The Line of Illeniel

  I didn’t stop to watch her; I didn’t want to see her working her bloody art anyway. I began picking targets, taking care to avoid hitting one of my own men. The nice thing about using the stones was that they were highly selective, once I had chosen a target they never missed. One by one my targets fell. Most of them wore helmets but it hardly mattered, the force was enough to knock them senseless. Once they fell, the vengeful swords of Washbrook made sure they didn’t rise again.

  Within minutes the tide had turned. There were only fifty or so of the invaders within the yard, and they no longer had reinforcements arriving. The castle defenders on the other hand were appearing in ever greater numbers. They had been taken by surprise but the tables had been turned, once Cyhan and Dorian appeared their chances dwindled to nothing.

  The enemy was down to ten now, drawn into a tight defensive circle. The look on their faces told me all I needed to know, the fight had gone out of them. “Throw down your swords and you may live yet!” I shouted at them. They paused but a moment before weapons began clattering on the hard earth.

  “Take them to the stockade,” Cyhan added, addressing our men.

  Dorian tapped him on the shoulder, an embarrassed expression on his face. “Actually we never built a stockade,” he said as Cyhan turned to him. “It was the lowest thing on the priority list and we never got to it,” he added.

  The older warrior shrugged, “I guess we’ll have to kill them then.” His sword appeared in his hand as if it had always been there and his matter of fact expression was chilling.

  “Wait!” I shouted, striding forward. “These men have surrendered, we can’t kill them.”

  Cyhan sighed, “Honor is all well and good, your excellency,” he put special emphasis on the last part. “But this is war. We have no place to keep them out of trouble and we can’t afford to assign men to babysit them.”

  “These men are no different than we are, they’ve got homes and families just as we do. I won’t take a man’s life after he’s surrendered,” I told him bluntly.

  “What happened to ‘I’ll kill every soldier that steps into this valley’?” Cyhan asked.

  I gritted my teeth and ignored him. “Dorian, take them to the great hall and interrogate them. If they answer your questions freely and honestly we’ll release them this evening. They can make their own choices after that.”

  The reaction of the crowd was a combination of gasps, mutters, and sighs of relief. Clearly opinions were mixed about what to do with them. Some wanted them dead, but others abhorred killing helpless men as much as I did. “As you wish, my lord,” Dorian answered immediately. It was the first time I could recall him addressing me that way. I hoped it wouldn’t become a habit.

  “Find out who their commander is. I also want to know as much as they can tell us about their numbers, troop composition and command structure. After that they can go. If they wish to rejoin their fellows they can die with the rest of them tomorrow.” I stared calmly at them as I said the last part.

  I saw Joe among the survivors and breathed a sigh of relief. “Joe, assign twenty men with bows and swords to watch the barn. If they discover another of my circles and begin using it I want to know immediately. Kill anyone who appears in them unless I order otherwise. No hesitation, no parley.”

  “Wouldn’t it be safer to destroy them now?” he asked.

  “No I need them. Given their current location the only one they might find is the one I just used. Keep a close eye on it.” I took him in and made sure he knew which circle I meant.

  I left them then, and headed for my rooms. Weariness had crept over me and a nap was long overdue.

  Chapter 34

  The room was dark when a sound woke me from my slumber. I had only meant to take a short nap but my body had had other ideas. The lack of sunlight told me I must have slept the rest of the afternoon away. I was amazed that no one had come to wake me. A distinctive snore gave away Penny’s presence beside me. She hadn’t been there when I went to sleep, but she must have needed it as much as I did. I rose quietly so as to not disturb her.

  Another rap at the door made me aware of why I had awoken. I crossed the room quickly and opened it, Dorian stood in the entrance. “They’ve reached the point where the road leads to Washbrook,” he said without preamble.

  That got my attention. That meant their column would be spread out from that point to Arundel. If they moved further they would escape our trap. The assumption had been they would turn there, to attack us at Cameron Castle. I could only guess whether they had left men in Arundel but it hardly mattered. Whether they had decided to use it as a supply base or left it empty their main body was where it needed to be. “What time is it?” I asked.

  “A little past eight o’clock,” he replied.

  “Hmm,” I said wisely, stroking my beard.

  “Aren’t you going to set things in motion?” he said anxiously.

  “Not now, it’s too early, or rather late.”

  “If you wait they’ll be out of position once they start moving again, Mort.” Dorian’s naturally pensive expression was out on full display.

  “If we do it now they’ll be scattered in every direction. The dark will make them more disorganized. Some will run for the tree line rather than the valley, that would be worse,” I told him. “Get some sleep. We’ll start the party as soon as dawn arrives.”

  “As if anyone could sleep now!” he moaned.

  “You’d best try. There will be no time for it tomorrow,” I advised. “I’ll see you before dawn.”

  “But Mort!” he started. I closed the door before he could finish.

  “Was that Dorian?” Penny asked; her voice thick from sleeping.

  I told her the news, trying to keep it less exciting than it really was. I figured she could use some sleep. I failed miserably. An hour later we were both still awake, staring up at the darkened ceiling. Eventually we gave up on sleeping and spent our time more productively; since it was obvious sleep wouldn’t come.

  ***

  I woke again with a start. “What time is it?” That seemed to be my favorite question lately.

  Penny was already dressed. “A bit after three in the morning,” she replied. That meant we had slightly less than three hours before dawn. I planned to act as soon as the sky was bright enough to allow men to see clearly, which would be sooner.

  I rose and began dressing. “Think anyone’s cooking breakfast this early?”

  She laughed, “Dorian’s had most of the household up since two. Everyone is on edge anyway. I’m sure they’re getting ready to serve now.”

  We went down and ate breakfast with the others. The mood in the room was a strange contrast between sullen silence and nervous laughter as some channeled their anxiety into joke telling. I ate quickly though I had no appetite. The food sat in my stomach like a rock.

  Before we left I went to our map table and took out three small sacks. Carefully I gathered up the glass stones corresponding to the areas of the road I meant to destroy. The largest sack held the stones that would detonate the bombs along the length of the road. The second held those that would destroy Arundel and the third held those that would convince the enemy to flee in the direction we had chosen. I worked mechanically, keeping my mind blank. I couldn’t afford to think about what my actions would mean.

  On our way to the barn I made a side trip to my father’s now dark smithy. The only fires that had been lit there since his death had been my own, and those were few enough. Tonight it was dark and cold. I stepped through the darkened workspace without needing light. Even without my magesight I would have known my way, so familiar was that place.

  I took his favorite hammer from the tool rack, a medium weight cross-pein hammer. One side was flat while the other angled in to form a line. He had preferred it for its versatility. I felt a twinge of guilt at using his tool for such a purpose, but I refused to choose another. I was sure he would have wanted to help me, even if it were for something as dark
as this.

  Hammer in hand we went to the barn, greeting the men who still stood guard there. “Morning gentlemen,” I said, though none of them could be said to be gentile.

  “Good morning your lordship,” Sam Turner responded. He was the only man among them that I recognized. I smiled for a moment as I remembered him helping me cover myself with mud. I hardened my resolve. It was for him, his family, and others like him that I was doing this.

  “Today’s the day Sam. We should be back soon, but you’ll hear the fireworks before we return. Make sure the men don’t shoot me when we reappear,” I told him solemnly.

  “We’d never shoot a lady sir,” he replied.

  I thought for a moment he was making a joke, till I saw him bowing to Penny. I smiled and we took our places on the circle that would take us to our next observation point. I patted my horse gently to soothe it before we jumped. Sometimes the change in scenery unsettled them. A moment later we were in a grassy field on the valley side of the road, midway between Arundel and Washbrook.

  I had chosen the place carefully. Almost a mile from the road it had lain in the tall grass undiscovered by their scouts. This circle had no natural concealment for two riders on horseback. Once the sun rose they would be able to see us clearly from the road. I rather doubted they would have much time to worry about us though.

  Penny and I dismounted and I placed the largest sack on a flat stone nearby. The rock hadn’t been there originally, but since I had chosen this spot to watch the result of my work I had brought it to simplify my job. It’s a wonder I didn’t bring a supply of beer to enjoy the show with, I thought derisively. I lay the hammer down close by and took a seat to wait on the dawn.

  Penny sat beside me in the dark. “How long do you think?” she asked quietly.

  “As soon as we can see them clearly from here. I want to make sure they have enough light to run the right direction,” I replied.

  “What if they don’t?”

  “I don’t think there will be enough to be a threat to Lothion after this. We, however, may be in dire straits. I can’t be sure how many will survive but almost any fraction of that army would be enough to put an end to us,” I informed her.

  “If they lose half their army and cannot win in Lothion wouldn’t they retreat?” she suggested.

  “Possibly, if their commander is a rational man. I see three possibilities. One, their commander is a fanatic, in which case he will prosecute his war as far as possible, even if it is only vengeance against us. Two, their commander is a rational man, but the loss of half his army drives him mad, and he attacks us in vengeance. Three, their commander is rational and keeps a cool head, in which case he withdraws and it’s over,” I replied.

  “So one in three,” she mused.

  I sighed, “I honestly don’t know. I’m just going to kill a lot of people and see what happens.”

  She caught my bitter tone and stayed silent after that. An hour passed and the sky grew steadily lighter. At first the enemy were just grey shapes across the plain, invisible except when they moved. Eventually their forms resolved until we could see them clearly. It was time... any longer and they’d come calling to ask us why we were watching them.

  I picked up the hammer and felt its heft. Before I could strike Penny interrupted me, “Let me do it. You shouldn’t bear this alone.”

  I shook my head. “You have a life to lead after this,” I said and brought the hammer down sharply, smashing the glass inside the bag. For a split second nothing seemed to happen and I almost wondered if I had made a mistake somewhere, but then I saw the light flashing on her face. Penny’s mouth opened slightly as she drew a sharp breath and then the sound washed over us. It was as if lightning had struck a thousand times, at close range, a tremendous crashing roar that swept everything before it.

  Looking up I saw devastation on a scale that I could scarcely comprehend. Fire and smoke were blossoming outward from a thousand places along the road, stretching away from us for almost four miles in one direction. I had spaced my devices thirty to forty feet apart, buried along the road. From what I could see that had been overkill. The sound of it was gone within seconds, and in the silence it left behind all that could be heard were the screams of dying horses and men. Those that hadn’t been killed outright were horribly maimed, missing arms and legs. Most of them would be dead within minutes. Only those lucky enough to have been more than forty or fifty feet from the road survived, and many of those were badly burned or otherwise injured.

  Smoke and dust obscured our view now, but I could see many of the survivors running away from the road, toward us. I assumed others would be running the other direction, so I set the second bag on the stone and repeated my action. Another roaring wave of sound, almost as great as the first, rolled over us as more explosions destroyed the other side of the road. Only those who ran toward the river would be spared. I took out the third bag, but Penny laid her hand on my arm.

  “Enough Mort, no more, please...” she said and I could see her eyes were wet. I should have felt the same, but my own heart had gone missing, replaced by a cold void. Pushing her hand aside I smashed the third bag. It was too far to see, but Arundel was swept by a storm of explosions just as the road had been. I couldn’t be certain the enemy had left men there, but it paid to be sure. After a span of seconds we could hear the booms echoing across the valley.

  It was time to go, I could see the survivors stumbling across the grassy plain toward us, but I realized that some of the glass stones in the first bag had survived. Not willing to leave the job undone I put it back on the rock and began methodically crushing them all. A few scattered explosions sprang up at distant points along the road. After several swings I had probably shattered all the glass jewels but I kept hammering, pounding the rock until fragments of stone began to fly away. I could hear someone shouting but I ignored them until finally Penny grabbed my wrist, halting the hammer in mid-swing.

  It was proof of her strength, the hammer weighed more than ten pounds and she had stopped my swing cold. With her other hand she took it gently from me while I stared at her. Finally I closed my mouth, I had been screaming without realizing it. “We have to go. They’re almost here,” she told me calmly.

  I nodded and stood up. A few steps and a moment’s concentration took us home. The castle yard was strangely silent as we walked among the people milling there. Everyone watched me carefully as I made my way among them to the main door. I could see the same question in every face, until at last one man dared to ask, “How did it go, milord?”

  I drew myself up. It would not do to show them the pain I held inside. They needed hope, not a man torn by guilt and self-doubt. Taking a deep breath I spoke loudly that all could hear me, “It went even better than I expected. Most of them are dead; those that remain will be mourning their dead during the short time that remains to them.”

  I paused and a shout went up. I waited for it to die down but they only got louder. Every man in the yard as well as those within the keep began to gather around me. The cheering swelled and became a chant as they repeated my name again and again. I was drowning in admiration. They cheered for a butcher. A hard lump formed in my throat and I knew I would lose control of my emotions if it didn’t stop.

  Raising my hands for silence I stared at them until they finally wound down. Once the noise was such that they could hear me again I shouted for quiet. Eventually I got it. “We have taken the first step, but there is much you must do this day, and it will not be easy. Lord Dorian and Master Cyhan will be here in a moment to give you your assignments. Most of you will be sent out to watch the enemy. There are bodies strewn along the road for over four miles. Among them are wounded, men who will take a long time dying. Your job will be to show them mercy. You will also ensure that the enemy withdraws to the valley to regroup. Do not thank me until you see the bloody work that lies before you.”

  I turned and left them there. I needed privacy as a man dying of thirst needs water. I
never made it to my quarters however, Dorian caught up to me in the corridor. “Mordecai! Wait up! We need to talk.”

  Looking back I saw Penny mouthing something silently to him. Probably a warning concerning my mental state, I pretended not to see it. “We talked about this yesterday,” I said wearily.

  His face was worried, “That was yesterday. You haven’t given us the specifics yet. Plans change in the face of the present.”

  I sighed, “It went better than we expected. Four miles of road will need to be rebuilt once this is over. Arundel is in ruins.”

  “But what of their army? How many survived?” he asked insistently.

  It was a struggle not to shout, but I kept my voice even, “Less than a quarter, beyond that I can’t be sure. Those that camped on the valley side of the road were largely unscathed. Make sure you don’t engage them. If you see any groups that still remain organized avoid them. Just harass them and finish what wounded you find.” I finished and turned away.

  “But Mort...” he began.

  I kept my back to him, “Just do it Dorian. Go clean up my damn mess! I don’t want to see you or anyone else until it’s time for me to kill the rest.” I left him there without looking back but with my mage-sight I could feel him looking after me in shock. I couldn’t have cared less. I found my rooms and locked the outer door. Penny was still outside but she had a key, not that I really wanted to see her either.

  A bottle of wine sat on a table in the front room. Now that’s an excellent idea, I thought to myself. A moment later I had uncorked it and sitting down I began to drink. The rest of the world could go hang. I glanced at my hands, at some point they had developed a tremor. I wondered how many glasses it would take before the shaking stopped.

  Chapter 35