Chapter 2- The threat revealed.

The boats arrive on the shore as Kalek prepares his men. The threat is revealed and a war council is called.

The sky looked like a canvas of purple with orange streaking through like a blazing trail of flame.  Kalek stood with his troops beside the Purple and gold banners atop the village walls as the three ships sailed towards the coast. The sturdy banner snapped in the crisp wind. The emblem of The Avatars of Glory �"A golden Sword on a field of Purple wreathed in Golden flames- shone proudly in the dying suns light. Shielding his eyes from the evening glare he watched as his soldier’s hid in caves around the beaches outside the village portcullis.  He turned his back to the spectacle and walked away from the cliffs. Beckoning towards a close by engineer he poured himself some water. As the engineer approached he looked up to see a young man of about twenty one years. His blonde hair almost brown from sweat and his blue eyes were full of youth and eagerness.

 

"What is your name lad?" asked Kalek as he loosened his armor and leaned his warhammer against a nearby battlement.

 

The young engineer smiled and replied "my name is Daniel sire," the engineer quickly pulled out papers from his belt pouch "I serve with the Bayul squadron of engineer’s fifth division, I just graduated!"

 

Kalek chuckled at the young man’s enthusiasm. "Ah, so you are a Master Engineer then!"

 

"No, no sir, not at all!" Daniel shook his head vigorously.

 

Kalek leaned forward “Have you ever spilled enemy blood before?"

 

Daniels eyes opened wide with shock. He shook his head in the negative. "I became an engineer so I wouldn't have to fight."

 

"This is understandable," Kalek poured some more drink and offered it to the engineer "sit lad, and let us talk, as we may have a long days of fighting up ahead!"

 

Daniel accepted the offered cup and sat next to his Guild Lord on the stone steps. "What will happen when the ships reach shore?"

 

"Well that entirely depends on who it is, enemies or friends!" sighed Kalek.

 

"And if they are enemies, what are  we to do?" the engineer asked with curiosity.

 

"Well we shall let them get off their ships,  let them travel in land until they put some distance between their ships," replied Kalek "then our soldiers in the beach caves will come up from behind them, and we shall open the gates and attack them from the front!"

 

Daniel nodded his head "A fight on two fronts!"

 

Kalek drained the last of his drink before replying "Exactly, but hopefully we won't have to."

“But let’s put this talk of fighting aside; tell me more about you Daniel.”

 

“Not much to say,” The young engineer looked at his Guild Lord, “I come from a family of engineers, my father was one and his father before him.”

 

“Smart family,” Kalek smiled, “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

 

“One brother,” nodded Daniel, “Flynn, the only of our family to not go to the academy to study engineering, he has dreams of becoming a warrior, such as yourself.”

 

“A noble dream,” Kalek poured himself another cup of water.

 

“Yes, but our family is not like yours, we do not come from a family of fighters, or leaders and heroes, such as you!”

 

“What makes a hero, Daniel?”

 

“Bravery, and strength, success of quests that you and your brothers have done!” Daniel exclaimed “Your family are heroes, mine are just engineers!”

 

Kalek looked at the young man, “It is true, my family has been decorated with many awards and titles, but being a warrior doesn’t make me a hero, what makes a hero is what is in their heart and their intentions.”

 

The young engineer nodded his head.

 

“I was a warrior before people called me a hero, I was like Flynn, young and freshly enrolled in the academy.  The king had just sent message requesting aid in the fight against the Charr.  Have you heard of the Battle at Fort Ranik?”

 

Daniel smiled, “Yes, the mission where you and three of your brothers liberated the fort, who does not know of this battle?”

 

Kalek smiled “Aye, Riel, Zain, Prince and I got a lot of credit for that battle, but there was one hero that really stood out.”

 

Kalek gazed up in the sky remembering the events that had unfolded.

 

“When Captain Calhaan sent us to take back the fort, he couldn’t spare any men to aid us, so my brothers and I went on our own,  the fighting was fierce and we rescued many of our comrades from captivity, but when we neared the fort, there was a small army of Charr soldiers camped out front.  We had no chance taking the fort, but fortunately, we ran into an engineer named Lormar.  He helped us repair the trebuchets that obliterated the army.  Without Seigemaster Lormar, we would have had no chance at retaking the fort!”  Kalek stopped his intense study of the sky and looked at Daniel, “The real hero was Lormar, an engineer, and so don’t you ever think that you do not come from a family of heroes.”

 

“But sir, the fierce battle between the enemy general and your brothers is legendary!”

 

“How do you think we got to the Charr Generals?” Kalek asked “We got there because Lormar helped desecrate their armies, without him you would be talking to an ordinary warrior, not a hero.” Kalek said the word with a trace of awkwardness.

 

“They have reached the land!” cried one of the look outs perched on the watchtowers.

 

“Well, looks like the mystery of the boats will be solved,” Kalek sighed setting aside his cup he started to strap on his braces and tighten his armor. "Meanwhile I want you and the other engineers to make sure all the gates, and war machines are in proper working order, we may need to use them."

 

"What happens if they overwhelm us," Daniel asked "What will we do then?"

 

"We will have to light the alliance beacon at the top of the watch tower, and hope our Allied guilds come to our aid, my brother Mattaias and his sun-spear warriors are visiting the Cry of the Phoenix guild hall, and they are very skilled in the art of combat and magic."

 

Kalek stood and stretched his stiff muscles "Now go and help your fellow engineers out!"

 

With a swift bow the young man started to jog toward a group of engineers working on a catapult.

 

"Oh and Daniel, stay safe young lad, no trying to be a hero!"

 

Daniel turned and smiled, "That's why I chose to be an engineer!”

 

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The piercing sound of the whistles filled the air to warn of the approaching boats.  Zain stood at the base of the wall protecting the village when the first fireball hit the gates.  An alarmed sound rushed through the soldiers stationed above the wall. 

“Finally,” Zain laughed, “We get to have some fun around here!” 

With a joyous yell the young mage started running towards the boats as they reached the shore.  Another fireball came rushing towards him.  Smiling nonchalantly, Zain closed his eyes as his body started to quiver, the forces of the elements coursing through him.  His eyes opened, nothing but the whites showing.  His back arched as the fireball hit him in the chest, but instead of it burning him, the flames seemed to absorb through his chest, tendrils of flames snaking up his arms.  Zain extended his hands in front of him the palms facing the boats as he landed back on to the earth.  With a grunt, he forced the flames out of his palms burning the sails of the leading ship.

 

Standing at the top of the cliffs, observing the exchange between the ship and Zain was Kalek.  Fuming he turned to a nearby officer, “What is the blasted fool doing?”

 

The officer looked up from the scene on the beach, “well sir, he is doing what he always does, engaging enemies contrary to orders issued!”

 

“Send a monk down to protect him before he gets hurt!” an exasperated Kalek sighed.

 

Just then another fireball came flying over the battlements of the wall, heading directly towards one of the soldiers.  The soldier raised his shield over his head in fear, knowing all too well it would not protect him.  The ball of flame struck the shield and exploded, but instead of red flames engulfing him, a bluish white light engulfed the soldier.   Kalek smiled, Riel’s monks had always been the best. 

 

A ranger hurried toward Kalek to deliver a scouting report.  “Imps sir, fire Imps that normally populate the Kryta region are on the ship!” 

 

“Enemies then,” he sighed, “tell the soldiers in the caves that our plan has been compromised, we are in open combat with them, and ask them to go support Zain.”

 

The ranger hurried off after saluting the guild Lord.

 

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Sweat was beading up on Zain’s forehead.  Surrounded by nine imps, Zain has his hands full.  He had cast a ward of fire attunement around himself making him immune to the fire of the imps.  But his energy was going fast and he couldn’t hold up the ward for much longer.  The monk that had come down to help him was also running out of energy trying to keep himself and Zain healed. 

Zain fell to his knees, he was sapped of energy, he couldn’t hold off for much longer.  The air was getting hotter from the imp magic.  He always did this, getting into more trouble than he could handle.  Why hadn’t he waited for Kalek, why did he always have to rush things?  The sounds around him died down.  Hearing was the first to go before it all ended, that was what they said right? 

 

Oh gods, Zain thought to himself, I’m not ready to die!  He looked up into the orange beady eyes of the monster before him.  His whole body shaking, Zain let a roar of frustration rip out of his throat.   Then without warning, the imp’s body went limp and it fell over.  An arrow embedded in its back between its wings.  Zain looked up to see the fighters from the caves dispatching the rest of the imps.

He collapsed against the ground exhaustion catching up to him.  Never again, he thought to himself bitterly.

 

He heaved himself up off the ground, and turning to the ranger he offered his hand.

“My thanks friend!” Zain shook the man’s hand heartily.

The ranger smiled, “It was no problem, just doing my duty!”

Zain then embraced the ranger, “You saved my life, this is not a debt that is easily repaid, but I will do what I can to repay it!”

“It was a plea-“the rangers words were cut off as a fountain of blood spurted out of his mouth and sprayed across Zain’s face.   The young mage, horrified, caught the ranger as his lifeless body fell to the floor.  A barbed arrow was stuck firmly between the poor man’s shoulder blades. 

 

Zain looked up to see undead piling over the sides of the ships and engaging the soldiers on the beach.  Furious, the mage got up and started to advance with murder and hate in his eyes.  A soldier ran past him engulfed in flames, screaming.  Zain started to quiver again as the power of the elements coursed through him, his feet lifted off the ground and a jet of water rushed out of the sea dousing the poor soldier and decapitating the flames.  The soldier was severely burnt and wouldn’t live through the night. 

 

Zain focused on the undead, shooting frozen spears out of the ocean and into the undead horde.  The soldiers were armed with swords and spears which were ineffective against the fleshless undead.  Zain saw his frozen icicles flying through the bones of the enemy, causing little if any damage. The soldiers were being pressed back as warrior after warrior fell to the waves of the undead. 

 

 With a scream of fury the master of the elements forced the earth into his submission.  Juts of rock sprang out the ground encasing the undead and halting their advance.  A soldier approached one of the imprisoned monsters.  He severed the head off the skeleton warrior.  The skull fell to the soldier’s feet and lunged towards the soldiers exposed calf, clamping its jaws tight.  The warrior fell to the ground ear-splitting screams ripping from his throat as he thrashed in agony on the floor.  Around him the soldiers of the Guild started falling.

 

 Zain looked to the remaining men as he picked up the screaming soldier, “Grab the wounded and withdraw!”

He forced a wall of earth to spiral up in front of the oncoming horde. “It won’t hold them back for long, quick behind the gates!”

 

Kalek and Riel came running out of the gates followed by a score of warriors.

“What is happening?” Kalek demanded.

Zain looked at his older brother, regret etched into his face, “we were outnumbered, and our weapons had no effect on the undead.”

 

Riel pushed past Kalek and looked at the wounded soldier cradled in Zain’s arms.  “What happened to him?”

“He was bitten by one of the monsters,” Zain replied.

“It looks to be getting infected, take him to the infirmary, and I will take a look at that leg.”

Zain nodded his head as he rushed off towards the infirmary.

The sound of something heavy crashed against the gates. 

“The horde must have gotten through Zain’s wall!” Kalek exclaimed, “Get some support beams down here, and brace the gate!”

“Aye M’lord, right away sir!”

“And get the Guild Rangers atop the battlements; tell them to rain hell down on the horde!”

Riel shook his head “no frater, the undead have no flesh, we cannot kill them with conventional weapons.”

“What do you suggest?”

“I will get a contingent of my best smiting monks; our holy magic is the bane of the undead.”

 

“Okay brother I shall leave you and your monks in charge of the defence; someone get Zain’s earth elementalists down here, I want them to aid in the construction of our defences!”

 

Kalek watched as the warriors moved hurriedly, setting up defences and hastening to their posts on the wall.  These were his warriors, his men.  They trusted him, and would march to the very gates of Grenth’s kingdoms if he so asked.  This added a pressure on his shoulders he had to bare alone.  One mistake could cause the loss of many; many men and women who looked up to him for support, love and guidance.  Sometimes it felt like the weight on his shoulders was dragging him down.  His worst fear was letting these people down; he was afraid they would realize their trust in him was misplaced.  He couldn’t risk being a failure.  A dark sense of hopelessness welled inside Kalek.  Many a night he stayed up, tossing and turning in his sleep, unable to expel the nightmares forming within his head.  He couldn’t eat, sleep and had trouble concentrating on the most menial of tasks.  And the negative thoughts kept coming; he could not control them no matter how hard he tried.  Images of burning corpses, men, women and children alike, burned alive; his people.  The ones he had sworn to protect and lead.  What if he couldn’t? 

 

Was it worth it?  Did he have to suffer through this emptiness he felt inside?  They called him a hero. But He was no true hero.  Many people had died in the War for Ascolon.  People he was supposed to protect. 

 

 His brow furrowed in concentration and sorrow.  He truly wished his other brothers were here to help him.

 

“Sir?” the shout of one of his officers shook him out of his silent musings.  “The defences are being constructed, and the smiting monks are stationed on the wall, staving off the attack as best they can.  What should we do now?”

 

“Make sure the wounded get to the infirmary to be seen by the healer monks, and have the villagers escorted down to the Guild’s siege chamber.  But do not alarm them; advise that it is just a precaution.  Then call a council of war, we meet in the Guild Hall’s war room just after midnight, and send a post master.  We may need to send for help.”

 

The officer saluted his Guild Lord before hurrying off to carry out his bidding.

 

Kalek rubbed his temples.  This was going to be a long night; he sighed and headed towards the main hall to watch over the villagers as they headed down into the bowels of the fortress.

 

He nodded to the guard at the entrance of the hall, gesturing him towards the dining hall.

 

“I’ll stand watch; you go get some food in you.”

The soldier bowed gratefully and left his post to Kalek.

 

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“When have the undead of Kryta ever been this organized?”  The officer Zar^coth asked his voice rising. 

 

Riel ran a hand over his weary face.  His infirmary was full of wounded, and he was having trouble focusing on the war council.   “My friends, we need to come up with a course of action that will help us rid our lands of these monsters.”

 

 He surveyed the men and women around the table. His brothers were there, along with the officer Zar^coth, the two elders Rayhoan and Ester were present as well.  The others included the commanders and officers of the professions that represented the Guild. 

 

The Mesmers, masters of the arcane arts, control and illusions.   The Paragons,   the Elonian trained warriors considered humanity’s champions against the malefic threats.  Born leaders they led through inspiration and motivation.  The Dervish, Holy warriors who served the god’s, their martial arts perfected in the sands of Elonia alongside the paragons, most comfortable in the middle of the whirlwind on the battlefield.  Ritualists, who called on the spirits from the void to aid them in their battles, skilled in the art of binding souls and spirits to do their bidding.  The warrior, the mightiest, the bravest of the brave, the masters of melee combat and heavy armor.  The necromancers, who learned to draw power from the blood sacrifice and communion with death, using black magic to cast curses and raise undead minions.

 

Zain represented the elementalist, masters of arcane lore and magical aptitude, calling upon the power of fire, earth, air and water to obliterate enemies.

 

And of course the monks, the servants of divine spirits, using prayer to protect, preserve, and restore the well-being of allies, represented by Riel.

 

Two seats however, were empty.  The ranger’s and the assassin’s.  Kalek never could find himself to trust an assassin.  Only one assassin was a part of his guild; his half-brother Xiun, who had left to further his training in the dark arts at the monastery in far away Cantha.

 

“Riel is correct; we need to figure this out.  Our conventional weapons have no effect on this horde.”

 

“What of his monks, the enemy seem to be susceptible to the holy magic of the monks.”

 

“My monks can hold them off for a while but not for long, each spell and prayer takes a toll on their energy levels.  They won’t hold through the week.  Most of my men are trained in protection and healing skills of the goddess Dwayna not Balthazar’s smiting, the few I do have are on the wall as we speak, fighting the enemy.”

 

“And our rangers?”

 

“Their arrows have no effect on the fleshless.”

 

“What of their powers derived from their goddess Melandru?”

 

Kalek gazed at the empty seat normally occupied by the Commander of the Rangers.  A spasm of sorrow penetrated his heart.  His brother Prince had left for the wild shortly after their father went missing.  Prince had always been distant and removed from the other brothers.  But he had always been there, protecting his brothers and watching over them. 

 

Riel saw the pain on his older brother’s face.  “Perhaps it is time we called our beloved brother back?”

 

Kalek nodded his head, “Perhaps.”

 

Before Riel could reply the Chamber’s doors were thrust open as a monk hurried in.

 

Zar^coth jumped out of his seat, “What is the meaning of this, there is a council of war being held!”

 

“Master Riel, please you are needed!” the monk’s robes were covered in blood and the look of horror on her face was enough for Riel to listen.

“What is it Rivatha?” 

“It’s the wounded sir, the ones bitten have become infected, and they have turned!”

A hush fell across the members around the table.

Riel turned to his eldest brother, “Kalek, I must take my leave and deal with this.  Carry on with the council.  I will support your decision no matter what you choose to do.”

 

“Thank you Riel.”

“Frater.” Riel bowed before rushing off with the Rivatha.

Author's Note

Please leave a review. I would like to know what I need to improve on before going to deep into the story. Thanks again guys and gals!