Knights End Read online

  Nikki was not backing down. “Your Centurions have done nothing in twenty years. What makes you think that anything will be different with this battle? Your tactics have failed, and you need to try something different. My Sak’Hurai might only number in the hundreds, but I assure you that they are worth ten of your men.”

  General Lucius’ face turned red, and a thick vein appeared on his forehead. His hand dropped subconsciously to his hip, but he was the overall commander of the army and did not bother with arming himself. He had soldiers for that.

  With his head sticking out from his body, he shouted, “You dare talk to me in such a manner? I can have you hauled away in chains, or I could have my men strike you down now.” The Centurions that were standing nearby took a tentative step forward, their eyes on Nikki, and their hands on the handles of their shortswords. But, none of them drew their weapons.

  “I would like to see you try and strike me down.”

  “You and your people are under my command, and I will not have insubordination from anyone under my command. From the moment I saw your kind, I knew you would be trouble. This is your last warning. Step to and muster at the front of the army or stand aside so that a real army can do its job.”

  General Aeneas put a hand on Nikki’s shoulder. He caught her gaze and just shook his head. General Lucius strode away, barking out orders.

  “It is no use arguing,” the general said softly.

  Nikki shook General Aeneas’ hand off her shoulder. “Your army will be slaughtered because you are being led by a fool.”

  General Aeneas did not respond. He let Nikki step away.

  “I will take my warriors, and we will gather at the center of your army, but we will punch our way out and continue east. We will not fight for your General Lucius. You seem like a reasonable and competent soldier. It is a shame you are not in charge of the army.”

  General Aeneas shrugged humbly. “I’m not sure I could do much better.” A single trumpet blared nearby, followed a moment later by a dozen others. “That is our call to begin the march up the hill. I must be at General Lucius side. It was good to meet you, Princess Nikki. I hope that when this battle is over, our army can march east with yours and help you out.”

  “You really think General Lucius would do that?”

  “Probably not, but if the barbarians are defeated, what else is there for an army to do, but to march to the next battle?”

  ***

  Kile was one of the larger Sak’Hurai. He stood taller than Princess Nikki, who was also taller than most. Bulky with muscles, Kile did not have the typical Sak’Hurai body style, either. His shoulders were broad, and his chest filled his thick leather shirt to capacity. Skilled as any Sak’Hurai, his bulk kept him from being the quickest with his blades, but it made him one of the strongest Sak’Hurai that had ever lived. It wasn’t his imposing size that put him in a position of authority within the Sak’Hurai, it was because he worked so hard to overcome his size.

  He walked among the Sak’Hurai warriors to ensure they were ready for the inevitable battle. Blades needed to be sharpened, food and water needed to be ingested, and their minds needed to be focused on using their skill in battle. They could not let their minds wander to thoughts about killing or being killed. They could not humanize their opponents, else they might be a touch slow or pull back when they should push forward. They did not need to be killing machines, for they were still human, even if the result of their actions were like killing machines. Their years of training had brought them all to this one point in time, and they only needed to rely on that training to survive.

  Kile didn’t really need to babysit the other warriors, but he didn’t know what else to do. His swords were sharp and ready, as was his mind. He needed something to keep himself occupied until the battle began and making sure the other Sak’Hurai were equally prepared was that something he needed to do.

  When he saw Princess Nikki come walking towards him, he stepped away from the other Sak’Hurai to greet her. The sour look on her face was unmistakable.

  “It did not go well?”

  “We will be at the center of their army,” Nikki said.

  “We fight their battle, then?” Tys said from behind them.

  Nikki and Kile turned to see the smaller Sak’Hurai stride up to them. His eyes showed as much anger as his voice. “In the center, we will be trapped among the Centurions. Have you ever seen them fight? They are immobile and rely on brute force. There are no tactics involved with their type of warfare. March forward and beat the enemy to death.”

  “We can still fight our own fight,” Nikki replied. Tys was one of the smartest Sak’Hurai that she knew, and she relied heavily on his knowledge of battle tactics and strategies. She needed Tys to be able to figure out a way for them to not be stuck in the middle of the fight, where they would be most vulnerable. She could not lose him to his anger but keep him thinking about how their next move. “The Tarans are led by a fool and will get his entire army destroyed. I want no part of that. We need to find a way out of this.”

  “Of course, there is only one way,” Tys responded. The look on his face told them that they should already know the answer, but neither Nikki nor Kile knew what he was talking about.

  After waiting for several heartbeats, Tys realized they were waiting for him to answer. He shook his head in arrogant frustration. It wasn’t that they should have known what he was thinking, but the answer was so apparent, he should not have had to answer. “Diamond, of course.”

  “Right!” Nikki responded, immediately understanding where Tys was going with his tactics. “We don’t stick around for the fight, we just race forward and punch through their lines.”

  “If they notice what we are doing, they will direct reserves after us,” Kile said.

  Tys rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. “We are but a hundred warriors in an army of ten thousand. Do you think they will even care about us? They will not even notice us. Even if we were trying to outflank them, they have so many more soldiers than us, it would be a slaughter. Both sides would be slaughtered, but there would be none left of us in the end. Diamond is the only way to go.”

  Kile nodded his agreement, as did Nikki.

  Tys glanced over their shoulders at the Taran army that was mustering behind them. “I don’t like it, though. We should just start running now before the fighting starts.”

  “It is the only way,” Nikki said. “If we left on our own, we would be easily chased down by the barbarians. They will see us leaving from a mile away and easily cut us off.”

  “We could always build a boat to cross the river,” Kile offered with a smile.

  “Did you bring your ax, or do you intend to chop down trees with your Sak’Turana?”

  Kile grimaced, and Tys snickered.

  “Tys,” Nikki said. “Spread the word to the rest of the Sak’Hurai. Line them up, so the fastest are in the rear.” She saw the look on Tys’ face and said, “If the fastest are in the front, they might push the pace too fast and spread the line out too far. We need to keep a tight formation.”

  Tys dropped his shoulders forward in a stiff bow and stepped away to prepare the Sak’Hurai for the upcoming battle.

  Nikki started to walk away, too, but Kile said in a near whisper, “You spent quite some time talking with the one who calls himself Aeneas. He is a handsome man.”

  Nikki crossed her arms. “We were discussing tactics for the upcoming battle. His appearance does not matter to me.”

  Kile’s lips turned up into a smile. “I was watching you. After he left, your eyes followed him for some time.”

  “Enough!” Nikki snapped back. “You have been trying to marry me away since we were children. I am Sak’Hurai, and the last thing I need in my life is a man to slow me down. These barbarians have never seen the likes of us, so we will strike fast and hard and drive straight through them and make our way east.”

  Tys was still only a few feet away from them. He turned away from a sm
all group of Sak’Hurai as Nikki delivered her sharp retort. Whispers were shared among them, and each looked past Tys towards Nikki.

  Nikki noticed it right away. Their body language told her that it was not just a casual conversation. She would never have imagined that her Sak’Hurai would go against her, for they were committed and disciplined warriors and subjects. However, she never would have guessed that the Hurai villagers on the mainland would align against her father, but they had. A realization swept over her that anything could happen, especially in war. She almost let it go, but something inside of her told her that she shouldn’t. It would be worth standing up and fighting to ensure that her Sak’Hurai stayed together as one.

  “What is it, Tys?” Nikki asked in a tone that was more command than a question.

  “Nothing,” Tys responded, but the looks on the faces of the other Sak’Hurai confirmed her fears.

  She marched forward and put her hands on her hips. “Speak!” She barked.

  “Our fight is not with these barbarians. Bargoroth? Is that what they are called. Perhaps we should avoid the battle altogether and slip away once the fighting has started.”

  “What?” Kile exclaimed. “That is the coward’s way out! We are Sak’Hurai!”

  “You’re right,” Nikki replied calmly, which surprised everyone in earshot. “Our fight is not with the Bargoroth. Our fight is with the Deceiver.”

  “If he exists,” Tys snapped back quickly. “This great army you talk about? I have not seen it. You only know of it because some strangers came and told you a tale that piqued the interest of our king, who lives and breathes the myths and legends of our past. I see no amazing creatures. I only see two armies trying to kill one another, and we are standing right in the middle of them!”

  “Those myths and legends of which you speak are our histories. They are not stories for our children, but they are events of our past.”

  “They mean nothing for our future. Our nation is being torn apart by the mainland factions who tire of the oppressive leadership of your father.”

  “Tys, that is enough,” Kile said. He stepped forward and stood between Tys and Nikki, hoping his size would deter further arguing.

  “No!” Tys said, taking a step forward to meet Kile’s challenge. “My family is from the mainland, and I know the struggles they go through while the palace thrives.”

  Nikki’s anger suddenly cooled. It had been slowly building to a crescendo, but instead of bursting over in an uncontrolled outburst, it slowly dissipated as her discipline took over. She did not have to force her voice to be calm, it came out that way. Barely loud enough for everyone to ear, she replied, “Tys, you have crossed the line from which you cannot come back. Your words are treasonous. I will not have any Hurai, much less a Sak’Hurai speak about the king as you have done. In years past, anyone who spoke as you have would have their head on the ground. Even one such as you. I brought you into my inner circle because of your knowledge, but you must show loyalty, too.”

  “I am not alone in my feelings,” Tys said, standing his ground. “Many others feel as I do. All the Sak’Hurai are given privilege and comfort while our families suffer. It is not fair that we should be granted such privilege just because we are good killers.”

  Nikki shook her head. The rage was starting to build up again. She was their leader and needed to show it. Soon enough, she would have to show it on the battlefield, but first, she needed to show leadership right here in front of the rest of the Sak’Hurai. If she did not, then she would lose not only the handful that were openly defiant, but she would lose all her warriors.

  “We have sacrificed our lives to prepare ourselves to defend our nation. The comforts that you speak of are nothing more than a bed at night and solid food throughout the day. That is a proper payment for giving our lives for the people of Hurai.”

  Kile added, “If it were not for us, there would be nothing left of our nation. We are the binds that hold it together.”

  Tys glared at Kile with derision. “Your words are meaningless. You have followed Nikki like a hungry dog since you were children.”

  Kile jumped forward, but Nikki was ready and grabbed him. She could feel the hundreds of Sak’Hurai watching her and the scene that was being made. At this moment, she knew that she would either have the Sak’Hurai forever, or she would lose them.

  Drumbeats from a distance began to pound in a loud, rhythmic manner. There were loud shouts from all around them, and the ground started to rumble as the Taran army started to march forward.

  “This is neither the time nor place for this,” Nikki said. “Yes, we are all Sak’Hurai, but we are also people of the Hurai. We have trained all our lives for moments like this, and we argue about politics?”

  “This is not politics,” Tys countered. “This is about the lives of our people.”

  Nikki stepped forward so that she was inches from Tys. “It is you who have gotten soft. You are Sak’Hurai. Your commitment is to the king and nothing else. Your mind has been polluted by the influence of the world, and you have lost your focus. I cannot trust you to lead your company anymore. I cannot trust you to fight by my side. As of this moment, you are no more a Sak’Hurai. Relinquish your swords.”

  “You do not have the authority,” Tys growled. “That is something only a king can do.”

  Nikki’s voice remained even. “You insult the king, and yet you call upon his authority? You cannot have it both ways. Relinquish your swords, or I will take them from you. Yes, I do have the authority. On the battlefield, in his absence, I am him.”

  “You now claim the throne of king?” Tys growled.

  “Princess Nikki,” Kile said softly behind her. “The battle has begun. We do not have the time for this. If we are to escape to the east, we must join in the battle with the Tarans. If we are too late, there may be too many Bargoroth to fight through.”

  “There can be no battle with a traitor among us.”

  “Maybe it is your father who is the traitor,” Tys retorted sharply. “It is he who has abandoned his people. You want us to fight for you, then disavow all that your father has done and commit to change. Change is coming, whether it is with you or not with you. You can either be a part of the solution, or you are the problem.”

  Nikki’s rage returned in full. “You do not only speak of treason, but you also speak of revolution. You do not need to relinquish your swords, for I will take them from your dead body.” Her swords were drawn before the next heartbeat finished pounding in her chest.

  She had never killed her own kind before. Pushing aside all feelings and emotion, she let controlled rage dictate her actions. If she were to even hesitate to think about what she was doing, then she wouldn’t be able to do what she needed to do. If she weren’t able to do what she needed to do, then she would lose control of all the Sak’Hurai. They needed her to be a leader, and now it was time to be one.

  Tys anticipated Nikki’s move, and his swords were in his hands to parry her first attack. However, he misjudged her speed and power and almost paid for it with his life. Their swords met just inches from his face, causing him to flinch and take an off-balance step backward. She pressed the attack, pushing him further back on his heels. Slowly, he retreated as he could not stand up to her impressive assault. The other Sak’Hurai stepped aside and encircled them. None drew their swords or even thought about interfering. The victor would be their leader, and they needed to let the victor win on his or her own accord. Anyone who tried to help would be cut down by the rest.

  There was no cheering or calling for one or another to win. Sak’Hurai were great warriors, but they were also disciplined followers. Their devotion was complete to the one who was in power, but since that power was being challenged, ancient custom forced the Sa’Hurai to stand back and wait for the power struggle to be resolved. Even if some favored one side or the other, they could not interfere, for the fight was only between the challenger and the current leader. If anyone did choose to help either s
ide, the rest of the Sak’Hurai were obligated to step in and ensure the fight was only between the two Hurai.

  Although the custom was firmly established, there had been times in the past when the Sak’Hurai went through civil wars between competing factions. Such a war was bloody and purged many good warriors. During those times, the factions were split down ideological lines that had been brewing for many years. Even though there had been rumblings throughout the Hurai people against King Loshin, the Sak’Hurai had not yet been involved. Nikki knew that if left to simmer, Tys’ presence would cause a festering infection that would eventually lead to another civil war and potentially a revolt against her father. Every ounce of her being hated what she must do, but as leader of the Sak’Hurai, she must assert her will and her power to ensure that they stood together to fight the Deceiver.

  Tys had risen through the ranks of the Sak’Hurai not only because of his battlefield tactical skills but also because of his one-on-one fighting skills. Nikki was in her place because of her royal blood, and not necessarily because of her ability to fight. She knew that Tys was better than she was, but not by much. She relied upon her initial barrage to try and force the melee to go her way. If Tys were somehow to gain the advantage, she would be hard-pressed to fend him off. Dipping deep into her training and skill, she was able to keep him off-balance by constantly countering her attacks.

  As she furiously attacked, he retreated, and the circle of Sak’Hurai moved with them. What had once been solid ground was now a muddy mess from where the Taran Centurions had mustered and began their march to battle. Nikki, with her advantageous position, was able to maintain her footing. Tys, however, did not see the slippery mud until he backed over it and one of his feet slipped, causing him to miss a parry.

  Nikki jumped at the opening, slicing one of her swords down and across his right forearm. He was quick enough to pull away and keep the sword from severing his limb, but the tip still caught his upper forearm and cut a deep slice into it. His hand went numb, and he lost strength in it. Recognizing this, Nikki slapped her other sword across his sword, sending it tumbling across the ground. Blood poured down his arm, which he held limply. He tried vainly to defend himself, but with only one sword against her two, he knew he had no chance to survive.