A Time for Revenge

As the first sun’s rays glow illuminated his tent, Mach continued to stare up at the roof as he had been all night long. So many things were going through his head, so many nightmares that would probably keep him awake for the next several years. There was just no way to get comfortable knowing that at any minute the battle could begin.

Although they had positioned themselves in a valley, out of the line of sight of any incoming army, they had not made any effort in hiding the fact that they were here. There had been sixteen Soulless killed throughout the night before Miatsu and he had finished talking. It would be unwise to assume that Rubious did not know that they were there.

He sent another prayer up to the Heavens that his people would be able to make it through this as he rose up and dressed, latching his armor into place. He was tired of wearing this armor already. It had been a novelty at first, months back when he had been gifted it by the Mage Smiths in Juiint. But now it was a symbol of everything that there was to lose should he fail. A reminder of what weighed on his shoulders still and everything that still needed to come should they win this war. He was not about to step away from his duties, but it was moments like this that he still wished that it had been someone else who all this had happened too. Yells came from somewhere out in the camp, indistinct in their distance. Taking the King’s Blade in hand, he ran from his tent and followed the line of rushing men. They were heading east, toward where the ships were.

His first thoughts were that Rubious had been able to come up behind them, trapping them where they were with no chance of escape. If that was the case, this truly would be an all for one battle. They would not get a second chance to destroy him or to survive. And if Rubious had an army of his creations coming at them from the west as well, they would be surrounded and unable to properly defend themselves and that would lead to more casualties then a head on fight.

His second thought was that some of the creations had made it through Miatsu’s screening process through the night and had made it too the ships, setting them ablaze or sinking them. That would make it impossible for his army to flee if things became impossible for them to win and retreat was still possible. That too would lead to disaster.

But as he crested the hill that overlooked the whole of his fleet he saw that everything was as it should have been, plus an addition of the extra ship that had left before they had arrived to this island. Rowboats were already in the water bringing men to shore, with a very bright eyed and smiling young Mage leading the group.

The moment that the boats touched the shore, Joshua leapt out and ran to him, his hand over the bag that he carried. “We need to talk” the young Mage marched passed him and Mach turned to follow in silence. Joshua led him through the camp to the other side, cresting the hill where they overlooked the field that had been the lookout for any oncoming forces. “Sire, I have good news and bad. Which do you want first?”

That would be the question of the day. “Give me the good first.”

Joshua reached into the bag and withdrew two books, one of them Mach recognized immediately. “We were able to get into his palace. We found it, Sire and it looked like he was making a copy so we took that as well. He may have already had another copy, but we did not stay long enough to check.”

“That is fine.” Mach answered, taking the original copy from the young Mage. “I am surprised that you didn’t burn this thing where it was.” He added, looking up at him.

Joshua nodded his head in understanding. “We had considered that. But there were many considerations to take into account. One being, if there were any defenses on that thing from the olden times. It may have left us vulnerable if we tried. But it was Trokha who said it best. The Power that this holds, if used by a good leader, may hold a valuable key to defeating Rubious.”

“He said that?” He was surprised to hear that. He knew that he had gained some respect from the Hermans after the warrior games that he had participated in. But to hear one of them say that he was a good leader, that was something else entirely.

“Well, not exactly.” Joshua said with a grin. Mach smiled at the play of words that the young Mage had used. Of course he would have changed the words slightly to make it sound better than what it had been. “He said ’This Strength can be used properly to defeat our enemy and defend our people. It just needs a great Leader to use it.” Mach’s jaw just about hit the floor with that explanation. That was far more than he had ever expected.

Joshua smiled at the look on his face. “Sire, I am also pleased to say that there will be no enemy ships coming.” That bit of information brought Mach back to their conversation. “Rubious had five ships docked when we arrived.”

“For the love of all that it Holy, five ships!” The bastard had been busy! How big was his army? He knew that the brunt of his army was going to stay behind with the city until Rubious was ready to actually move out and it would be at that point that the beast would craft larger transport ships. If he had five ships just for collecting his creations, how much did he actually have ready!

“Regardless, his ships had plenty of those mortar shells that you described” Joshua added.

“You didn’t” Mach said, a wide grin on his face and a giddy laugh in his heart. When Joshua nodded Mach let out a laugh that echoed over the valley. There were heads that turned his way from down below in the camp. He didn’t care, he continued to laugh. “You used his own weapons against him. That is priceless! Oh, I wish I could have been there!”

Joshua chuckled with him. “Just so you know, Sire, those things are very susceptible to fire and lightning.”

“Well, that is good to know!” He answered with tears in his eyes, his chest was heaving in laughter. “Anything else?”

“Yes, there is.” Joshua answered, the smile now gone and seriousness the only emotion. “He knows that we are here, not just by the destruction of his port. He knows we are here.”

Mach took a deep breath to steady himself. That was the same conclusion that he had come to last night. “I know.”

“You saw him?” the young Mage asked, referring to Mach’s ability to ‘see’ at great distances.

“Not exactly. We caught some of his creations in the camp.” He answered. “So we figured he knew about us already.”

The earth thrummed with a low resonance as he finished his sentence. Both he and Joshua looked across the field to witness a black mass of bodies cresting a hill miles away. From their vantage point, they could see over a dozen hills but they could still see the swarm of bodies flowing over the grassy plains.

Within seconds there were five Dragon scouts in the air, flying with such speed that it seemed unreal. The shot like loosed arrows at the mass of bodies. He saw that one of them was Kyrthu. With a roar of challenge they speed across the flanks of the black mass before veering off as balls of fire shot out from the behind the blackness. As quickly as they had reached the oncoming mass, they fled from it. Kyrthu landed in front of Mach a moment later, his eyes wide with rage and his chest heaving with the thrill of battle. “It is him!” The scout said. “He is here, the one who murdered our comrades! He has come!”

“Spread the word, Kyrthu. Get everyone in line. It begins.” With a snap of wings the scout was in the air and flying over the camp. He felt the presence of several people behind him. He did not need to bother to look to know who it was. “It seems the time is finally come. Still think I am the right person for this? Still think I should be the one to lead these people?”

Mendoll’s voice came to him, complete faith and reassurance in his tone. “It does not matter, really. It doesn’t matter what anyone here thinks. They know as well as I do, that you will head straight to Rubious to end this as quickly as possible.” The old Mage answered. “But yes, I have known this since the day I came to your home to tell your mother that I failed you and her, that you would be more then capable of leading any group should it come down to it. I never thought it would come down to this, but I believed in you then and that belief has only grown in the time that we have been together.”

He turned to the Adept and looked him in the eyes. Their shared eyes. They were both of the same race, both Mages but more than that, they had the same pain behind those eyes. They had lost the same person to the madman who was marching toward them. They shared pain and it would be together that the pain would be overcome. “It is time that justice is served. If at all possible, I will be the one to execute him for his crimes.” He flinched and closed his eyes to those words. He could not believe he had just said that and although he hated having to say it, he truly meant it. He would pass judgment and execute Rubious. This was not merely hate and vengeance anymore. Yes he did hate the man and he would finish what he started. But I have grown a lot in the last year. Those thoughts that ruled my heart so long ago do not do so now. I will do my duties as King, not as an angry child.

“I would expect nothing less from my King.” Mendoll said solemnly. “Nor would I expect anything less from Dan’s son.”

He heard heavier footsteps and looked up. Bastra was walking toward them, carrying the last item he would need for this war. “The Mages finished a little bit ago. They say that everything was properly done.” The Gargoyle reached out, offering the Staff of King’s to Mach.

Carefully he took the Staff from Bastra, holding it delicately in his hands. He could feel the Power, overwhelming and yet as gentle to his touch as the wind. “King Feirdain failed to call upon their Power last time, it took too long for him to summon their Power to save his life, and by extension, his people.” He said as he stared at the Staff and the eight Stones that were embedded into it. Their Power would be with him, as were the five that had sacrificed themselves for him during his coronation. “I will attempt to end this before needing to summon their Power, but I assure you, I will not fail to summon them if it comes to it.” Covering the top of the Staff with a piece of cloth and attaching it to a loop on his back he looked up at two of the men that he thought of as family. He would not fail the people he loved, not when he had the Power to protect them. “Assemble everyone, Kyrthu should already have warned them.”

Already there were soldiers lining up, spreading out along the length of the hill. He waited as long as he dared, keeping a careful eye on Rubious’ army. The moment most of his men were in place he turned to them, allowing the same men and women to repeat what he was saying the last time he had spoken to them all. This was the time of truth for them. After all this time, this was the time for revenge.

“People of the Empire Seas. I cannot begin to express my gratitude in everything that you have done for me.” He began, hearing his words repeated down the lengths of his army. “A year and a half ago, my home was taken from me and I was left on my own. But thanks to the skills and hearts of others, I stand before you all at the moment in time that will end the suffering that started that day. I have seen the coming of this day, of these moments that are to come. I do not know the outcome, I do not know who will make it through the setting of the suns as night comes.” He took a moment to look across the lengths of his army, of the men, women, Herman, Dragon, and every other race that had come here to fight with him. “But I know this. Every one of you have come here for one reason, although we all have started this for different reasons. We are here to stop this darkness that has begun to spread through our people. The source of that darkness marches over those hills toward us. This day, we will rise against this evil and we will either win the day or die trying. Your families, your friends, we are all that stand in the way of them and death.” He pointed out at the mass of bodies that were cresting the hill opposite them. Rubious had finally arrived.

Looking back at those who stood bravely at attention, he continued. “I know that I have said this before, but we have come far in such a short time. All the barriers that have separated our worlds, the walls that kept us apart as Kingdoms, those are crumbling as we stand together. And I cannot say that I am any prouder to be a part of this moment. Whether I live or die this day, I am proud to be a part of this moment when we, as a people, have stood together as one. No longer are any of you separated by walls of differences, but joined by bridges of honor, built unbreakable by stones of faith. As we march together toward our enemy, remember all those that we fight for, all those that we defend that cannot fight for themselves. Our shields protect them, our swords are their strength and our will, that is what will win this day, all for them.”

He glared out across the open field at his enemy, at their enemy. The bastard had been carried here on a litter, six of his creations on each side carrying the load. As more of his creations crested the hill and lined up, the true nature of the enemy came into perspective. Dragons mixed among the ranks of Human fighters, creating a fierce sight that would be dangerous under any circumstance.

A surge of Power exploded in the sky above, an explosion of fire and lightning that shook the ground below. He stared up in fear as thoughts of Rubious’ attack came first to his mind. That fear was short lived as the form of a Dragon appeared out of the fire. A Dragon that was larger than any other, with scales of purest black with two sets of massive wings soared overhead. A roar that echoed louder than a strike of lightning came from the Dragon, bringing with it a calm to Mach as he realized who this was.

The Guardian Rajat dove toward the ground, aiming directly toward him. As Rajat flew closer, he began to glow and with every moment that passed he grew brighter until all that could be seen was pure white light. Mach shielded his eyes from the light as it became too intense. For several moments there was nothing but the white light, but with a sudden flash of light and a gust of wind, the form of the Dragon was replaced, leaving behind the form of a man that Mach had met only once before, though he had changed some. Rajat, to Mach’s eyes, was a man ready to fight for those he cared for.

Long crimson hair flowed down his back, glowing with its own Power. Eyes of ruby red staring back at him. His physic was that of a warrior more skilled with fighting then any that could possibly exist. Rajat was a picture of Human perfection. The armor that he wore looked as if it had been crafted out of his own Dragon scales, pure black and shining in the sunlight. A spear was strapped to his back, just as long as Bastra’s, however Rajat’s looked as if it had been crafted from a Dragon’s tooth. Everything about him emanated the Power that was within. “King Derune. I request permission to join your ranks.”

He stood there staring at the Guardian in complete confusion. He had expressed his wish to have Rajat by his side before this and it had been uncertain whether or not the Guardian would come. To have him here now, to have his might and strength here alongside another of the Guardians was something that he could only have prayed for. “Yes, please. But why? Why now?”

“I remember.” Rajat answered. “For too long my memories have been clouded, like fog in the early morning. That was because of the pain of all that I had lost” Rajat looked behind him at Rubious. “I lost the love of my life, I failed to protect the people she cared about, that we cared about, long ago when this world knew no magic. Then I failed her again when I refused to help others that she had grown to love. And here I am, once again in a world that my beautiful Sarah loved so deeply and I am reminded of everything that has been lost.” Rajat looked back at Mach. “It was once my creed, before I became who and what I am today, that for those who have Power, it is our responsibility to offer our abilities to aid those who need it. To better the world with our Power and to protect the weak against those who would cause them harm. I will not sit aside again and allow an evil to spread. Long ago, I once called this world my home, and with my beloved Sarah, I had thought to make this place truly a home. I hope to retake that dream and make it reality.”

“But you need to make sure there is a world worth living in first.” Mach said, understanding what was not being said, as much as what was.

Rajat nodded. “Before I can possibly begin to apologize to her for all the mistakes I have made, before I can repent for my sins, I must first prove to her that I truly intend to protect her and those that she cares for.”

“We all must protect those we care for.” Miatsu said from behind Mach. He turned to see the new Guardian walking toward the two of them. “We who are here, we could have demanded to be sent home after being summoned to these lands when King Derune came to us, asking for forgiveness. Instead, we accepted his offering and remained here. Although we do not know each other as well as we should, Caimran, we all have one thing in common. This is our home now. Sarah and Elizabeth have lost much, they have those that they grieve for and are entitled to do so. They have those that need their protection where they are. I do not mean to say they should be here, they are needed where they are. But you and I, we will fight for them, to defend our home.”

Mach looked between the two Guardians. This was the first time that he knew of that they had truly met. Even when he had met Rajat in Dragon’s Valley, Miatsu had been in a half comatose state at the time.

“You speak wisely, Nameless. I am honored to fight beside you. We will fight on their behalf. For Sarah and Elizabeth, we will protect this world together.” Rajat replied with a bow of his head. Miatsu responded with a bow of his.

Together the three of them looked out toward Rubious and his army, the shouts and growls had increased. The enemy was becoming anxious to begin the battle. The time was here, it was time to protect those that they all cared about. Now was a time for revenge.