Wayward Tail: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 1

Too Little, Too Late?

Going to Layla was Artifax's first thought, but he had to clear a path. The beach was littered with foes, big and small.

The Northlander enemies were scrambling to their boats in the harbor, for they had heard the trumpets of the Baldur's Gate Navy quickly approaching. The ettins and Formorians looked up the hill and saw the giants and the eladrin in offensive positions. They formed a perimeter around the beach. And the queen watched the blood as it ran down Layla's arms into the vessel.

Farther up the beach a pit began to form, and a large hairy arm pushed up into the air. Smoke and fire pushed to the surface as another arm clawed at the sand, trying to pull up a massive body. Kazgoroth was almost upon them.

Artifax shot balls of fire into the harbor and ignited the Northlander ships. They returned fire with arrows and ballista bolts. Artifax deftly dodged most of them, but as they quickly became too heavy to avoid Artifax instinctively leapt into the air. His new wings lifted him down toward the Queen.

The giants and Eladrin rangers charged. At their lead was Gargos, Malena, and another two familiar sights. Artifax only barely noticed two others familiar faces in the crowds: Throk and Greta had joined the fray.

The Baldur's Gate Navy had sailed into the harbor, firing great canons at the beach and castle. One of the towers collapsed on the north side of the keep. At the helm of the lead ship was another familiar face. Jameth, the Duke of Baldur's Gate. He called his men to action as Northlander ships came to greet them.

The note that Artifax had read from Oriander's raven had spoken the truth, Jameth had indeed come, and he had brought his entire fleet of ships. On board the lead ship, the Razor's Edge, were Azrael, Krusk, and Irel, his former adventuring companions

Artifax saw each of these things in the moments he had taken flight. He hurled a great torrent of flames at the Queen and blew her from the side of Layla. He landed beside his bleeding love, and their eyes met for the first time in two weeks. She was weak, but she smiled at him faintly.

"I knew you would come," she said.

Before Artifax could free Layla, he felt the sharp pain of a jagged knife stab into his side. He collapsed in the sand at the feet of a smoldering Queen.

"In a few more minutes Kazgoroth will destroy you all," she said to him.

Artifax looked around the beach and he saw the ettins and Northlanders begin to change. The effects of the Lord of Lycanthropes had already began. The enemies were becoming feral were-creatures of every variety. Artifax could only focus on the burning in his side at the moment.

He wondered if this truly was the end of his adventures. Was he too late to save his lover and thwart the Queen's plan? It was beginning to look that way.