The Age of Heroes Read online

  “No thief will even know it’s there. But why are you even talking about my bow? You have a staff, like an old man. Or a wizard or something.”

  “Don’t knock the staff. I used it to stab the last duen.”

  The further they went, the thicker the crowd of trees on the street became. A gentle breeze whispered all around. Rawk half expected to come across the King of Trees, holding audience before his adoring public. But there were just more trees and more crumbling skeletons of buildings. Once or twice they even came across a house or business that seemed to be almost intact. One two-story building was missing only a roof. Though perhaps the vines that clung to the walls were all that held it up.

  There was no king, and no adoring crowds, but the forest still watched. A gentle breeze whispered through the leaves. “What are they doing here?”, “Come look, warriors are among us”. It was cool under the trees, but whenever Rawk stepped into a patch of sunlight he felt his skin tingling.

  Half an hour later, they crossed a major road and stepped into a place where the trees were huge and the buildings non-existent.

  “What just happened?” Fabi asked.

  They all stopped to look around.

  “Did we leave the city?”

  Galad shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  Rawk didn’t think so either. The city already seemed huge, but he felt as if they should have been approaching the center, not stepping back out into the wilderness. He looked back the way they’d come. “Maybe it’s a park.”

  “Right. So, do we keep going? Or do we go back and go around the outside?”

  “Let’s go back and see what we can see.”

  They returned to the road then turned north. They followed the edge of whatever-it-was for a few hundred yards, trees on one side, city on the other, without seeing anything much at all. There were birds and squirrels and even a fox, but that didn’t help. There were no trails and no clues.

  “Do we go and check the other direction?”

  Fabi laughed and looked at the taller trees. “Let’s get it over with. We all know that’s most likely where the things will be.”

  Rawk didn’t say anything. He hefted his pack, and followed the other man into the trees. It was slow going as they hacked and barged their way forward. It was noisy too. Not the best way to go about things, but Rawk didn’t want to spend the next week wandering around the forest.

  A hundred yards in, Fabi waved a signal. Rawk had never been in the army, but he knew enough to stop in his tracks. He cocked his head to listen. Dogs. They might have been normal dogs but he didn’t like the odds of that. He drew Dabaneera and crouched down by the side of a tall, rough barked tree that he didn’t recognize. And they waited.

  Five minutes later, the dogs were still barking, but they didn’t seem to be getting any closer.

  “How long do we wait?” Galad asked.

  Rawk remembered fighting the one dog. It hadn’t been fun. And now it sounded as if there were a dozen of them, all baying for his blood.

  “Let’s rest here for a minute. Have something to eat.”

  “Are you getting old, Rawk?”

  “I’m getting hungry.” Rawk rummaged through his pack and found something to eat then sat with his back against the tree and his boots in a thin, dusty shaft of sunlight. “Everyone keeps telling me I’m getting old,” he said eventually, when his bread and one of the apples was gone. “They keep telling me to grow up.”

  “And what do you say to them?” Fabi was eating an apple too, crunching all the way through the core.

  “I don’t say anything,” Rawk said. “I go and find another monster to kill.” But who was he trying to convince? “Come on.” He rose to his feet, flexed his knee, and headed towards the sound.

  It took an hour to move half a mile further into the forest. They went from tree to tree, stopping to listen to the baying of the dogs. They waded across a stream and followed a narrow, snaking ravine for a hundred yards, glad of the cover but wary of something jumping on them from above. The ground climbed the whole way.

  The further they went, the more rocks there were. They climbed a rocky knoll and could see more and more of the outcrops ahead of them, breaking through the trees like small islands above the waves. And slightly to the north, a thin stream of smoke licked at the air.

  Rawk’s mouth was suddenly dry. He took a long drink from his water skin, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “Well, I guess we know where we’re going,” he said.

  The others didn’t reply.

  He climbed back down and changed course.

  -O-

  Rawk froze when he saw the first of the dogs. He didn’t signal, but Galad and Fabi knew something was wrong because they stopped too, sharing a glance before sinking down to hide amongst the undergrowth. Rawk put a hand against a tree to steady himself and waited to see what would happen. The creature watched him, white fur bristling, but it didn’t come any closer. There were others, barking and growling, but Rawk couldn’t see them. There were at least four.

  When the dog stayed put, Rawk stalked forward, pausing between each step to make sure he wasn’t being set up. But the barking stayed in front of him and nothing came from any other direction. Finally, he came to the edge of a clearing and he crouched down too. Six dogs in total, all bigger than the first one he had killed. Each was tied to the stump of a tree by a length of rope as thick as Rawk’s arm. And in the middle of the clearing, made from the trees, stood a cabin. Or maybe it was a meeting hall for it was large enough to fit two score men. It was ten yards long and half that wide. The only visible window stared blankly from two yards above the ground.

  Rawk beckoned to the others and they stalked forward.

  “Is anyone home?” Fabi whispered.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Maybe the two you killed were the only ones who live here and the dogs are just getting hungry.”

  But a booming voice came from inside the cabin. When the dogs didn’t stop barking, a huge duen, even bigger than the others Rawk had fought, came around the corner of the building. It was a female, covered in long grey fur and wearing a robe that went over one shoulder and wrapped around the waist. She held the biggest frypan Rawk had ever seen.

  Rawk froze. He held his breath. The duen stopped near the corner of the building and said something to the dogs, but it was staring into the trees. After a few seconds, it went to one of the dogs and released it from its tether.

  The dog bounded forward, growling and barking.

  Fabi stood up quickly and fired his bow. Galad followed suit a moment later and the two arrows thudded into the chest of the beast. The duen stared for a moment, then cried out. She took a step towards the fallen dog, then changed direction and went to the next dog in line instead. Fabi fired again, at the duen this time. The creature didn’t appear to be watching, but it spun and swatted away the shaft with the frypan. She shouted, “Hold,” at the dog as she released it. It stayed close to her side, teeth bared, eager to leap forward. The duen saved it, deflecting another arrow from Galad. Then she released the next dog with the same command. The dogs followed her to the next tree stump and waited for her to untie the next dog.

  “Get the dogs that are still tied,” Rawk shouted to his companions. “She’s keeping them close so she can protect them.”

  Four arrows whisked out in quick succession. One dog died with two shafts in its throat. Another was struck in the leg but didn’t seem concerned. The duen knocked aside the final arrow as she released the fourth dog, leaving the injured one where it was. Then she shouted another command and the dogs scattered, running towards the cover of the trees. When they were safe, the duen backed towards the corner of the building, frypan at the ready.

  When she had gone from sight, Rawk drew Dabaneera. “Path. What do we do now?” He examined the forest but could see no sign of the dogs. They were out there somewhere and it would be hard for Galad and Fabi to get a clean shot.

  “Where
is safer?” Fabi asked. “In here we have some cover but so do they. Out there...”

  “I’m going out there,” Rawk said. If he could get his back against the wall of the cabin before the duen returned... If it intended to return. Perhaps she had fled with the dogs, going for help.

  But Fabi fired an arrow into the trees. He plucked another arrow from his quiver and fired again. Galad fired as well.

  “Three to go,” Fabi said.

  Rawk’s heart raced. He shifted his grip on his sword and tried to see everywhere at once. He had to stop himself from twirling on the spot, spinning from one slight sound to another. They were in a forest, the world was full of sounds that could be a charging dog or a clumsy squirrel or a branch in the breeze.

  Another dog came from nowhere. Fabi reacted quickly. He stepped to the side, ducked, but was still knocked from his feet. Before the beast could leap away, Galad put an arrow in its flank. It staggered and Rawk darted forward to finish it off. He slipped Dabaneera into its stomach and up under its ribs.

  “Two to go,” Fabi said through clenched teeth. He hauled himself to his feet, clutching his right shoulder. “Someone else can be the bait next time.”

  “Let’s get to the cabin.”

  “I’ll cover you,” Fabi said, collecting his bow from where he’d dropped it.

  Rawk didn’t know if Fabi could draw the bow but wasn’t about to ask. He would just pretend he could and be happy for it. Galad darted away from the trees while Rawk followed. Once they had their backs against the wall, they turned and Galad pulled out his bow as Fabi crossed the open space.

  A dog came from the trees, silent, head low, ears back. Rawk dropped into a fighting crouch as an arrow whisked out from beside him. The dog staggered but kept coming. Fabi hardly seemed to be moving. The dog was right there. Another arrow hit it in the chest and it fell to the ground like an avalanche. It knocked Fabi from his feet and Rawk went out to drag him over to the wall. His knee struggled to bare the extra weight. “Path,” He muttered. “I should be at home.” Or even better, I should be at Maris’ home, lying in the sun. He tried to calm his racing heart.

  “One to go,” Galad said, breathing heavy.

  Plus one still tied up. Rawk was about to suggest they finish the injured creature off, but never got the chance.

  The duen came around the corner, sword in one hand, small, round shield in the other. Small for her. It seemed to be the size of a dinner table. She paused, looking at the dead dogs, then stalked forward again.

  “You will pay for the death of my dogs.”

  Rawk set himself as Fabi tried to draw his bow. As suspected, the other man grunted in pain and gave it up as too hard. Galad fired, but the duen knew how to use the shield. She knocked the arrow aside and kept coming. Rawk went to meet her. He ducked under one experimental swing and lunged forward, careful of his knee, trying to ignore his arm. But the shield came around and almost knocked him from his feet. He went with the blow and found himself in the open and within range of the still-tied dog.

  “Galad.” He darted back towards the building just as the dog attacked and Galad fired another arrow. The creature yelped, staggered and fell to the ground. The duen called out and Rawk used Dabaneera to slide a blow over the top of his head. For a moment he thought his arm might be broken.

  “Another one.”

  “What?”

  But when he turned around he could see for himself. Another duen came around the building from the other direction. Galad fired again, but the newcomer turned the shaft aside.

  “Path.” Galad threw down his bow and drew his sword. “What have you gotten us into, Rawk?”

  Rawk rolled under an attack. “Six thousand ithel, that’s what.” He swung his own attack, but the duen was somewhere else. “You help Fabi.”

  Fabi had his sword out but it wasn’t obvious if he had the strength to use it. His arm hung limply at his side. The bruising was obvious through his torn shirt. But at the last moment, as the second duen moved in, he swapped his sword to his left hand and attacked. The move was so unexpected that he almost succeeded. But the creature parried the blow and retreated quickly. Fabi kept up the attack and Galad rushed forward to help.

  Rawk narrowly avoided having his head removed and tried to concentrate. He fell back, rolled and came to his feet out in the open again. He had a quick look around for the final dog but it was nowhere in sight. Then the duen was on him again and he didn’t have time to worry. He dodged, swung wildly and almost fell over a tree stump. Still on his feet, just, he scrambled away.

  When he had his balance he stopped and readied himself. The duen advanced, sword low. Rawk wasn’t quite sure what he should do. If he kept doing what he was doing he would make a mistake sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t take much. A trip, a decision made a moment too late. His knee finally locking up. Life always hung on such things but the duen made him think about it for the first time in a long time. The creature was big and fast. It had a long reach. It had a shield. He glanced at Fabi and Galad. They were having more luck than he was. With two of them attacking, the second duen had a hard time keeping up. It spun one way and the next, somehow managing to keep the two men at bay.

  Rawk had just decided to wait until somebody could come to help when the duen came at him hard. Perhaps she’d had the thought that her friend needed help and the only way she could provide that was if Rawk was dead. Rawk blocked and dodged. He swung Dabaneera low and missed by more than a foot.

  He would be lucky to reach her, even if he found an opening.

  The duen pushed forward again and Rawk clambered up onto a tree stump to give himself more height. It sounded like a good plan for a moment, but he needed to dodge and couldn’t even take a step without falling back to the ground. Once, he would have done a somersault to get back down. Now, he should’ve known better than to get up there in the first place. He jumped one swing, clanging his sword against the duen’s shield in reply, then leapt down to the ground. His knee screamed at him and this time it wouldn’t hold his weight. He fell to the ground in a heap, clutching his leg with one hand and his sword with the other. He couldn’t think.

  The duen was on him in a second, sword raise for the killing stroke. Rawk could see it through his haze of pain but he knew there was nothing he could do. He tried to forget his knee and raise his sword anyway. He was successful, little good that it would do.

  The duen gave a small, sad smile. Rawk watched as she started to...

  The creature flinched, half turned and Rawk followed her gaze. There was someone behind her. It was such an incongruous sight that Rawk wasn’t sure he was really seeing it.

  The dwarf hardly came to her waist, but he had a dagger and poked and prodded at her hamstring for all he was worth. It was like a wasp stinging an elephant, but the attack distracted the duen for a moment and allowed Rawk to gain his feet. Before he could do more, the duen swung her shield and the edge caught the dwarf in the side of the head. His feet left the ground and his head crashed into the tree stump Rawk had recently vacated. The was a dull thud, like a watermelon hitting the road.

  Rawk should have attacked then, but he was stunned. He stared at the still figure of the dwarf, wondering where he had come from, wondering what had happened, and then the moment had passed. He staggered backwards as the duen rounded on him. It followed, attacking high, then low. Rawk slid the first blow aside, jumped the second. He managed to keep his feet when the duen made use of the shield again. The wind rushed from his lungs. He wheezed, struggled to stay upright as his opponent pressed the advantage. He could barely raise his sword.

  And at that moment, Galad screamed. It was a strange, gurgling sound that was followed a moment later by a bellow of pain from the second duen.

  Rawk looked across to the other fight. Galad was on the ground, hand held to his neck as blood gushed out. If he still lived, it was a miracle.

  But the duen had been injured as well. Fabi had buried his sword in its stomach. Blood, mu
ch darker than Galad’s, ran down the hilt and dripped onto the ground.

  The female cried out, turned, took half a step, paused. Rawk watched for a moment before realizing this was his last chance. He limped forward while the creature was distracted and swung Dabaneera with all his strength. The razor sharp edge bit into the duen’s side. She called out, but Rawk twisted the blade to open up the wound. When she reached down, groping blindly, he let go of the hilt and backed away. She stood for a moment, blood coating her hands and legs, pulsing out onto the ground, then collapsed. Rawk sank to the ground as well.

  “Are you all right, Fabi?” he asked. He wasn’t sure if the other man would be able to hear him.

  “I’ll live.”

  Which was more than could be said for Galad. And the dwarf.

  Rawk didn’t look at either of them. There would be time for thinking about that later. He didn’t want to think at all. He just wanted to sit and breathe for a while. Instead, he rose painfully to his feet, pulled Dabaneera free of the duen’s body, and staggered around to the other side of the cabin.

  “Where are you going?”

  “There may be more. There may be...” He didn’t know what else there may be.

  The door to the cabin was open and he went through, sword at the ready. There was a huge table, half prepared meal on the freshly planed boards. There were vegetables and roots hanging in bunches from the roof near a fire pit with a trickle of smoke searching for the chimney. At one end, straw was spread around inside a wooden frame and at the other end three beds had been attached to the wall.

  And that was all.

  Rawk returned to the scene of the fight and slumped down beside Fabi. He wiped sweat from his face. He flexed his injured arm.

  “So?” Fabi asked, looking at his sword as if the last thing he wanted to do was get back to his feet to use it.

  “Nothing. And this is the last of them, I think.”

  “Why?”

  Rawk gestured vaguely. “There are four beds.”

  A crow fluttered down from a tree and landed on one of the stumps. It stretched its wings then settled down to watch.