The Sword of Voitra

By Eric McGough

It’s time to go to war, but traitor Lindrick’s treachery has lost the Candlers their element of surprise, without which they will be outmatched. Cal waits anxiously for news of his plan to turn the tables back in their favour. But he is counting on traitor Lindrick staying true to his treacherous, double-dealing, nature. Has Cal read the man’s motives right? Or will he be defeated even before the battles have been joined? Cal is keeping himself busy while he waits for news. With a smith’s hammer back in his hand again, he beats out the nightmare that he has witnessed so many times, both during the Keenings and in his dreams. Over and over he beats the red-hot steel, to give form to a horror too deadly to even contemplate. Yet he must forge this weapon; it is his fate to wield it and to be wielded by it. The Sword of Voitra

• Language: English
• Publisher: Eric McGough
• Release date: Jul 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463152850

Book preview

Book Three of

‘THE TEARS OF A GOD’ series

By Eric McGough

By Eric McGough

‘The Tears of a God’ series

Prequel

‘THE EVIL WITHIN’

Book 1

‘GIVEN BLOOD’

Book 2

‘WARRIOR LORD’

Book 3

‘THE SWORD OF VOITRA’

Book 4

‘SOUL REAPER’

(Expected early 2019)

Copyright © 2017 by Eric McGough

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced,

without the permission of the author.

Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/billwy

Copyright © 2017 by Eric McGough

All rights reserved

No part of this publication may be reproduced,

without the permission of the author.

Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/billwy

He was on a balcony in the vast enclosure of the Sacred Well. He could not move; some force held him rigid and helpless. The floor of the enclosure was fifty feet below him. Cal had his eyes locked on the scene below, where black-robed figures faced the Sacred Well in the centre of the floor. Florinda, his bride to be, was lying on a slab positioned over the centre of the well. The black robed priests started chanting but Cal could not understand the words. One of the priests drew a silver knife and placed it against Florinda’s throat. The chanting rose in volume and intensity. She looked at the priest with the knife at her throat with what seemed like adoration. She smiled at the priest; her face showing what appeared to be gratitude. Cal tried to shout but his mouth would not shape the words. Inside, he screamed ‘Florinda, NO! NO! NO! Forgive me. Stop this! Stop!’ Cal saw the knife as it was drawn across her throat. Silver, and gleaming, it sliced silently through the white flesh, and then returned to the folds of the black robe. The priests repositioned the platform so that the blood from her open throat poured off the marble slab into the centre of the well. Florinda remained calm.

Florinda’s eyes roamed the enclosure then they came to rest on Cal. There was instant recognition in them. The blood pumped out. Their eyes locked together for an eternity that measured scant seconds. She was smiling at him as she lay on her back looking up at him. Her eyes said a thousand words. None of them helped him. She seemed to say ‘It’s all right. I love you but I must leave you now. This has to be.’

Cal screamed her name in the empty shell of his useless body. The pain of his despair tore through the veils of his inner self, reaching to the seat of his very soul.

The blood stopped pumping. Her eyes closed, and Cal died a thousand remorseful deaths.

Something was touching the back of his neck. He barely registered the sensation at first but then he felt it pulling him backward away from the scene. He tried to stop it, to stay where he could see his lost love. Even as her lifeblood had emptied into the well, he still could not bring himself to leave her. The pulling became harder and suddenly there was a loud banging noise in his head.

He jerked awake in his room in Llandri’s cabin. The bedding was on the floor and he had banged his head hard on the planking of the wall. He was sweating and his heart was racing, thumping in his chest. Florinda was dead. Of course she was; he knew that. His nightmare had replayed those fateful, evil moments in vivid detail. There was no escape from that experience, from the reality of what he and Mara had faced in The Palace of the High Lords. He sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He heard soft footfalls walking quietly away from his door. It would be Mara, alert as ever to his feelings. Her concern for him calmed him a little. She would not intrude but she would be ready to help at a moment’s notice, but in the cold of the night, his thoughts belonged only to Florinda.

←−Ж−→

‘THE SWORD OF VOITRA’

←−Ж−→

CHAPTER 1

Captain Bryce dismounted and came to the tent flap. Cal, he shouted. Cal, they’re off. They’re on their way, just as you hoped for.

Cal jumped to his feet. The two men gripped wrists and slapped shoulders.

Cal had been right. The trail of dust raised by the rapid movement of soldiers from the twin cities could be seen as far as ten miles away. All morning it stretched north as soldiers, horses, and wagons made all possible speed to defend the northern towns, and defeat the Candlers and their New Lord. Estimates ran to around two thousand soldiers heading north. It was time to move.

Cal Asked Tosh to go and tell Llandri and Cleasa the news. Tell them we’ll be moving this morning and breakfast would be good before we go. Tell Cleasa that Lord Calderon said please. Tosh ran off with a big smile on his face.

Cal turned back to Captain Bryce. How many of our warriors have we managed to get into Casia so far? Exactly one hundred, he answered, one hundred and ten into Copia. We’ve kept a strict tally.

This was far better than Cal had expected. With those numbers within the walls of the twin cities there was every chance that his plan would actually work.

What about the bows, Cal asked. The same, he said, we took them into the cities in pieces on different wagons. None have been detected. Twenty of the warriors in each city are able to assemble them within an hour of the attack.

Cal looked at Mara, who nodded encouragement. He looked out across the huge clearing, at the tents and makeshift workshops. The sight was both reassuring and frightening at the same time. He had convinced the elders and the officers that his plan to trick Lord Ghorram into deploying his forces away in the north so that the Candlers could attack the twin cities, would work; giving them back the vital element of suprise. In truth, he had not been so confident that his use of the traitor Lindrick would work. But Captain Bryce’s report of the armies moving north at a rapid pace proved that he had been right; the traitor had been true to his cheating, self-serving nature and Cal had turned the tables back in favour of the Candlers.

Captain Bryce added that information received from the cities suggested no more than two hundred soldiers at each barracks. He also noted that most of the soldiers seemed to be less capable than the average. It seemed that Ghorram had left only a token presence of active fighting men and the rest drawn from retired or non-combatants, but then everyone knew that the twin cities were impregnable. Cal’s manipulations of Lindrick had been so convincing that nearly all of Ghorram’s forces were deployed in the north. Copia was manned in a similar, low-key fashion.

Mara asked if the gates were still open as usual but manned. Bryce shook his head. They have been closed, as soon as the last soldiers were out. Our men came out without problems but no one is allowed in without papers."

That’s new, Mara said, I’ve been in and out loads of times and never been asked for papers.

Everything will be tightened up now, Bryce said, This is war.

The others nodded. Preparations were over. From now on, it was killing and surviving. Nothing would ever be the same again.

Tosh whistled from across the camp and rubbed his tummy to indicate that breakfast was ready. Cal waved back and then turned to Captain Bryce. If we do this right, I think we can take both cities without too much bloodshed.

Mara asked Cal to tell Captain Bryce what he had in mind.

Cal smiled to himself as he seemed to look into the distance, and then he explained. They’ve effectively locked themselves in behind the city walls, he said, Everybody knows that it would take a very large force and weeks to break down those defences, if it is at all possible. But my plan does not involve anything of that kind. If we were to besiege the cities for any length of time, Ghorram would have his army back within days and set about slaughtering us.

He shook his head, No, we can’t attack the walls and lay siege, so we will open the doors instead.

Captain Bryce was looking very puzzled at that. He looked at Mara for an explanation.

We need only go through the motions of an attack, she said, and that will fix their attention on us. They can’t harm us if we stay out of bow shot range. And that’s where the crossbows and men we now have in the cities come in. With the soldier’s back to them, our archers inside the city will have easy targets. Their attack will be a total surprise and that should cause heaps of confusion. Whoever is in charge of the defenders will have to turn his men to face the archers. We can move forward then and attack them as they turn. They will be assailed from both sides and either way they turn they will have archers targeting their backs. Without much greater numbers, t will be an impossible position for them. Meanwhile, a few of our men on the inside can make ready to open the gate as soon as the soldiers are engaged. I doubt very much that the gates will be much of a priority once our archers lay into them from both side of the wall.

So we storm the walls from inside and out. We pour through the gate with only a token resistance. Brilliant! Captain Bryce exclaimed. Both he and Mara were smiling at the thought. But how will we organise this, now that the gates are closed. I can’t imagine that Candlers will be welcome anymore, he added.

Cal was smiling now. I never imagined that the gates would remain open once the alert was raised and Ghorram responded. Thinking of him moving his army north in such numbers would mean drastically reducing the number of soldiers in Casia and Copia. So it seemed obvious that the cities would be locked down. He looked from Mara to Bryce, savouring the moment before continuing. I outlined this option to lieutenant Torby before he set out for the city. He will know what to do when he hears the commotion from our pretend attack.

What will he do? The captain asked.

He’ll know to complete the bows and attack as soon as he’s ready, Cal answered. They will target soldiers on the wall first, and as soon as we see the soldiers turning to respond we’ll do the same. When the gate opens we enter and either force them to surrender or kill them all.

And the same goes for Copia, Mara added.

Captain Bryce was nodding his agreement but still looked troubled. There will still be the administration to consider. The cities all have governance, which is a council headed by a governor and deputies.

Well, that will be our next priority after we take control of the defences, Cal said. He looked back at Tosh, waiting at the cabin door. The boy was going to be a problem soon. He turned back to the Captain. I would appreciate it if you could organise things here before you follow on. Llandri will have some plans for those remaining, and the elders will want an update on our immediate plans also. Mara and I will leave to join our forces in the northeast camp by noon.

Captain Bryce took his leave and went to organise the Candler forces that were remaining in the Camp. Training was ongoing for hundreds of young men and women, equipment was being made or repaired, and wagons loaded with supplies were coming and going from the camp and from other areas of the forest. He moved quickly, heading for the command post at the heart of the camp. The junior officers running things in the Camp were good men, well organised and well capable of maintaining high standards. He would check the schedules and inform the officers of the imminent action. Things would be changing very soon and he needed to put the camp on high alert. Then he would see the elders and after that, hopefully, he could ride northeast to join in the action.

CHAPTER 2

Cleasa was fussing over the breakfast when Cal and Mara entered the cabin. Tosh was helping set the table and getting high praise from the doting woman. Llandri had already eaten and had gone to meet the other elders. There was a thoughtful air in the room as they ate in silence. The first battle would start soon and people would die in large numbers. There would be no going back to the way things were. Everything would change, and only Tosh seemed oblivious to the hard reality. Cal realised then that life had already changed dramatically for Tosh since he had been brought from the ghetto and welcomed into the Candler society. In Llandri and Cleasa he had a real father and mother. Cal and Mara were like his older brother and sister. Tosh was no longer the scruffy half-starved street orphan who had survived in the ghetto for so many of his years, living on his wits as a thief. A boy who had notched his belt with a tally of the soldiers that he had helped kill. He was dressed in a smart tunic of strong fabric with several pockets and straps. His matching breaches were held up by the same, notched belt that had held his torn and worn out baggy rags that he had worn for many years in his old life.

The boy was grinning at Cal as he tucked into his second helping of eggs and beans and Cal suddenly realised that Tosh would want to go wherever he and Mara went. He would insist, and that worried Cal as much as the thought of the coming fighting did. He glanced at Mara; she was also looking at Tosh. Cal knew that she was thinking the same thing about the boy.

You will stay with Llandri and Cleasa, she said to him. When we have the two cities we will come back here or to the Northeastern Camp and you can join us.

Tosh jumped out of his chair and grabbed hold of Cal’s arm. I stay with Cal, he declared, It’s my job to watch his back. You too, he said to Mara. We both stay with Cal. That’s the deal, that’s how it is. He glared defiantly at Mara, determination hardened into his young face. Cleasa was shocked. She spluttered her objections as her face turned red.

You are not taking this poor innocent child into a battle with you, she shouted, Not if I can help it. I flatly refuse to allow it and so will Llandri. But Tosh was in fighting mode now. He would go with them if he had to defy everyone’s will. He was not a child, he was a warrior and just about as far from being innocent as it was possible to get.

No, Tosh shouted back, I am a warrior. I am not the innocent little boy you think I am. I have seen and done things that you would not believe possible, horrible things, just to survive. I have stuck my knife into the belly of a man who was trying to fuck me in a dark alley. Cleasa gasped. Tosh continued. His friends were waiting to take their turn behind him. He was not the only evil bastard that I stuck with my knife. I survived. I am Tosh. I do not fear to fight and to kill. I am used to it. His use of Mara’s language let Cal see just how much the boy had modelled himself on her.

The adults were stunned into silence by the boy’s outburst and his revelations. Cleasa started crying and Cal went to stand behind her with his hands on her shoulders to comfort her. Mara and Tosh stared at each other as a silent battle of wills thickened the air between them. Finally, Mara grabbed Tosh and drew him to her in a tight embrace. She was as close to tears as Cal had ever seen her.

It’s ok, Tosh. I understand. I only want you to be as safe as possible. I would die if anything happened to you. I could not bear it. I am Tosh, he mumbled into her shoulder, I can look after myself, and you and Cal as well. I’m going with you, like it or not. Cleasa stood. She shared a look with Cal and went whimpering into the back room with some dishes.

It was just after noon when Cal and Mara rode out of Candlewood at its northeast edge. Tosh sat behind Cal on the chestnut roan. Cal had removed the sword from his back and had looped the scabbard to the pommel. He didn’t think it right to have the boy sitting against it. The sword made Cal nervous. It was sentient. He could feel its mood like constant murmuring in the background of his mind. It could speak directly in his mind, as though it was in his head. He did not know how far away it could be and still talk to him. The only time he had tried to walk away it had virtually forced him to go back and pick it up. But its power was such that when it was unsheathed and in his hand it made him a formidable fighter.

He doubted that anyone could best him when wielding the sword. The night before, when he slept, he had faced it in his dream. The sword flowed with golden flames, and it sang a wordless song, which seemed to Cal to be a challenge, calling all creatures of evil to come and die by its deadly fire. It spoke in his head saying, I am the bane of all things wilfully evil. I am God-given to you, Calderon, for your need is as great as my thirst. I am the Sword of Voitra. You serve me as I serve you. Together we are invincible. He had jerked awake. The pommel of the sword was glowing deep gold, lighting up the tent. The Sword of Voitra, he said quietly, and the glow faded, leaving the tent dark again.

Kaphra and Captain Mercia stepped out of the command tent to greet Cal and Mara as they arrived. It was early evening and the camp was lit by only a few small candle lamps. They were well away from the twin cities, nestled under the Silverload, but no chances of discovery were being taken. A man and a woman took charge of their horses as they dismounted, and Cal sent Tosh off to find himself some food and then come back here. The boy’s face lit up as he darted a way through the camp. After a brief greeting, they entered the tent. Captain Dorkus, Cal had met before but the other man was a stranger to him. I am Captain Blackstone, Lord Calderon, He announced. It is a great pleasure to meet you at last. I am from the south of Candlewood. I came straight here with my men as soon as I heard that you were moving.

Cal had been looking the man over as he spoke; deep lines on his face marked his eyes and mouth with a stern expression. His grip was firm as he grasped Cal’s hand. He had the Candler’s open, honest eyes that Cal had come to recognise in all of the forest people. You could trust those eyes, they didn’t lie easily.

The pleasure is mine, Cal said, have you been fully apprised of our plans, he asked.

I have, and I think that they are excellent, my Lord, the captain replied.

Cal let the honorific stand for the time being. There was much to do before daylight when the Candler forces should be positioned close to the cities ready to start the attacks.

Large platters of roasted vegetables and a delicious soup were brought into the tent. The aroma set Cal’s stomach growling as the captains sat to eat and go through the last details of the plan. Mara took only a small bowl of the soup while the men heaped their plates with the delicious food. They were all quiet as they enjoyed the delicious meal; each entertained their own thoughts of tomorrow’s attacks. After the meal, two young women came to clear the dishes away. One of them was Copper, who Cal noticed as he felt her attention on him while she worked.

Copper, He said as he smiled at the beautiful girl, How nice to see you, and working hard as usual.

Copper flushed bright red as she tried to courtesy while balancing several dishes on her arms. She straightened without dropping any of her collection and said. Thank you,Lord. I am keen to do anything that helps you. She looked down, suddenly even more embarrassed. Then, looking up she smiled, If there is anything I can do for you, you only have to say and I will do whatever I can.

Cal raised an eyebrow at that and then said, If you see your father in the next hour please let him know that I will seek him out as soon as I am finished here.

Copper nodded and the two girls left the tent. Captain Blackstone was looking at Cal with an amused look on his face. You have a potential problem there, my Lord if I am not mistaken. Or a future joy when this is all over.

Cal ignored the remark as he got to his feet and announced that it was time to gather for the last briefing with all of the unit leaders before retiring to get some rest before the big day. He went to the tent flap and beckoned to the men he had sensed were waiting to enter.

The meeting was short. Everyone was well versed in his or her individual as well as collective roles for the attack. Cal was impressed. These were not battle-hardened warriors. They had not yet seen true fighting. Yet their discipline belied that, and their grasp of tactics was reassuring to Cal. He had agonised for days about his plan. He had spent hours during each night going over and over every detail until he was starting to lose the sense of it. But these men brought it all back to life in his head.

After the meeting, he left the tent with Mara and Tosh, feeling more relaxed than he had for many weeks. It was done. The plan was ready and the time to put it into action was only hours away. He felt the sword at his back. It seemed to be smiling. Then an overwhelming feeling of power ran through his whole body. He stumbled as the feeling swept through him almost causing him to stagger. But he held himself steady walking on. Mara gave him a close look. He knew that she had felt it through her link with him. The link, born of the shared Keenings, had become much stronger in the last weeks. It almost seemed that they shared the same thoughts sometimes and any strong feelings from one affected the other almost as their own.

Mara shuddered at the contact with the sword. On the one hand, it felt totally evil with its lust for blood, and yet it made Cal virtually invincible. She could not be more relieved from that standpoint because she knew only too well that, even though he was being referred to as the Warrior Lord, Cal was no natural warrior. It had been her sworn duty to protect him at all times, and she had done that, but it would be very hard if not impossible to protect him throughout the madness of a full on battle, let alone this entire war. The sword would make her task a whole lot easier and she now thought, actually possible.

Dru was sitting on a barrel drinking from a large mug when Cal and Mara walked into the big man’s forge. There was no hammering anywhere in the tented smithy village. He jumped up and stepped forward to clasp Cal’s arm, a huge grin on his face.

Have you worked them all so hard that they’ve downed tools in protest? Cal asked.

We’re done, Dru said. We’ve pushed through the last four nights and days without breaking. All shifts pulling more than their weight and barring emergencies, everything that needed to be done is done. His smile was infectious, Cal and Mara beamed back at him.

You’re a hero, all of you, Cal said. If we lose this fight tomorrow you will still all be heroes to me. You’ve done the impossible and now you rest. There will be nothing for at least two or three days while we get the cities under our control. Sleep, eat and drink. Then be ready to relocate.

Where will we be going? Dru asked. Do we move into the twin cities?

Cal looked at Mara, as though he expected her to answer, but she just shrugged. I really don’t know yet, Cal said, some of your people can set up in Casia and some in Copia, but the main forge will need to move to wherever our attack force is. We will need to set out a new plan depending