The Godling Chronicles (Shadow of the Gods, Book #3) (29 page)

“
The humans need us to reinforce their
left flank.” Her voice rose above the sound of the battle. “It is
time to prove our worth.” She pulled three elves aside. “See that
the king is unharmed. Get him to pull back to the wall if you can.”
They bowed quickly and obeyed. Lousis was atop his horse urging his
men forward, and his personal guard was still struggling to keep
him from riding to the front line.

Bellisia and Linis raced to catch up with the
others. As Mitchis had said, the left flank was nearly demolished.
Warriors, in black mail with the symbol of broken scales in bright
red across their chest, were starting to push through. The bodies
of the dead and dying littered the ground. The elves cut a path
through the advance, and quickly the enemy panicked and fell back.
The Althetan soldiers began to pursue, but their commanders wisely
called them back and reformed the lines.

Linis looked to his right. The elves had
arrived just in time to prevent them from crushing the Althetan
center. They met Angrääl with fury as the clang and clatter of
steel sang its deadly song.

For nearly an hour the battle raged as more
elf reinforcements arrived. On three separate occasions, it looked
as if the Althetan center would break, but they managed to hold
long enough for more elf support to arrive and push the Angrääl
soldiers back. Linis had slain at least a dozen men, and Bellisia
just as many. Linis was impressed with her fighting skill and
smiled every time he caught sight of her.

By mid-morning the Angrääl forces were routed
and in full retreat, with the men of Althetas on their heels.
Nearly half of the elf force had come out of the passage to aid in
the battle. Hundreds had died. The king had injured his right leg
when his horse reared, throwing him from the saddle, during the
final surge forward. His personal guard had pulled him to the
cliffs beside Selena and Kaylia.

Bellisia was cleaning her sword on the tunic
of a dead enemy soldier when Linis approached.

“
You fight well,” he remarked. “As well
as any seeker.”

Bellisia smiled, looking prideful. “My father
was a seeker. He trained me until I came of age and chose the life
of a scholar and healer.” Her smile vanished and she cast her gaze
on the battlefield. “A skill I believe we need at this moment.”

Theopolou appeared from the passage with half
a dozen elves. Linis waved his arm in greeting and went to meet
him. Bellisia walked beside him.

“
What are your losses?” asked
Theopolou.

“
I cannot say,” replied Bellisia.
“Substantial, I would think. The enemy was
well-prepared.”

Theopolou led them to where the king was
being tended. Lousis smiled as they approached and sat up
straight.

“
Are you badly injured?” asked
Theopolou.

“
No.” The king looked at his leg with
disgust. “But my fighting is done for now. Were your elves
assaulted in the passage?”

Theopolou shook his head. “No. I believe they
counted on breaking through and assaulting our rear.”

“
If you hadn't sent your elves, they
would have,” said Lousis. “I mourn the loss of those who died in
our defense.”

Theopolou bowed. “As I mourn the loss of your
soldiers. They died bravely facing overwhelming numbers.”

“
What will we do now?” asked
Linis.

“
We will do what we came here to do,”
said Theopolou. Determination burned in his eyes. “Nehrutu and
Mohanisi are with the archers and shield bearers, one-thousand
yards from the gates. They await my return.” He turned to Linis and
placed his hand on the elf's shoulder. “You should know that the
bodies of three of your seekers hang from the walls.”

Linis lowered his eyes and clenched his
fists. “I will come with you.”

Theopolou nodded. “What are your plans, your
highness?”

King Lousis shifted uncomfortably, digging a
rock from beneath his thigh and tossing it aside. “The wagons are
being emptied to carry the wounded back to the city. Those that
can't be moved will be cared for here.” He looked out on the
battlefield riddled with bodies. “I will have my men take care of
the dead. Rest assured the elves will be taken care of as
well.”

“
Are there captives?” asked
Bellisia.

“
A few,” the ting replied. “I suppose I
must see to them until this is over. I'm hoping that we can learn
something useful from them.”

Selena approached, blood covered her clothes
from treating the wounded. Kaylia was at her side.

“
I will remain with the High Lady and
Kaylia,” said Bellisia. “I believe my healing skills will be of
greater use than my skills in battle.”

“
Your help is most welcome,” said
Selena.

“
I will join you and Theopolou,” said
Kaylia.

“
No,” shot Linis. “My heart is full of
vengeance. I am told that bodies of my kin hang from the walls of
our enemy. I cannot promise to protect you as my fury may blind me.
You will stay here.”

Kaylia could see Linis would not be moved and
stepped back.

Theopolou bowed to Lousis and Selena. “We
must hurry.” He spun around and headed back to the passage, with
Linis and the guard close behind.

“
It is done,” said Selena.

“
What is that, High Lady?” asked
Kaylia.

Selena lowered her eyes. “Human and elf have
bled together. Whatever our destiny may be, we will meet it
together. I only wish the cost of peace was not so high.”

Chapter 18

The wind whipped between the tall cliff
walls, blowing the banners tight. Linis and Theopolou pushed their
way through the ranks until they reached the vanguard where Nehrutu
and Mohanisi awaited. Linis fixed his eyes on the tall, thick walls
of Valshara. Just as Theopolou had said, three bodies swung in the
breeze from just left of the main gate. He boiled with fury as he
recognized Sitrisa, Prustos, and Santisos. Their faces were
swollen, bruised, and caked with dried blood and grime, and their
clothes tattered and stained.

“
They will pay for this dishonor.”
Linis drew his long knife and grabbed the blade tightly. Blood
trickled down to the hilt. “I swear this.”

“
You must wait until the gates are down
and we vanquish the archers before you charge,” warned
Nehrutu.

“
My fury does not make me a fool,”
Linis snapped.

“
Of course, not,” Nehrutu replied. “And
you are not alone. The sight of my kin displayed with such malice
and contempt fills me with rage as well.” His eyes fell on the
mutilated bodies. “I swear that you will have vengeance. They will
understand wrath and fear after this day.”

“
Then ready yourself to advance,”
commanded Theopolou. The shield bearers lined up in front of the
archers. Nehrutu and Mohanisi just behind, weapons drawn.
“Attack!”

Slowly the column inched forward. Trumpets
blared from behind the wall. Men scrambled about just behind the
bowmen atop the battlements as orders were shouted frantically.
Theopolou and Linis stood shoulder to shoulder watching as their
forces came within range of the enemy arrows. The thwack of dozens
of bowstrings rang out and streaks of death flew across the sky.
The shields came and the elves crouched behind them. But the arrows
never found a mark. Both Nehrutu and Mohanisi stood, their arms
outstretched. A blast of wind gusted up, knocking the arrows back.
The clatter of wood on stone punctuated what had happened, and
murmurs of shock and approval carried through the elf ranks, soon
followed by loud cheering. The humans on the wall stood in silent
fear.

“
Why would they need the shields?”
wondered Linis.

“
I would think it is for when they
bring down the gates,” Theopolou answered. “It may be beyond their
skill to do both at once.”

The elves drew closer until finally they were
in range. The archers stood and fired. All but one found its mark.
Bodies slumped, then disappeared, and some fell screaming from the
wall. This brought another round of cheers from the elves. The
humans returned fire, but again Nehrutu and Mohanisi sent their
missiles back. Four more volleys and the wall was clear.

Nehrutu and Mohanisi stood, their heads down
and arms folded. The earth began to shake violently. Then the gates
to Valshara burst into flame. The heat could be felt all the way to
where Theopolou and Linis stood. Several arrows flew from over the
wall, but they were completely random and undirected. Only a few
came close enough to strike the shields. The ground continued to
shake, until finally the gates burst into flaming splinters. They
crept forward as the archers kept their eyes on the ramparts.

“
Forward!” cried Theopolou.

At a quick march the army moved in behind the
archers just as they reach the shattered gates. Smoldering pieces
of wood littered the ground, but were soon stomped out by elf
warriors. Smoke obscured their vision, making it impossible to see
more than a foot beyond the gate, but the sound of clashing steel
and the pounding of boots, told them that the battle had yet to
begin.

“
To me!” roared Nehrutu, holding his
sword high.

Black-cloaked figures appeared in the acrid,
gray smoke. First, one, then another, until five stood in the
entrance. Five more were standing just behind them. The elf archers
fired in a volley. The arrows struck home but had no effect.

“
Vrykol!” shouted Nehrutu. “You must
take their heads!”

The elves dropped their bows and drew their
long knives. The Vrykol were tall, menacing, and motionless. A
thick ball of flame shot out from in front of Nehrutu and Mohanisi
engulfing the beasts, but the flames died the moment they reached
them. When the shield bearers were only a few feet away, the Vrykol
stepped forward in unison. Their blades struck with tremendous
force, shattering all but two shields and throwing the soldiers to
the ground. The elves leaped over the fallen humans hacking and
slashing maniacally. Two Vrykol were laid open across their chests.
Foul, black ooze poured out of the wounds, but this did nothing to
stop them.

The humans scrambled to their feet, but the
elf line blocked their way, and they could only watch as the Vrykol
cut the elves down, one by one. After the first wave of elves were
slain, the Vrykol fell back to the gate to await another charge.
With fury the Althetan soldiers attacked, and were immediately cut
to pieces.

Nehrutu and Mohanisi charged in together,
followed by a dozen elf warriors. They clashed with the Vrykol; a
wave of air erupted as they struck, throwing the Vrykol back and
slamming them into the others standing at the rear. Nehrutu took
three heads with unearthly speed, and Mohanisi two others. The
Vrykol countered, killing three elf warriors and pushing them back
past the thresh-hold. Another blast of air knocked two Vrykol off
their feet. Nehrutu moved in and took another head. Ten elves were
at his back moving to engage the rest. Soon the Vrykol were
overwhelmed and hacked to pieces by vengeful blades.

Beyond the gates the center of the courtyard
was empty. At the rear, just in front of the temple, a six-foot
wooden wall had been erected, spanning the breadth of the yard.

Nehrutu held out his arms and halted the
attack. “I need archers now!”

The words were barely out of his mouth when
arrows flew from behind the wall in a low arc. Nehrutu and Mohanisi
tried to deflect them by blasting a current of air, as they had
done outside the battlements, but their actions were too late. Only
a few were sent back, and three elves were struck, including
Mohanisi.

“
No time to wait,” shouted Theopolou,
from behind. He forced his way by Nehrutu, followed by Linis and a
stream of screaming elves.

Nehrutu looked down at Mohanisi and saw that
a red-feathered arrow protruded from his belly. His anger boiled as
he drew in the flow. Theopolou and the others were already halfway
across the yard. He let loose all the power he could muster. A
ten-foot section of the wall heaved up and flew against the temple,
sending both wood and men back.

From the left and right on the battlements
and atop the roof of the temple, more archers appeared, ready to
rain down hell on the advancing elves.

Mohanisi struggled to his feet. Blood soaked
his tunic and trousers. “Bring down the wall. I will handle the
archers.”

A tempest erupted just above the heads of
Theopolou, Linis and the others. Arrows were thrown clear just
before they would have pierced their target. Nehrutu destroyed
another section of the wall, just as the elves engaged the enemy.
The archers abandoned their positions, dropping their bows, and
unsheathing their swords.

“
That's enough,” said Nehrutu to
Mohanisi. The tempest dissipated. He helped his friend to the wall
and allowed him to gently slide down.

“
I will be fine,” said Mohanisi.
“Attend to the more seriously injured.” He looked up to see Linis
and Theopolou cutting a path through the humans.

Elves poured through the gate, joining in the
fray. Soldiers exited the temple and descended from the wall to
meet them.

“
The temple will soon be ours,” said
Nehrutu. “I will need your help, my friend.” He pulled the arrow
from the wound. Mohanisi grimaced. “Be still.” He placed his hands
on Mohanisi stomach. In moments the bleeding stopped.

“
You can complete this once the battle
is done,” said Mohanisi, smiling. “You have done enough for now. Go
aid Theopolou.”