A CHAPTER IN
THE TALE OF SECOND EARTH
THE WAR FOR THE NORTH
WHISPERS OF WAR
The War for the North: Book One
SEAN RODDEN
Copyright © 2014 Sean Rodden
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 1495492958
ISBN 13: 9781495492952
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014903470
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
North Charleston, South Carolina
For my mother,
who believed.
In Gratitude:
Thanks to my Shorty,
my love and my life,
for the love given
even when none is deserved.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are so many people who encouraged, supported and inspired me in the development of this work, from concept to completion, that I cannot hope to give them proper recognition in the small space I have here…but my heart is a much larger place, and know that you are wrapped within an embrace of gratitude there! To my wife Sandra and my children Chelsey, Chantal and Chad, oceans of love and thankfulness…no worries, they’re all exceptional swimmers! To my sister Rena and her family, much appreciation for your encouragement and ceaseless scorching sarcasm. To Marc Whitaker of MTWdesign, many thanks for kicking a dying dream alive and for creating the most awesomest of awesome covers ever! And to the mighty ACCEPT for the inspiration and fire that will forever burn in this rebel heart!
Special thanks to Alex Zekovich,
my brother in spirit,
without whose vision
my own would be sadly less vivid.
THE WAR FOR THE NORTH
BOOK ONE:
WHISPERS OF WAR
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Maps
Dramatis Personae
Prologue
Chapter One Flight from the Bloodshards
Chapter Two The Erelian Ambassador
Chapter Three The Fiannar
Chapter Four In the Shadow of Dragons
Chapter Five Eryn Ruil
Chapter Six The Road to Folly
Chapter Seven The Shield Maiden’s Tale
Chapter Eight The Guardian Peoples
Chapter Nine The Halflord
Chapter Ten The Stone of Scullain
Chapter Eleven The House of Defurien
Chapter Twelve Farewells and Foresight
Chapter Thirteen Serendipity
Chapter Fourteen The Ride of the Rhelman
Chapter Fifteen Winds and Ways of War
Chapter Sixteen Coldmire
Chapter Seventeen Northern Lights
Chapter Eighteen First Blood
Chapter Nineteen The Unforgiven
Chapter Twenty The Muster of the North
Epilogue
So it begins…
FOREWORD
All is changed now. All is altered and has become strange. All things save one.
The World is unfamiliar to me. Beneath my feet, the ground is still and cold and lifeless. Maiden Earth sleeps, her power withdrawn, the land and waters long abandoned to the whims of Nature and the ravages of Man. From among the Wardens of the World, the three Guardian Peoples, I alone remain. The Athair have returned to the Light. The Daradur delve in darkness. And the Fiannar are no more.
I alone might recite the histories of the First World. I alone remember the struggles of the Second. And I alone linger still, gazing out upon this last world, this Third Earth, wondering at whiles whether all that has gone before has been for naught and in vain. The Other, the Ancient Enemy against whom we vied so valiantly, survives and thrives upon the Third Earth. The Shadow might have taken another hue, the serpent may slide in another skin, but its power is no less potent, no less deadly, and I am neither beguiled nor fooled...
Unluvin lives.
Unluvin. The Other. Banished from the Light, then thrust from the First Earth before the glory and the valour of the Athair and the Folk of Defurien, then defied and defeated by the Guardian Peoples of the Second Earth, only to arise and reign over the Third.
Unluvin. The Other. The Ancient Enemy. The Lord of the Third Earth.
Though I may wonder at whiles, I truly believe that the wars against Unluvin were not in vain, for from those unceasing struggles and of their countless battles were preserved the gift of Choice and the luxury of Free Will. And if Man, yet in his spiritual infancy, is so very easily swayed by the lures of Unluvin, then the fault is Man’s and Man’s alone. For upon the Third Earth, the evil of the Other is permitted to exist solely in the heart of Man, and then only when invited, nurtured by need and greed, and made strong by sin. But the choice is Man’s...
The faith and the fury of the Guardian Peoples have made it so.
Man need no longer fear being crushed under the gathered fist of Unluvin’s vast armies. Man need neither stand stupefied nor slip swooning before Unluvin’s soul-stealing sorcery. Man need only stifle that small seductive voice, heed it not, and hush the alluring whispers that beckon him to his doom.
The blood and the blades of the Guardian Peoples have deemed it thus.
May Man prove worthy of our sacrifice.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
The Erelians
Axennus Teagh: Ambassador of the Erelian Republic to Lindannan
Bronnus Teagh: Captain of the Erelian Ambassadorial Guard
Runningwolf/Abbawontandontas: Left Tenant of the Ambassadorial Guard, originally from Rheln
Hastiliarius: Right Tenant of the Ambassadorial Guard
Draconarius: an Ambassadorial Guardsman, standard-bearer of the Ambassadorial Guard
Teji Nashi: an Ambassadorial Guardsman, a healer
Regorius: a Decan or sergeant in the Ambassadorial Guard; Whitey
Maddus: an Ambassadorial Guardsman; Maddy
Riffalo: an Ambassadorial Guardsman; Riff
Rooboong: an Ambassadorial Guardsman; Ruby
Lionnus: an Ambassadorial Guardsman; Lio
Anconas: an Undercaptain of the North March Mounted Reserve
Lacius: a Left Tenant in the North March Mounted Reserve
The Fiannar
Alvarion II: Twelfth Lord of the Fiannar, Master of the House of Defurien
Cerriste: Lady of the Fiannar, Mistress of the House of Defurien, wife of Alvarion II
Caelle: Shield Maiden to Lady Cerriste
Sarrane: Seer to Alvarion II, Mistress of the House of Eccuron, wife of Tulnarron
Eldurion: Marshal of the Grey Watch, Eldest of the Fiannar, father of Caelle, uncle of Alvarion II
Taresse: mother of Caelle, wife of Eldurion, governess to Aranion
Tulnarron: Master of the House of Eccuron, Warden of the East
Aranion: son of Alvarion II and Cerriste, Heir to the Lordship of the Fiannar
Arumarron: son of Tulnarron and Sarrane, Heir to the Mastery of the House of Eccuron
Castadon: a Fian of the House of Eccuron, a forerider in the Host of Arrenhoth
Gornannon: a Fian of the House of Eccuron
Gostullian: a Fian, a scout of the Grey Watch; ‘Ghost’
Haldarian: a Fian of the House of Eccuron
Harlastian: a warder of the Grey Watch
Lorradien: a Fian of the House of Eccuron
Milutin: a standard bearer of the Fiannar
Radannan: a standard bearer of the Fiannar
Sandarre: a Fiann of the House of Eccuron, cousin to Tulnarron
Silmarien: a warder of the Grey Watch
Spedamon: a warder of the Grey Watch; ‘Spe
edy’
Varonin: a warder of the Grey Watch
The Daradur
Rundul: a Warder of the Wandering Guard
Brulwar: Earthmaster to the Wandering Guard, First Made of the Firstmade
Dulgar: a Captain of the Wandering Guard; the Wild One
Mundar: a Warder of the Wandering Guard
The Athair
Gavrayel: King of the Athair of the West of First Earth; King of the Athair of Second Earth
Aeline: Queen of the Folk of Gavrayel
Evangael: a Prince of the folk of Gavrayel; a Sun Lord
Thrannien: a Prince of the folk of Gavrayel; a Sun Lord
Yllufarr: a Prince of the folk of Gavrayel; a Sun Lord
Ingallin: Prime Consul to Gavrayel; Chancellor of Gith Glennin
Lalindel: First Knight of the Sun Knights of Evangael
The Bloodspawn
Kor ben Dor: the Halflord, leader of the Bloodspawn, a general in the Blood King’s army
Ev lin Dar: a Black Shield of the Bloodspawn
Gren del Mor: a Black Shield of the Bloodspawn
The Rothmen
Ri Niall (of the Thousand Battles): the High King of Rothanar
Connar: a Rothman, Warthane of the caelroth
Ciaran: King of the Rothic province of Uladh
Dowdall: Rothic ambassador to Lindannan
The Nothirings
Ingvar Dragonsbane: a prince of Nothira, Earl of Invarnoth, son of Eleric Bloodhand; the Mad Earl
Eleric Bloodhand: King of Nothira
Sunderstrum: the Nothiric Ambassador to Lindannan
The Wraithren
Suru-luk: Blood King of the Wraithren
Kal-suruk: Skull King of the Wraithren
Umun-dron: Demon King of the Wraithren
Zan-zurak: the Death King, most powerful of the Wraithren
Others
Waif: a Leech-possessed child
Urchin: a Leech-possessed child
Arbamas: Prince and ruler of Ithramis
Arn’badt: leader of the Graniants under Earthfall; King of the Giants
Arrowwing: an elliam, steed of Thrannien
Drake of Dagoth: greatest surviving dragon of Second Earth
Eveningwind: an elliam, steed of Yllufarr
Featherfoot: Runningwolf’s Rhelnian stallion
Ongulthuk: an Unman, King of the Unmen from Waldard
Sten Hjerte: a prince of Var
Teraras: the Lord of the warokka
Teller of the Tale: the Creator of the universe; Iu
Thunderlight: an elliam, steed of Evangael
Thyr: Wulfic / Nothiric god of thunder and war
Umbar’hal: the witchdoctor of the Graniants, shaman of shamans
From Antiquity
Alvarion I: Tenth Lord of the Fiannar, ruled during the battle of Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum
Amarien: Eleventh Lord of the Fiannar, son of Alvarion I, father of Alvarion II
Andalorian: Fifth Lord of the Fiannar
Andriel: a Sun Knight of the Athair, slain at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum
Asrayal: King of the Athair of the South of First Earth
Attametton: the first dragon
Beast of Bazaal: a powerful demon of First Earth
Branne: a Lady of the Fiannar, wife of Vallian, daughter of Eccuron and Yasminne
Carrinthien: son of Hiridion, took a wife of the race of Man, declared himself King of Erellan
Cothra: the Hiath of War
Defurien: First Lord of the Fiannar
Eccuron: one of the Fiannar, dear friend to Defurien
Ferraron: a Fian of the House of Eccuron, slain at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum
Fircuine: wife of Defurien
Hiridion: a Fian, founder of Erellan, the South Kingdom of the Fiannar of Second Earth
Idallion: Third Lord of the Fiannar, son of Vallian
Ilurin / Unluvin: brightest and most beautiful of the Hiathir, fallen Hiath of great power, brought war upon the Athair of First Earth
Iu: Athain name for the Teller of the Tale
Majan al Khan: White Mage to the last Turian Emperor
Micyll: King of the Athair of the North of First Earth
Muldarron: a Fian of the House of Eccuron, son of Ferraron; fought at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum; renowned for his skill in sculpting
Noth the Red: eldest bastard son of the last Kyetnik king of Var; first King of Nothira
Palladian: firstborn son of Defurien, twin of Vallian
Rafayel: a captain of the Athair of the North of First Earth
Ri Collunn: High King of Rothanar during the Roth-Unman war
Ri Connar: High King of Rothanar during the Fiannar’s second war with the Wraithren
Ri Donnal: High King of Rothanar at the time of Noth the Red’s landing
Rokkundar: a Darad, slain at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum
Sammayal: a follower of Asrayal in the wars for First Earth; Lord of the Shaddathair, First of the Unforgiven
Sithra: a mighty demon in the service of Unluvin
Te’arron: the last King of Erellan
Ulviathon: a fallen Hiath, a demon of First Earth
Unluvin: fallen Hiath of great power, brought war upon the Athair of First Earth
Vallian: secondborn son of Defurien; twin of Palladian; Second Lord of the Fiannar
Yasminne: wife of Eccuron
Yriel: King of the Athair of the East of First Earth
PROLOGUE
“This world is too fragile
to be entrusted to the dubious care of Man.
Thus, even as we diminish,
we must unite in Guardianship of this Earth.”
Aeline, Queen of the Folk of Gavrayel, Year of the Strype 1540
Four centuries had passed and another had grown old since the Fiannar had marched upon the great gates of Mekkoleth, the black iron fortress sprawled atop the summit of Sark-u-surum like some great dark dragon perched at the peak of Time. There that dour and dire Deathward folk had brought battle and war back to Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum, back to its maleficent master. And there, supported on their southern flank by the heavy hammers and angry axes of the mighty Daradur, and from the north by the long bows and longer spears of the high and noble Athair, those fierce Fiannar had faced and fought Suru-luk, Blood King of the Wraithren, and his swarming servants of Shadow.
The battle surged and raged through a day of grey and a night of rain, then a day of mist and a night of wind, tides of constant combat rolling and rushing beneath both sun and moon. War bellowed with a thousand voices: Thunder and wildfire and metal on metal; the ravening roar of blood-raw throats; the siren song of arrows in flight; the calamitous crash of arms; the whispered hiss of death everpresent. The din gathered and grew until there was no sound in the world but the fury of war.
And then the third dawn of battle broke – as did the ranks of the Blood King’s hellish host. The subsequent slaughter beneath the morning sun and mustered might of the three Guardian Peoples was appalling, apocalyptic, yet pure in purpose and principle.
Within its crimson cloak, Suru-luk’s soulless spirit shuddered.
Then, in desperation, the Blood King sent forth his dragons, the war worms of Gehennoth, brood of the Drake of Dagoth. But the worms were wingless and far too young to brave the broad blades of Daradun war-axes. The Daradur hacked them to pieces with masterful ease.
Despairing, Suru-luk then summoned a kuarok, a monstrous spirit of fire and shadow, the most feared and fearsome of fiends from the First World, only to see it driven into darkness before the white light of the Athain Sun Knights.
And then, at the last, on the blood-slicked precipice of utter defeat, the Blood King of the Wraithren cast wide the gates of Mekkoleth and issued forth himself, a huge incarnadine shadow, to meet the challenge of the Fiannar and their valourous allies.
But Suru-luk feared the light shining in the eyes of Alvarion, Tenth Lord of the Fiannar and bearer of the Blade of Defurien. And so the Blood King fled, east and south, swifter than the wind of a summer storm, and the earth quaked in his wake.
Then all fell calm and strangely still as the warriors of the Guardian Peoples marveled in reverent silence at their victory. And slowly, gradually, an oddly harmonious medley of Fiannian horns and Daradun drums rose into the dawn, soaring with the sun, and fair Athain voices lifted in a summer serenade, singing the Shadow away.
In shining triumph and glory, the banners of their proud Houses flying high, the Fiannar returned to their carven city of Druintir at the pass of Eryn Ruil.
The Athair rode north to golden Gith Glennin, the hidden realm of the Neverborn nestled behind the forbidding barrier of the Vallagard Mountains.
Only the Daradur remained at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum.
So terrible was the wrath of the Stone Lords that they left not a rock of Mekkoleth’s walls and towers and foundations unbroken, not a single stone unshattered, and the dark fortress of defeated Suruluk passed from the world forever. Yet unappeased, the Daradur then turned their formidable fury upon Sark-u-surum itself, and with fist and hammer and through their command of the eldritch energies of Maiden Earth they brought the very mountain down. Only when mountain and fortress were reduced to ruins of sundered stone and twisted iron did the Daradur turn back to their halls deep in impregnable Ora Undar.
From that time forth, the rubbles of Mekkoleth and Sark-u-surum, like unnumbered fragments of stained glass glinting black and red under sun and star, had been known in the Westspeech of Mankind as the Bloodshards.
And Mankind, for whom in part the Guardian Peoples had gone to war, soon forgot, if indeed they had ever known, what had been done there. Among the Guardian Peoples themselves, few of those who had fought at Mekkoleth on Sark-u-surum ever came there again. For many, the place was too distant and the memory too near. Most had no need, no compulsion, no purpose to draw them back.
Most.
But not all…
1
FLIGHT FROM THE
BLOODSHARDS