The Destiny of Amalah (79 page)

All day and all night, they hunted, skinned and chopped. They made shoes, boots and clothes and when they had done with the cattle, they did the same with the sheep and with the bears that they had captured and killed. They loaded the sheep and bear skins whole and sent them to Equer – everything was to go to Equer.

At the same time the hunt was going on, Häkan and the guard reached Rakan’s army, which was two thousand strong. From the west, Rakan’s men lined as far as the eye could see and from the east, Häkan’s did the same. Waldon and Kenaz were on horseback and they rode up and down the line, preparing their men for battle. Häkan, Callan and Zach did the same on the other side and then they dismounted and their horses ran back towards Amalah. Waldon and Kenaz rode to the front centre of their troops and the army began their war cry and they too, dismounted to fight with their men.

Waldon and Kenaz signalled to the archers and they, on his command, fired at the guard opposite. The arrows flew through the air and they all travelled in the same direction. The guard raised their shields but the sorcerers raised their hands and the arrows stopped short of hitting everyone. The arrows were bound in mid air and then they dropped to the floor.

Both armies marched towards each other and when they were given the signal, they broke into a run and the ground rumbled beneath them and when they drew close enough, they clashed with each other with great force.

Callan Knight and Häkan fought side by side and they were soon in the heart of the battle; while Waldon and Kenaz were devastating everyone in their wake and it would take four men just to hold them.

It was a cold day in Basimine but every single soldier and sorcerer was pumping with adrenaline and hot all the way through, for they were all fighting for their lives and they were all fighting to shape a destiny. One side hoped for a future of tyranny and darkness while another hoped for a future of love and light.

The battle went on for hours and by night fall, bodies that were slain lay among the grass and the living continued to fight around them. Most of Rakan’s men had done what they had come to do; they had gathered all the food, materials and clothing that they needed and were now filing into Equer.

Cador remained with the army and Luxor, Rakan, Rufus and Bryce raced north to the battle scene to join Waldon and Kenaz. When they reached the south edge of the battle the two split up. Rufus and Bryce stayed south and out of sight to both sides, while Rakan and Luxor rode behind their army and north. When they reached as far north as they needed to be they headed east until they were directly opposite Rufus and Bryce.

Cador pulled out a horn and blew into it and the soldiers began to retreat. Slowly but surely, they began to free themselves from the fight and retreat to a safe distance and after an hour had passed, Luxor and Rakan were approximately three-hundred metres apart but directly opposite Rufus and Bryce and they pointed their hands to the ground and fire shot out of them. The fires licked the ground and spread in a straight line; the two fires were destined to meet in the middle and as they made their way to each other - they grew magnificently and everyone on both sides, noticed the fire coming towards them. No soldier wanted to be on the side of the fire where the enemy was, so they fought to get back to their own side while others fought to keep the enemy on their side.

As the fire grew and moved to the middle, most soldiers were back on their own side; those that weren’t, were Callan and Häkan. Callan was about to run back to the side of the guard, when she saw Häkan in trouble; he had been surrounded by five of Rakan’s men and they were now getting the better of him. Häkan held them off for as long as he could but there were just too many of them. “He has no chance,” Callan thought to herself as she ran towards him.

She grabbed one soldier by the back and with all her might pulled him towards her and then twisted her body and threw him to the ground, she didn’t stop there; she delivered an upper cut and then front kick to one soldier and then a back kick to another and it was just enough time for her to help Häkan to his feet.

She saw that physically, Häkan was in a real state and Callan knew that he was in no state to fight anymore; she grabbed him by the arm and ran towards the fire with him and then swung him into the fire. Häkan went flying into the fire and cleared it and the guard dragged him further away; Callan was about to follow him, when one of the soldiers grabbed hold of her and threw her to the ground.

The soldier went towards her and kicked her in the chest but luckily for her, her breastplate took most of the force. She took a look around her and saw that there were three soldiers surrounding her, she sprung to her feet and the three of them circled her. She did not wait for them to make their move instead she kicked her leg forward then backwards striking two of the soldiers, she turned, then struck the third with a right hook and an upper cut and the fight began, but as it did – the two fires that Luxor, Rakan, Rufus and Bryce had started – met each other and Callan Knight was stuck on the side of Rakan’s army.

Most of the army retreated and ignored her and she was left to face the three men alone; they began to fight and as they fought, the fire that spread the length of the land rose even higher, she glanced around her and knew that there was no way back and in that moment she decided to fight to the end.

The three remaining soldiers gave her a run for her money and she wondered how much longer she could last. She managed to despatch of one and was left to fight the two remaining soldiers. To Callan’s surprise a man came from out of nowhere and stood next to her – it was John; he had leapt through the fire and he stood by Callan’s side, ready to face the two remaining soldiers, and Callan was glad to have another friendly face on her side. She looked at John and smiled and nodded in thanks and he nodded back. The two fought side by side as they took on the remainder of Rakan’s soldiers, and within minutes, they had defeated the two men.

‘How do we get back?’ she asked.

‘Zach,’ John said. ‘But be ready.’

John shouted at Zach and seconds later there was a small parting in the fire; John looked at Callan and together, they ran through the parting, using their shields to protect both sides of themselves and just as they reached the other side, the parting closed and the fire rose by another twenty feet. The fire stayed constant for a few seconds but the four sorcerers raised the fire as high as they could and then it stood over fifty feet tall, blocking Häkan’s guard from advancing any further. Häkan, Zach, Callan and John watched as the wall of fire cut them off from the west.

‘What now?’ Callan asked.

‘We wait,’ Häkan said. ‘That fire cannot burn long.’

‘It can and it will,’ Zach said. ‘This fire is not natural, it is a fire made from magic. Look it burns in a straight line from north to south barricading us from the west; it does not deviate from its path?’

‘Pull the guard back, we do not know if this fire will spread,’ Häkan said to three of the captains who were by his side.

The captains’ acknowledged Häkan and went to carry out his commands and the guard began to retreat.

‘They have gone to Equer now,’ Häkan said feeling dejected.

‘And we cannot follow them there,’ Callan said.

‘No we cannot,’ John said. ‘As long as that wall of fire remains.’

‘Then we return to Amalah.’

‘Can we not meet them in Equer if we enter from the west?’

‘We could but our numbers are heavily diminished and I know that Rakan will almost certainly have a trap for us when we arrive,’ Häkan said.

‘So what do we do?’

‘Return to Amalah,’ he said again.

‘Then we will not be able to face them in Equer,’ Callan Knight said grimly.

‘No we will not,’ echoed Häkan.

The guard tended to their injured and retreated east, they made camp for the night and at first light, they made their journey back to Amalah. Morale was low, for their friends and fellow soldiers had fallen and they had not achieved what they had hoped to, but above all, they knew they would have to fight another day.

Rakan, Luxor, Bryce and Rufus watched as Häkan and the guard retreated to Amalah and they in turn, made their way east. They caught up with Waldon and Kenaz and the rest of the soldiers and they filed north into Equer, where they would remain for the winter.

Chapter 28

Häkan marched the guard back to Amalah and when they arrived they were tired, dejected and in low spirits, but seeing the city gates made them feel some relief. Häkan gave his majors orders and they set about organising their troops; Häkan left the majors to their work and he entered the palace with Callan, John and Zach by his side. They went in search of Garrick and Häkan was surprised that Garrick was nowhere to be found.

The four of them went in search of Michael and Amara and they eventually found them in the Empress’s study; Häkan bowed and greeted Amara and then Michael. He could see that both of them looked sad and he wondered what had happened here in Amalah.

‘Empress is everything alright,’ he asked, with concerned.

‘I am afraid not,’ answered Amara.

‘Then please tell me what is wrong.’

Amara looked at Callan, Zach and John and then spoke.

‘Please excuse us but we must talk with Häkan alone.’

The three young people obliged and left Michael, Amara and Häkan alone.

‘What happened?’ Häkan asked, quite alarmed.

Michael came and stood next to the Empress and looked at his friend, he pursed his lips and blinked slowly.

‘There is no easy way to tell of this news my friend,’ Michael began. ‘Kalon arrived in Basimine ahead of you but unfortunately he came across Rakan and his army.’

‘Is he alright?’

‘He fought with Rakan and Rakan killed him by his own sword. Ellora witnessed the final moments; she saw Rakan drive two swords through his brother’s body.’

‘Oh no,’ Häkan said slowly and painfully. ‘Kalon no,’ he said as the pain and grief swept over him. ‘Where is Garrick?’

‘Garrick is in his room, when he is not there he spends the day at the chapel with Ellora.’

‘Let me go to him,’ Häkan said.

‘Yes Häkan, I think you should,’ Michael said, taking hold of Häkan’s arm and holding it for a while.

Häkan left Amara and Michael in the study and went to Garrick’s room. He knocked and entered to see Garrick at the window, staring out. He knocked and entered his room and Garrick simply continued to stare outside and into oblivion. Häkan walked to where he was and placed his hand on Garrick’s shoulder.

‘Garrick, I am so sorry my friend. Is there anything I can do?’

Garrick turned from the window and looked at Häkan, it was all he could do not to cry and so he just nodded his head and once again, his eyes filled with water but the tears did not spill. Häkan looked at his friend and pulled him towards him and embraced him; Garrick held on to Häkan for a short time and then stepped back. He shook his head slightly and returned to looking out of the window and Häkan stood by his side.

‘Twenty-two,’ Garrick said, almost in a whisper. ‘That’s how old he was, twenty-two.’

‘I know.’

‘Do you know he died by his brother’s hand?’

‘Yes,’ Häkan said, as he kept an eye on Garrick.

‘So if I am to avenge my son’s death, I would have to kill my other son – a cruel twist of fate if ever there was one.’

‘This life has suddenly turned cruel,’ Häkan said.

‘I lost them all Häkan,’ Garrick said in a cracked voice. ‘First Sarah – that was hard to bear, I did not think I would make it through the day and the nights were even worse. Then I lost Rakan, it hurt it truly did, like a knife searing through my body but although I lost him to evil; I knew he was still alive and if he was alive, then there was still hope. Even after, I saw what he and the others had done in Santeb, Aradene and Mantor, I always felt there was hope.’ Garrick turned to look at Häkan before he spoke again. ‘But Kalon, when I saw him slumped over the horse –lifeless.’ The tears rolled down Garrick’s face and he struggled to speak as that ever present lump, crept back up in to his throat and remained lodged there. ‘Oh Häkan, when I saw him like that…and when I learnt that he had died by Rakan’s hand. Since then, since that day, every single second has been agony and every single second feels like an eternity. When I am not thinking about Kalon – which is rare – I am wishing for the gods to strike me down, for I cannot bear to be alive any longer.’

‘I see your pain Garrick, I do and it pains me so. I wish I could take it away, I wish I could bring Kalon back, but I cannot do either of those things, but please do not leave us. Do not bring pain to the ones you love and care about and who love and care about you.’

‘It’s just so hard Häkan.’

‘I know, but please, hold on; for me, for your son and for everything you hold dear.’

‘I just...’ Garrick began, but did not finish.

‘I know one thing Garrick, I know Kalon did not want to leave you or Ellora and I know that he would want you and Ellora to look after each other. He would want you to take care of her and be there for her – I know he would want that.’

‘I know.’

‘Then please, for your son, do him that honour; stay and look after the woman who was the love of his life. He would want you to and she needs you to.’