Tales of Cobardon

Chapter VIII

Arthur

Arthur contemplated the departure of the Napemolians and Duparks to institute law and order in Napemol, as he rode on his large ebony colt to escort Morningstar's ruler. His thoughts returned unbidden to his sons. His eldest son Margh was 18, notorious and unfit to rule. He was the hurricane. His youngest son Hapem was 10, calm and wise beyond his years. He was the peaceful eye in a hurricane. His countenance had a sad smile as he recalled his last quarrel with Margh, who couldn't hide his eagerness to rule. He knew Margh would grow less unruly and wiser with time. He could almost picture his younger self in Margh. Things would smoothen out between him and Margh, he hoped.

The change in scenery brought him back. He glimpsed the large host of the North. A huge banner, unfurled, rippled gracefully in the wind. He spotted the largest tent and their escort marched there. On reaching he dismounted and approached the tent. A sentinel bowed on his side and raised the flap of the tent for him. He entered the tent and found it empty. A joint between bones cracked and he turned right and saw an aristocratic man wielding a two-handed great sword.

Its edge was visible sharp and gleaming. The sword rose in a gallant swing and came rushing down. Arthur screamed. The blade's edge looked vicious, eager to bite him. Arthur leapt to the side to the side. Aaaahhhh! He felt a spear pierce between his shoulder blades. He looked behind and saw the sentinel, who had been at the tent's entry. Blood oozed out. The sentinel grinned maliciously. The spearhead pierced deeper. He squealed in agony. Arthur flipped his head to face forwards ... a mighty blade met his neck, tingling, cold and life-sucking. The spearhead, at the same time, popped out of his neck as the blade hacked through half his neck. Arthur couldn't even moan. Pain was an understatement as half his head lay clinging to his neck and the other half torn apart! The great sword slashed again, breaking the jutting spearhead and eating completely through his neck. His head drop with a plop and his headless body twitched before it collapsed. His eyes were a ghostly, pale white. Blood pooled around his head and kept oozing out.

Another spear went through his eye and then the pain ended!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trevan

Tip. Tip. Tip. He woke to the serene din that exists after a raging storm. His eyes fluttered open to see Demzan's hard eyes staring at him. He jumped up and asked, "What happened? How am I here? How am I ALIVE...?" and many more questions till he ran out of words and energy. Demzan waited a second in the silence and began, "This is a tent. I saved you. We are marching to a battlefield. Arthur's dead. I will tell you more after you take in all this." He ended with grim tone. Trevan subtly answered , "continue."

Demzan recited with a dismal timbre, "if I had been a breath late you would have been no more. Lord Micura was poised to strike. I leapt and managed to drive a blade through Micura's calf. I could have killed him then, but I had backstabbed and seen the horse he had dismounted. I kept my honour and stayed my hand. I managed to rescue you on Micura's horse. Honestly on even field I couldn't have matched Micura. For the next account my spies inform me that Arthur was treacherously assassinated in Morningstar's host. There is going to be a war - the biggest in our lives

He moved forward and brought a platter covered with a silver cloth. Demzan, with a slow flourish, slide the velvety cloth inch by inch to reveal their father's great sword. The sword shone with its own inexplicable power, glowing an iridescent white, expelling all darkness. He looked up at Demzan and said with awe, "You are giving it to me?" Demzan replied, "Yes, for I shall die, a lone wolf, but, you are still young and shall start a family soon but, for that you will have to survive first. The sword shall give you strength and you shall give it an heir."

Demzan declared, "Skinchanger Brotherhood goes to war! But first, we, brothers of blood, have a ritual to tend to and Lady Raguela to meet!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hapem

"That witch would come soon! To rub salt on our wounds."

He spun round, his cloak flapping and swirling around him, to face the commander of Lopelanzec. He grimly said, towereing way below the officer," My father, Lord Arthur is dead, but we shall not let Morningshade strong-arm us. We aren't a bit weaker." The commander asked," But Margh..." Hapem interrupted the officer," He is too stupid by half to decide anything. You will take orders from me, without any question."

Hapem looked to the stone floor, his eyebrows knitted and his face grim and said, said, as if fate itself had sealed the misery," My brother, Margh, can not be saved. His innocent life will be ended by the demoness of a human - Sabrina." He said her name with utter distaste.

He looked in the eyes of the commander and said," Ready it!"