A Sliver of Redemption

23

“Q uiet,” said Jerico as he led the two of them toward the forest’s edge. “Wait here until I say.”

Lathaar frowned but accepted the order. They’d marched toward the Sanctuary at a steady rate, and at last they’d come to the shallow forest that grew beside the Elethan Mountains. They’d come for their friends, but they had the slight problem of the siege. For the first few miles in the woods they heard and saw no sign of life, but as they approached the end, they’d seen tracks and heard occasional shouts in the distance.

Jerico vanished behind a line of trees. Lathaar sighed and drew his swords. He felt eager to kill, which seemed wrong when he realized it. Of all the times he’d felt abandoned by Ashhur, he’d never enjoyed hunting and killing the servants of Karak. Yet now, with Mira dead, he wanted nothing more than vengeance. Vengeance…was that Ashhur’s will?

“Be with me,” he prayed. “I’m lost. I’m confused. And I really, really want to kill someone.”

“Amen,” Jerico whispered, startling him.

“Bastard,” he grumbled.

“Such language for a paladin. Come on. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

They reached the last of the trees without difficulty. Beyond them camped a small army of soldiers, their tents spreading out in a half-circle surrounding the Sanctuary. Only its front half was made of wood, the rest built deep into the mountain rock. Torches burned in its four towers, and Lathaar felt relief at the sight. Survivors still hid within, not yet defeated by the siege.

“How many you think?” Lathaar asked, careful to keep his voice at a whisper.

“At least two hundred footmen,” Jerico whispered back. “Another hundred archers.”

“You realize there’s only two of us, right?”

Jerico winked. “You’re right. We should give them fair warning before we attack.”

He dropped his pack of supplies, readied his shield, and then drew his mace. Lathaar looked at him like he was mad.

“We’re not that good,” he said. “They’ll kill us with arrows alone.”

“I’m not an idiot, despite evidence to the contrary,” said Jerico. He pointed toward the Sanctuary’s door, which was burnt and cracked, yet still holding together. The soldiers that milled about maintained no strict lines or attention. Lathaar doubted they’d seen any combat since the first day or two, when they’d obviously tried, and failed, to breach the door.

“You want us to make a run for it?” Lathaar asked.

“I’ve got my shield,” Jerico said, giving it a pat. “We push through, then bar the door behind us. Once we’re inside…”

“Once we’re inside, we’ll starve with the rest of them. Are you out of your mind? We’ll be no use in there.”

“Well, we’re not doing much good standing here.”

The two looked upon the few hundred and struggled for a plan.

“I wish the mage was here,” Lathaar said at last. “What I’d give for a few of his fireballs on their tents.”

“That’s it!” Jerico said.

Lathaar smacked him to keep his voice down. A quick glance around showed none had heard him, but they backed into the forest just in case. He listened as Jerico outlined his plan, which while truly insane, at least made more sense than joining the starving priests inside the Sanctuary.

“They’ll have only a token guard,” he said when Jerico finished. “It could work if we move fast, and strike a few hours before dawn, when they’ll be their most tired and inattentive.”

“We have little time,” said Jerico. “Hurry. I want them to have one vicious wake up come the morning.”

T hey took turns sleeping to make sure they didn’t miss their chosen time. Lathaar was already awake when he felt Jerico nudge his shoulder with his foot.

“It time?” he mumbled.

“Close enough. Get ready.”

Lathaar reattached his armor, with Jerico helping him with the buckles. Once ready, they said one last prayer and then split. Jerico made for the forest line, while Lathaar wrapped a thick branch with cloth soaked in what little lamp oil they had. He set it ablaze and then counted to two hundred. Beside them was one of many piles of kindling pushed up against the trunks of trees, also wet with oil. At two hundred, he set it ablaze and then ran.

Prior to nightfall, they’d made over twenty such piles, and he dashed from one to the other, lighting them and then continuing. Some burned too weak to set their tree aflame, but he only needed a few to start the fire he wanted. The trees were lush and full, plenty of fuel for their needs. When he reached the last of the piles, he looked up to the sky. Smoke blotted out the stars. Good. At least several had grown strong, and the kindling piles lined all around the camp, forming a nice U-shaped goal for the fire. Now he just needed to wait for the fire to grow and then…

Shouts came from the camp, first a few, then many. From far to the side, he peeked out to see. The men were rushing to the edge, carrying whatever tools they could find. The fire wasn’t evenly spread yet, but growing. Without any source of water, the men did the only thing they could: they began digging a trench so they fire would not spread beyond the forest.

“Go get them, Jerico,” Lathaar whispered, thrilled at how smooth their plan was working. The light of the fire made it difficult for him to see the Sanctuary. Only the torches in the towers shone clearly, the rest a dark haze. If all was well, Jerico had sneaked inside without notice, and at worst, killed a few before dashing in. Well, not the very worst. Very worst, he lay dead on the ground, an arrow in his side. Lathaar had a feeling it’d take a lot more to bring down Jerico than a few inattentive guards.

The smoke billowed higher, and all attention was now on the fire. Time for him to act. He curled around to the side of the camp. No guards. He took a few deep breaths and then burst into a full sprint, heading for the far side of the trench where the people were at their fewest. At the last moment he drew his swords, and one man glanced to the side and shouted just before he crashed through the line. He spun and cut without any finesse and thought, spilling blood across his armor and knocking bodies into the shallow trench. Unarmed and unprepared, they had little chance. The rest scattered, crying out for aid.

“Fear the wrath of the elves!” Lathaar screamed before turning and racing back into the forest, figuring any sort of misdirection could only help. He kept his head low and curled around the outer line of the fire, which was still growing at a pace that worried him. He thanked Ashhur it wasn’t fall, and the leaves dry and brittle. His armor was hot enough as it was. Last thing he wanted was to be baked inside it.

He followed the fire, keeping it to his right until he emerged on the other side of the ditch. Some of the soldiers were armed, and many on the lookout. Not enough, though, not to deter him. Gasping in the clean air, he waited until he felt ready and then charged. This time they saw him just before his arrival, but the bulk only tried to flee, not fight. He cut down the nearest, who wielded an axe, two more who swung their shovels at him, and then gutted a fourth before he could escape. The smoke drifted over them, so that only his glowing blades shone in the confusion.

“Eyes on the forest,” Lathaar muttered as he turned back to flee.

The fire still burned strong, but the wind seemed to be keeping it from pushing deeper into the center. He went to the middle of the line, but once there he felt his bravado fade. The fire licked off every thin trunk. The ground shimmered red, and it seemed more liquid than solid. The heat gathered in a great wall, one he could feel growing stronger with every step. Could he do it? Could he really?

But Jerico was relying on him. Lathaar needed to be the reaper from the flame, to keep all eyes on the forest, all backs to the Sanctuary. When the priests made their escape, any who happened to notice would fall to their spells and Jerico’s mace. Only a concentrated effort by the army could stop them, and if they were scattered, exhausted, and unaware a battle had started…

He ran, his eyes barely able to stay open from the heat. He felt his armor grow warm, then excruciatingly hot. Sweat soaked him beneath his inner layers of padding. His lungs burned from the smoke. Step after step, he forced himself through step after step. When he burst into the fresh air, he laughed, stunned to be alive. The men digging the trench were in no way prepared for his maniacal approach. He cut them down, a swirling death of glowing swords. This time men closer to the inner parts of the camp noticed him and came running, their weapons at the ready. Lathaar barely saw them in his oxygen-starved delirium. He swung in wide arcs, clumsy maneuvers that better opponents might have easily defeated. But they were tired, confused, and poorly armored.

Even with such advantages, and far more years in training, he felt himself slipping. Blades rang off his armor, and one cut through the padding at his elbow, slicing all the way to bone. His breath came with difficulty, and either blood or sweat, he didn’t know which, ran from his forehead to sting his eyes. More soldiers swarmed about him, trapping him against the burning forest. He laughed, knowing he had to look like some horrific demon from the Abyss. He sheathed his short sword, held his long sword in both hands, and screamed out the word to unleash the full power of his faith.

“Elholad!”

The blade remained the same. He felt doubt tug on his heart, and his dire grin spread wide. It had to be Mira, he thought.

Damn her, she’s got me doubting.

He kept swinging wide, taking step after step back toward the forest. Might he burn within? He felt its heat blowing against him from the wind. It was growing, the fire still spreading. He couldn’t fight them off, couldn’t defeat them. His faith was weak, Ashhur’s greatest gift denied to him. They must have seen the weakness in his eyes, for they pressed closer, wielding swords and shields that blocked every counterattack.

In the distance, he saw flashes of white. Someone shouted his name. The priests were coming, or were they fleeing? Would they rescue him, or leave him to die? He didn’t know. He felt weak and lightheaded. Swords cut in, and he parried best he could. Any thoughts to counter vanished. Another step back as a blade missed gutting him by an inch. Another step as he braced to block a powerful overhead chop. More light, closer, brighter. Men turned, a few raised their weapons, but then Keziel burst through. He spoke a word, though strangely Lathaar heard not a single syllable, only felt its power roll across them. The enemy soldiers fell back as if struck by a battering ram.

“Come, my son,” said Keziel, grabbing Lathaar and wrapping an arm around his waist. “Into the fire.”

Lathaar didn’t understand, but he was too exhausted to question him. Together they rushed into the forest, the flames licking behind them. Light glowed from his skin, and he saw it lift off in waves. They were not consumed. He couldn’t even feel its heat. Step after step they walked, Lathaar leaning much of his weight on the older man. At last they came out the other side. The light faded.

“Next time think of a better plan,” Keziel said as they both sucked in air. “I don’t want to ever do that again.”

“Where’s Jerico?” Lathaar asked.

“With the others. They ran about the southern edge of the fire. We must keep moving. It won’t be long before the rest of the army comes in pursuit.”

“How will we find them?” Lathaar asked as they walked deeper into the forest, where the flames were but a frightening red haze in the distance.

“Once we’re outside, it shouldn’t be hard to locate them. Of course, the same goes for Karak’s men. Step it up. A young man like you shouldn’t be outpaced by an elder like me.”

J erico was waiting for them not far away when they emerged. Sixteen priests were with him, and they held their hands upward, shining as if they were torches. Keziel responded in kind, and then they hurried over.

“I take it all went well?” Lathaar asked when they neared.

“I made it inside without notice,” Jerico said, smacking him on the shoulder. “Getting out was a bit trickier. Saw you fighting out there. Would have terrified even me. A few soldiers caught us sneaking about, but they were too scattered to stop us. Of course, Keziel had to run off like the madman he is to save your hide.”

“It’s much appreciated,” Lathaar said, and he chuckled despite the heat and terror that moment had inspired. “Where to now?”

“We’ve heard only rumors of the outside world since Melorak’s ascension to the throne,” Keziel said. “You should know our destination better than I.”

“Are there really angels?” asked one priest, a younger man with just a shade of stubble on his chin.

“Aye, there are,” Jerico said, grinning. “I guess that’s where we’ll head…assuming they’re still alive.”

The man smiled, but then he caught the troublesome meaning at the end.

“What do you mean, still alive?” he asked.

“What of Neldar?” asked Keziel. “Do we not have aid from there and Omn?”

“For now, we head to the crossing,” Jerico said. “We’ll explain on the way.”

T hey traveled for several hours that night. Keziel detailed the events of the siege the best he could, with the other priests chiming in should he forget something. They’d heard of Antonil’s marriage, though after the event, otherwise they would have attended. When the priest-king slaughtered Annabelle and took over the city, again they’d heard only rumors from the occasional traveler seeking guidance or merchants bringing in their weekly wares.

With Karak in control, they figured it was only a matter of time before an army came for them. They’d stored up food and supplies, then barred the door and waited. Over five hundred had come at first, and they’d showered the towers with arrows and prepared their battering rams. The first and only assault had been brutal, but the priests had defended through the broken cracks in the door and from the various windows and towers. They’d killed over a hundred, though lost many priests in turn. After that, whoever had been in charge changed tactic, preferring to starve them out. They’d been dangerously low on food when Jerico made his rather surprising entrance.

“We nearly took off his head,” said another priest who held an ornate sword in one hand.

“You would have tried,” Jerico said, shooting him a wink.

After that, Jerico told their tale, of their horrible defeat at Veldaren, the war god’s arrival, and the planned defenses at the crossing and the Gods’ Bridges. Through it all, Keziel shook his head and frowned.

“Surely these are the end times,” he said when the paladin finished.

“Sure does seem like it,” Lathaar said.

“Nonsense,” Jerico said. “It’s only the end if we lose. I don’t plan on it. We’ll hold the bridges and the crossing. Just you wait. You’ll meet the angels, all of you, and then we’ll head to Mordeina. Karak won’t know what hit him!”

Lathaar glanced back at the forest. He couldn’t tell, but he swore he saw men in pursuit, just shades and illusions in the pale moonlight.

“If you say so,” he said, hurrying them on.