Twilight settled upon the cobblestone castle as the sun disappeared over the jagged pinnacles of Mount Rayjavic. The soft, tinkling chanting of the apisamo
welcomed in the coming night. The tiny, glowing creatures fluttered at the edge of the forest.
Commander Luke paced the battlements as the cold autumn evening turned to night.
The reconstruction of the east wall was ahead of schedule, but somehow Luke knew it was still not going along fast enough. The madmen had lost control of the metal men once again.
Their ranks were already worn thin. Luke couldn’t ask the King to send more builders to complete the wall faster or more soldiers to keep the madmen from causing further damage.
Who is the greater threat? The Animalians or the madmen with their crazy inventions? The creation of a superior weapon is an admirable pursuit but more often than not, the “superior” weapons turned on their creators and the Mineralite soldiers.
The bronze gondola of the airship Kensington looming above him shone in the dying light. The engine car released a high pitch whistle as it cycled into top gear and startled the apisamo into silence.
Ckisk!
The Kensington’s flood lights switched on and painted the grounds outside the castle with pure white light.
As Luke's eyes adjusted to the bright lights, strange swirling shadows formed into silhouettes.
It can't be.
The silhouettes coalesced into figures. Figures with strange masks. Some with the beak of a hawk, others with the ears of a cat or the snout of a fox.
Animalians. How did they get out here? We are in the middle of the Mineralite kingdom!
The simple jarring roared in Commando Luke's ears. He locked eyes with the cat masked leader. The Silverious wore a blue mask and stood in front of his soldiers.
Neither moved. Neither spoke. Both waiting for the other army to make the first move.
And I'll be damned if I let an Animalian get the best of me.
“Every man to his battle station! The Animalians are here!” The klaxon blared and Luke shoved the shell-shocked lieutenant standing beside him out of his way. “Get the builders inside now!”
The men rushed to obey, the fear of death nipping at their heels.
“Get the scouts in the sky! I want an overview of what we were up against yesterday!” The Commander watched as the gravity
defyers floated into the air.
“You,” He grabbed a messenger by the collar, “Tell the Kensington to ready the armaments!”
The pop of compressed air and sound of the bullets hitting their mark joined the chaotic symphony.
Captain Pascal is one step ahead of me as usual.
A report came back from one scout. “The Animalians have found the hole in the east wall and are fighting their way into the courtyard.”
Luke’s heart sank, but he hardened his face. “Activate the metal men.”
“But, sir, you can’t seriously consider that a viable option! Remember what happened last time!”
“What are you suggesting, rookie?!” It was a hopeless gesture, but they didn't have another choice. They would die alongside
the animals if they had to.
“Nothing, sir!” The rookie piped back as his spine snapped to attention and he saluted the commander.
“Good, because if you were suggesting we surrender, I would have fed you to the Animalians myself!” Luke looked out amongst his pale, terror-stricken army. “And that goes for the lot of you! Open the gates and get onto the battlefield!”
When the gravity defying scouts faced off against the winged Animalian men, it was not a pretty sight to see. The Animalians men carved the soldiers to pieces or succumbed to the continual pelt of the Mineralites arrows.
You had to keep your head about you to prevent yourself from being crushed underneath the falling body of an Animalian or Mineralite soldier.
The men with the strength pendents kicked the Animalians down while still protecting themselves from the metal claws and swords of their enemy.
The indestructible men took the Animalians down by sheer force oblivious to the weapons the Animalians were using.
The men with heightened sight worked the muskets on the battlements and picked off the Animalians one at a time.
Those with superior reflexes and agility fought hand-to-hand against the few Animalian's who made it through the hole in the wall.
“Where are my machines!?” Luke shouted at four men who were starting up the metal men. These four men were the difference between life and death for the Mineralites.
“The water in their tanks is boiling, sir.” One of the braver soldiers piped up. “We will be pressurized in no time. But…”
He shared a startled glance with his fellow soldiers.
“What?” The last thing he needed was one of them to break rank.
“Even with the modifications, there is no guarantee they won't go mad again. There is no way to stop them, we will just have to wait until they run out of steam.”
“We could use a little madness right about now, wouldn’t you agree?” If the Animalians wanted a fight, he would give them a fight. He would give all of their lives if it meant vanquishing the enemy.
Each of the machines emitted a noise somewhere between a squeal and a groan in rapid succession.
The four soldiers stepped into their control towers, three cables running from the towers to the machines. The three metal warriors marched out of the fort. It was not quiet and it was not subtle.
Puffs of steam came from their joints as they marched, a hazy cloud surrounding the metal warriors.
The Mineralite warriors fought with renewed vigor and a few Animalians broke off into the forest. Luke could almost make out the mouth of the tunnel they had come by.
Those dirty savages are digging through the dirt to get past our front lines. Hollowing out our kingdom from the inside where we are weaker.
The metal men caused chaos amongst the ranks of the Animalians. Those that did not move out of the way in time, suffered the consequences.
“Stop!!” Lord Edmond’s breathless voice shouted from the stairwell behind him.
Luke froze on the spot. His voice was one Luke had learned to both fear and respect. “Stop what?”
“Tell the men to stop fighting!” The poor portly fellow mopped his brow with a greasy handkerchief and scowled at his commander.
What does my Lord know that I do not? It doesn't matter.
"Hold your fire!" Luke trusted his lord with his life and the life of his men. “Retreat and wait for orders.”
The Animalians roared in triumph. The resulting confusion allowed them to overtake those who were outside the castle.
“My lord, you must tell me what we can do to defeat them! You can't just let them die out there.” Luke begged his lord to allow him to fight.
But Lord Edmond only frowned as more and more Animalians poured into the castle.
“We had a deal!” The cat masked leader snarled from the courtyard below. “You failed to uphold your end of the bargain.”
Luke was gobsmacked. His vision blurred and his knees buckled. A man of his own blood had betrayed him.
My own cousin, how could he? How could he throw everything away and give in to these monsters?
“You can hardly expect me to have informed my men I had decided to join forces with the animals they have been trained to kill.” Lord Edmund laughed at the preposterous idea. “The ears of the King would have heard of this and I would have been killed.”
Luke leaned against the stone edge of the battlements. Years of intense training was the only thing holding any of the soldiers back from killing their Lord on the spot.
One of Luke’s soldiers did not feel so inclined and pointed his musket at Lord Edmond’s head. Almost instantly, they found their end at the metal claws of the Animalians. Most of his men were going to die at their hands.
The Animalian leader and his consort climbed the wooden ladder which led to the battlements. His golden eyes held a hard edge and her face curled into a wicked smile.
“Do you know why you are valuable to us?” The cat masked leader asked. Luke imagined Edmund could smell the leader's foul breath.
Lord Edmund opened and closed his mouth but wisely decided to keep it shut.
The woman drew a metal clawed finger across Edmund’s jaw. It drew the smallest droplet of blood. “Your family's highborn blood is irrelevant to us. We own your money and your land. The only thing that made you valuable to us was your control over your men.”
“I lost an entire troop of my men when I was supposed to be welcomed with open arms. You are worthless to me.”
The consort raised a clawed hand and Luke turned away.
Thud
Lord Edmond’s body hit the ground.
Luke's black powerstone grew hot against his chest. His blood boiled. Traitor or not, Lord Edmund was family. His soldiers had entrusted him with their lives. He could kill a fistful of the Animalians given the chance. His feet lifted off the ground by a few inches at the thought.
The cat masked leader strode over and pulled Luke back to the ground.
“You have already lost.” He held Luke’s chin in his hand and growled. “Your blood belongs to Animalia now.”
He twisted Luke’s face to force him to look at the corpse of his cousin. “This is what happens to those that defy the wishes of the Emperor.”
The leader shoved Luke away and looked at the Mineralites. “Which of you will take your master's place?”
A moment of chilled silence passed.
Luke smiled. He knew his men, they would never rise to such a taunt.
“I will serve as the master of these men in the stead of Lord Edmund.” No, not him, anyone but him. Luke wished he had been slain, that he had been thrown off the battlements, any fate would have been better than this: the knowledge his own son was a traitor.
He knew what he had to do, but it didn't make it any easier. He was a soldier, a loyal soldier of the king. And these were traitors. Luke dragged himself to the edge of the castle wall and jumped off. His black powerstone cast an ultraviolet glow about his body. For just a moment Luke paused in mid air.
Not all gravity defyers were scouts.
Commander Luke alighted upon the dormant, but still running machines. He ripped out the cables which connected them to the control towers, and pried free the recently added modifications. Shouts and screams were heard from the Mineralites begging the commander to stop.
The Animalians looked confused, but they wouldn't look like much anything pretty soon.
The machines groaned, the sound of gears working overtime and the ticking of their internal clocks grew louder.
Dawning horror alighted upon the Animalian leader's face and he shoved his men out of the way, running for the airship.
Untethered from their control towers, the machines shook Luke loose. They destroyed everything in their wake without prejudice.
Luke launched himself into the air and soared past the battlements. He did not have to wait long before the winged men ascended after him. Captain Pascal un-moored the Kensington and Luke diving through the open the bay doors just before they closed.
“Cutting it a bit close, are we?” Pascal flipped the switch for the lights and transferred all power to the engines. For a brief moment, the only light that could be seen below was that of the eyes of the Metalmen and just as quick the scene was gone.
“We must warn the king about the Animalian tunnels... and the traitors." Luke winced. "We cannot stop at one of the other castles. His is the only one we can trust.”
Just as he had said it, he began to doubt the validity of that statement. The training which told him right from wrong and who to trust was falling apart at the seams.
The King’s assistant sat prim and proper behind a desk with a guard to each side. He had never seen a day's battle. If the new king trusted a soft one like this, he may be of little use to Luke against the Animalians.
Captain Pascal had anchored the Kensington at the mooring tower at the Ambassadorial Halls, ready to leave at a moments notice.
“I am here to see the King.” The words were spoken by a voice Luke could hardly recognize as his own. Was it the grief, was it the exhaustion or something else entirely?
The King’s assistant gasped at Luke’s bloody attire. “Guards, take this crazy man out of here at once!”
The guards leapt to obey the man’s order. Foolish and out of practice, they were no match for him.
Luke sighed, unsheathed his sword and hefted his shield off his back.
Crash!
The doors were slammed open by the weight of the guards who were supposed to keep them shut.
“What is the meaning of this?” King Dresden stood from his seat, unsheathing his own sword, daring Luke to take one step forward and face the consequences.
A series of clicks sounded as the king’s guards disabled the safety on their muskets and took aim at the determined Commander.
The Elementi Taj stumbled back behind his chair. At least he knew his place.
Luke released his grip on his sword and shield, letting both fall to the ground. He sank to his knees in supplication. “My king, Lord Edmund, Duke of Veersea, has betrayed us and sided with the Animalians. All his troops at the capital castle are now under the control of a terrible cat masked man. I believe the whole province will fall without further reinforcements.”
The King’s fist tightly clenched around the hilt of his sword. His mouth was taunt. "How did you get away?"
"I left on the Kensington with Captain Pascal. I released the metal men on the troops and the Animalians to cover my escape. I had to come here to warn you, the Animalians have dug tunnels to attack bypass the front lines and attack us from the inside."
The Taj’s eyes went from Luke to the King and back again.
"Did you see the traitor die before you left?"
“Lord Edmund was executed by the Animalians.” Luke bowed his head in shame, his forehead touching the ground. “I am sickened to admit one of my own sons took his place as commander of the troops.”
Luke’s mouth was dry, his vision hazy. He could see now this king was not soft. It remained yet to be seen if he would be merciful. “If your Majesty finds it right to kill me as my blood is shared with a traitor, the Creator will find no fault in your actions.”
“Oh, Eshe, have mercy on your soul.” The Taj breathed.
“You share blood with a traitor?”
“Yes.” Luke flinched when King Dresden touched his shoulder.
“Then it is up to you to bring honor to your family by becoming my advisor.” The King touched his sword to each of Luke'ss shoulders. “Rise, loyal knight of the King’s Order.”
Luke staggered to his feet and could not bring himself to look his King in the eyes. He refused to let his King see him weep.
“You will never regret this, my king.”
“See to it that I don’t.” The King motioned to his assistant,
“Find my knight a place to sleep and that he is returned to me in the morning.”
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