The War of the Gilded Beasts Read online

  “Oi! Those slobs would have accelerated our decline! They had to be cut loose in order for the rest of our family to survive!”

  “In times of peace, that would have been a good idea, but now we are gambling our future in this war.”

  “That is why we must win this war no matter the cost. How is that special potion of yours coming?”

  “I am searching for viable ingredients. It will take some time, but I think I can come up with the right mixture in a few months. I should warn you that one little mistake could have dire consequences.”

  “That is a risk I am willing to take. As you say, we are gambling our entire future in this war. That means I must gamble my life as well, as I have been for the past eighteen years with your blood magic. Should I contribute more blood to the potion?”

  “Possibly, but if it comes to that, the extent of the toll will be even worse than it is now.”

  “I don’t care. By my iron wrath, we must succeed!”

  ______

  Meanwhile in Valai, the Magnus armies were gathering in the middle of a vast green field. Men were gathering food, supplies, and weapons for the march ahead. Countless tents and pavilions of various colors dotted the landscape, the banners of their owners flapping in the wind. In the sky, four dragons were circling the encampment.

  The poorest of the soldiers wore boiled leather under coats of chainmail. Wealthier knights and men-at-arms wore intricately crafted plate armor. As for the wealthiest members of the Magnus Army, they possessed armor and weapons forged from Ferruman. These variations made the Magnus host a diverse force to behold in terms of equipment.

  Inside the Magnus pavilion, Kemrin, his brothers, and their generals were gathering to discuss their plan of attack. The interior of the pavilion contained a large ornate table with a map of Gradaia placed on top of it. In the corners of the tent were tables that served olives, figs, and sweet wine.

  Everyone talked amongst themselves until Kemrin broke the silence., saying, “How many men have we summoned?”

  Marek replied, “Umbran and Valai managed to provide seventeen thousand, Aemarr brought twelve thousand, Varland has thirteen thousand, and Storuuk provided sixteen thousand. That gives us just over seventy-five thousand men. It won’t be as large as what the southern kingdoms have and it is not our full strength, but it is the best we could do in three months. If we wait any longer, we will risk the southerners mustering greater numbers since they are more populated than us. Also, we have four dragons and Aemarr’s fleet of a thousand longships and two hundred galleys.”

  “How large are the Imperial Armies now?”

  Shrugging, Marek answered, “From what our scouts say, they managed to gather over one hundred thousand men. They have us outnumbered and we don’t know how many of those chimeras they have. If they outnumber our dragons, then the odds won’t look good for us.”

  “My brothers and I have no experience when it comes to leading armies. While dealing with the uprisings in Umbran, we fought while riding our dragons, but we never fought on the ground with our armies. Therefore, we must choose commanders amongst you to command our ground and naval forces. Any volunteers?” Daegar asked.

  Thanon raised his hand and said, “As the Prince of Aemarr, I am the grand admiral of the Aemarran fleet. If anyone is going to command our fleet, it is going to be me. I want to lead our ships to the harbor of Chrysos and claim the head of the High Prince who killed my mother!”

  Nodding in approval, Caelum said, “I appreciate your enthusiasm, Thanon. You can lead the fleet. All we need now is someone to lead our ground forces.”

  Brom Letum stepped forward. Brom was in his early forties with graying black hair and a dark left eye. His right eye was replaced by a smoothed ruby with a diagonal scar that ran over his eye socket. Strapped to his back was a sheathed claymore, while a steel legbrace encased his right leg. Overall, Brom was an intimidating man.

  “I will lead the ground forces. In fact, I even have an idea of how we shall deploy our forces. I led the Magnus vanguard during the uprisings and survived the Siege of Foxden,” Brom said, his voice as hard and cold as iron.

  “What do you have in mind, cousin?” Vaeron asked.

  Brom surveyed the map with his remaining eye and explained, “We are currently in the middle of Valai, just outside of Storuuk. The forests of Storuuk are impassible due to their density, the various predators that lurk in them, and the Storuukan militia. Therefore, the Imperial Army cannot pass into the north directly. The only clear passages northward are the hills that cover the border between Storuuk and Waes and the pass that leads through Veiporran. As long as those two passages are undefended, the Imperials can invade our kingdoms with impunity. Therefore, our course of action is to get to those locations before the Sylvas do. If we can do that, we can push forward and keep our lands safe at the same time.

  “However, in order to defend those passages and guarantee long-term victory, I think we should divide our forces into three hosts, each one with their own tasks. Vaeron and his dragon will take ten thousand men and garrison Veiporran. Veiporran has no gates of its own, so extreme measures will need to be taken to ensure that the Sylvas do not pass.”

  Irritably, Vaeron asked, “Why should I waste my time defending a glass castle? Can’t you send me on a more important mission?”

  “Veiporran is stationed right on the Storuukan border. Since you are married to Princess Freya, you would be able to summon reinforcements if need be. Also, to increase your chances of calling Storuukan reinforcements, Marek will go with you to command the garrison since he is the new King of Storuuk.

  “As I was saying, while Vaeron and Marek are holding Veiporran, Kemrin, Daegar, and I will lead the bulk of our forces, which will consist of about forty-five thousand men. We will march through the hills in the west, where we will not only defend the passage, but we will also subdue Waes and western Raevor. We will expect fierce resistance, but with two dragons we might prevail.

  “Caelum and Thanon will take the remaining twenty thousand men along with the Aemarran fleet. With most of the Imperial Army off to war, Chrysos will be lightly defended. Due to this, the Aemarran fleet and Caelum’s dragon will lay siege to Chrysos. While our ground forces will be subduing the Imperial Army, our fleet will secure the capital. If all goes according to plan, we can end this war within a year,” Brom elaborated further.

  After a few moments contemplating Brom’s plan, Kemrin said, “Sounds like a sound strategy to me. Any objections?” When the generals were silent, Kemrin added, “All right. Then we start the march at first light.”

  Everyone in the pavilion cheered in unison as they looked forward to the glory that awaited them.

  ______

  Outside of the imposing curtain walls of Medgarfort, the Imperial Army had gathered with three chimeras perched on the battlements like oversized gargoyles. The Imperial Army was so vast that they occupied the entire field that lay beyond Medgarfort’s gates. Lavish tents and pavilions filled the colossal encampment, giving it the appearance of a city instead of a simple camp.

  Inside the main pavilion were the commanders of the Imperial host, including the three High Princes. Among the commanders were King Gandell of Waes and Princes Valton and Lyman Faan. Everyone was clad in finely crafted plate armor and cloaks that displayed their family sigils.

  “So, how shall we plan our strategy, High Prince Gyran? How shall we clean up your mess?” Gandell asked.

  Gyran sat quietly in his seat and pouted bitterly.

  Tytus raised his hand and said, “Our father disinherited Gyran. He is not in command here. As next in line, the chain of command falls to me.”

  Scoffing, Valton asked, “What makes you better than High Prince Gyran?”

  “To begin with, I have a viable plan of how we can deploy our forces. We have one hundred and ten thousand men at our disposal. If we are to quell the northern rebellion before it spreads south, we have to take the fight to them. The forests of Storuuk
are too dense for our host to march through, but the passages through Veiporran and northern Waes can allow a large army to pass. If we are to defend both passages, we should split our forces in half, with fifty-five thousand men to Veiporran and fifty-five thousand through northern Waes. However, the rebels have the Aemarran fleet at their command and the Imperial Fleet in busy defending the harbor into Chrysos. Therefore, Romyn will take his chimera and intercept the rebel fleet before they can reach the capital.”

  Shocked, Romyn protested, “Why must I go after the rebel fleet alone? Why can’t one of you come with me?”

  “Because I will be in charge of securing Veiporran and Gyran will be in charge of securing northern Waes. With so many places to defend and so few chimeras, we have to make do with what we have.”

  Raising his hand, Lyman asked, “High Prince, I know this is going to raise some debate, but I must ask, what are those creatures perched on our castle walls? Where did they come from?”

  “I’m glad you asked that. As you are all aware, our mother is one of the last Druids, and she is highly skilled in alchemy and sorcery. In order to create a countermeasure against the Magnus dragons, she made these creatures specifically to kill dragons. They have already killed one of the Magnus dragons, so their effectiveness is guaranteed. Thanks to our informants in the north, we have also created additional countermeasures in case the chimeras fail. However, this extra countermeasure was ruinously expensive to make, so we only have one completed. With this in mind, we must use it wisely in the war to come. I assure you, we are more than prepared for whatever the rebels will throw at us. We have them outnumbered and we have ways to counter their dragons. You have nothing to fear.”

  Puffing out his chest, Valton boasted, “I swear by all the gods that I will serve the Imperial Crown to best of my abilities! I will bring honor and prestige to House Sylva as I crush the rebels!”

  “When do we leave, High Prince?” Lyman asked.

  “We go our separate ways at first light. In the next few months, we will rid the Empire of the pestilence of rebellion and restore peace to the entire realm.”

  CHAPTER 16

  One month later . . .

  Brom sat on his horse as he surveyed the large hill known as the Titan’s Slope below. Behind him were over forty-five thousand men, armed and ready to fight. At the front of the Magnus host were the archers brandishing their longbows while the infantry and cavalry stood behind them. Somewhere amongst the clouds were Kemrin and Daegar on their dragons, waiting for the right moment to strike.

  Below the steep hill was a vast valley that stretched all the way to the ocean. Resting along the coast was the walled port city of Sylva Harbor, a wealthy settlement ripe for the taking. Leons Pyre was too impregnable even for dragon flame, but Sylva Harbor would be easier to conquer. The only problem Brom and his men faced was approaching them from just outside of the city. Marching towards the Magnus army was a tremendous Imperial force, roughly fifty thousand strong. The enemy was so numerous that the ground shook with their march. Fortunately, Brom seized the high ground and dug in on the hill. Due to the steepness of the slope, Brom hoped the Sylvas would have difficulty reaching them.

  As the Imperial Army started to climb up the hill, Brom turned to his soldiers and ordered, “Archers! Prepare to fire!”

  With organized precision, the archers strung their longbows and loaded their arrows. As the Sylva forces continued to climb, Brom noticed that they were moving slower than before as though their troops were getting exhausted carrying their heavy armor and weapons up the steep slope.

  Once the Sylvas were a third of the way up the hill, Brom shouted, “Loose!”

  A storm of arrows was launched into the sky like a swarm of angry hornets. The projectiles were so many that they briefly blocked out the sun. When the arrows fell, hundreds of Sylva loyalists were slain. In response, the Sylva infantry formed a tight shield wall while their archers sent a volley of their own. Brom held his breath as the Sylva arrows were fired, but sighed with relief as they landed a few yards short of the Magnus forces. Brom’s men laughed at the realization that their enemy’s arrows could not reach them.

  Laughing with them, Brom ordered, “Archers! Fire again! Loose!”

  Over the course of an hour, the Magnus and Sylva forces exchanged volleys, but it was clear who had the advantage. Due to the steepness of the hill, the Magnus arrows traveled further downhill than the Sylva arrows traveled uphill. As a result, the Imperial Army was taking all of the casualties in a one-sided massacre.

  Suddenly, a demonic roar filled the air as a chimera descended from the clouds and fired a beam of lightning at Brom’s forces, throwing them into disarray. Brom desperately tried to get his men back in line, but he could not due to the continued lightning blasts. Just when the Magnus army was about to break and run, Kemrin and Daegar arrived on their dragons and drove the chimera away with bursts of flame. The three beasts then ascended into the air and clashed above the two opposing armies. The sight of Kemrin and Daegar fighting off the chimera was just what Brom and his men needed to regain their morale and continue the fight against the Sylva army.

  When Brom and the Magnus host returned their attention to the Imperial Army, they saw that their enemy was attempting to take advantage of the ensuing chaos by taking the fight to them. They vigorously marched up the hill with every ounce of energy they could muster even as Brom’s archers continued to rain arrows on them. The Sylva war horses tripped and fell as they struggled up the slope, tumbling down and rolling over several soldiers in the process. It seemed the closer the Sylva army got to the Magnus host, the more tired and disorganized they became.

  Seeing this, Brom drew his claymore and ordered, “All forces! Charge!”

  After those words, the entirety of the Magnus army ran down the hill and clashed with the Sylva army in a violent melee. Instantly, the sound of steel against steel rang in the air, the iron smell of blood spread like a plague, and the putrid taste of death filled men’s mouths as they breathed. The growing skirmish kicked up bursts of gore and mud as men and horses sprinted from one side of the hill to the other. On his steed, Brom swung his claymore left and right, decapitating and bifurcating men-at-arms with each blow. As he rode, Brom found it difficult to control his horse’s momentum as it sprinted downhill. Eventually, an infantry man with a billhook charged Brom and skewered his horse in the chest, throwing Brom off of his saddle. As he lay flat on his back, Brom struggled to fight off opportunistic Sylva soldiers who tried to kill him before he could recover. In moments, Brom managed to slice off their feet and legs after blocking their strikes. With his foes incapacitated, Brom scrambled to his feet and dove into the fray with renewed vigor, limping due to his crippled right leg.

  In the corner of Brom’s eyes, he glimpsed archers slitting the throats of wounded soldiers with their daggers. He saw another man-at-arms with a billhook use his polearm to get the large hook around his opponent’s neck and take their head off with a single pull. A pair of knights exchanged blows with flails while another pair cleaved one another with battle axes. The two armies were so tightly packed together that they ended up wrestling and grappling with one another in a colossal mass of tangled bodies.

  Brom spotted a number of prominent members of the Magnus army fighting proficiently in the mayhem. Sir Clovis Virtus crushed plate armor with his war hammer while his son Sir Galen Virtus split chests open with his battle axe. The father-son duo displayed tremendous strength as they struck down one foe after another. To make them even more intimidating, the bull horns on their great helms made them look like war demons.

  Not far away were Sir Tristan Ballows and his twin sons Darek and Mervyn Ballows. The trio were among the archers who rained volley after volley on the Sylva forces. After being forced to fight in close-quarters combat, Tristan drew his katzbalger while his sons drew their falchions. All three of them displayed a one-handed fighting style that relied on skill and precision instead of brute strength. It was l
ike watching a group of dancers moving to a song of death and glory.

  Joe Karly’s son Myke the Pyke and shieldmaiden daughter Kyra also fought in the fray. Befitting his moniker, Myke brandished a pike and utilized it like a quarter staff before skewering his opponents like roasted pigs. Kyra wielded a heater shield and longsword, hacking and slashing like a wild beast instead of a disciplined warrior. Both siblings laughed maniacally as they fought their way through the enemy ranks. Brom was both amused and disturbed that the Karly children had inherited their father’s mad demeanor.

  Brom’s own son Robin was earning his spurs as well as he clashed with a cluster of Sylva men-at-arms. The youth had a claymore of his own and managed to gut one soldier before cleaving another’s skull open with a powerful two-handed swing. There was one moment when Brom glimpsed a glimmer of fear and uncertainty in his son’s eyes, but his concern washed away when the glimmer disappeared. Part of Brom was saddened by the sight. Robin may be becoming a true warrior, but he was losing his innocence in the process.

  A few yards away, Brom spotted Prince Erik Rosa encased in his beautifully crafted plate armor, swinging a longsword in one hand and a morning star in the other. The young prince’s mastery over his horse was so great that he maneuvered it with his hips instead of his reins as he swung his dual weapons. When Brom first met Erik, he was under the impression that he was more skilled in jousting rather than actual combat. However, Erik was proving to be a terrifyingly skilled young man despite this being his first real battle.

  In another corner of the battle, Edgar Torren and his son Bjorn Torren dismounted and fought back-to-back with their swords and shields. They were surrounded by foes, but they managed to keep them at bay, their movements in perfect synchronization like a pair of mirror images. Brom remembered when Edgar had a dysfunctional relationship with his own father, but he had clearly learned from this and improved his relationship with his own son in order to serve them well in combat.