Mathie Mackluckie rode on the shoulders of his drolf, as they narrowed in upon the group of nine. He watched as they attempted to get into formation, but Mathie's troop had the element of surprise, and they far outnumbered the group of nine. Queen Lydia had said that he was to take fifteen drolfs and ten alptraums, and enough men to keep them under control. Although he hadn't thought that this was necessary, he had bowed to her wishes. He didn't like defeating his enemies by sheer power.
Mathie watched as he ordered his troops to attack.
* * *
Jason yelled at his counterparts to fall into formation. He tried to organize them into a ring around their horses, and on two of those horses he placed Silas and Emeric. They would have a better vantage point and more room to work with their arrows. He barely finished his preparations when the enemy struck. And they struck hard.
The drolfs flew in from the sky, and the alptraums from the ground. Jason could barely believe how many there were. "Hang fast men! Silas and Emeric, wait till you can see the whites of their eyes, then fire at will." Jason encouraged.
Abraham smiled, remembering that line from history class. "Good one, Jas."
Jason laughed, despite the situation.
The Drolfs dropped down in the middle of the circle of defenders, although they had already lost three of their number, including their riders, having fallen and broken their arms or collarbones. Silas and Emeric abandoned their bows, and vaulting themselves from their perches they rushed into the crowd of assailants. Synchronized with their comrades in the middle, the troop of Alptraums charged the circle. Beset from both center and middle, the defenders were pushed apart as the battle commenced. The company fought in groups of twos and threes, fighting a losing battle. Jason and Abraham stood back to back and fought off the monsters that assaulted them. They unearthed their use and techniques of the sword that they had mastered in Alepp two years ago, and found that they were swifter and stronger since then.
The raging sea broke as if on a cliff face as the Alptraums, Drolfs, and men attempted to break the duet apart. Abraham slashed low, while Jason cleaved space free up high. Jason jumped and twisted in midair as an Alptraum leapt at him, swinging his sword as he landed, he cleft through the soft fur of the stomach.
Jason whirled around as he heard Abraham cry out. Another bear-man crouched over him and prepared to deliver the killing blow. Jason sprang forward, but he knew he couldn't get there in time. Then, out of nowhere, without any weapon at all, Obadiah Odin barreled through and tackled the Alptraum, and started wrestling it. Jason hurried to his aid and helped him dispatch it.
Abraham tried to stand up, but he wobbled. He groaned. "My ankle is sprained, Jas. I don't know if I will be able to get out of here without slowing y'all down."
Jason rushed to his side and had his bestfriend wrap his arm around his shoulders, "Don't worry, Ab. I'll get you out of here."
Obadiah's panting brought them back to the battle raging around them, "What's the plan, Jason? We won't be able to defeat the enemy, there are too many, and our men are too outnumbered and wounded to carry on like this. Saul had his arm dislocated, the two Tronido brothers have suffered concussions, Amos stumbled over a Drolf's body and got attacked by another one of those demons. He has scratches all up and down his back. And we can't forget Abraham's ankle." He pointed out needlessly.
Jason nodded, "We need to try to make it to the forest. Where are the horses?"
"They've scattered-"
But before Obadiah could finish his sentence, Thomas Fresco burst through the battle with all of the horses in tow. Abraham grinned, then winced. "Glad you were wrong this time, Odin. Ouch. I think I might've broken a rib too."
Jason found his horse and blew the horn that hung at the saddle. Five more figures rushed toward the group of four standing by the horses. Jason was relieved to see that they recognized the old Aleppian horn signals.
While the enemy was still trying to figure out the sudden absence of their quarry, the company gathered around Jason and Abraham, "Friends, on the horses as quickly as possible. This is a battle we can't win." Ignoring their mutterings, Jason waited until everyone was mounted. When everyone was ready to ride, Jason continued, "Head to the forest, and if you become separated on the way, meet up at Fort Katafygio. Now, go! Heeyah!" Jason urged his horse to a gallop and the company raced away across the plains with the enemy in pursuit.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
The Door Between Worlds Chapter Eight
The company rode down the grassy knoll into the wide plains that separated them from the Northern mountains. Jason looked at the jagged peak in the distance and grimaced. And then he continued to eat bacon.
As the group clattered along the grassy trail, Gideon came abreast of Jason. He grinned as Jason handed him a slab, "Thank you, Sterling. What's the plan when we reach the Promonton pass?"
Jason chewed thoughtfully before he replied, "We were planning on going up through the pass about fifteen klicks and then turn right before we reach the peak of the pass, we'll leave the horses there at a fort that guards the pass that Earl March holds and leave the horses there with them. When there we'll go on foot and turn up into the mountains to continue upward."
"How far?"
"As far as we can go. No one in recent memory has reached the peak of the topmost mountain. So we will keep climbing until it isn't possible to climb anymore. And then we'll climb more." Jason laughed.
* * *
James woke up on his back. He tried to open his eyes, but they were blindfolded. His hands scrapped against the ground, sensing where he was, nostril's flared trying to make sense of the clear, cold air that hit his lungs. His mind was groping for what had happened to bring him to this place.
Just as suddenly as the cold air hit his lungs, the memories came flooding back. James Sterling tensed at the memory and struggled to his knees when he heard a voice just to his right.
"Hello, James Sterling. Good of you to join me." A young confident voice quipped.
"Who are you?" James asked defiantly.
Lydia smiled, he sounded just like Jason, "You are Jason's father, are you not?"
James Sterling tensed his muscles, his jaw clenched. "Where's Jason? Do you know where he is?"
Lydia let out a taunting laugh, "Yes. And no."
"What do you mean by that?" James didn't like her.
She ignored him. "Mathie, prepare the troops. I don't want Jason's father kept waiting."
"Yes ma'am," answered a rumbling, cheerful voice. Then he heard footsteps departing.
"And you, Sornione, get yourself off your hind in and show our guest to his living quarters."
A grunt carried across the room from where James was on his knees, "Yes ma'am." A cynical voice responded. He felt a thin hand with long, clawlike fingers grip his shoulders and pull him to a standing position. Sornione shoved him hard in the small of the back before he could get set on his feet. He stumbled to the ground. Sornione grabbed him and hauled him up with surprising strength, James Sterling shoved Sornione off. He continued to walk blindfolded. Sornione order him to halt, and stepped around him and yanked open a door. A burning smell sifted through the air to James' nostril. He grimaced.
Sornione tore the black cloth off of his eyes and gave him an elbow into the place between his shoulder blades. "Run." He said and slammed the door.
James hit the ground and started running against the ground that was moving against him.
* * *
It had been two days since they had started across the plains. Abraham Johnson looked up from his horse and looked across to the dark forest that hemmed the Promontan mountain range in. He was still gazing when the attack hit the small company from the rear.
A sharp cry arose, one that he had hoped he would never hear again. A drolf landed right in front of him and Peanut Butter. (His horse) "Jason! We're under attack!" Abraham yelled. He turned and leapt into his saddle and spurred Peanut back to the camp, with the drolf flapping right behind him.
As the group clattered along the grassy trail, Gideon came abreast of Jason. He grinned as Jason handed him a slab, "Thank you, Sterling. What's the plan when we reach the Promonton pass?"
Jason chewed thoughtfully before he replied, "We were planning on going up through the pass about fifteen klicks and then turn right before we reach the peak of the pass, we'll leave the horses there at a fort that guards the pass that Earl March holds and leave the horses there with them. When there we'll go on foot and turn up into the mountains to continue upward."
"How far?"
"As far as we can go. No one in recent memory has reached the peak of the topmost mountain. So we will keep climbing until it isn't possible to climb anymore. And then we'll climb more." Jason laughed.
* * *
James woke up on his back. He tried to open his eyes, but they were blindfolded. His hands scrapped against the ground, sensing where he was, nostril's flared trying to make sense of the clear, cold air that hit his lungs. His mind was groping for what had happened to bring him to this place.
Just as suddenly as the cold air hit his lungs, the memories came flooding back. James Sterling tensed at the memory and struggled to his knees when he heard a voice just to his right.
"Hello, James Sterling. Good of you to join me." A young confident voice quipped.
"Who are you?" James asked defiantly.
Lydia smiled, he sounded just like Jason, "You are Jason's father, are you not?"
James Sterling tensed his muscles, his jaw clenched. "Where's Jason? Do you know where he is?"
Lydia let out a taunting laugh, "Yes. And no."
"What do you mean by that?" James didn't like her.
She ignored him. "Mathie, prepare the troops. I don't want Jason's father kept waiting."
"Yes ma'am," answered a rumbling, cheerful voice. Then he heard footsteps departing.
"And you, Sornione, get yourself off your hind in and show our guest to his living quarters."
A grunt carried across the room from where James was on his knees, "Yes ma'am." A cynical voice responded. He felt a thin hand with long, clawlike fingers grip his shoulders and pull him to a standing position. Sornione shoved him hard in the small of the back before he could get set on his feet. He stumbled to the ground. Sornione grabbed him and hauled him up with surprising strength, James Sterling shoved Sornione off. He continued to walk blindfolded. Sornione order him to halt, and stepped around him and yanked open a door. A burning smell sifted through the air to James' nostril. He grimaced.
Sornione tore the black cloth off of his eyes and gave him an elbow into the place between his shoulder blades. "Run." He said and slammed the door.
James hit the ground and started running against the ground that was moving against him.
* * *
It had been two days since they had started across the plains. Abraham Johnson looked up from his horse and looked across to the dark forest that hemmed the Promontan mountain range in. He was still gazing when the attack hit the small company from the rear.
A sharp cry arose, one that he had hoped he would never hear again. A drolf landed right in front of him and Peanut Butter. (His horse) "Jason! We're under attack!" Abraham yelled. He turned and leapt into his saddle and spurred Peanut back to the camp, with the drolf flapping right behind him.
Monday, May 12, 2014
The Door Between Worlds Chapter Seven
Lydia watched as the figure raced across the field, away from the Alptraum. She smiled as she turned away from the window and walked back into her throne room in her mountain fastness. She would be prepared to receive James Sterling.
Count Sornione strutted into the hall, "Shall I have the archers shoot?"
"No, Sornione," Lydia glared. He was so impatient. No, they would have to be deliberate.
"But, ma'am, if I may be so bold, I would suggest we at least fire at it to let it know who's land it dares intrude upon." The Count said imperiously.
Lydia grimaced, "We want him to come this way. Now, please, open our gates so that our guest can be welcomed."
The Count stayed where he was, "Why do we want this foreigner to step foot in our mountain? This has never happened before, and I will never allow it to happen as long as I'm alive."
Angered to be thus defied, Lydia stood up, and then she walked slowly down the stairs. Sornione stepped back a pace. "How dare you question a direct order." She said it in a voice barely above a whisper, but it held the force of a tornado.
Sornione stared hard down at her into her once brown, now black eyes. She didn't have any respect for him. She didn't think he could wipe her life away in a-
Count Sornione never had a chance to finish his thought, for the next thing he knew, he was being struck by lightening. Then he was hurled back against the stone wall. He groaned, his vision dimmed, and a black warmness was about to envelope him. But before he lost consciousness, he heard Lydia's voice filter through the darkness, "Who is wiping out who's life, sweet Sornnione?" She laughed.
* * *
James Sterling stretched his long legs as far as they would go, and pulled them back as quickly as he could, racing and propelling himself off the rocky ground. The Bear-man was just behind him, snarling. When he had jumped through the portal, James had almost been struck dumb with wonder. But when death is on your heel, you forget your surroundings and run. That is life is, running until you have finished your story, running until you are full to the brim and ready to burst. Death catches you, only when your story is done. Only when it is time to meet your Maker.
Jame's story was no where near the ending. As a matter of fact, he was more alive than he could ever imagine. He breathed, pumping air down into his engines, finding another gear he never knew he had. He turned a tight corner that dead-ended abruptly. He whipped around as he heard the Alptraum come racing around the corner. He looked around for something to defend himself with, there was nothing. Nothing but solid cliff face. He grimaced.
The Alptraum growled, he gathered himself, and just when James Sterling was making his final prayers, he was grabbed from behind and hauled into the cliff face. The last thing he saw was the beast flinging itself before the cliff swallowed James Sterling. Then he knew no more.
* * *
Jason Sterling hauled himself up into the saddle, the early morning mist rising from the ground. He shivered, it had to be below freezing. Alepp could definitely get cold in the morning. His fellow companions were mounting their horses around him as they prepared to head up into the mountains. Jason looked up at the snow capped peaks in the distance, he sighed inwardly, it was going to be a long journey.
"Hey Jas," Abraham rode up alongside him, "Have some bacon." Abraham handed him a slab of bacon.
Jason smiled.
He ate.
Count Sornione strutted into the hall, "Shall I have the archers shoot?"
"No, Sornione," Lydia glared. He was so impatient. No, they would have to be deliberate.
"But, ma'am, if I may be so bold, I would suggest we at least fire at it to let it know who's land it dares intrude upon." The Count said imperiously.
Lydia grimaced, "We want him to come this way. Now, please, open our gates so that our guest can be welcomed."
The Count stayed where he was, "Why do we want this foreigner to step foot in our mountain? This has never happened before, and I will never allow it to happen as long as I'm alive."
Angered to be thus defied, Lydia stood up, and then she walked slowly down the stairs. Sornione stepped back a pace. "How dare you question a direct order." She said it in a voice barely above a whisper, but it held the force of a tornado.
Sornione stared hard down at her into her once brown, now black eyes. She didn't have any respect for him. She didn't think he could wipe her life away in a-
Count Sornione never had a chance to finish his thought, for the next thing he knew, he was being struck by lightening. Then he was hurled back against the stone wall. He groaned, his vision dimmed, and a black warmness was about to envelope him. But before he lost consciousness, he heard Lydia's voice filter through the darkness, "Who is wiping out who's life, sweet Sornnione?" She laughed.
* * *
James Sterling stretched his long legs as far as they would go, and pulled them back as quickly as he could, racing and propelling himself off the rocky ground. The Bear-man was just behind him, snarling. When he had jumped through the portal, James had almost been struck dumb with wonder. But when death is on your heel, you forget your surroundings and run. That is life is, running until you have finished your story, running until you are full to the brim and ready to burst. Death catches you, only when your story is done. Only when it is time to meet your Maker.
Jame's story was no where near the ending. As a matter of fact, he was more alive than he could ever imagine. He breathed, pumping air down into his engines, finding another gear he never knew he had. He turned a tight corner that dead-ended abruptly. He whipped around as he heard the Alptraum come racing around the corner. He looked around for something to defend himself with, there was nothing. Nothing but solid cliff face. He grimaced.
The Alptraum growled, he gathered himself, and just when James Sterling was making his final prayers, he was grabbed from behind and hauled into the cliff face. The last thing he saw was the beast flinging itself before the cliff swallowed James Sterling. Then he knew no more.
* * *
Jason Sterling hauled himself up into the saddle, the early morning mist rising from the ground. He shivered, it had to be below freezing. Alepp could definitely get cold in the morning. His fellow companions were mounting their horses around him as they prepared to head up into the mountains. Jason looked up at the snow capped peaks in the distance, he sighed inwardly, it was going to be a long journey.
"Hey Jas," Abraham rode up alongside him, "Have some bacon." Abraham handed him a slab of bacon.
Jason smiled.
He ate.
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