The Worlds of the Sheaf

The Battle of Castle Gamuk - Part 4

     The stables were just on the other side of a curtain wall, and as soon as he was through the arched gateway he knew he'd chosen correctly. There were bodies lying on the hard packed ground. Soldiers wearing the uniform of the King's household guard. Behind them, a small group of Yinnfarsian soldiers was walking wearily away from the wooden stable buildings, limping and cradling injured arms, one tying a strip of cloth around his bloodstained head.

     Tak's heart fell. They were obviously returning from a heavy battle, and if they were alive then their enemies, the King's defenders, were dead. They stopped, gaping in horror when they saw him and tensed up to run, but Tak cried out for them to stop. "Where is the King?" he demanded. "Have you killed him?"

     One of them glanced back at the stables in terror, and then they were bolting, each running in a different direction. Tak didn't bother with them and ran for the stables, already knowing what he would find.

     Sure enough, the King was there, his body chopped almost out of all recognition as if all his enemies had wanted to dip their blades in royal blood. The last of his household guard was lying around him, massacred where they'd made their last stand. Tak cursed bitterly. If he hadn't been held up by Velzen he might have been in time. He must have missed the end by only a couple of minutes!.

     He clamped down on the feeling of grief and futility that threatened to overwhelm him. The important thing now was to end the fighting before any more lives were lost. It would be a tragedy if more good men were killed now that the cause of it was gone. He left the stables, therefore, and cast a spell that amplified his voice so that it could be heard throughout the castle. "THE KING IS DEAD!" he cried, hearing the words echoing off the walls around him. "LET THE FIGHTING STOP!"

     He heard the clashing of steel faltering hesitantly, and somewhere a cheer went up, causing cries of outraged grief from somewhere else in the keep and a renewed surge of fighting. In most places, though, soldiers were stepping warily away from each other, their swords held ready to defend themselves in case it was a trick. He heard a screech above him and looked up to see Barl on Pyre, leading Tak's steed by the reins as they came in for a landing.

     "Where?" demanded the other Gem Lord as he jumped out of the saddle. "In there?" Tak nodded and Barl ran into the stables, emerging a moment later looking sick and furious. "Damnation!" he swore, punching a stone wall and knocking a great hole in it. "Damn! Damn! Damn! All for nothing!"

     He looked ready to tear the whole castle down in his anger, but Tak had no time to commiserate with him. Essca was still out there, and maybe in danger. At that moment, though, he saw her with Baron Krelldicon, the two of them walking towards them across the bloodstained courtyard. She appeared to be unhurt and relieved it was all over, but the Baron seemed to be in an even worse state of grief and loss than Barl.

     "Is it true?" he demanded. "Was it your great voice we heard just them?"

     "Yes," said Tak to both questions, and the giant ducked into the stables to see for himself. Tak gave Essca a hug and made sure she was unhurt, then looked his steed over. The burns to its flank weren't as bad as he'd feared. It would heal, and the creature didn't seem to be in any great pain. He stroked its great head and tickled it behind the horns.

     "You killed Velzen?" said Essca, making Barl looked up in surprise.

     "He's dead," confirmed Tak. "What about our men? How many did we lose?"

     "The Captain's carrying out a head count right now," replied the other Gem Lord, "but I don't think we lost any. Our enemies run from them, knowing they're backed up by monsters and wizards. This situation wasn't a total loss, maybe. Yinnfarsia and Sholl have learned to fear us once more. They'll think twice before interfering with our plans again. Velzen, one of our most potent enemies, is dead, and we have a new source of information about Sholl." He looked at Essca thoughtfully.