed toward
Zarceler.

‘
Have you come for more pain?’ screamed Zarceler, lifting his
glowing hands. A bright beam of red light shot across the distance
at Eben. Eben held his sword up. The energetic blast of light was
deflected and struck the ground. Zarceler sneered and again raised
his hands and flames burst forth through the air. Again Eben used
the Sword of Light to shield himself from the fire. Eben advanced
as Zarceler turned and started to run. Moments later Eben was at
his heels. Zarceler fell to the ground and looked up at Eben with
terror in his eyes. Eben raised his sword and was ready to
strike.

Zarceler
cowered on the ground, covering his face with his hands. ‘No!
Don’t!’ he cried, begging for his life.

Eben delayed
for a moment. ‘You deserve to die!’

Cassiel
appeared beside Eben a moment later. They looked down at Zarceler.
‘Let me live. I can change,’ begged Zarceler. ‘I was following
orders. I’m not evil. It’s the Master, not me...’

Cassiel
considered the situation for a moment. ‘We can tie his hands behind
his back; his magic would be much reduced,’ said Cassiel. ‘We could
take him as a prisoner back to Ancora.’

‘
Stand up!’ said Eben firmly, pointing his sword at Zarceler.
The wizard stood up.