Chapter 4: Siege upon the Highlands
Perion had been struck by the initial wave of attacks, armies sent forth by the Barlog. It had begun sooner then they had expected. The runner lay panting on the floor, but before Stan spoke, he raised his hand and signaled that he had more to say. Helena ran up to them, along with Kiltan, and soon a crowd had gathered. The word of the attack had spread like wildfire, and now, the people wanted to know more. The runner took a deep breath, and began to speak.
"Last night, I and my partner arrived at Perion to spread the word of what Stan had said. People knew war was upon them, but with the strong words of Chief Stan, it aroused the spirits of the people, and they too, celebrated the night through, Their leader, Bull, had already organized the defenses of the town, but they did not expect an attack at that moment. They were wrong."
"Deep under the shadow of the night, when men were asleep, the Horn of Perion sounded, a low, deep sound that called together the people of Perion. Lights came on, as people gathered to see what had happened. Seldom had there been an emergency so severe that the Horn had to be blown. As people gathered at the cliff edge, there stood Bull, with the Horn in his hands, clutching at it with a mighty grip. His gaze looked forth into the south, and no words were needed. There, I saw it, and so did everyone else. Under the shadowing light of the moon, the Tree of Victoria stood silently, and from it, even under the faint light, an army could be seen. It was an uphill climb towards the mountainous city of Perion, and standing high above, overlooking the path that leads to the Sleepywood; it was all in plain sight the strength in arms that the beast had sent forth."
"Hundreds upon thousands of these foul beasts poured out. Dragon-like creature they were, mighty ancient beast, stomping through the highlands. They towered at great heights, covered with a cold green skin. Lurking from deep within the caves, they were called drakes, and although they have been slain by a few mighty warriors, their numbers now were overwhelming. Between their feet's ran smaller, but far more agile creatures. It was a monster, with only a single eye, skin covered in white scales. Its breath chilled the grounds, its mouths stretched wide in a mocking smile. People named it after its evil stare, and called it the cold eye. But as the armies got closer, we saw an even greater terror approach. A creature, few had ever seen. It resembled a dog, but covered in purple fur and four times the height of men. It was a cargo, the demons pet itself. Few of the men had even seen it, and even fewer had defeated even one. But now, more then twenty could be seen, their feet pounding heavily on the ground as they stepped over the dusty roads. Then one of them looked up, and I felt like it was looking directly at me. It looked almost as if it was smiling mockingly. Then it gave a mighty roar, its call shattering the night sky, echoing through the mountains."
"Immediately, men cowered, taken aback, as they trembled in fear. But Bull stood there, facing the oncoming terror, and then he took a deep breath, and let out a screaming war cry. He raised his arms high, and the sound of his voice could be heard clearly by the oncoming army. The battle call of Bull, never had people heard it except during the wars of ancient times, a challenging cry towards the beast. He now stood at the edge of the cliff, facing the demon army, looking down upon them with a fearless face, and for a moment, with the call of a great warrior ringing in their ears, the monsters flinched, some even stopping, as they stared up at the warrior figure, a man who dared challenge them fearlessly. The citizens of Perion saw this, and they stepped forward, and raising their weapons, they shouted out a cry of battle. They stood upon the cliff of Perion, united as one, lining the hills of Perion. But with another massive howl, the cargo leapt forward and pushed the army on. The beasts were now approaching, and then Bull turned to me, and asked to be bear news of this turn of the tides, an urgent look on his face."
"Without further ado, I dashed off in the direction of Kerning City. As I looked back for a final time, I saw the beast closing in onto Perion. And I saw Bull, standing at the head of the gathered men. He picked up his sword, and no fear could I see on his face. A final uproar was all I heard, a final war cry, as men and beast crashed in battle."
"I did not think about it, and saying a quick prayer for them, I ran on. Upon passing Kerning City, I gave them quick news of the attack. The Dark Lord of Kerning began to gather his men just as I left, and now I have finally arrived here in Henesys. I have no news of the fate of Perion, but my purpose now is to inform you all. The beasts have attacked."
An air of silence was felt. With the bearing of bad news, the hearts of the men fell. Stan now held a grim look on his face, his eyes downcast in deep thought. "Perion is lost. They were taken by surprise; there is nothing we can do." He murmured to himself, but loud enough for the people around him to hear, and Kiltan was one of them. Kiltan stepped forward and said to Stan "Hope is not lost. We can still go now and fight, and hopefully save the city."
"No. That would be suicide. The city is gone. Now, we must bear the defenses of this town. Hold the barricade that faces the dungeon! We will face them when they come!" Stan's voice was now raised to a shout, calling out to his people. "But no, we cannot stand alone. We must unite with Kerning and Ellinia. Together, we will face the demons, and with our strength, we will defeat them!" But this time, the true horror of the situation had dawned on the people, and they hardly replied.
But Kiltan stepped forward, and he shouted "All you men and women do not fear! With the unity of the remaining three cities, we will have strength in numbers. We can overcome this battle. The creatures are not invincible; they will fall under the might of men. Here, I hold to you proof of this!" With that, Kiltan reached into his pocket, and pulled out what appeared to be a glowing gem. "This is an eye of a cargo! It fell under my own strength, and I hold it now to show you, that we can defeat these monsters! Stand together as one, and hold your grounds! You are fighters, and now, you will fight for the freedom of our lands!" Kiltan raised the eye of the cargo high, and it gleamed in the sunlight, signaling a triumph over the beast. The people now cheered, for they knew not all hope was lost.
"Now, I head for Kerning City, and I will inform my master of this, and the army of the bandits and assassins will return to Henesys in a day. Call upon someone swift and quick to gather the forces of mages to return to Henesys. All remaining here, strengthen the defenses of the city, for soon, we will face the beast itself. With that, I now take me leave." Kiltan turned to Stan, and gave a quick bow of respect. Then, with a flap of his cloak, the leaves rustled, and Kiltan was gone with the swiftness of the wind. Stan and Helena looked on, with their trust bore on him. Then Helena turned back, and called back the workers to continue construction of the barricades. The people also started to help with the building, and work progressed quickly. Other members of the crowd now slowly dispersed, and soon only two people remained standing there. Heera and Leiguin had seen the whole thing. Heera turned to the mage and said "Kiltan will not simply go to Kerning. I know he will attempt to go to Perion too. He is overconfident of his strength; he will attempt to join the fight. But I feel there's nothing left to fight for over there." "Then we must help him, mustn't me?" Leiguin replied. "Come." And he grabbed hold and Heera, and held forth his new staff. He chanted a few words, and in a flash, the two disappeared.
Trees zoomed past him, as Kiltan rushed past lines of forest and small creatures, his eyes set upon the far distance. Small mushroom-like creatures hopped out of his way, barely able to see him, as he practically flew through the lands. Then the forest began to thin, and a putrid air filled the sky. The lush greenery immediately died out, and only a few dead trees now stood along the road. The skyline could no longer be seen, as towering buildings blocked out the sun. Kiltan ran through the construction sites, for here, the town never stopped growing. Factories stretched as far as the eye could see, the streets filled with small puddles of strange waste liquids. These roads were covered in an eternal darkness, shadowed from the sun by the age of industry. Kiltan ran past these back roads, and soon, more people could be seen. Factories thinned out, and houses now lined the streets. He had reached Central Kerning City.
This was Central Kerning, home to the many workers that would spend their days in the factories. A slightly lighter attitude could be felt around the many people that roamed around. Still, the gloom of the roads could be felt here. Dark alleys could be seen everywhere, in which lived shadowy hermits. The air was putrid, stenches from the gases output from the factory. Only thieves and bandits lurked these areas, and the factory workers knew better then to cross paths with one of them. Kiltan climbed up to the rooftops of the buildings, for the city streets were crowded with people, pushing their way through to get to work on time. With a jump, Kiltan leapt over rooftops, and finally landed on the roof of a bar. It served as a night club for the unruly, a place of drunken brawls and prostitution. But it also served another purpose. Kiltan pushed open the doors, finding the usual drunks lying on the floor from the night before. He kicked past them and headed to a small room at the side. There, he closed the door behind him, and opened a secret hatch door on the floor. He climbed down a small ladder, and landed in a small room, lit only by a few torches. In the middle, a circle was drawn on the grown, covered in mystical symbols. In the middle, a man cloaked in shadows stood on one leg, his eyes deep in meditation. Here was the lair of the Dark Lord, Leader of the thieves of Kerning. An air of mystery surrounded him. No one knew his name, and deep underground, in this very lair, he would train in his dark arts.
"Kiltan, you approach me with evil news of deaths tidings. I know of this plight, and yes, we will gather the forces of the thieves, and we will stand together with other men in this war." The Dark Lord slowly spoke, but he never moved. "Go now and rest, for I am calling upon all my followers to gather, and at the light of dawn tomorrow, we set out to Henesys."
Kiltan needed not to speak anymore, and with a bow of respect, he left. But he was not going to rest and wait for the gathering of the thieves. He knew that the Dark Lord could tell that he would not simply wait around. As he stepped out of the bar, His eyes cast to the north. Dark smog filled the sky as usual, and nothing could be seen in the distance. Casting a final glance at Kerning City, he leapt off towards the northern road, towards the mountainous highlands of Perion.
It was fast approaching noon. The sun bore down on Kiltan as he broke loose from the heavy smog surrounding Kerning City and into the desert highlands. He stopped, and cast his eyes upwards, shielding it from the sun. There, amongst the clouds, rose the northern peak of Victoria Island. Upon it was built Perion City, the city of the warriors. The steep hills were a test to see if a newcomer was worthy of being bestowed the powers of the warrior. It was a truly harsh climate, testing the true endurance of a man to his limits, until he could truly prove himself to the mighty Bull that he had the strength and will to be called a warrior of Perion. This city, although a difficult place to reach, was usually bustling with business as people tried to sell their self-made weapons to the many warriors that lived there. But now, there was a different air about Perion. From such a distance, Kiltan could not see if there was still anyone there, but his sharp ears could hear some shouts. Calling upon the speed of the thieves, Kiltan ran off again, heading straight towards Perion.
As he approached, he smelt a stench of death. Along the roadside, he saw dead bodies. They were not killed on the spot, but rather, flung from the city tops, killed when they were smashed upon the burning rocks below. He approached the city gates, a majestic archway hewn out of solid stone. But now, blood stains were splattered over it. A dead beast lay at the foot of the archway, its head severed off. Kiltan looked around, and he did not see anyone in sight. No creatures, no man, only the corpses of both, rotting slowly under the heat of the sun. Who had won the battle? He looked around puzzled, as he wandered the dusty streets of Perion. Houses had fallen in under the burden of battle. He saw a cargo lying dead on the ground, a sword struck deep into its side. The corpses of men and beast littered the streets. The cold eyes and drakes, which had been described by the runner, now lay dead on the grounds, along with many men, who had so valiantly fought at the final moments of their lives. But he still wondered, what happened? Did nothing, no man nor beast, survive the massacre? Then he heard it, a mighty roar, but it did not come from the foul mouths of a beast. It was the war cry of Bull. The shout rippled through the lands, the dominant call of the mighty warrior leader.
Kiltan looked up, and upon the highest peak of Perion, standing upon the sacred temple of the ancients, Bull now stood, appearing only as a small speck to Kiltan from where he stood. But he also saw something else. A dark shape, looming in the sunlight, stood in front of Bull. It was a cargo, and it stood now before the leader of the warriors. Kiltan knew that Bull could easily kill the beast, but then he looked closer, and he saw that the cargo wasn't alone. Small creatures appeared too. He could not say what they were, but just by the shadows, he saw that they were in huge numbers. Kiltan wasted no time, and he ran up the mountainside, kicking up at the dust as he ran.
"Filthy beast from the underworld! Come now, I stand before you fearless, and upon the roof of my lands, I shall smite your remains into the grounds! Come now! You monsters shall feel the pain of my sword before you taste a single drop of my blood!" Bull shouted, signaling a final cry of hope. True it was that he stood fearless before them, but in his heart, he knew that it was over for him. With a loud roar, the cargo that stood before him pounced. Bull raised his sword, stained with the blood of his fallen enemies, and held it high.
Then, just as the cargo's mouth spread open, inches from his face, a force knocked it back from the side. This took it by surprise, and it stumbled sideways. Blood was gushing from its side, a throwing star embedded deep in its stomach. It cast a look at its attacker, and it saw Kiltan, standing at the edge of the cliff, his hands raised in an attacking position, the Ilbi star in his hand, gleaming against the sun. With another massive heave, Kiltan flung another star straight into the cargo's eye. It hit dead on its target, and with a roar of pain, the beast stumbled, and fell off the side of the cliff. A few seconds passed before the thud of its body was heard, smashing against the rocks. The other monsters now cast their eyes upon Kiltan. They had lost a powerful beast, but they still stood strong in sheer numbers. Kiltan ran up to Bull, and under the advancing army of beast, he quickly said "We must leave now! This town is lost, let's go!" Bull took heed, and together with Kiltan, they headed to the stairs, which led up to this very point of Perion. But now, a group of drakes had moved in, blocking their way out. The monsters continued to advance, pushing Kiltan and Bull back towards the edge of the cliff. The number of beast that stood before them were too large, and not even two great fighters could kill them all, especially not on such a small platform. They were standing upon the roof of the ancient temple, nothing more then a small ledge. A single wrong step and they would plunge down to their deaths below. Then, a massive drake stood forward. It was greater then the others and it bore the scars of old battles, in which it obviously had won. It stared down at the two humans standing before it, and with a massive roar, and it charged, along with the entire army of beast.
Kiltan fired an endless stream of throwing stars into the crowd, killing the monsters before they even approached. But the army was too large, and their advance could not be held back. Bull got ready to leap into battle, when a flash of light appeared. Leiguin stood in front of them, a small smirk on his face. Then he ran towards the two, and holding them tightly around his arms, he jumped off the cliff.
The three were falling. In a second, their bodies would smash against the ground. They saw the blood of the fallen drake splattered the floor. Then, with Leiguin holding tightly to both of them, he chanted a few quick words; they were gone in another flash of light, moments before becoming another carcass in Perion.
Kiltan suddenly felt his feet land on solid ground, and he stumbled. He realized he was on the roof of one of the houses, and he looked up at the cliff where they had fallen from. The masses of creatures stood there, staring down at them. He did not know what they were thinking, but he started to see them disperse as they started to rush down the side of the mountain, charging towards where Kiltan stood now, although still far away. Kiltan looked around him, and saw Bull and Leiguin too, with Heera standing besides him. "We knew you would come here, and we knew you would need help. Leiguin's mastery in teleportation really saved you. Now let's get out of here before those creatures reach us." She said, beckoning towards the army of beast. Leiguin held onto Heera and got ready to teleport away, and Kiltan blessed Bull with the powers haste. They got ready to set of for Henesys, when they heard a weak cry for help coming from the street below them. Bull looked down, and immediately recognizing the face of one of his fellow warriors, he called out "Gerald!" He was buried under the rubble of a fallen house, and only half of his body stuck out. Bull immediately leapt down, and lifted the heavy rocks off the man. Leiguin approached and pulled him out. Taking a closer look, he shook his head. "His wounds are too severe for me to heal. We will need to bring him back to Henesys in the fastest way possible. Heera, you will have to run with Kiltan. I will carry him." Kiltan looked and Heera, and blessing her with haste, the five now set off, with Leiguin holding onto the injured man as he teleported away.
As Kiltan sped off, with Heera and Bull running at his side, and Leiguin teleporting with great speed through the trees, he took a final glance back at Perion. The line of monsters stood at the gates of Perion, and some dotting the hills nearby. They made no attempt to chase the fleeing humans, but just stood there, looking upon them. And at a final glance, Kiltan saw it. It was another cargo, its fur gleaming in the sunlight as it stood upon the temple, looking down at them. Kiltan knew that they had slain all the cargos that had been there, but now he knew. More were coming, an endless stream of armies moving in to occupy Perion, a new stronghold of the beast. Kiltan turned away, and as he left Perion behind him, he heard a final roar of the cargo, echoing through the mountains of Perion.