The Adventures of Brandar Odaron
Book 1: The Hidden Continent
Chapter 30 The Battle Of Deunomis
As great as the battles in the North had been, Deunomis was to receive by far the most grievous assaults from the West in the Fifth War of the New Frontier. After recovering from the earthquake, not yet knowing of the plight of Ergon, for Ergon had no Aefarin, and feeling that something more terrible was about to befall, Brandar quickly called for aid from Lords who indeed held Aefari, knowing, however, that most would be long in coming. Then he ordered that all of the People of Deunomis not in the Army or the Brigades must flee to the East. And he sent word for those in the Forest likewise to go as soon as could be. But Vearta he sent to lead the People of Deunomis and take the wives and small children of the other Northrons; hoping that they would all reach the Old Frontier in time to be saved from the coming invasion. Yet, try as he might to get the grown Northron Kith to go, not one Prince nor Dame would leave Vortunas; deeming it cowardly to do so. But the Kith were persuaded in this by Brandar’s daughters, where the eldest said to him: “To run like dear from hunters we shall never do! Are we not Dunjilarians by heritage, and Warriors by training? Nay, we stand with our King, whether he wins or loses this fight. And I say, woe shall we heap upon any who comes against the Kith of the Seven.” And from that day forth the Princes and Dames took up the name “Kith” as a venerable badge of honor. Thus did the Northron’s grown sons and daughters remain, and aided in the defense of the Realm, while Vearta led the People east upon the road to Baerhesperos.
Terrific storms came from the North and West, lasting days, and under whose thunder and lightening, with whirlwinds and soaking rains, and deadly hail, the Durwolc and many winged monsters came and assailed Brandar’s forces with such ferocity that the first wave alone decimated entirely four full Divisions in the forces comprising the Front Lines arrayed along the eastern edges of the Foothills. But when the storms had passed, the fighting raged on, where the sky was dark and the air thick with ash and smoke from volcanoes which Modeus had caused to erupt in the far-off Mountains, just as he had done in the First War, though much more intensely. And the smoke and ash coming forth stung the eyes severely, and caused harsh coughing fits.
From the beginning of the assault the enemy forces included tremendous numbers of Durwolc herding packs of wolves before them, but who were themselves driven forth by Giants wielding great bullwhips. And with them came tall Devils and Demons, and Gargoyles and Vampires, and Ghouls and Gangyn, and other creatures. But after a few days of fighting there came Dragons by the score, among whom the mightiest was an enormous Black Dragon named Drakonus, an older sibling of the vile Dragon Balkurmis, though Drakonus was a winged dragon, and ruled the whole of the Western Coastlands and all of the Mountains, and was the very dragon which the Northrons had seen from afar when first sighting the shores of the Hidden Continent. And Drakonus had come to avenge the slaying of his brother, Balkurmis, so that he fell upon Vortunas with more fury than even the greatest of the whirlwinds; alighting upon the Tower and burning everything he could reach with his fire-breath. Then, rising up and whirling about, he swooped down and set ablaze every house within the Marsken. And from there he burned down the whole of the town, and then set to flame the Forest within sight of Dragon’s Den Hill. And the flames from the Forest conflagration rose so high that they twirled together into an incredible fiery spiral.
Dreadful indeed had that assault become. Well it was well, therefore, that the People were many leagues away whence Drakonus had come to the battlefield. As it is, not all of the Soldiers inside the Marken perished in the flames, since the evil Drakonus could not break the Warlord’s Tower wherein the Seven and the Kith remained unscathed with many a fortunate Soldier who happened to be there and who had moved away from the windows and doors as soon as the burning was begun. And still others there were who found shelter in cellars or within houses made of stone, or other places where the flames could not go, and so escaped the wrath of the Dragon. Thus did a third of the Warlord’s Company live on. And these later made the enemy pay a hundred times over for each of their fellows who had been burned to their deaths.
What is more, Drakonus found that the Marsken was absolutely indestructible, so that not even he, with all of his might and fire and magic, may open the least breach through which the Durwolc may enter. Yet, he held this no great hindrance, as all the Fortress was in flames. And he flew over it with a mind to land near the burning Pavilion atop Dragon’s Den Hill -- for the assault had come at a time when Brandar was planning a feast and the holding of war-games upon meadows to the northeast of Deunomis. But as the Dragon was about to come down, he spied there Baeren’s tall statue upon the Hill’s western slope and so he fell upon it, crushing it, and took to stomping joyfully upon the rubble. And with that, Drakonus sat himself down to rest and admire his handiwork; spouting great streams of fire-breath into the air just for fun.
Meanwhile, Jesan had called to Brandar upon his Aefarin, saying: “The whole of the South is under attack from flying monsters and Durwolc upon land too numerous to withstand. And we shall surely be destroyed if aid comes not soon.” Yet, there was naught Brandar could do but repeat his pleas to the other Lords of the Lands. And while Medhyos was indeed but two day’s away from where Jesan fought, Strabos would be quite long in coming and Phaedus was himself under attack by Korligen which had once again emerged from their swamps and were moving north in great numbers.
Therefore, Jesan abandoned his post and with a much reduced Army made his way north, fighting all of the way in an attempt to meet up with Brandar’s Main Force, although he acquired heavy losses in that effort. Then were the People’s Brigades in the Southlands left open to attack from both the West and the South, as they had all gathered along the edge of the Highlands expecting to engage in an Expansion west. Thus had they no choice but to stand and fight, so swiftly had the enemy come upon them from those very Highlands. And they perished one and all.
Yet, Wisemen among the Sereghran would later say that the sacrifice of those Brigadiers kept the enemy from overrunning the Southlands as readily as might have been, as the enemy’s main strength had been concentrated in the North, especially at Deunomis, which allowed the Lords in the South the time needed to muster for a proper defense of their lands. Even so, dire was Brandar’s plight, for he was fighting Gobba and Kobo, and Gress and Trollo, and Dire Wolves and Wargren and Wargs; all ushered forth by various breeds of Giants. And with them were Minotaurs and Devilkin, and Fiends, and many another monster, together with mutated beasts led about on chains. But there too was a huge and horrible Gorgon, with great Stone-Demons in her train. Yet, worst of all was a terrible Hydra, towering and magical, with ten ugly heads from whose mouths spewed all manner of vile concoctions; poisonous vapors, burning fluids, caustic vomits, and dead men’s blood. And this beast slaughtered many good Soldiers.
It happens that the great Wizard Palphus was with Brandar’s Main Force on the fields before Vortunas and was therefore not at the fall of Agereis, as he was on a visit to test a new spell he had devised against the curse of Dragon’s Den Hill. Thus, when the earthquake occurred, he knew that war was begun. And deeming that his magicks would be needed, he went to the aid of the Main Force ere Drakonus began burning everything up. Therefore, Palphus strove with the Stone-Demons and the Gorgon, and with the Giants and the Hydra; keeping those powerful monsters from utterly destroying the Main Force. And this is what he was about when, to his amazement, he was joined there by Jesan coming from the south with the survivors of the Armies of the Southern Towers. But the Main Force was so steadily being reduced, due to the press and might of the enemy, that only those who wielded some potent magic were able to stand there at all. And the enemy moved to surround them, including Jesan’s forces, and even the Marsken itself, as flames two furlongs high began to rise from the Forest. And thus was there little hope of an escape to for anyone there, though Brandar had long since decided to keep his inner vow to never again flee from an enemy.
At length, the Main Force was hemmed close against the Marsken and was surrounded upon three sides, with Palphus fighting the Gorgon and Jesan contesting the Hydra. And as Soldiers and Mages had been falling in staggering numbers all along, what stood now were so magical that the enemy was checked at last. Yet, while the Gate was not a hundred paces away, it was quite out of their reach.
Seeing this, Drakonus was of a mind to smite the last of the Main Force, desiring that Palphus and Jesan should be first among them to feel his piercing claws. And as the rest of Brandar’s forces had by now come under attack, the Dragon deemed that victory was at hand. But as he rose to fly over the Marsken seven lightening-bolts struck him suddenly from the side so forcefully that he was thrown against the great wall’s inner surface and gave a great wailing cry of surprise and pain. And never before in all his long life had he been so wounded by any of the Sereghran.
To the Dragon’s amazement, in the very midst of roaring flames yet unburned and healthy stood the Seven Northron Emissaries, with Brandar and Tomas at the fore. But all of the Seven’s brightly glowing swords were poised to strike again. And with his all-seeing eyes the Dragon knew that these men bore beneath their tunics secret magicks hung upon each of their breasts, and against which he had no power.
Great indeed had the Seven become, wearing their magic necklaces and wielding adroitly their magical swords, by which they went unharmed among devouring flames. And the Dragon could sense that he would not defeat such Warriors as long as the Seven should stand together and fight so dauntingly as one. Nevertheless, Drakonus was a very old and evil Dragon. And he was not so easily slain by any magic, for his black scales were nigh as impenetrable as the Marsken itself. Thus, while the lightening-bolts had caused him pain, they were not enough to slay him. And he sprang so suddenly onto the Northrons that their next strikes went wild. Then the Dragon knocked Brandar and Tomas aside and attacked the others by tooth and claw. And were it not for the protection of their swords several of the Seven would have seen death there, as the might of the Dragon was nigh the greatest in the world of that Age.
So did the Northrons struggle with Drakonus as with no other monster they had known, many times striking the beast with magic and blade, but to no avail. Even so, neither could the Dragon slay these great Men, try whatever he may, because of the protection of the swords held firmly in their grasp, and due to the powers of their Gems.
Then Brandar, kenning the ultimate futility of this struggle, made use of that magic which only Beliscaertos holds of all the Northron’s Brands; deeming that the time was ripe for a surpassing blow. And with a word of command Brandar smote Drakonus in its belly with a terrific blast of invisible mystic energy so devastating that the monster was thrown back and slammed against the inner face to the Marsken, with a large and agonizing patch of fully burnt and charred scales in its middle. And so startled was Drakonus by this that he gazed upon Brandar unbelieving -- for no creature had ever hurt him so sorely until Brandar smote upon him once more in the very same place, at which he began to spill blood upon the ground. Then was he so frightened, for the first time in all his wicked life, that he could not comprehend it.
The Dragon kenned that here was a magic that could slay him, after all, should he continue to fight on. He therefore leapt into the air with a parting spew of his fire-breath in Brandar’s direction, and winged himself away, giving a deafening howl of rage and frustration as off he flew, whereupon he went to circling above, far out of the sight of the Northrons, and as the fires within the Marsken began then to die down.
Brandar’s fellows cheared him, and slapped on the back, and saluted him. And young Erek cried out: “Hail, the Warlord Odaron! Yea, our great Dragon Slayer!” But Brandar then calmed them, reminding them of where they were, and said: “The beast is not slain, but bides his time and heals himself, no doubt devising some wretched plan of vengeance upon us all, even as we speak amidst these flames. And who knows what the Demon Lord, his master, yet has in store. Let us go, therefore, and perform our charge. For the Sereghran have need of our arms as never before!”
Subsequently, while Drakonus was pondering from above how best to defeat the Northrons, Brandar went about giving orders to survivors within the Marsken, making the Kith remain in the Tower “to guard and defend it against capture.” Then the fires thereabouts began to go out, though the Forest continued to blaze even higher.
Setting a small group of survivors the task of putting out fires that remained by obtaining water from the Lake, Brandar ordered Soldiers from the Tower, and gathered surviving Soldiers who were wandering the Grounds thereabouts, and had them muster behind the Gate and there make ready for a charge onto the battlefield beyond.
Here, one of the men was a Knight who carried an ox-horn, and was now the highest ranking Officer in the Warlord’s Company, other than the Six Northron Generals. And Brandar bid this one to blow upon his horn as other Soldiers opened the Gate. Then did the Northrons lead through the Gate a valiant charge with Brandar and Tomas at the fore. But their only hope was to carve a path by which the survivors of the Main Force could enter the Fortress. Yet, the sudden presence of the Seven on that field was enough to free up the survivors while the Warlord’s reduced Company stood guard over the Gate. And thus did Brandar get most of the survivors into the Marsken, though these amounted to but a sixth of the forces Brandar once commanded there. Yet, unknown to Brandar and the others outside the Gate, Koligen came up from the Lake and attacked those who were fetching water with which to quench the fires. And lo, as the survivors of the Main Force entered and looked about, here was battle being fought and lost upon the Lake Wall. But when those Soldiers went to the aid of their friends, suddenly large numbers of Durwolc came clamoring over the wall using grappling hooks and ladders which they had brought upon rafts. Then a great battle erupted amidst the flames and embers and the rising smokes of Inner Deunomis, in which many a Soldier, saved from the enemy without, fell to the enemy within. But Brandar would not learn of this until long afterwards, for he was soon to be captured alive, to the stunned surprise and dismay of all of the Sereghran there, even after he slew the Hydra. And this is how that came about.
Barely a Band of the Warlord’s Company remained outside the Gate, along with Palphus and Jesan and the Seven. And while Brandar and Palphus strove with the Hydra, Tomas and Jesan fought with the Gorgon, doing their best to keep from gazing into her eyes. But the other Northrons stood against her dour vanguard of Demons. Yet, so terrible and fierce and cramped had those struggles become that this last of the Warlord’s Company must turn and defend themselves from the Durwolc ere they could enter through the Gate. Then were they slain by Giants wielding great spiked clubs, swift and fey, and who cared not of Durwolc killed by the mad swinging of their clubs.
The Gorgon’s lower body was as that of a great serpent, but her upper body was as that of a woman with six arms, but no legs, while her skin was scaly and a dark green in color. And with two hands she used bow and arrow, but in two others she held shields, while in the last two she held a spear and a great axe. But instead of hair she had a head full of poisonous snakes ,whose venom would kill a man within seconds of being bitten by just one. Yet, her most potent weapons were her eyes. For, with but a moment of gazing into them, one would be changed swiftly into a statue of stone.
Close beside the Gorgon and her Demons stood the Hydra, huge and unconquerable. But when the last Warrior in the Warlord’s Company had fallen, only Palphus and Jesan and the Seven stood between the enemy and the Gate. Seeing now a chance to break through to the Gate, all of the enemy surged upon the nine, who would later be named the “Defenders of Vortunas”, though the fallen Company would be counted with them, while Palphus and Jesan and the Seven would also be named the “Seven and the Two”, and the “Nine Defenders”. Then Brandar called to those within the Gate, even as he fought, and ordered that the Gate must be closed and locked with the Nine outside, as not one Defender could pull back without relinquishing the Gate.
Thus was this deed named the “Last Stand of the Warlord”. And while the Nine Defenders did battle with the Gorgon and the Hydra, the Durwolc thereabouts pulled back and made a ring about the combatants, then took to jeering and cheering, and howling and cursing, and making bets; as if the fight was a cruel sort of gladiatorial sport.
Palphus stood then before the Gate fighting by the power of his great magicks, holding no weapon but a wand. Yet, he was decidedly the most powerful person upon that field of battle, and slew even the greatest of the monsters that came against him.
Jesan stood nigh Palphus to the Wizard’s right, by virtue of his prowess and the magical weapons he carried, chief of which was a spear named Acusos, which the Duke Flaven had made for him. And that was a supremely mighty weapon.
Now, it must be said here that, among the Defenders, Brandar and Tomas were set apart in the Lore of the Sereghran, being the Warlord and his Second. But the other Northrons were named the “Five Fellow Northrons”, which was the title they had been given in Sunthakis. In any event, the Seven were held as responsible for keeping the enemy from storming the Gate, as they stood in a semicircle about Palphus and Jesan. Yet, by the desperate nature of the fight, the combatant groups began to move apart just as the Gate was being barred from within. Then Brandar and Palphus took to struggling against the Hydra while Tomas and Jesan fought with the Gorgon, and the Five defeated each and every one of her Stone-Demons. But as the last Demon fell, the Gorgon suddenly slithered aside to allow the Giants to pounce unexpectedly upon Tomas and Jesan, at which the Gorgon came at the Five from their left. And so quickly did this happen that three of the Five were turned to stone ere they were aware of their plight, while the remaining two were swept aside by the Giants. Thus did those three stand as solid as cold granite statues; posed each as if to strike with their swords.
Rosth and Erek and Alak were those who had been turned to stone, holding their swords as if frozen in the very act of making a hacking blow. Yet, only their flesh had been made stone. Their swords and garments, and their armor, and also their necklaces, remained unchanged, though no enemy could remove those things from the statues owing to the great magicks of the swords, which, even now, kept their wielders from being wholly ravaged, and which caused a mere touch to one of those swords, and even to the statues, to inflicted great pain upon the monsters. And those imagining themselves stout enough to keep fast a hold upon a sword or statue or necklace soon died.
Meanwhile, Daram and Khalen were forced by the Giants to make their stand a good distance northeast of the Gate, while Tomas and Jesan must do battle against the Gorgon, and with yet more of those terrible Giants.
Filled now with rage and desperation at seeing their friends turned to stone, Jesan and Tomas smote upon the Giants that had come against them and swiftly slew them all, to the great displeasure of the Durwolc thereabouts. Then the two turned upon the Gorgon and slew her with many a hack upon her ugly head of snakes. And that feat astounded the Durwolc. But so wrathful had Jesan become that he wielded Acusos as an axe and cut off the head of the Gorgon. Yet, as he struck, a spout of green blood spattered his leg, at which the liquid ate its way swiftly through his armor and clothing and entered his flesh, so that he fell in a swoon from the poison. Then must Tomas fight viciously against the Durwolc, who rushed in with a mind to chop the fallen man to pieces. But so daunting was Tomas that the enemy pulled back. And Tomas, in tears, deeming that his friend may die, feared not his own plight as he bent to his knees in sorrow, and there in the midst of all of that enemy prayed to the Gods that Jesan would not be slain in this manner.
Dharam and Khalen at length felled the Giants which had swept them out onto the field. And going back-to-back they fought their bloody way over to protect Tomas as he lifted up Jesan and bore the Knight towards the Gate. Yet, when the three were but twenty paces from the Gate an evil befell which none could have foreseen, nor would have believed had they not seen it, and which nearly cost all of them their wits, the battle, and their lives in that moment, as their fearless leader, Brandar, was taken by the enemy. And there was nothing they could have done to prevent it.
As the contest with the Hydra wore on, Brandar got it into his head that he would do this wretched worm as he had done the Dragon Balkurmis, when he, as the new Warlord, took the Forest for his own. And while Palphus strove with the beast’s many heads Brandar used the magic of his sword, which transports him whither-so-ever he wishes within sight, and he thus placed himself upon the monster’s back with but a word of command. Then he buried Beliscaertos deep into the creature’s back, squarely between its shoulders.
The Hydra was so startled that it paused, lifting its heads in bewilderment. Then, with yet another word of command, Brandar caused the blade to emit its great blast of mystic force and blew out the whole chest and belly of the monster; heart, innards, and all. Thus did the beast give out agonizing cries as it fell over sidewise, kicking its legs and flailing its tail, with each head then screaming in sorrow, though soon lying dead upon the ground. But Brandar was thrown as the Hydra fell, and had made the foolish mistake of letting loose his otherwise mighty grip upon Beliscaertos, while the enemy there left off from fighting; gazing despondently upon th Hydra whom they had formerly named the “Bane of the Sereghran”, but who was now anything but.
Down swooped Drakonus, having come silently from above in hopes of finding a chance to strike at the Northrons. And he clasped Brandar in his talons as the Warlord reached up to pull the sword from the Hydra’s back. Then the wicked Dragon bore Brandar high into the air as swift as an arrow shot into the sky. And, turning against the wind, he made off in the clouds to take Brandar as a prize to his master in the North. But trying to release himself, Brandar found that his Pearl of Giant Strength would not give to him the strength to break free. Thus was he helpless in the grip of his bane.
Drakonus had laughed at the spears and arrows which came at him from atop the Marsken, and which bounced off his scales. And he laughed at the lightning-bolts and fireballs and other magical attacks which smote upon him as he flew. Then did he laugh all the more at Brandar’s struggling and cursing, and the Warlord’s helplessness without his magic sword. And there was nothing to keep the Dragon from carrying Brandar even to the Demon Lord’s Castle, deep within the Darkness behind the Deel. But by the strength of the Dragon’s grip, Brandar found it difficult to breathe, so that he soon fell into a swoon and knew no more for a while.
Of course, the wicked Durwolc cheered for vile Drakonus, then renewed their insults and jests, taking heart in the capture of the Sereghran’s Warlord. And when Tomas beheld Brandar being taken away he fell again to his knees, as Jesan took his last breath. Then,l gently laying the Knight upon the ground, Tomas kenned that Jesan was dead. But he bowed low over the body of his friend and wept bitterly, heedless of the enemy; blaming himself unjustly, saying softly to himself: “If only had I warned him of the blood. I could have warned him of the blood.” But this came of the madness of his grief, for he could not have known that the blood of the Gorgon would be so deadly.
Daram and Khalen were likewise dismayed, but remembered that they were in the midst of a vast gathering of foes. And so, with tears in their own eyes, they bade Tomas to raise himself up, ere the enemy finishes their wicked cheering.
Palphus, however, was the first to recover from the shock. And thus did he place himself between the remaining Northrons and the enemy, using his magicks to keep the Durwolc back whence they came forth once more. Then he ordered that the Gate must be opened but a crack to allow the Northrons and himself to enter, while he keeps the enemy back. Then did Daram pull Tomas through the Gate while Khalen dragged Jesan’s body in after them, at which Palphus, fighting hotly managed just to get himself in as the great portcullis was falling, crushing several Gobba, at which the great Gate was quickly barred from within. And due to the magic of the Marsken, the portcullis stood fast against the hammers and battering rams of the enemy, and against all of the spell-magic cast against it. Thus had those within been saved.
Palphus next made his way to the top of the Warlord’s Tower, seeing that the winged monsters were renewing their assault. And he is held responsible for protecting the survivors within the Marsken from those creatures, for he used what inner strength was left to him to cast a fantastic dome of sparkling energy above the Fortress, and which burned any creature that touched it. But then he collapsed from exhaustion, and was taken down to be set upon a bed deep within, where he slept for three full days.
The survivors of Deunomis were now trapped within the magic Marsken. And they could do little more than mourn sorrowfully their dead, while the enemy laid siege upon the Fortress. But as the Marsken could not be breached, nor its Gate broken, nor the Dome of Palphus dispelled, the enemy eventually pulled away and made camp upon the grounds thereabouts, to wait for the inhabitants to starve to death. And they sought to crush the statue forms of Rosth and Erek and Alak, along with other hapless victims of the Gorgon’s gaze. But lo, the magic of the Northron’s swords protected the three so that the brands could not be taken from them, nor even the necklaces beneath their tunics taken from them. Neither could Brandar’s great sword be drawn by hand from the dead Hydra’s back, since Beliscaertos inflicted deadly pain upon any evil monster who so much as touched the grip. Ultimately, therefore, the enemy secured chains about the be-stoned Northrons, and another upon Beliscaertos, holding the chain with cloth rags, and dragged them all northwards, around the western shore of the Lake, and then out of the knowledge of the Sereghran within the Marsken observing from atop the Tower.
Seeing this through the confusing sparklings of Palphus' Dome, Daram and Khalen and all of the Kith were of a mind to lead a sorty through the Gate and retrieve the three statues, along with Brandar’s sword. But Tomas forbid them, deeming rightly that the survivors there had not the strength both to defend the Gate and set upon such a task. And he feared that opening the Gate may break the spell which kept the protective Dome above the Fortress. Thus did the Last Three Northrons and their Kith, and the surviving Soldiers, watch dolefully from the safety of the Fortress as the statue forms of Rosth and Erek and Alak were dragged unceremoniously away. And the three Northrons within believed that they would never again see the four who had been taken, nor their lord Brandar.
This then is how Brandar was unexpectedly captured, and three of his countrymen turned into stiff stone statues, and the noble Jesan of Sunthakis was killed, and the valiant Knight who blew the horn, and so many other good and stout Sereghran, while Tomas and Daram and Khalen lived behind the Marsken with the Kith and Palphus, and what was left of the Army at Vortunas, along with precious few of the people of Deunomis.
But this unhappy event is now called the “Second Sundering of the Seven”. And it was later to be viewed as a dismal day for all the Sereghran, for an end had come, it seemed, to the Warlord Odaron. They knew not whether some other Warlord may rise in the next thousand years. And thus did they spend many days in mourning, deep and forlorn.
*****
Brandar awoke and immediately kenned that he was yet being held in the grip of Drakonus. And once again, despite even the giant-strength imparted to him by the Wizard’s Gem, the pearl which hung by a silver chain about his neck, he could not get free. Then the Dragon, sensing the Northron’s struggle, did but squeeze so hard that Brandar passed out yet again. But this happened a few more times, ever with the same result. And in this way Drakonus carried Brandar through the Deel and far into the Darkness, and off then to the North; landing at last upon the scorched and slag-strewn earth before the gate of the vile Demon’s Castle. And there, in the heart of the Demon’s realm, where unspeakable horrors abide, and fires leap from pits and fissures all around, but light is subdued by the dense choking Darkness, the Dragon called for Modeus to come out. Then was Brandar placed unconscious before the Demon. And Drakonus said: “A gift for thee, my Master. From the folk of the East.”
Thus did Modeus order his minions thereabouts, being Trollo, to strip Brandar of his clothing and search them, where they found and took the necklace, giving it to Modeus. And they bound Brandar with chains, at which he awoke and struggled futilely, then beheld the Demon Lord and was surprised that Modeus, in the flesh, was much like an ordinary Man. But Brandar spoke not, waiting to see if he would be slain. Yet, Modeus slew him not, and merely had his minions take him to the dungeons beneath the Castle. And there was Brandar imprisoned; chained to a wall in a dark and stinking cell, awaiting he knew not what fate.
Oddly enough, however, his trousers were thrown at him as the Trollo left the cell, bolting the door behind them. And Bandar put them on, valuing the clothing more than the Trollo could have guessed. Thus was Brandar shown pity in a place where none should be, so that this small turn was indeed a strange thing, by all that is known about the ways of the enemy.
Many times thereafter was Brandar brought from his cell to other rooms where he was tortured by the Demon about his body. And often would he come to the brink of an agonizing death. But Modeus would also cast spells upon his mind, for the seeing of horrible visions and nightmares, and apparitions, and for the believing of twisted delusions. And Modeus often repeated lies to Brandar about the fates of his countrymen, and about Vearta and his children, and all of the Sereghran, and even about the Andarians far away, of whom the cruel Demon seemed to know everything. Then Modeus once said to him: “The pitiful Sereghran have lost to my legions, and are even now slaves of my very own slaves. And your sweet young daughters are willing whores in temples to my honor, which have been built in all the wide world, while Vearta, your love, takes my minions to her bed with such wicked joy. Ah, she is so sloven. But your Andarians have been destroyed by my servant MorLome. And Rillguman laid waste.” And so on and so forth for hours and days, and week upon week, with no end in sight. Thus was Brandar made utterly wretched, and bereft of his strength and his will, and seemed doomed to go mad from his torments, and from the stench of his wan and lonely cell, and the shear horror of the dungeons. And verily did he believe not that he would see rescue, nor find any means of escape, nor survive the plenilune in his accursed confinement -- except that he kept deep within his heart one small and imperishable glimmer of hope. A secret that gave him hope.
That bit of hope allowed Brandar to survive, irregularly provided worm-eaten bread, muddy water, and maggot-infested meat occasionally tossed into his damp and filthy cell. And Brandar was, at first, repulsed by the meat, knowing not its origin, so that he let it go to waste on the floor. Yet, when his hunger grew unbearable he took up the meat and so ate it, even the worms and the maggots, and also caught and ate all of the rats and insects which happened to come his way. And hence did he obtain life- giving sustenance, all the while wondering how long he must endure this dolour. Then not a few times did he contemplate suicide, but would come to his senses after finally remembering what gave to him a last morsel of hope. “Yes, my Father’s gift,” Brandar would say to himself, and at times upon the rack. And while the Demon ruthlessly meted out all of the pain and glamory and threats he could manage without killing the man, this “gift” he never understood. Then did he count it as but the delusional ramblings of a ruthlessly tormented soul.
*****
Vearta wept right bitterly upon hearing the news of Brandar’s capture. And she went into mourning as if widowed, though the Last Three Northrons said that they believed not that their friend Brandar was dead, and that they must therefore go into the North, some day, to find him. But the Kith vowed also to go with them. And no-one could dissuade them from this resolve, though the Three had forbidden them outright.
*****
Drakonus flew back to Deunomis and thereafter made many an attempt to break through the Marsken and dispel the magic of the wall, and do away with the Dome of Palphus. But finding at length that such efforts were vain, he grew wrathful and thereat ordered a sweeping invasion east into the countryside, though the Forest itself was yet in flames across many and very broad regions. And he gave little thought to the Wizard Calaren, who had been stationed to the north of Vortunas, seeing upon his flight that Calaren and his forces were surrounded at the Sixth Tower of Kelebros. Neither did he believe that aid would arrive from the East in time to save the Frontier, for he could have had no knowledge of the Aefari, and could not guess that Aetas and Strabos and other Lords would have been alerted and were all already on the move. And though Lord Medhyos he expected to come within days, the Dragon kenned not the vastness nor the magical might of the forces which were on their way to challenge him. Indeed, quite out of character for such a crafty Dragon he assumed that his capturing of the Warlord had given him victory. So, he let down his guard, a thing such a Dragon, of any breed, was not normally disposed to do. And in this can be seen the hand of the Gods as well.
Down from the north sooner than expected came Aetas and Flaven, with Calaren, and many hardy Mariners and Soldiers, and Brigadiers, followed soon by a force of the High Elves of the Northern Coasts. But the most valiant company were the Men of Agereis, whose hearts burned with the memory of their Lord Ergon’s sacrifice, and at the loss of their homes and so many of their families. And they were strong and fell, and fought as men more fey and wrathful than any others; running headlong to do battle with the most dreadful of monsters, heedless of their own danger. In truth, they surpassed in valor even the Guardsmen of King Aetas and of the High Elven Lords, and all the Knights of Baertunas, and the Mariners and Soldiers and Brigadiers. And only the three Lords, Aetas and Flaven and Calaren, could cause the enemy more grief than they, the very smallest of companies upon the battlefield there. Thus, whence news later reached Modeus of his defeat at Deunomis, he put a price upon their heads no less than that of the Lords themselves. But he would never be required to pay that price.
It happens that these Sereghran had lately fought several battles as they made their way south with the Kelebros on their right. But they drove on and did not halt until coming around Baeren’s Lake, finding Vortunas under siege. Then they broke upon the enemy like the Demon’s own wave upon the Armada at Agereis, and that was the beginning of the end for the invasion.
Also, from the Forest in the northeast came the company of the Men of Geranost who had escaped the flooding. And they were nigh as vengeful as the Men of Agereis. Thus did the Durwolc fall unerringly before them.
From the east rode next Medhyos, leading a great army of his Soldiers, and an even greater force of Brigadiers. And he fought his way to the Fortress with such courage and power that any enemy he encountered, whether the strongest of Dragons or the most fearsome Devil, or any other monster, was promptly and brutally slain.
Up from the South rode Turlin of Askondor at the fore of the greatest of the companies of Elven Riders which had ever been assembled; followed by a large army of Lowland Elves marching afoot. But to Turlin’s right rode Duke Phaedus, with the mighty Army of Baersunthas, and yet another respectable force of the Brigadiers. Consequently, the forces coming up from the South were so great and wide, and magical, that every company of Durwolc they came across did not even attempt to fight, but turned-tail and ran off to the west. Then did the Gate of the Marsken open, and out strode Tomas and Daram and Khalen, followed by the Kith and the Wizard Palphus, and many of the other Mages and other Survivors of Deunomis. And all these comprised such a force to be reckoned with that they swiftly cleared the field before the Gate and thereafter moved east to meet up with Medhyos, and so trapped whatever odd monsters who happened to be in the way as if between the hammer and anvil. Then happy would that meeting have been but for Lord Medhyos hearing of Brandar’s fate, and that of the Northrons who had been turned into stone and dragged away.
Last, but not least, there came from the southeast a substantial force of Dwarves from Kindol behind whom trotted the Dragon of the South, the good Red Dragon whose name is Raudrogos, with a wingspan a furlong across, and whom the Dwarves even worship as a God. But Raudrogos was, indeed, the mightiest Dragon the world has ever known.
Arriving to find Drakonus the Black flying right haughtily above Vortunas, Raudrogos the Red lifted himself up and flew to meet Drakonus in the sky. Yet, being instantly ware of Raudrogos the moment those great wings were spread, the cowardly Drakonus was so startled and filled with mortal fear that he abandoned the war and flew swiftly to the west, in an attempt to flee. But Raudrogos had walked there with the Dwarves upon land for the purpose of catching the Black as unawares, as the evil-one most certainly would have detected him from afar had the Red flown to Deunomis from his den within Dragon’s Cliff Bay. Thus, Raudrogos pursued Drakonus far into the west and disappeared from sight while the Dwarves waved him goodbye, and cheered him on, and praised him. But then did the Dwarves turn their attention to the Durwolc. And their countenance was grim. Yet, with the sudden retreat of Drakonus, and the arrival of so many new foes, the enemy who had remained lost any semblance of determination and were summarily defeated, for the Sereghran there were so full of rage that they spared not even the weakest Durwolc who prostrated themselves, begging for mercy. But no mercy was shown, as they all deserved death, and would have shown no mercy to the Sereghran.
Unfortunately, the winning of the battles on the New Frontier meant not that all of the fighting was done, for many of the enemy which had come through the Borders early-on entered the Grasslands and the Forest unchecked. Thus, it thereafter fell to Strabos to root out the invaders, which he accomplished in but five fortnight's time. And when the Borderlands were at last wholly under Sereghran control, not a single one of the enemy who remained in the Realms of the Kings, by hiding for a while from the High King’s Soldiers, would ever come out alive to flee into the West.
Of those named as Defenders of the Gate, there remained now only Palphus and the Last Three Northrons. And these, together with the Kith, led a small army to the North upon the trail of the enemies who had dragged away the stone forms of the three Northrons who had become victims of the Gorgon. But at the last they found that the trail went beneath the Deel itself, at a point roughly twenty leagues west of Kelebros. And many in their army were quite opposed to entering into that foreboding wall of darkness, without knowing what lay beyond. Indeed, none but the Three and Brandar’s Daughters wished to go on. Then did the wise Wizard Palphus counsel them against it, saying: “Your Warlord would not have you do something so rash. Rather, let us return to Deunomis, where the two Kings must declare what is to be done. Mayhap you can persuade them to lend you such forces as seems fit for such a task, for this army which we brought are likely not enough. Remember what has issued from the Deel. We should, for now, not take such a risk.” And this was considered good counsel by the rest of the Kith, and so was it done.
When later the Defenders reached Baeren’s Lake, the sky was bright and warm. And they beheld the Red Dragon coming out of the West. Then he alighted before them, and spoke to them of his recent venture, saying: “I pursued Drakonus even to the Mountains by the sea, and did battle with him from one end of the range to the other. But the Gods granted to me the victory. And I threw the carcass of the Black into a flaming foss, from which he shall never again return to trouble the world of living things. Drakonus the Black is no more. And all of the odorous and belching volcanoes of the Mountains were quenched when fell into them. So do I fly now towards my home upon a clean westward wind, and wish to thee also the blessings of the Gods.
“Proclaim, therefore, the fall of Drakonus throughout the Lands. But do not forget his master in the North. He is the last bane of your folk. And you shan't be free whilst the flesh he has donned lives on. But while many may fall should next you presume to smite him, that is your best course.
“I, for my part, go now to my den in the South, for I am weary as never before. Farewell my friends.” With that the Dragon rose up and flew away. And the Soldiery there cheered and saluted the awesome and noble beast as he began his long flight to his home in the far Southeast. But the Defenders and the Kith were disturbed by his words, and so stood in silence while watching Raudrogos fly off; not knowing what to do. As it happens, the army of Dwarves had gone far into the Highlands in pursuit of fleeing enemies. But they had returned and were camped half-a-league south of where Raudrogos had stopped to speak with the Defenders. And when the Dwarves heard that the great Red Dragon had defeated the Black, they spent the rest of that day feasting in honor of the victory, to which celebration they also invited the Defenders and the Kith, and any other Sereghran who wished to attend. But early the next morning, the Dwarves marched south upon the road by which they had come.
Turlin and Phaedus had also pursued fleeing enemies deep into the Southern Wood. But coming out of the frith, they stationed forces on the Borders, and set about reordering the devastated defenses at the Towers of the South Frontier. Meanwhile, Aetas and Calaren took to rebuilding the defenses along the Kelebros, and at both Agereis and Geranost. But Palphus, together with the three remaining Northrons and the Kith, began mustering new armies at Deunomis, in hopes that the Kings would allow them to enter into the Deel in an attempt to take back the cold statues of their kin, and perhaps even to rescue Brandar, if he may be found alive within the Demon’s chocking Darkness.
When Strabos was done clearing the Lands of invaders, he then called for a Moot of Lords to be held upon Dragon’s Den Hill, where it must be debated what course the Sereghran should take. And there came all the Lords of the Lands, from the least to the greatest, who talked and wrangled, and thus mulled and reasoned over the issues and problems at hand. But to be fair, they also brought many witnesses from among their Peoples; townsfolk and villagers, and settlers from the Forest, who had been harmed or adversely affected by the war. And everyone was given a chance to speak, and to declare what they deemed was for the best.
Long, therefore, were those speeches upon the Hill. And all was not said until twelve days had passed. But the Defenders said their piece last after the Kith, by the design of Palphus, who had declined to speak. Then Tomas stood up for all the Defenders, echoing the sentiments of the Kith, though brief was his appeal when compared to those of many others who had spoken. And Tomas said to the Kings: “In the North sits the Demon, Modeus; the foremost foe of the Sereghran. And this has been true since the coming even of your Founders through the Mists. But we Northrons have now aided you in five wars against him. Indeed, this New Frontier was won for you by the hand of our kinsman, Brandar Odaron, King of the Forest, your Warlord, who may yet live beyond all reason, in some dark dungeon beneath the cruel Demon’s Castle, away behind the Deel. And if live he does by the will of the Gods, he should not be forsaken, but deserves to be saved.
“Much did you give to us Northrons when first we came to you in our youth, as you hold. Long ago, I agree, does that seem to me now. And much have we given in return by the blood which flows in our children, and our efforts in defense of your Realms; extending them into the Forest. Yet, as long as this Modeus sits safe and unchallenged in the fastness of his slade, then this new land is not, and shall never be, truly free of him. Nay, ‘tis but rented from him, and paid for at the cost of scores of war-slain Sereghran. Therefore, grant to us such forces as seems enough to assail Modeus while he is weakened by this defeat. Else, give us leave to lead what free volunteers would go with us into the Deel, where we shall serve as spies, if you will, in search of the secrets of the Darkness, and to retrieve our kin, dead or alive. But if not this, then I shall go myself to discover the remains of my countrymen, at the least; or perhaps even to slay the Demon Lord, if that should be possible.”
Then Daram stood, saying: “I shall go with you.” But likewise Khalen rose, saying: “And I.” And the Kith, as one, took to their feet, saying: “And I.” With that, there was silence; as everyone was waiting to see what the Kings may say. Yet, neither Strabos nor Aetas said a word just then, but sat and gazed upon Tomas with a mixture of awe and appreciation. And after a brief while, in which the Kith and the Northrons took to their seats, a low and disordered murmuring began to grow among the Lords, and then among all of the other folk thereabouts. Then did the murmuring grow into a clamor, where the Lords and Ladies, and Officials and Officers, and all of the Soldiers and People there took to arguing this way and that.
Finally, Strabos stood and let loose a great flash of light and a crashing boom from the top of his magic scepter, at which the crowd settled down. Then he spoke solemnly but loudly, saying: “Everyone has spoken. Now is the time for thought. What course we should take is not yet clear. The Northrons, of course, are correct in saying that our enemy has likely been weakened, so that now is our best chance finally to destroy him. Yet, to go in any strength into the Deel from which no Sereghran has been known to return is not a venture to be taken lightly. Indeed, who knows what lurks within the Darkness.
“If only the Warlord had not been taken, then he may have been so bold as to enter into the Deel on our behalf, to search out its ways. But alas, he is gone, living or dead we know not, though his Second has offered to seek him out.
“We Kings shall herewith debate this cause in private, and shall soon deliver to all of you our decision. And rest assured that we shall consider all that has been said. Go then, all of you, back to your homes. And think upon what you have heard. But know that whatever is decided, it shall be for the future wellbeing of all of the Sereghran, which is our foremost aim.” Then Strabos sat down, indicating that the Moot had come to an end. So, all of the attendees began to pull apart and to disperse, but only slowly did they go their own ways.