Chapter 2

Chalkos looked out across the vast hordes camped outside his fortress’s walls. A sea of hate and indignation. Arduaz’s God of Life, a match to the first gods in every aspect watched as the sun glinted off rows upon rows of spears, swords and a variety of other cruel looking weapons. The Gateway was Arduaz’s last defence, and he could feel the cracks developing. Freja and Phrixos had been relentless in their attacks on the magic that seals it. Aalok had strengthened it after the last war but the bombardment has severely weakened it. No word from Aalok for almost a hundred years on Arduaz. Although time passes far quicker here than other planes of existence within the current.

Where are you Aalok? We need you now more than ever. Chalkos thought sadly as footsteps sounded in the corridor. Giya entered, he could tell by her stride.

“We cannot hold them back forever.”  Giya said frustration venting itself with the harsh tone to her words.

“If we die fighting penned up here. Who will protect the people of Arduaz.” Giya slammed her hands down on the table. Chalkos looked up from his seat with eyes cold as ice.

“This is the gateway. If it falls, the flood will be undammable.” Chalkos replied firmly.

“Phrixos and Freja will let loose evil this world could never dream of.  Go if you must, take two thousand men and prepare the tribes. I will hold the gate for as long as I can.”

“Be safe.” He said to her, then returned his attention to the crystal and his never-ending task.

Giya knew better than to argue when he was like this. With a nod of her head, she left the hall.

“Argh. Get me two thousand strong, fearless warriors. Make sure they are armed with the best.” She paused for a moment. A sudden feeling of fear came over her at the thought of uttering the order. So long had it been since last she set foot on the world she had sworn to protect.

“We’re going to Arduaz.” She snapped at her general.

Marching out into the courtyard she stood in the center as the men began to file in rank after rank of enlightening warriors. When she was surrounded by them, she spoke to them all.

“On this day we return to Arduaz. We need to be prepared for the fight to come.” She paused as she moved amongst her army.

“We need to lead the people of Arduaz against the enemy hordes at our doorstep. Do we die here? Leaving our tribesmen to be savaged alone and Godless after all we have done. All we have sacrificed?” She spoke calmly, strengthening their resolve. A chorus of no rang out in reply.

“Then follow me to Arduaz and the lands of Aalok bringer of Light. It is in his name we fight this fight.” She motioned with her hands and the courtyard emptied of life.

Freja stormed into the war hall.

“Phrixos! My Generals surround the Gateway. It is only a matter of time.” She reported. The pair had a healthy respect for each other, but trust was lacking. The dark hall lit by a single hearth and a globe of light above the table.

“Excellent. At least one thing is going to plan.” Phrixos replied. The cold, dark stone room had been all Phrixos had seen for weeks. Conversing with the voices he searched in vain for his brother.

“No luck finding Aalok, then I assume?” She enquired, knowing by the look on his face the answer.

“He has, so it seems, split himself in two. The voices tell me he ventures closer to them. Yet I can feel him. He is on Arduaz I know it!” The God of Darkness surged up from his chair with a roar of anger pushing the contents of the table onto the floor in frustration. He stood, leaning on the table breathing heavily.

“That damned mortal boy. He has something to do with this. The voices told me to look to Arduaz. To the first Kingdom.” Freja approached him, lay a hand on his shoulder and spoke calmly into his ear.

“Calm yourself brother, save the rage. Keep it until you face Aalok.” She kissed his cheek.

“I will go. Let me release the hybrids on the weaklings. Give the evils hiding in the shadows of Arduaz the chance to come forward. To fight. Send me, and I will flush Aalok out, village by village tribe by tribe.” Freja offered as she stepped out onto the balcony.

Seeking more glory for herself, thought Phrixos.

“We must first take the Gateway or you’ll be going nowhere sister.” He reminded her. Standing at her side they looked out over the lakes of lava. The decrepit ghettos the people he ruled over had built dotted the desolate landscape.

“Darmog stands ready, waiting for my command to attack. I will give the order” She turned from her brother and left the room. She had plans to concoct.

 

Darmog stood before the Gateway. The last barrier to the world of Arduaz. The city of Light. Now twenty thousand silent darkened warriors and beasts of darkness stood ready to extinguish it.  Freja had trusted her greatest commander to take it. And take it he will.

The city twinkled in the blackness of the night. Lights shining off the golden spire in the centre.  The Palace of creation stood on the far side of the city, built into the cliff face.  A figure could be seen standing, looking out over the city.

Chalkos no doubt. Darmog thought as he turned and made his way back towards his gathered officers.

He scowled with contempt at the creatures assembled about a table covered in a map of the city.  He barged in between Darskelis and Kandrus.  If he had anything close to what some called friends these two were Darmog’s.  At least he disliked them less than he did everyone else.

“Is everyone in position?” he asked.

“Yes Commander. The Gateway is ready to fall. Our mages assure us the shield is ready to shatter. Our men stand ready to storm the gateway once the magic fails.” Kandrus explained.

“Good.  Once we are inside, we have two objectives. Wipe out the city forces and capture the Gods of Arduaz. Alive if possible. Freja never said how alive, so no need to be too kind.” Darmog replied with a smile.

“The Gods no doubt will be in the Palace.  Once we are through the Gateway, Krontelis and Fractus will systematically clear the city. Kill everyone.” Darmog glared at Krontelis and Fractus who nodded in response.

“Darskelis and Kandrus, you’re with me; our forces will head for the Palace.”  The flickering candle sent shadows leaping up the tent wall as Darmog watched the reactions on the faces of his officers.

“Tonight, we break down the divide. The Gateway has blocked the progress of  darkness for too long. Tonight we open the door to Arduaz” Darmog dismissed them with a causal wave of his hand.  Darskelis and Kandrus remained behind, silent until the last of the generals had moved beyond earshot.

“Can you trust them to follow your orders?” Kandrus quizzed as the atmosphere relaxed around them.

“About as much as I need to, surely they can follow a simple order of kill everything but women and children.” Snorted Darmog.

“We haven’t the luxury of trust. As long as the city guards are kept busy, we will have a much easier time of it.”

Stretching over the map, he studied the route to the Palace.

“We will wait for the others to attack draw as many from our gate as possible.  Darskelis, you lead the main force down the street, then set up a blockade. Get the archers set up to bombard the walls.” He explained, pointing at the map.

“Kandrus, we will stick to the shadows of the back wall and make our way inside the palace.

“Let us get this over with, shall we.” The three nodded and returned to their men.

Then, a cracking sound and an explosion of light into the night sky signalled the beginning, as the gateways century-old shields broke.  Alongside Darskelis and Kandrus, they waited as the sounds of fighting rang out in the darkness, followed closely by the screams of terror from the locals as the trolls tore through their homes like crazed beasts from their nightmares. Even Gods fear the monsters of the night.  The Ba’sha, the tortured, mutated form of Laurvi’s wolves, howled their delight as they feasted.

“Now!” he roared, and his army charged forward, shouting their war cries. Darker shadows moved along, followed closely by the strangled cry of the guards.  The Army of Darkness strolled through.  Kandrus shared a silent glance with his commander as they split from the main force and made their way into the darkness to their left as they entered the city. Nobody had seen the other side of the Gateway before. It was disappointingly similar to home. Well, how the home had been before all this Kandrus thought as he followed Darmog

Keeping low, they hurried down the side streets and alleys which crisscrossed the city, picking off the odd patrol heading towards the fighting.

Pulling free his dagger and wiping the gore on the downed guard's cloak, Darmog stood up. Returning his blade to its sheath, he walked over to Kandrus, who had just dispatched the last of the unit.

 

“Let’s keep moving; further up this street is a smaller inner wall around the Palace itself. A side gate used for moving products in and out of the castle should be right in front of us.” Darmog stated and, without a word, moved off down the street, keeping to the shadows.

The sounds of movement came from ahead, and the pair froze behind the cover of a wagon.  Kandrus peered round and saw that a small patrol had taken up position in front of the small metal inlaid gate they needed to get through.  He turned to Darmog with his back now against the wagon.

“What’s the plan boss, six, two with crossbows. Bows closest to the gate.” He reported.

“The wagon.  Get behind the wagon and run straight at them.  Keep your head low, and we should be able to get in between them in the panic.” Kandrus strained against the wagon to get some sense of the weight.

They both gave the wagon a shove, and the wheels slowly turned into motion.  They put their backs into it and gained momentum, their laboured efforts soon changing to a run as the wagon began to pick up speed. The cramped houses on either side racing past them, the shouts of the patrol for the wagon to stop rang out, turning to panicked squeals as they dived from the wagon's path.  The pair waited until the wagon was moments from striking the gate to split from the wagon, each taking a side and quickly taking care of the swordsmen.  Turning together, they each took an archer and rushed him. Firing off their bolts without aiming, the darkened pair quickly reached their prey; without the need for weapons, they silenced them.  The wagon had struck with such force it had bent the hinges of the gate, making it impossible to open.

“Damn it, move out the way.” Darmog barked, and concentrating on the centre of the buckled gate, he sent a rush of energy through his shoulder as he ran at it, forcing the gate inwards with a loud explosion.

“So much for being quiet”, Kandrus smirked as they walked through the hole in the wall.  The other side of the gate was a large open court yard.  They drew their weapons and moved cautiously across it.

“I don’t like this.  Too quiet, that explosion should have alerted half the palace.” Darmog snarled, he returned his axe and pulled his bow from over his shoulder.  He pulled lightly on the bowstring and a red glowing arrow appeared notched ready to fly.  Looking at Kandrus who had also chosen his bow, notching a barbed black fletched arrow, he nodded, and the pair moved cautiously forward scanning ahead. They need not wait long before the racket of armed men rattled in front of them.

“Nowhere to hide, damn it.” Darmog thought as he readied himself.  Looking at each other they waited.  Men were shouting orders, the clattering of warriors forming up growing louder in their ears.  Darmog held Kandrus’s eye for a moment then nodded.  They walked forward bowstrings taut and let loose their arrows hitting their mark scattering the partly formed up regiment. Darmog pulled back his string and dealt death with each glowing arrow.  Kandrus not to be out done, notched two arrows at a time and aimed for the groups gathered around two large cannons. He notched two more, let them loose but it was too late the fuse had been lit. Time slowed as he dived to the ground, the boom shook the road. His head ringing he struggled to his feet. Shaking his head, he picked up his bow. The world came spinning back to full speed as he saw men charging the pair. Darmog standing in front of him firing until the first man reached him. Using his bow as a weapon he struck the enemy in the head. With his bare hands he grappled with the front line ripping helms from heads and using them the batter their skulls in with.

“Snap out of it” He roared at Kandrus who stood watching.

Regaining his senses he charged forward.  He had notched two more arrows on the

  finished the job by taking the two closest men to the cannon with a single fluid motion, releasing twin arrows shattering their cheek bones.  Darmog he saw had changed to his axe and was busy battling several Soliders of Light, his twin headed axe blurring as he spun, the shaft in his hands deflecting and hacking at once keeping their weapons out of range of his person. Kandrus notched and buried one in the shoulder of one of them before he moved forward again notching and firing arrows as he closed the gap before he replaced the bow with his twin curved short swords, he dipped a knee and spun low racking his blades across the thighs and knees as he turned raising to deflect several fast but clumsy strikes. Ducking under an over stretched swing he used his enemy’s momentum to stab his left blade into his stomach up to the hilt.  He twisted it free with a jerk as he stuck his right blade through the unprotect throat of the young man coming at him with fearful, now lifeless eyes.  He pushed the boy off his blade to slump peacefully on top of his motionless comrade.  With a roar he swiped both his blades from shoulder to hip across the unlucky solider who stepped forward into the gap. He looked confused for a second as looked down to see two gashes leaking his guts down his uniform to mix with the blood and mud under his boots.  Kandrus smiled then with a clean slash took his head off.  Spinning he searched for Darmog who was being overrun by numbers as a second regiment entered the fray. He moved towards his commander, sending shockwaves to clear his path. With a fit of rage, he drove his boot into the earth cracking the paved road and sending a ring of soliders flying from around him.  A cry of bloodlust curdled in the air. Darmog grabbed one of the grounded, disorientated enemy and crushed his skull between his bare hands then picked him up and used his as a club to beat the man’s defenceless comrades. Throwing the pulped corpse aside he retrieved his axe which had been buried in the chest of an enemy solider. The dying man’s fingers still stroked the blade as he stared up with blind eyes. Darmog ripped the blade out, the man’s eyes widened for an instant at the shock. He looked down with contempt and spat on the corpse.

“Quick this way.” He called and ran towards the direction the enemy had come from. Darskelis and their combined force had taken the main gate and had pushed through into the palace square. He saw the steps that led up inside the palace.

“Up here.” He led the way up over a large stone wall surround the gardens.

Chalkos drew his bow and placed an arrow, spiralling with white light.  He pulled back the string and waited, arms tense, the bow string was heavy.  The door rattled from the impact of one of the guards being forced against it, his blood leaking under the doors told him all he needed, and he let the arrow fly.  It penetrated through the door pinning the darkened warrior by it’s head to the other side with a strangled gargle.  He notched another and sent it racing through the air.  Closing his eyes he followed the arrow and controlled it around the corner to stick into the ground in front of the unit of five or six Anaki Hybrids. Pulling himself back in time to see the flash as the arrow exploded scattering bits of body everywhere and covering everything in blood.

He pulled free his axe and grabbed his shield from behind his throne.  He left though the door, ran along the stone hallway until he reached the main entrance to the palace where all the guards had been slaughtered.  He slipped to a stop on the bloodslick behind a column and watched as Fiel was being held off the ground by his throat.  Limp in the hands of the Darmog Freja’s favoured General.  The Darkened Lord shook him as if he were a toy which did not work then threw him against the wall shattering his skull.  Thorn stepped out and confronted him.

“Darmog, it is me you want.” He called as Darmog cleaved his axe through another of his warriors.

“Ah Chalkos, just the God I’m looking for. We’ve been knocking on your gate for some time now. So we thought we’d let ourselves in.” He shouted back facing the High God of Arduaz, Aaloks closest friend. The pair eyed each other up looking for weaknesses. Chalkos made the first move swinging his axe high drawing Darmog’s eye. Dropping his shoulder he rammed his shield hard into his midsection forcing the large general back. Swiping his axe to keep him at bay the God brought lightening down to strike the ground in front of Darmog sending up chucks of stone. Freja general lay under the debris unmoving. Slowly making his way towards the destruction he was caught of guard by a boulder thrown by Darmog as he rose from the dust. The two brutes stood glaring at each other before Darmog charged striking Chalkos hard on his shield batting it away. The pair grappled each pushing the tip of the blades closer and closer. He pushed Darmog’s grip down sending him off balance a knee to the jaw snapped his head back. He fell back, stunned he shook it off with a snarl. From behind him came a shout, he turned to see Inric.

“My lord quick” a large blood splattered solider appeared in the doorway. 

“Grab as many soliders as you can and meet me in the square.” He instructed his general. Inric disappeared back through the doorway without a word.

Chalkos turned back to see Darmog recover his senses.

“Stand aside old man. Make this easy on your citizens. Hand yourself and Giya over peacefully and I will end them quickly.” Darmog demanded.

“If by old, you mean wise? Then I am far older than you, young pup. I will never surrender, Aalok Bringer of Life left me the task of defending his world from the evils of Phrixos and Freja.” Chalkos replied, his words dripping with anger.

“Very well, we will beat you into submission.” he started towards the New age Gods, axe dragging behind him sparks flying from the flagstone.

Kandrus, the smooth scaled Hybrid emerged from behind Darmog, an ugly looking arrow aimed at him. He felt the breeze from the general’s axe as he narrowly moved his head back out of the way. His axe flashed out, driving the larger man back, a flurry strikes denting the blackened armour. In his battle rage he forgot about Kandrus. Thrusting his shield up to block a wild swing he knocked it away leaving the darkened General open. Chalkos struck, his axe hummed, the sound trembled from the steel head as he rained down blow after blow. The first he knew of it was the shaft appearing before his eyes, the black fletching told him it was one Freja’s, the tip barded. He staggered backwards as it struck, forcing him to a knee. Darmog roared his triumph.

“Now you will watch as I slaughter every last one of them.” Darmog gloated. He looked down at Chalkos, a smile of his face, the sensation made his cheeks ache. Battle cries drew his attention away, Inric had returned. Darmog snarled and made to finish the God. Surging to his feet Chalkos lifted Darmog off his feet and ran until he struck Kandrus, bending his knees he shifted them onto his shoulders and launched them across the square to bounce and roll until the solid, stone wall stopped them in a cloud of dust and stone. Chalkos fell to his knees again, he pulled the arrow free, his flesh hanging from the multiple barbs. The wound healed over quickly.

Inric made it to his side. Getting up unsteadily to his feet he turned to look at his general and the amassed warriors crowding the square.

“We must join Giya on Arduaz, Amducious has sensed something happening and as released his armies, hidden away for millennia within the mountains and earth of Arduaz.  We must find allies to fight the darkness by first coming to their aid.  We cannot let the darkness do to that realm what is has done to our home.” Chalko spoke emotions high.  He knew what he said meant hundreds would die and their precious city will be befouled.

“We are with you” Inric spoke first then all the men banged their weapons on their shields or spear butts on the ground.

Chalkos closed his eyes as Darmog and Kandrus staggered to their feet. He placed his hands together, pulling them apart he drew forth a glowing white light, rotating his wrists he engulfs the entire courtyard, his total amassed force of fifteen thousand Soliders vanished in an instance.

Darmog and Kandrus had watched through the dust cloud, Chalkos and his army disappear.

“Impressive.” Kandrus nodded, slapping Darmog on the chest he turned headed out of the square to join Darskelis and the rest of the army rounding up the citizens.

“Phrixos is not going to be happy.  The city is ours but we have none of the Gods or their generals.” Darmog growled following suit.  They walked out into the city square where Darskelis stood organising the captives into wagons ready for transporting.

“Not a bad little take over Commander” He shouted seeing the pair walking over.

“If you call failing one of two objectives not bad then, yes. It was a bloody good little battle” Darmog sneered and barged past to look at the prisoners.  Reaching through the bars he grabbed a young solider.

“Where has Chalkos ran too?  Where is Laurvi, Bernuf and Farvi?” he demanded to know.

“I don’t know, Laurvi, Bernuf or Farvi haven’t been here in my lifetime.” The man explained looking at his feet.  He threw him back.

“Really. All this time, it has only been that old man and Giya holding us back.” Darmog laughed coldly.

The message was sent to Phrixos that his city awaited him. That the gateway to Arduaz lay open for him and his hordes.