At Storm's Edge Page 2

  He dropped the knife and stood up. Nara rolled away from him and knelt on the ground, avoiding eye contact. She stood up a moment later, dusting herself off. Sawain sighed as he watched her. “Nara, I know you have plenty of reasons to hate me, but you’re the only family I have left. I don’t want to lose you. After this fight, we can take a break from the war; catch our breaths before moving on.”

  Nara snorted as she bent down to shove one of the barrels. “Don’t lie to me, Sawain.”

  He hesitated a moment, unsure of what else to say, then returned to his own barrel as he heaved it up into his arms. He grunted through his dialogue as they moved toward the cliffs. “Mmph, we’ll beat them, and then we’ll talk.”

  Nara pushed onward in silence. Sawain believed he could feel the heat of her anger radiating outward. He had no doubt in that moment that she was his relative. He always believed he got his rage from the human side of his family, but over the past few months, he began to wonder if it originated from Alfhaven.

  Once the barrels made it to the cliff side, the Ghosts quickly broke them open and used mops and brooms that Mari had gathered to spread the compound over as many of the loose boulders as they could. Sawain kicked over one barrel and spread the sticky substance across the edge of the cliff. A cacophony of battle cries echoed off the mountain as a dozen arrows clattered against the stones a few feet from the Ghosts’ position.

  “They’re too close now! Light those rocks!” At Sawain’s command, each Ghost ran to the fire and stuck his or her tar covered implement into the blaze. They quickly returned to the stones, makeshift torches in hand, and ignited their boulders. Several heaves and kicks later, half a dozen burning rocks, roughly three feet in circumference, tumbled down the mountainside. The projectiles crashed into the front lines of the mercenaries, sending several of them tumbling as they screamed and bounced off the rocks. Sawain grabbed Mari’s torch and tossed it onto the streaks of tar he painted earlier. The flames leapt upward, covering the edge in a fiery barricade for a considerable length of the cliffside. More arrows showered the ground around Sawain, narrowly missing him and the others. Another barrage of blazing boulders answered the attack before the Swerdbrekker signaled his team. “Fall back to the houses! Get the drakes in position!”

  The Ghosts retreated beneath the scattering of arrows to the inner village. Moments later, the first line of enemies reached the cliffside. Jatharr and Banthan launched their own arrows from the flat roof of one of the houses while Kyra loosed bolts of lightning from her perch on another abode.

  The approaching army divided into two masses in order to avoid the tar fire. Their concentrated numbers fell easily to the barrage the Ghosts unleashed. Those lucky enough to avoid the arrows and lightning stepped on the faintly glowing runes scattered all over the ground. Agonized screams accentuated the fiery explosions that incinerated many of the mercenaries.

  The next wave of attackers had less to fear as the runes went off one by one. Shield bearers blocked the rain of arrows as the infantry reached the village proper. The swarm of enemies rushed the doors of the buildings the Ghosts took refuge in as their own pelting of arrows drove the defenders inside. They bashed at the doors and scaled the walls.

  A pillar of flame burst one of the doors open, taking out several opponents as Eldingbál rushed into the fray, Sawain on his back. The other houses’ doorways erupted with arcs of electricity, blasts of ice, and streams of acid as the other drakes and their riders followed suit. The enemy fell quickly beneath the skillful warriors’ blades. Mari and Timbrell played a driving cadence that dulled the bite of spears and arrows as Banthan and Sawain wove in and out of the mob, lobbing off heads and hewing through limbs.

  Naralei’s daggers dropped several archers while Jatharr’s berserker yell cowed the assailants. Despite their number advantage, many began to flee back down the mountain. Sawain grinned as his heart filled with hope. “Push harder! We have them on the run!”

  Several of the scattering soldiers ran headlong for the cliff as the Ghosts’ unstoppable blades shattered their assault. Sawain noticed them stop as they reached the edge. A dozen men flew upward into the air from the invisible edge. Their flailing and screaming lead Sawain to believe they were hurled by something against their will. The tar-flame barricade dispersed as a dozen massive figures stepped through it. The flying men crashed all around as the enemy army and Ghosts alike froze.

  The silhouettes of twelve massive trolls strode into the fray; each one stood two feet taller than the tallest man did. Their lean, war-tempered bodies did not remotely resemble the bloated forms trolls normally took. Sawain knew these were from a different cloth completely. Each one wore bone armor fitted expertly to their frames and carried a weapon much larger than the standard fare. The middle troll stepped into the front. His charred blue skin bore a plethora of scars that tore reddish contrasts across his rippling muscles. Two large tusks curled upward from his lower jaw. The tattoos upon them marked him as a leader. He gripped a great sword on one hand that resembled more accurately a one-handle saw with its serrated teeth. One gleaming, golden eye scanned the carnage then settled on Sawain. The troll grinned as he tapped his eyepatch. “Been looking all over for you, Swerdbrekker. We need to ‘ave a talk.”

  Sawain gripped Giltglim as he slid off his drake’s back. He took a few steps forward before speaking. “I’m really not in the mood for a chat, Aerabis. So, why don’t you and your friends take a dive off the mountain before I kick you down it myself.”

  Aerabis laughed, his deep voice booming over everything. “Sorry, mate, but I won’t take no fer an answer. You are worth more to me alive than dead, but my employer is not all that fussy. He said it’d be alright if I delivered you with a few missing pieces.”

  Sawain grinned as he brought his sword up to battle position. He noticed the other Ghosts join him from the left and right. “You’re still mad about the eye? That was months ago! Besides, I think you look better with the patch.”

  Aerabis frowned as he gripped his saw. “Urk, that’s it. I’m cutting you in half. Malsivith can sew you back together later!”

  Sawain tilted his head, “Malsivith? You’re slipping, Aerabis.”

  The troll’s eye narrowed a moment as he realized his mistake, and then covered it with a snarl. “Don’t matter none. Dead men don’t talk, after all.”

  Aerabis charged forward, swinging the serrated edge of his blade at Sawain. He dodged it, knowing full well that parrying a blow from Aerabis’ saw would knock him skyward. He sliced at the troll’s calf, but his opponent lifted his leg at the last second. The resulting kick sent Sawain sprawling. He recovered in time to roll to the left as the teeth of the saw bit the ground where he had lain. Aerabis ripped his weapon from the ground as Sawain jumped to his feet. “What’s wrong, Swerdbrekker? Yer slower than usual. Not getting tired, are ye? Maybe ye should get more sleep.”

  Sawain dashed at his foe, loosing a flurry of jabs and swats at the troll. “I’ll rest easier once you’re dead!”

  The troll expertly negated each attack, pushing the Swerdbrekker back moments later. He tutted pitifully as he returned with a barrage of his own. “Now, that’s not very nice, you know. I’m just doin’ my job, nothing personal. You though, you have caused me nothing but grief these past moons. Killin’ most of my family. Now I get it—” He paused a moment to jump back as Giltglim sliced his forearm. “Ooh, close one! It’ll take days to stop that bleedin’. What was I saying?”

  Sawain thrust at his distracted opponent, who easily knocked his blade away. “You were saying that you surrender and you’ll go back to Borukstad a changed monster.”

  Aerabis stepped away from Sawain’s attacks and wagged a finger at his opponent, wearing a look of disappointment. “Now there you go again, callin’ us monsters. We have every bit as much right as you do to our lands. See, I get it. You and I, we’re warriors. We see eye to eye more than you realize. Your god says fight, so you fight. My boss says kill, so I kill. We clai
m to have different motives. I do it for money, you do it for fame, but what it boils down to is we do it for lust.”

  Sawain leapt over Aerabis’ low sweep and brought his sword down hard, catching the troll on the hand. He growled menacingly as his blade switched to his uninjured limb. Sawain could not land in time, so his ribs caught the back of the troll’s fist. The wind rushed from him as he dropped to the ground several feet away.

  Aerabis stalked toward him, waving his bloodied hand around. “Now, my brothers and sisters behind me? They’re less understanding. They are soldiers. They fight for justice. They won’t hesitate to tear yer friends apart.”

  Naralei’s scream cut through the air as if to make a point. Sawain looked in time to see her in the grasp of one of the trolls. He quickly jumped to his feet and ran toward her. “Nara!”

  He stopped just in time to avoid the cleave of Aerabis’ saw as it split the air in front of him. The one-eyed troll stepped around Sawain. “Yer fight’s still with me, Swerdbrekker. Don’t be so disrespectful.”

  Sawain grit his teeth as he launched another assault. “Anyone ever tell you that you talk too much?”

  Aerabis dodged and blocked. A grin spread onto his crooked face. “Ye’re the only one that’s ever lived long enough.”

  “I’m honored,” Sawain panted as he found an opening in his opponent’s defense. He rolled forward and sliced Aerabis’ ankle on the way up.

  The troll shouted in surprise as he limped forward. He turned to face Sawain’s next attack, snarling through the pain. “Ye won’t win this time, Swerdbrekker! Ye’re trapped and outnumbered!”

  Sawain grinned as his assault pushed the troll back farther each moment. Another battle raged around him as the Ghosts struggled to keep back the onslaught of the trolls. All he could think about was killing Aerabis once and for all as they exchanged strikes, sparks flying each time their blades connected.

  The screams of his friends met his ears. He glanced to his right to see Jatharr and Banthan pushed to the edge, blood dripping from gashes in their armor. The breath rushed from Sawain’s lungs as the teeth of Aerabis’ saw tore through his armor and pushed him to his back. The cut across his stomach stung, but it seemed shallow at first glance. He crawled to his hands and knees, panting as Aerabis sauntered up to him.

  “Look on the bright side, Swerdbrekker. At least you died at the hands of a warrior and not a traitor.”

  Sawain looked up at Aerabis with confusion on his face as the troll raised his blade high.

  “It was fun while it lasted, but it’s time to collect my pay.”

  The troll gasped and dropped his guard as a black knife buried itself into his wrist. Sawain charged forward and tackled the troll, smashing his full weight into his opponent’s ribs. The momentum knocked Aerabis off balance as he fell backwards off the edge of the cliff. Sawain went with him, but managed to catch a small tree that rooted itself in a clump of soil. Aerabis’s scream filled Sawain’s ears, punctuated with a bone-crunching thud every time the creature bounced off the rocks.

  The Swerdbrekker pulled himself to the ledge and scrambled up in time to see a few dozen figures in black cloaks send a barrage of daggers and magic at the enemy forces. One of the figures ran toward Sawain. It stuck its hand out to him and a feminine voice called to him beneath the cloak. “Let’s go, Swerdbrekker! It’s not your time to die yet!”

  Sawain took her hand and got to his feet. They raced through the mob of enemies, cutting down any who got in their way. The other new combatants managed to halt the trolls’ advance as the Ghosts retreated over the ridge. Sawain looked around as they ran. He counted Mari, Timbrell, Kyra, Jatharr, Banthan, and all the drakes, but Naralei was missing. He halted on the spot, but the cloaked figures who held the rear pushed him onward. A man’s voice came from the one who shoved him. “Don’t look back! We have to get you to safety!”

  Sawain resisted, “My cousin is still down there!”

  The cloaked man shoved harder. “My condolences, but if you go back, you’re just as dead! We can’t allow that!”

  Sawain pointed his blade at the man. “Don’t think I won’t hesitate to cut you down, Chandler or not.”

  The Chandler shook his head. “Forgive me, Swerdbrekker.”

  Sawain lowered his sword and pressed past him. A blinding pain shot through his body and his limbs went numb instantly. The world slowly faded to black as the Chandler’s distant voice echoed in his ears. “But I can’t let you die today.”

  Chapter Three:

  “Nara!”

  Sawain sat up straight, sweat dripping from his brow. He looked around the rocky chamber where he rested. A dim glow from a coal fire warmed the place slightly and allowed him to see the sleeping forms of the Ghosts around him. One other figure sat on a rock near a tunnel that snaked away to his right. The cloaked figure put a gloved finger to its cloth-covered mouth. All Sawain could see were two flashing green eyes. He guessed they belonged to an elf or perhaps a hravelith. A female voice with the vaguely familiar ring of a forest accent to it whispered from the chandler.

  “Peace, Swerdbrekker. You are safe here. We sealed this tunnel so that the troll’s soldiers could not find you.”

  Sawain’s hand reached up for the wound on his stomach. “What about Naralei?”

  The chandler sat motionless for a moment before she dropped her head slightly. “Aerabis’ men took her captive. We are tracking them now. Once your team is rested, follow this mineshaft until you reach Glittervein Gulch. I will contact you again when it is safe to do so.”

  Sawain tilted his head, peering hard at the cryptic being. “What do you mean when it’s safe to do so?”

  The chandler hopped down from her perch, robes fluttering in the dark. She edged closer to the shadows of the tunnel. “Be wary with whom you share secrets, Swerdbrekker.”

  Sawain clambered to his feet, every muscle in his body fighting against him. He leaned against the earthen wall as he glared at the chandler. “What are you saying? You think one of my Ghosts would sell me out? That’s nonsense!”

  The chandler’s hands closed into fists, but a noise from the slumbering companions halted a retort. Banthan sat up, rubbing his eyes slowly. He glanced at Sawain through a deep squint. “Can’t you have your nightmares a little quieter?”

  Sawain glanced from Banthan to the spot the chandler once occupied, only to find it empty. He pushed off the wall in an attempt to look stronger than he felt as he turned back to Banthan. “Do I look like I’m sleeping? Wake the others. We have to get moving.”

  Banthan scoffed. “Are you joking? We only just settled in. If we march now, the Grey King won’t be the only one with an army of the dead.”

  Sawain shook his head in disbelief, “How can you rest while those trolls have Naralei?” He limped into the middle of the room and started kicking whoever fell beneath his tread. “Get up, all of you! We are moving now!”

  Jatharr sat up, rubbing the fresh bruise on his side from Sawain’s boot. “What’s all this about?”

  “I said we’re moving out.”

  Banthan pulled himself to his feet as Kyra, Mari, and Timbrell stirred awake. His visage burned with anger as he moved toward Sawain, avoiding stepping on the sleepers. “You’re not the only one who cares, Sawain, but we can’t mount any rescues like this! We’re at our limit!”

  Sawain bent over to grab his sword and felt a nudge at his side that nearly knocked him off balance. Eldingbál stared at him with his serpentine eyes glistening in the near darkness. He moved in front of his comrade every time the half elf reached for a piece of equipment.

  “Get out of the way, Eld,” Sawain growled. The drake refused to comply as he blocked the Swerdbrekker’s path with his full body. Sawain grit his teeth as he shouted. “I said move!”

  Banthan’s hand gripped Sawain’s shoulder. “He’s trying to tell you something. If you—”

  Sawain pivoted on his heels and brought the back of his hand hard across Banthan’s face, sendin
g him spinning to the ground. “I’ve had it with you always going against me! Every order I give, you have to question it!”

  Banthan staggered to his feet, spitting a glob of blood from the cut on his lip. “You arrogant hog nether! I’ve followed you from the day Nerelis named you leader of this merry little band. You’re just too stuck in your fantasies to realize it!”

  Sawain yelled at him as the others scrambled up from their sleeping spots. “All you ever care about is yourself! You’ve always hated me since Alfhaven! I never should have brought you along.”

  Banthan launched himself at Sawain, tackling him to the ground. His fists pounded the Swerdbrekker relentlessly. He shouted through angry tears between each blow. “Fine! I hate you! I hate you! You killed my sister! Now you’ve killed Nara! Everyone who follows you dies! Is that what you want to hear? Will that stroke your ego enough?”

  Sawain twisted and broke Banthan’s grasp on him. The Swerdbrekker scrambled to his feet and drew his sword. “Nara’s not dead! But the way you’re talking…”

  Sawain’s blood ran cold as he remembered the chandler’s words of a traitor in his company. He lowered his blade. “Forget it. Stay here and sleep if you want, but I’m going. I’m better off alone anyway.”

  He snatched Giltglim up from its resting place and stomped away through the dark tunnel. He heard Jatharr’s voice echo off the walls. “Sawain, wait! There’s no need to be so rash!”

  Sawain shook his head silently as the voices of his friends faded with distance. A warm soft hand wrapped around his and tugged at him. He spun around to see Mari looking up at him with tears in her eyes. “What? Now you have something to say?” He sighed as he pulled his hand free.

 

  His jaw opened as he read Mari’s signs. Anger flared up again as he took a step toward her. She flinched and raised her hands protectively over her face. The sight caused Sawain to reel backwards. Shame and sorrow swirled in his fatigued skull as he tried to make sense of his actions. “Mari, I… I’m sorry. You’re right… but how can I possibly rest while she’s out there? Please, don’t try to stop me. Just go back with the others.”