Manorborn: The Battles Between

Chapter 4

"Betrayal!!"

Vroth's bellow rang out as his mighty battle axe split an attacker from shoulder to waist, then spun to remove the head of another before turning to face the attackers. His great nostrils flared, eyes blazed, and his muscles tensed in preparation for battle. His anger, frist from betrayal by one he had counted as friend, and then from attack by those who should have been loyal to him, burned white hot in his gaze, and the snarl on his lips made him seem more bestial than ever.

Across the table from him, Malvix had his sword in one hand and his pistol in the other, both of which he used with fine skill and efficiency to lay low foe after foe as he stood cooly amidst the fray. He fired his pistol six times and then, when it was empty, holstered it and focused on blade work.

Beside him, sword in one hand and dagger in the other, his son Merric stood to guard his father's back. Together they faced their foemen, and their made a fearsome pair.

"Come dogs! Let us show you how a Kervathian fights!" Snarled the Lord of Kervath as he slashed and stabbed, hacked and thrust again and again until his bright blade was bloodied and wet, while his son did damage of his own to those who came within the reach of his blades.

With a shout, Benjamin swung Raash about his head, silver arm glimering in the sunlight, as he stood forth to wade into battle. Had he struck, many an enemy would have fallen from even one blow of his mighty Earth Hammer, many a bone would have shattered and a body have broken.

But the blow never came.

A hand upon his shoulder held him back, a firm touch restrained him from striking a blow in the name of the Manor.

Startled, he looked to see Jaryd's hand on his arm, confused, he looked into his brother's face, as questions filled his mind.

"Stay your hand, brother. This is no longer our fight."

"How can you say that? If we do not help them, they will fall!"

Jaryd's smile was sadly aware, and he held up his staff, the Staff of Storms, as he spoke.

"Do you not think I know what i could do? With a wave of Sehrah, I could blast our attackers from the land. But, Benjamin, think! We are not all powerulf, nor are we always present on every world! We are only to be the call when all else fails, the ones summoned when Darkness proves too strong. Only then are we to come and step in. We have done that here. Now it is up to them!"

"But they will fall if we do not help them!"

Jaryd pointed to the plains just a short distance away and the two armies standing there, seeming unaware of the plight of their leaders.

"Their armies are there. They can aid them greatly. They do not need us."

Benjamin stared at the gathered forces a mere spears throw away. The warriors stood there, staring ahead, eyes blank, oblivious to the plight of their Chief and their Lord.

"Why are they not moving then?! Can they not see what his happening?"

"No, they cannot!"

Galen shouted as he stood on the table, Mehtsoot in his hands, and Chazon blazing on his chest. His one eye gleamed as he spoke, his face grim.

"A deception blinds them, makes them only see that Lord Malvix and Chief Vroth are in counsel with us. Darkness blinds them, Deceit confounds them. I can see it!"

"Then end it!" Jaryd commanded.

Lifing the Mehtsoot, the Sword of Truth, above his head and toward Heaven, the youngest Manorborn called out in a voice of clarion authority and power.

"Rise up Warriors! Awaken! See truth! See reality! Let darkness fall from your mind, and lies depart from your eyes!! Arise!!!"

As he cried out, the Sword of the True blazed in his hands, the light from it rushing forward and rays and strobes as bright as the sun. They struck the armies full, piercing through heads and hearts, spearing through eyes as a sound like ice shattering filled the air of the valley and a shimmer appeared over the gathered soldiers, then fall apart in shards of blackness that fell to the earth and faded.