Sword of Stars

Chapter One. A New Name.

Garek scratched at his two days’ worth of stubble irritably. Star blinding heat, he thought.  A cone of starlight suddenly burst through a gap in the tall trees. Blinded, he scrambled backwards with a curse as Ahallan chuckled quietly. Garek shook his head to clear his vision, his jaw length brown hair whipping around madly. When his eyes opened Ahallan subtlety flinched at the sight of his blue eyes with a ring of violet around the iris. A consequence of the Maaseir blood that flowed in his veins, a race not accepted by most.

 “Anyway, when are these bloody supplies supposed to pass?” Ahallan’s brows furrowed. His squashed nose, broken several times Garek estimated, glistened with sweat. The long scar, starting from the top of his left eyebrow to the opposite side of his chin, crossing the middle of his wide mouth made him look more irritated than he actually was.“This waiting is the worst part of war!”

Garek scratched at his stubble again as he looked up at the star. “It’s in the right place, so I think it’ll be… There.” Garek nodded towards the massive wooden wagon cresting the hill through the trees. 

“That thing is massive! By the Stars, the Feldoran sure know how to overcompensate.” Ahallan shook with mirth, the light shining off his bald head near blinding Garek again. “How many soldiers ya see Gare?”

Garek rolled his eyes at the nickname. He looked behind him into the forest at the hundred lightly armoured men and woman, crouching behind massive fallen and rotting trees, some behind small hills, heads looking over curiously and waiting patiently for an order. Some carried swords of various sizes, some spears and at least twenty with bows. It was the best Garek could do at such short notice. If only he had had more time. He knew for a fact that these men and women were eager to do anything they could to aid their homeland and he knew they had mettle. Garek turned back to analyse the situation.

There were at least one hundred and fifty well-armed soldiers, all in the Feldoran style armour. It was dark and jagged, slashed with blues and reds; the captain had on his shining breastplate withthe Flames of Feldor over the heart, barbute fully covering his head with metal wings rising up like ears. His cold eyes looked out the gap, carefully surveying the surroundings. A massive Feldoran two-handed sword hung at his belt nearly touching the ground. His cloak bearing the Feldoran crest; a blue flame with a red star bursting behind it encased in a sphere.

Garek didn’t expect them to be this well-armed. The cargo must be important. He could see it was packed to the rim with what looked like weapons, sword points and spear heads poking out the top, clanging together as the wagon lumbered slowly down the rough dirt road. Ten strong horses pulled the huge wagon, leg muscles rippling with the effort, the driver at the front of the wagon cracking his whip in between yells of: “YA!” as if the horses needed more encouragement between beatings.

“The well-armed soldiers are at the front, all with two-handed swords; they number about fifty or so and just behind them is the captain.” We’ll need our best to take them out. By the Stars, let these men have the courage.  “Then it’s the wagon surrounded by about twenty archers, the road is just big enough for them to fit. Looks like the rest are spear men to take up the rear guard.”

Ahallan nodded in agreement, licking his lips hungrily.

Garek turned around to face the mercenaries. “Alright men, you remember the plan of attack?” a hundred heads nodded, confirming they were “Then let’s get into position.” At the clap of his hands they all darted off in different directions.

“Ahallan you know what needs to be done.” Garek’s hand clasped Ahallan’s pauldron covered shoulder. “May the Stars shine brightly on you this day my friend.”

Ahallan barked a laugh. “Enough of that bloody Stars stuff. You know I don’t believe in any of that.”

Garek laughed softly. “I know Ahallan, neither do I. Still, it just may save your life someday.” Ahallan opened his mouth to retort but Garek turned and took off in the opposite direction before he could say a word.