Leno's will (chapter 12)

“There have been scoutings of strange men. They are called rangers and they are said to be in the service of the current king of Adede. He is the grandson of King Adon who fled forty-two years ago. The rangers wear strange cloaks and use fragrances unheard of. Apparently it is how they get through the Twisted forest,” informed Leon as he rode beside Maxan.

“Is there any news of where they are bound?” he enquired.

“Not really, they always make expeditions east but they turn back soon enough. It is clear they are going further east with each expedition.”

“I see. The rebellion is said to be located somewhere east. The current king is very clever indeed if he is doing what I think he is doing. He is attempting to send ambassadors to the rebellion. If he joins forces with them and then launches a full scale assault the race of metal will be surrounded from both west and east. Not to mention they are constantly receiving trouble from the tribes in the north.  The south is no one’s ally so they would end up being surrounded.”

“I get it,” exclaimed Leon with excitement. “You really think the grandson of a fleeing weasel can be that clever. If those idiots knew how to form alliances they would have never fought over some land in the south back then. I doubt the fool wants to form an alliance. He probably thinks he is above the rebellion and is urging them to join his army. Why would he share his seat of power?”

“Careful how you use your words Leon. Do not be so quick to assume you know everything about everyone. The current king has yet to play his role in history. He may be very different from his forefathers and actually seek peace for the nations. We alone cannot win against the race of metal. But a king can work wonders on people everywhere. He could rally all the forces together and crush the machine back into the ground.”

“Now who is assuming too much. What makes you think this king is some hero. You dream and hope too much. I can’t say I blame you. You are a parent now. Parents often harbour stupid dreams due to their ecstatic love for their children. It makes them stupid,” pointed out Leon. He had said too much. Maxan rode ahead to the front of the march and issued orders to speed up the pace.

It was easier said than done. There were five horses for the nobles but the two hundred soldiers marched on foot.  What’s more fifty of them were occupied with having to pull the supply wagons. It slowed them down drastically.

Since the first day of the mission Maxan and his company had set out from the palace to the fortress of Nations which stood between the borders of Golabad and Sinatra in the north. It was very close to the river of Nations. Once they had reached the river they had followed it all the way south. It would lead them along the borders and then eventually they would go to the south of Golabad before reaching the realm of the Divine. The river of Nations began there so following it offered the simplest way. However the river twisted and turned across the landscape so their journey was lengthened.

Greg came galloping back towards Maxan and whispered something in his ears. Maxan halted his horse and shouted, “Halt”. Leon rode up to him but Simon and Casper were there before him.

“What is it Maxan?” enquired Simon whilst Casper remained silent with one hand on the hilt of his sword.

“No, there is no need for weapons. If we keep following the river we will come to the town of Gorg. The town is full of angry people who recently have suffered many casualties from machine. If we go there bearing the seal of the robot king then there will be unnecessary combat. So I have decided to change course slightly. We will head away from the river at a right angle and then travel back to it when we have crossed Gorg and its bitter people,” informed Maxan.

With that they made their way away from the river. As they continued their journey they started to see hills and small growths of trees. Leon was uneasy. This was a very good spot for them to be…

“Ambush, we are being ambushed” yelled Greg as he came galloping back once again. Maxan raised his hands to issue calm and gave his orders.

“Soldiers divide into combat squads and get into formation gamma.” The soldiers divided into small groups and formed a circle three rows deep. The front row had their spears pointing outwards. The second row had their swords and shields ready. The third row had their arrows ready to fire. A small number of soldiers stood guard in the middle with the wagons. Leon was in the centre as well. Simon and Casper spread themselves on the outside of the circle.

At first it was difficult to tell but soon they could see the men crouching behind the hills and hidden in the trees. There were spears and arrows ready on the other side as well. They were just the long distance fighters. Soon men clad in leather and scrap pieces of armour came charging. They brandished their weapons violently as they surrounded the soldiers. Maxan noted they outnumbered them by at least sixty.

“I take it you are the infamous human members of the Iron alliance otherwise I can think of no reason why you carry the seal of the usurper,” roared a huge man clad fully in leather and chain mail. He had a helmet that covered his face but he could be heard for miles. His voice boomed across the hundreds of assembled people.

“Yes we are of the Iron alliance. May the leader please name himself so that I may address him,” Maxan replied politely.

“You are talking to Lord Macumber of the town of Gorg. And you will address me as it befits my title boy,” roared the man who had spoken earlier, whom Leon thought bore many a resemblance to a bear.   

Maxan rode forward a little and got off his horse.

“Thank you for your courtesy Lord Macumber. I am the leader of the human foundation of the Iron alliance and I am the commander of this company. I am on a mission. May I ask why we have been ambushed?”

“What arrogance” yelled many voices.

“He is just barely a man”

“He should be killed on the spot”

“How dare he address Lord Macumber like he is his equal”

Leon noted both Simon and Casper had their hands on the hilt of their swords. Shara stood quietly next to him.

Lord Macumber raised a hand to silence the crowd. “Now my loyal men do not be hasty.  This boy speaks like this because he knows no better. It is not like he had a true man teach him the ways of courtesy. After all if any of his forefathers were men they would have died with honour rather than surrendering and working for the machine.”

“Too true. My forefathers did forsake their honour when they surrendered but it was so that they could carry out their duty as men. They could have died honourably as nobles but what about all the women and children who were captured. They chose to protect them which was the reason they surrendered. You speak of honour so where was your honour when nobles of your country were being enslaved?”

“Careful boy. Do not take me lightly. One word and you and your traitorous men will die. But I am merciful. I did not come to kill you. If you beg for mercy I will spare your lives. You can hand over everything valuable and work as slaves for us instead. After all isn’t that what you lot have been doing for the past forty years? Although I suspect it would be better to serve your own kind that pieces of metal.”

“How dare you fat stinking pig,” roared Leon. Shouts of anger burst out and everyone yelled for Leon’s head. Macumber bristled with range. Maxan realised how even now everyone was awaiting orders before doing anything, something Leon was incapable of doing.

“Keep your mouth shut Leon until I say so, do not speak!”

“No Maxan! Who does this guy think he is? What do you know of the wrath of the race of metal? I watched my father and mother murdered before my eyes. My brother Leno was taken away to be thrown off a cliff. I was helpless. The same goes for so many others. Yet you sit here talking big when you do not have the courage to meet the machine in battle. All you did here was ambush us. You set a trap. We walked into it. You did not put us here. You couldn’t even do that!”

“Now boy I hope you have said all you will. Now I am going to see to it that your pretty little face is chewed up by my dogs, every last bit of it, but not before I skewer it and burn it black. You vile beings betrayed your own race. I will undertake the duty of handing out justice here and now. You will all be punished and the dead will be avenged as you die.”

Maxan’s face darkened. He looked at Macumber disbelieve etched across his face. Maxan drew his sword. Cries of fear rang out as his sword flashed in the sunlight. Its blade was made of purple crystal. The blade was curved twice, once at the bottom and then towards the top so that it had the appearance of a slithering snake. Its hilt was simple and small. It was coated in onyx. Overall the sword was very small, a little less than the length of Maxan’s outstretched arm. But all the same there was no mistaking the scale sword made from the remains of a dead dragon.

Maxan raised his sword in the air. A purple light shone around it. A few seconds later a purple light shone around all of Macumber’s men. Every last one of them was coated in it. Slowly they began to rise into the air. They screamed and kicked and flailed. But their efforts were hopeless. Macumber looked around frightened.

“You dare talk about justice you scum?” thundered Maxan. “You talk of honour but you only have enough that you stay so close to your home. You won’t venture out of your safe zone, yet you sit here boasting of honour! “

With that he bought his sword down. The men followed suit as they crashed to the ground. Macumber saw all his men immobilised and shrieked in fear. He stumbled backwards before turning and running. Maxan turned to Leon and Leon understood. He drew his arrow and fired it. It did not miss. Macumber dropped to the floor.

“Let’s move” said Maxan sheathing his sword away. Leon marvelled at the blade. It always struck him dumb with awe but there was also a part of him that was afraid of it. He realised he was even more afraid of the sword than the race of metal. They were machines that had known weaknesses but the sword was just a blade yet it held massive power; surreal even. No one knew how to destroy it.

Shara looked up at the skies. Grey clouds hid the crimson sun from view. Strange she thought. Throughout the struggles of mankind on this tiny earth the skies always seem to move of their own accord barely changing over great lengths of time. Yet now they too seem to be changing. Could it be the skies themselves have acknowledged some great change?

“Don’t look now Shara”. Casper the silent swordsman rode up beside Shara startling her back into reality. “That cloud that covers the sun is known as the Grey wind. It is a messenger from above; a messenger that announces a forthcoming tragedy. Somewhere, somehow, someone will experience great tragedy. Do you wonder why one person’s tragedy matters so much to the Grey wind? It is because this person’s tragedy in turn will affect great a many people.”

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