The clattering of swords rang off in the cool night air. Sparks flew, filling the dark with flashes of light. Every swing was followed by a gush of wind, blowing Aric’s hair back.
“Skilled killers,” Aric spoke with glee. “Do you see that, Captain? That is why we will win this war. Because we have an army of killers.” Aric’s finger pointed at the soldiers in the pit below him.
The two soldiers were roughly the same size, muscularly built with extraordinarily large hands. Their torsos were bare, revealing numerous battle scars that pulsated with the red life blood of victories past. Tattoos of their namesake splayed out across their necks, tentacles reaching out in all directions. The soldiers battled back and forth, wielding crude swords, cracked and chipped, but still deadly when used by trained killers. Neither soldier seemed to be gaining any advantage. Two more attacks began and ended as quickly as they started, resulting in another stalemate. Both soldiers stood there, bodies inhaling as much oxygen as they could, breathing out cold mists that covered their faces in icy shrouds. Other soldiers watching the sparring session were enjoying the battle at hand.
A soldier with a brutish face called out, “Come on, Captain! We don’t have all night, ya know! I got fifty gold pieces on you!”
One of the large combatants stepped back and cracked his neck. “Enough play time.” He launched another attack, his opponent shot in for a double leg takedown, trying to take the battle to the ground. Instead of hitting the ground though, he found himself being lifted upside down into the air. Before he could react, his head and upper back had crashed into the hard packed dirt, knocking him completely unconscious.
“You owe me half of that gold, Thoros!” shouted the victor. The crowd of soldiers cheered loudly in response.
“A mighty show of strength and skills, Captain.” A voice called out from behind the crowd. Aric made his way to the front, led by a Kraken soldier.
“Captain, Prince Aric and his Royal Guards approached about ten minutes ago at our perimeter. He is here to see General Arges on special orders from the king. General Arges was not in his tent, so I brought him here to you.”
“You are Captain Titan. Your fame precedes you,” Aric said.
“As it should after all the people I’ve killed!” Titan bellowed. “What is the little prince doing all the way out here. Is it not your bed time?”
Titan’s sarcasm cut deep into Aric. “You do NOT speak in such a tone to your prince! Flog this man for insubordination, Captain Izik!”
The Royal Guards looked at Izik for orders. Hesitantly, he nodded them forward. They fanned out, encircling Captain Titan, lowering their spears in unison, and cutting off any attempt of escape.
“Captain Titan, please do not resist the prince’s orders. It will only make things worse for you.” Izik raised his shield and gripped his sword tightly.
Titan’s mood quickly changed. His boisterous laugh replaced with icy silence. His cold-blooded eyes glared at the Royal Guards surrounding him. He was unarmed, but that didn’t seem to bother him at all. He hunkered low, cracking the knuckles on his dirt-smeared hands. “Come… come flog me. I dare you.”
The Royal Guards stole quick glances at their captain. Izik began to inch closer, the rest of them following suit. A shuffling of noise could be heard from the observant crowd behind them. Kraken soldiers began arming themselves. The situation was quickly going from bad to worse.
“Hurry up and punish him, Captain Izik! Or I’ll have you punished next!” shouted Aric angrily.
Izik found himself in a no-win situation. Either he got injured battling Titan, or Prince Aric would have him flogged for disobedience. He muttered an inaudible curse underneath his breath, and drew closer to Titan. “Captain Titan, please cooper—”
“I said now!” screamed Aric as he kicked Izik in the back, sending him toppling forward towards Titan.
The Krakens reacted instantly. They began to encircle the Royal Guards, tightening around them in a suffocating embrace. The Royal Guards quickly shifted their attention at the new threat, focusing their spears at the massive soldiers before them. The Krakens inched closer, rage burning in their eyes. The Royal Guards shrank together, unable to disguise the look of fear on their faces.
Titan had grabbed a hold of Izik, lifting him into the air effortlessly. “You send this puny thing to punish me, Prince Aric! Why don’t you come flog me yourself, you coward?” Titan began to drive Izik into the ground when from behind the crowd a voice called out.
“Nobody will be flogging Titan tonight, Prince Aric.”
Aric turned to see the source of the comment. The crowd turned in suit. Titan stopped midway through his attack. General Arges sat upon his horse, his white hair glowing in the night, piercing blue eyes glaring back at him.
“Put Captain Izik back down, Titan. Is that any way to treat our guests?”
Titan dropped Izik to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Izik hit the dirt with a thud, collecting his breath before slowly rising to his feet.
“I wasn’t really going to hurt him, General Arges; just scaring him a little.” Titan patted Izik on the back humorously, although Izik didn’t find the situation the least bit amusing.
“Back to your duties, Krakens.” The crowd dispersed quickly, returning to their obligations. “My prince, what brings you out here to the battlefield?” Arges spoke softly, but his eyes never left the prince’s. The glare told Aric he needed to rein in his anger and quickly move on before further embarrassment.
Aric collected himself before speaking. “I have new orders for you, directly from the king.”
“Hmm… I am not aware of any new orders. My messengers have brought me no such news.”
“Then you need to punish your messengers for failing at their duties.”
Arges laughed at the notion. “I think not, my prince. I trust my messengers to perform their tasks, just like I trust every soldier in my regiment to do theirs. We are a family here, and we do not fail one another so easily.”
Aric was taken aback by Arge’s response, but even more so by his presence. General Arges had an aura about him, a powerful presence that didn’t match his youthful appearance, but could truly be felt. Aric felt it, and he could see that Arges’ soldiers also felt it the way they listened to his every word. But Aric knew he could not appear weak in this situation. This was his army, he believed, and he needed to show his strength.
“These orders are top secret, I am to tell you about them personally. Would you not consider that a great honor, General?”
Arges knew that Aric was a liar, and he did not fear Aric’s Royal Guards. The incident just moments ago had proved they were no threat. What did concern him, though, was Aric’s youthful temperament, and his reaction to being belittled in front of soldiers would inevitably lead to an unnecessary injury out here on the battlefield. That was a headache that Arges did not want to deal with. He looked Aric up and down, appearing pensive, but truthfully indignant at this unwanted supervisory role.
“Show me the orders in private; follow me to my quarters, Prince Aric.”
Titan stood in front of Aric, blocking his pathway and refusing to move. Aric squeezed by, awkwardly maneuvering past him as one would navigating a rocky cliff side.
“At ease, soldier,” mumbled Aric. Aric spoke with a muffled voice not normally present in his speech. Titan said nothing, but laughter seemed to dance in his eyes.
Arges led Aric down to his quarters, the Royal Guards trailing behind them. “You are a long way from headquarters, my prince.”
“Yes.” Aric responded uncharacteristically brief, too preoccupied by his sudden cowardice, and by the camp itself. Far from a makeshift encampment, the base was wondrously constructed. Wooden turrets bordered the perimeter, with another set of turrets encircling the center, like concentric circles with turrets evenly spaced out between them. The base sat upon a rectangular rampart, ten feet high with stakes protruding from each side. The center of the camp was the pit where Titan
had been sparring. Arges’ quarters sat on the far eastern side of the base, appearing like any other barrack, a grey canvassed tent, indiscernible from the rest.
“Your tent is not worthy of your status, General.”
“And what kind of tent should I have, Prince Aric?”
“One twice as large, as spacious, a symbol of your rank and status. A tent befitting a general.”
“Which is also an easy target for enemies to locate. The sooner they kill me, the sooner my army is in disarray. You don’t ever want to make it that easy for your enemy.”
Aric had no comeback for that logic, so he remained silent until they entered the tent.
“So what are these orders you have?”
Captain Izik brought forth the parchment. Aric unrolled it and began to read.
“King Maximus Agiad II has ordered the Third Unit, under the command of General Arges, to aid General Steropes at the battle of Lake Raphia immediately. You are to escort Prince Aric to the battlefield and offer him any assistance he requires.” Aric finished reading the parchment, rolling it back up and tossing it into the hearth.
“Hmm… I have to say, a bit inconsistent with what I’ve been receiving from headquarters, lately. I was under the impression we had been at a standstill at Lake Raphia?”
“That’s exactly why you have been ordered to engage the enemy! To break the standstill and hasten our victory!” declared Aric.
Arges sensed the orders were fraudulent. But to what end was Aric lying, he could not discern. He knew the correct protocol here would be to send a messenger back to Vicedonia, notifying them of Prince Aric’s extracurricular activities. But, at the same time, he knew his army was growing weary from inaction, stationed at the foothills of the Dark Forest, to guard against an enemy that would never ever risk approaching through such an insidious area. It was truly a waste of time. But these were his orders. He had never disobeyed an order before, no matter how much he disagreed with it. Under normal circumstances, Arges wouldn’t even consider moving his army, but Lake Raphia was a different story.
The city is one of three key strategic locations in the Disputed Lands. Aside from the seemingly endless supply of gold hidden in its caves, Lake Raphia is said to have belonged to the Ancients, a remnant of their once glorious civilization. Hidden deep within its caves is said to lay a treasure beyond imagination, a mystical source from which gold and other treasures abound. Arges realized, though, that this mysterious power could very well help hasten a victory for the Vicedonian Kingdom as well, finally helping to bring an end to the war. General Steropes was also in dire need of assistance and fresh troops. He considered his options for a moment, pensively rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger. Perhaps this was a gamble worth taking.
Aric fidgeted impatiently, the silence deafening as he awaited an answer.
“So when do you want us to march, Prince Aric?”
A smile cracked across his face. Overjoyed that Arges had not seen through his ruse, but more so thrilled by the fact that he believed he had outwitted someone of Arges’ caliber. “We leave immediately.”
“I assume you already have our path figured out?”
“Yes, we have no time to lose. Through the Dark Forest we march.”
Chapter 13