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  Hanbar brushed a tear away as the painful memories played through his mind. “The Allfather spoke to me as I stumbled from the audience chamber in dishonour. He told me to hide the weapon deep in the armoury and he made several prophecies. The first was that I would retake the Citadel with only a small army of dwarves and I did that a few days ago, Dagar.” Dagar stopped dead in his tracks. “Second, that when the axe returned to its rightful wielder I would again have to choose my loyalties. Lastly he said that whomever I choose the other would die soon after.”

  Hanbar turned his pain filled eyes to look into Dagar’s. “I have served my people to the best of my abilities Dagar but how can I choose to disobey my King a third time and send him to his death.”

  Without saying another word the master of arms hurried away drawing his weapon to release his frustration in battle.

  Dagar lifted the golden axe to his face and saw his own reflection in its blades. He thought to himself, neither warrior nor prince, why was I spared and not my brother.

  CHAPTER 76

  Tasha

  The various religious leaders had finally begun to pull themselves out of their despair and had decided amongst themselves to build a temple in memory of Earth where all the religions could worship together.

  General Esperanza had welcomed the idea and had offered to supply men and materials to help in the construction but the various priests had decided that it should be built with the hands of the faithful and had asked only for volunteers.

  Tasha could hear the morning’s construction already starting as the foundation was being dug with spades and pickaxes in the near frozen ground. A roaring fire in the centre melted the ice and kept them warm as they worked. Various songs in different languages and from different faiths drifted by her on the cold wind as she drew near.

  She passed men and women and was greeted by many of them by name although she could barely remember some of their faces. She saw Jack sitting on a bench, his bare torso covered in sweat and dirt from the labour. She called out to him and he waved her over.

  The songs grew louder as she approached and seemed to blend into something greater than the sum of their parts. Tasha sat next to Jack and asked, “How long have you been helping out?”

  “Since Isabella said that she wanted our child to be consecrated in a church. Personally I think she’s trying to get me out of the house,” said Jack.

  Tasha thought of Jack in the tiny house and smiled. She watched the work for a while before Jack asked about her own work. She answered, “Most of the wounded are on their way to recovery. Now that the goblins have ceased their attacks against us, we only receive patients with minor work injuries. The maternity clinic I started is beginning to take up most of my time even with Danielle’s help. I think a baby boom might have started.”

  “Can’t say I have any problem with that, we need to fill these streets with children. The sound of laughter will bring back our spirit even more than this church,” said Jack taking another sip of water. “I think it’s time I got back to work, the others look like they could use some leadership.” As he stood up he said, “Isabella said to keep an eye out for you and invite you around again. I think the neighbour’s incessant talk of babies is probably driving her mad. Will we see you later?”

  Jack helped her rise out of her seat and she replied, “Of course, I would love to.”

  Jack smiled and turned to the men in the pit, “Hey you slackers, are you sure you aren’t filling that hole in. It was deeper when I left.” He jumped into the hole and was pelted with mud and snow by the other workers. “See you later Tasha.” he called out over his shoulder.

  Tasha heard Jack’s voice join in one of the songs putting more life into it. She looked at the sky and could see that the weather would be turning bad before the day finished.

  CHAPTER 77

  Hanbar

  Hanbar led his forces to the safety of the Fire Gardens through the two wardgates feeling the familiar tingle as he stepped through them. Their arrival spread quickly through the crowd and Hanbar led the elves and the humans straight to the king with Dagar tagging along as far back as he could.

  Hanbar had recovered his composure after venting his frustration against the goblins guarding the wardgate entrance. He marched forward and knelt before the king. Blood still stained his armour and gauntlets but he did not notice.

  King Galdar appeared paler than the last time Hanbar had seen him but his voice was still commanding as he ordered Hanbar to rise. “What brings you here with this odd assemblage Master of Broken Pass Keep?”

  “I have come bearing good news my king. I have liberated the Citadel from all goblin forces with the help of the wolven and the human called Gabriel,” said Hanbar pointing towards Gabriel.

  The dwarves began to mutter amongst themselves until the king commanded “Silence!”

  “He lies father, he has never been truthful to you,” said a voice from behind the throne.

  Hanbar was shocked when he heard the voice of Magdar the king’s firstborn son. Dagar had told him his brother had died in the armoury.

  “He failed you once before and now he plans treason. The truth is in my brother’s hands,” said Magdar.

  Dagar became the centre of attention as all eyes fell on his axe.

  The king leaned forward recognizing the axe. “I told you to destroy it Hanbar, why does he bear it in my presence.”

  Hanbar stumbled over his words, “I could not disobey the words of the Allfather.”

  The king shot to his feet, anger melting away the years. “I gave you an order, Hanbar. To disobey is treason punishable by death.”

  “I weighed my soul greater than my life, forgive me sire,” pleaded Hanbar.

  Dagar strode forward brushing guards aside. Pointing the axe at Magdar he shouted, “Who let this creature get inside our defences?” The runes seemed to come alive in his hands forming pattern after pattern becoming more and more complex and illuminating Dagar with their golden light.

  The King rounded on him, “My son told me how you struck him from behind with that cursed weapon. You left him wounded and dying in the armoury but his strength carried him back to me. Now you finally raise a weapon against your brother for all to see.” Dagar took a step back in shock as the king commanded. “Guards, seize him.”

  Dagar protested, “Don’t you see the wraithlord father!” The axe dropped from his hands as the guards seized him and held him fast.

  “I am not your father!” shouted the king as he rounded on Hanbar and commanded, “Hanbar, now is the time to redeem yourself, fulfil the orders I gave you a long time ago and I will forgive you!”

  Hanbar drew a knife from its sheath and advanced towards Dagar in a daze. He moved around the axe and for a moment he caught a reflection off its blades. “I have kept this knife for a long time Dagar. I should have destroyed it then but I was still uncertain. Forgive me.” Hanbar spun on his heel and threw the knife.

  The blade plunged into Magdar’s chest and Katar laughed through Magdar’s lips and pulled it out in a spray of blood.

  The king stared horror stricken first at Magdar then at Hanbar. He heard a sound behind him and saw Magdar leaping at him with the knife. A blast of wind struck the king knocking him off his feet but the blade still cut across his armoured back in a flash of sparks.

  An arrow appeared in Magdar’s head as Katar turned to see where the magical attack had come from. A second arrow hit his hand and he dropped the knife.

  As the guards released Dagar and others raced to defend the king, the wraithlord decided to release his deception spell. His body stretched and taut muscles bulged out twice their original size. His hands became clawed and swept the first guard away with ease, ripping through armour and bone.

  The next guard hit Katar in the side with an axe but the warped dwarven armour deflected the blow. The wraithlord closed its hand over the dwarf’s head and killed him instantly, tossing the body at the next wave of dwarven guards.


  The wound in his chest closed up as he fed off the pain and fear in the room. Remembering the arrow he drew it out in a spray of blood only to have another appear in his throat.

  As Dagar moved to reclaim the axe Katar ran forward and struck him down. The wraithlord drew Magdar’s axe to kill Dagar but Hanbar rammed into him. They fell in a tangle on the floor but the wraithlord’s strength eventually won out as he sent the dwarf rolling away covered in blood from dozens of claw marks.

  Katar saw Dagar struggling towards the axe again but before the wraithlord could move an elf blocked his path and two swords began to cut at him from every angle too fast to defend.

  Tagier drove the wraithlord back through a series of furious attacks but slowly and surely his movements grew slower and the wounds on his back opened up.

  Katar said, “You should rest elf.” Tagier felt all his energy disappear and the wraithlord stepped forward striking him between the eyes with his fist. Tagier crumpled to the ground.

  Another arrow hit Magdar’s helm but what caught the Katars’ attention was Dagar as he struggled to his feet using the golden axe as a crutch. Again the runes were forming and reforming on the blades growing more and more complex until Dagar lifted the axe off the ground and the runes stopped changing. Katar felt the weapon radiating dangerous power.

  Carthus used the last of the magic stored in his staff to launch a lightning bolt hitting the wraithlord in the side but Katar ignored the weak attack.

  Dagar seemed to draw strength from the axe as he pointed it at the wraithlord in challenge.

  Katar charged Dagar and was surprised to see him move out of the way at the last moment faster than a dwarf had a right to move. The next moment the axe blade tore into its host’s body and the wraithlord felt a terrible pain ripping him from Magdar’s body. He reached out to capture another host but the blades’ magic held him fast. Seconds seemed to drag on forever as the wraithlord’s shadow form began to fade before the gathering trapped in the golden light.

  When the wraithlord was finally gone the axe’s runes faded and became smaller and smaller until they disappeared from sight.

  Dagar fell to his knees, discarding the golden axe he pulled Magdar’s deformed body to him as tears began to flow down his cheeks.

  The king watched silently from a corner, his own face a mask of pain.

  Amelia moved from body to body doing what she could to help the wounded with the aid of Carthus and Cane.

  CHAPTER 78

  Gabriel

  Sweat dripped off Gabriel as he wandered the Fire Gardens keeping away from the outer corridor where the temperature rose dramatically and only the dwarves could handle the heat. Most of the tunnels were lined with shelves of plants from floor to ceiling. According to Hanbar the heat was no longer being diverted into Stronghold to dissipate and soon the heat would kill the plants and then them.

  Gabriel went over what happened when they arrived. He had been paralysed by indecision when the dwarven king had admitted to ordering Hanbar to assassinate Dagar. The shock of that kind of betrayal had left him unable to fight even when he saw the wraithlord disguise disappear.

  His father used to say, “Ignorance is the weapon of the fallen,” and now he knew why. He needed to find out what was going on before he hesitated again.

  Gabriel turned a corner and stopped when he saw Cane and Amelia talking in a side cave. He could hear the pain in Cane’s voice but could not make out the conversation, he could see that Amelia was trying to convince Cane of something and seemed to be slowly winning.

  When Gabriel saw Cane move to kiss her he quickly moved on, passing Tagier in the passage. Seconds later he heard shouting behind him and Gabriel ran back to find Tagier holding Cane against the wall by his neck.

  Tagier shouted, “Don’t you ever touch her again, human. I’ve heard stories of the tainted and I’ll not be a part of another cleansing.”

  Cane’s face began to turn red as Gabriel tried to pull Tagier off him. Tagier rounded on him, dropping Cane and drawing a sword. The blade moved swiftly to touch his neck in warning but Gabriel moved out of reach and drew his own sword. Amelia tried to push them apart but Tagier shoved her away.

  Cane launched himself onto Tagier’s back and started hitting him furiously. Without taking his eyes off Gabriel, Tagier stepped backwards into a wall and Cane crumpled to the ground behind him.

  “Leave now human, or face your mortality,” said Tagier drawing his second sword.

  “You leave, I don’t think you’re wanted here,” replied Gabriel drawing his second sword awkwardly.

  Anger filled Tagier’s eyes and his blades began to attack Gabriel in a series of blinding movements.

  At first Gabriel was driven back in an effort to avoid the blows but as they moved backwards down the corridor he began to see patterns in the attacks and his swords moved awkwardly to defend against them. His arms began to ache as the blows continued to rain down on him but his retreat slowed down and eventually stopped.

  Unable to launch his own attack Gabriel stood his ground and watched in fascination as his skill increased before his eyes. His blocks became more fluid, his movements felt faster and he could see that Tagier was also sensing a change in Gabriel as he was forced to use more elaborate attacks.

  Eventually Tagier’s skill won out and a blade passed through a gap in Gabriel’s armour into his shoulder. Gabriel fell backwards dropping his right hand weapon. Tagier moved forward and easily knocked his left sword away. “I should kill you human, but my orders are to help your kind. Keep Cane away from Amelia or I will kill you both, regardless of my orders.” Tagier marched back to Cane and dragged him away from Amelia dumping him next to Gabriel.

  Carthus appeared beside Gabriel and helped him to sit up then attended to Cane.

  While he held his hand over his bleeding shoulder he asked Carthus bluntly, “What’s his problem?”

  The mage looked him in the eye and said, “A long time ago the elves took in humans from the mountains and allowed them to settle along our eastern shore. They said they were refugees and that they were being pursued. We believed them and over time they mixed with our blood taking on our features but keeping their darker skin. Our people were shocked when Emperor Palanthus announced that he had heard rumours of terrible things being committed by them and had investigated and witnessed these deeds himself.”

  Cane moaned as Carthus checked his back for damage. “We asked them to cease their blood rites but they refused and we went to war with them. The battles were terrible as they were led by a creature that would not die, we were forced to do terrible deeds and even then they would not give in. We drove them to the ocean and only then did a few choose to escape by ship. Back then we used swords and had little magic. Gaia gave Emperor Palanthus the power he needed to capture the creature. Without their leader they should have given up but they only grew more violent. Those that remained kept attacking until they were all slaughtered. Emperor Palanthus could not live with what he had been a part of and disappeared soon after. His son was forced to become emperor, the father of our current emperor.”

  Gabriel asked, “So Tagier fears another genocide if we ally?”

  Carthus darted a look down the corridor before answering, “Yes, among other more personal reasons.”

  Gabriel changed the subject sensing Carthus would not elaborate, “Was the leader of the tainted a wraithlord like the one Dagar killed?”

  “A wraithlord yes, the similarities in description are very close. Their true form is that of a shadow, they can move from one host to another and alter the host’s body as they choose. They feed off the darkest emotions and life force of their host and cannot be killed with weapons or magic.”

  “Then Dagar didn’t kill it?” asked Gabriel as Carthus bound his shoulder tightly to stop the bleeding.

  “That’s a good question. The leader of the tainted was captured and locked away in a hidden prison. I believe that the dwarves gave us a wardgate to seal the wraithlo
rd in. As for this wraithlord I think Dagar may have the only weapon capable of killing them.”

  Carthus checked his work and decided it was the best he could do. “Now enough history Gabriel, we need to move Cane out of this corridor so he can recover and your shoulder needs to be properly taken care of.”

  Tagier watched them as they moved away, anger burning in his eyes. When he returned to Amelia regret washed away his anger when he saw the tears in her eyes.

  She stood up and looked unflinchingly into his eyes. “You don’t know the damage you’ve done Tagier. His blood is on your hands!” She turned her back on him and walked away.

  CHAPTER 79

  Galdar