Gods of Garran

The Gods of Garran: Chapter 19

A novel by Meredith Skye

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From the hills above Hobset, Morrhan watched the upcoming travesty, alone.

His father, Ashtan, led the Sand Plain Clan towards the unsuspecting Chanden town, with plans to kill man, woman and child—as a crazy retribution for all that the Chanden had inflicted upon their people in the last 100 years.

It was suicide.

Morrhan could scarcely bear to watch. He looked elsewhere, wishing he could stop his clan somehow.

Ashtan had banished Morrhan for his objections, declaring that he was never a true member of the Sand Plain Clan and forcing Morrhan to leave. And his father took Morrhan's own little sister, Crysethe, into battle, ignoring all of Morrhan's objections. She was little more than a child.

The three Upper Steppe Clan guides watched from a nearby hill top. Why did they watch and not help? This seemed odd to Morrhan. Then he saw them signal someone. Perhaps they were keeping watch for Ashtan and the others. He followed their gaze and saw the Red Sun Clan on another hill just to the south. That's not where they said they would be. They were supposed go around to the east and guard the pass to warn them if the Chanden arrived and ambush them.

Was this a trap after all—as Morrhan had told his father? Morrhan did not wish to be proved right. As Ashtan and the others marched towards the village, Morrhan tried to think of an explanation. Perhaps half of the Red Sun clan had gone to the East Pass and these were waiting in reserve to help his father. Why didn't they ride, then?

Morrhan hesitated, torn. His father had banished him, but they were in danger. They had to be warned. Morrhan ran back up the slope to his yithhe. His own clan was nearly on the village. They spurred forward with outstretched arms, yelling a war cry. A door to one of the dwellings opened and a man stepped out. Sand Plain arrows struck him down.

The killing had begun.

Then beyond the village, vehicles approached from the East Pass. Chanden. Morrhan looked over at the Red Sun clan. They did nothing. Gave no warning. They meant to betray the Sand Plain people!

Without thinking, Morrhan jumped on his yithhe and spurred himself towards his clan. They must be warned! They would be slaughtered! More than that—they'd start a war with the Chanden that could not be stopped.

Doors opened and the Chanden began to flee as the Sand Plain Clan rushed towards them on yithhe, screaming war cries. He jumped off his yithhe, drew his sword and ran after a Chanden woman, grinning at the terror in her eyes. He ran her through and then let out a yell.

All around him the other clansmen did the same, chasing the helpless Chanden—including women and children. Killing them without mercy!

The Chanden would be outraged.

Morrhan shouted when he reached the village, but there was such chaos that no one heard him. The Sand Plain clan fought with the villagers. There were bodies everywhere. And further ahead he could hear the battle beginning between the Chanden enforcers that had arrived and his brothers.

Morrhan searched desperately for his father, moving deeper into the village towards the rising battle. Finally, he spotted his father and ran towards him. Then an energy bolt struck Ashtan, knocking him, flailing, to the ground.

"Father!" screamed Morrhan, riding towards him, ignoring the chaos around him. The yithhe stumbled. Morrhan jumped off before the creature crashed to the ground.

Morrhan ran to his father's side and held up his head, but his father's eyes were already glazed over.

Dead.