Morgan Rice - A Realm of Shadows

“The Pandesians must be attacked,” Bramthos insisted. “If we wait for them to pursue us – and pursue us they shall – then we shall be attacked on their terms. Andros now sits in disarray, yet soon those dragons will retreat. Shall we then confront a million men in the open field?”

“Who’s to say the dragons will retreat?” Seavig argued. “Maybe they will burn Andros until there is nothing left.”

“Why have they come to begin with?” called out another.

The cave broke into heated debate, men talking over each other, arguing, none agreeing and all agitated.

Duncan stood in the midst of it all, his fist on his chin, deep in thought. Aidan could tell from the familiar look on his face that he was agitated, mulling it all over. He rubbed his beard, and Aidan knew that to be a sign he was coming close to a decision.

Suddenly, Anvin stepped forward.

“Duncan is our commander,” he yelled above the din of the crowd. “He has always led us brilliantly. I defer to his opinion.”

The rowdy group of men finally fell silent as all eyes turned to Duncan.

Duncan sighed. He slowly stepped forward, stood to his full height, and addressed the group of warriors.

“First, I cannot express to you my gratitude,” he said, his deep, authoritative voice echoing off the walls. “You returned to Andros for me. You saved my life, against every chance. I owe you my life.”

They all looked back at him with respect and appreciation.

“I had made a foolish decision,” Duncan continued, “to trust them, to negotiate, and it is a mistake I shall not make again.”

“We will follow you anywhere, Duncan,” Seavig called out, while the others cheered.

“Just tell us where to go next,” Arthfael called. “Shall we return to the capital?”

Aidan felt his heart pounding as the silence thickened and he wondered what his father might say.

“No,” Duncan finally said.

His single word was filled with such confidence, it left no room for another choice.

“We would catch them off guard, true,” he said. “Yet we would lose too many of us. And we would be fighting in their territory, against their defenses, and on their terms. The chaos would serve us, but it could also work against us.”

He rubbed his beard.

“No,” he added. “We shall lead them to us.”

They all stared back, looking surprised.

“Bring them here?” Bramthos asked.

Duncan shook his head.

“No,” he replied. “We shall lure them to a place where we will have the advantage, where they will be sure to lose. A place that takes advantage of our knowledge of our homeland. A place where we own the land.”

“And where is that, my commander?” Arthfael asked.

Duncan drew his sword, the sound echoing off the walls. He stepped forward, reached out, and slowly etched a long line in the sand. At its end, he drew a circle, and he pointed the sword’s tip right in the center.

They all crowded around, close.

Duncan looked up and met their eyes with deadly seriousness.

“Baris,” he finally said.

Silence fell over the room as the men closed in and craned their necks.

“Baris?” Bramthos asked, surprised. “Lure them to a canyon? That would give us the low ground.”

“It is also hostile ground,” Seavig added. “Teeming with Baris’s men.”

Duncan grinned for the first time.

“Exactly,” he replied.

The group fell silent, clearly baffled. Anvin, though, nodded.

“I see what you see,” Anvin said. “Vengeance against Baris – and at the same time, a chance to kill the Pandesians.”

Duncan nodded back.

“Bant will not anticipate our attack,” Duncan replied.

“But why kill our countrymen first when we must face the Pandesian army?” Bramthos called out.

“We must first and foremost kill those men who betrayed us, who betrayed their homeland,” Duncan replied. “Who lay at our flank. Otherwise, we will never be safe. Then, with Bant’s men dead, we can lure the Pandesians to us.”

“Yet they will have the high ground,” Seavig said.

“Which is why we will lure them down, inside the canyon,” Duncan replied.

They all seemed baffled.

“And then what?” Bramthos asked.

Duncan looked back, cold and hard.

“Flood it,” Duncan replied.

They all stared back in shock.

“Flood it?” Seavig finally asked. “How?”

Duncan raised his sword and continued drawing his line in the sand, until finally he drew three short marks.

“Everfall,” he stated. “We will redirect the falls. Its waters will flow north, and flood the canyon.”

He stared at the men, who looked down, shocked.

“A few hundred of us cannot kill Pandesia’s thousands,” he replied. “Yet nature can.”

A long silence fell over the men as they looked at Duncan, all rubbing their beards, all deep in thought.

“Risky,” Kavos finally said. “It is a long stretch between here and Baris. Anything could happen.”

“And the canyon has never been flooded before,” Seavig added. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“And if we lose against Baris?” Bramthos asked. “That itself could be a deadly battle.”

“Not to mention, Leptus controls the falls,” Anvin added. “We’d need to enlist their help if we stand any chance.”

Duncan nodded to him.

“Precisely, my friend,” he replied. “And that is why I am dispatching you at once.”

Anvin’s eyes widened as he looked back with surprise and pride.

“Leave at once for Leptus,” Duncan added, “and enlist them in our plan.”

A long silence filled the air, the men on the fence, until finally Kavos stepped forward. All the others looked at him with respect, and Aidan knew that whatever he said would mean their agreement or not.

“A daring plan,” Kavos said. “A risky plan, a bold plan. A plan that will most likely fail. Yet one which is valorous. And foolhardy. I like it. I am with Duncan.”

One at a time all the men looked up and shouted in agreement, raising their swords.

“I AM WITH DUNCAN!” they all cried out.

And Aidan’s heart soared with pride.

Aidan walked beside Duncan, his father’s strong hand on his shoulder, their boots crunching gravel as they crossed the cave, past all the warriors donning armor, sharpening swords, preparing for their next battle. Aidan had never felt more proud than at this moment. His father, owning the respect of all the men in this cave after his stirring speech, had come not to join his commanders, but to Aidan, all eyes on them. He had pulled Aidan aside and walked with him, alone. As all the men watched them, Aidan took it as a great sign of respect; he hadn’t even realized his father was aware of him amongst all these men, let alone at this critical time.

They walked in silence, Aidan waiting, eager to hear what his father had to say.

“I never forget,” his father said, as they finally crossed out of earshot of the other men. He stopped and looked at Aidan meaningfully, and Aidan stared back, his heart pounding. “I know what you did back there. You came for me, all the way from Volis. You trekked alone, all the way to the capital, a dangerous journey even for a hard warrior. You survived, and you even managed to find men to help you.”

His father grinned, and Aidan, welling with pride, smiled back.

“You managed to make your way into the dungeons,” his father continued, “in a city occupied, and to help free me in my bleakest hour. If it weren’t for you, I would still be chained there – if not already at the executioner’s hand. I owe you my life, son,” he said, and Aidan felt his eyes well. “You have proved on this day that you are not only a valued son, but a fine, budding warrior. One day you will take over my command.”