Battle of the Ages

By Thomas Allen Bateham

Here is my next collection of short stories. Battle of the ages. This is a collection of fantasy and science fiction stories. They follow a theme starting in the past to the present into the future. You will read of a good fight. A new dawn of man. Find out what is real in life. Travel to another planet. See what lays in no man's land. Then finally you with learn the actions of the misconduct of power. I hope you come along on this wondrous jounrey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257668304

Book preview

POWER

THE GOOD FIGHT

Screams of pain, agony moreover, death surround me. I slash out with my long sword. A man falls before my bloodied blade. One of my companions takes a spear in the back. I turn running the bastard through his guts leaking out.

Chaos rains all around me. I wonder why I am here killing my fellow humans. I see my death coming as an archer readies to pierce my breast. I hold my breathe waiting for death to take me.

I watch as the man fall an arrow sticking out of his chest. My life saved by a youth, a mere boy. I look at him has he looks at me puzzled. Then at the man, he killed. The youth drops his bow falling to his knees crying as his innocents is lost.

I see the enemy soldier going to kill the boy. I start over towards him grabbing a spear. Tearing it from a fallen soldier, I know not if he was friend or foe. I do not care my only thought is I have the spear.

I feel the weight in my hand running down my arm. I step forward hurling it with every ounce of my remaining strength. It flies through the air as the soldier raises his broad sword. He smiled as he readies his blade ready for the deathblow.

The soldier swings the killing blow on its mark. The spear takes him dead in the chest. The force of the spears impact knocks him to the ground. The boy looks at the dying soldier. Then at me in a daze, I ran over to him. I slap him hard across the face yelling at him to stand and fight likes a man.

The boy I see in nearly a man, as I get closer. He gets to his feet crying harder than ever. Fight or you die here boy. There will be time to mourn later. I scream into his right ear.

As I look up to see a group of enemy soldiers approaching us. I pull the spear from the dead man’s chest. I point toward the soldiers thrusting the spear into the boy’s hands.

He takes the spear from me letting loose a war cry charging in on them. I follow close behind my sword at the ready. The boy smashes into the lead soldier taking him down. He stabs the man repeatedly crying and screaming in a mad rage.

I have no time to stop him. I engage my two enemy’s one male the other as myself female. I drop the man with a vicious slash across the throat. The other is more experienced a battle hardened warrior, as am I.

I am the quicker slashing her across her chest. Her armor takes most of the blow. She comes back slashing me down my right side. My armor helps to lessen the blow.

She comes around slamming into my left shoulder. It stings where the blade bites in. I scream out in pain glaring at her. I slash her across the stomach. Her armor saving her from her guts spilling out.

Our swords clash in a tight embrace ringing out. We stare into each other’s eyes either one of us backing down. We push away from the other. We each look for an opening finding one coming in at each other.

She swung out going for my stomach. I dodged the attack coming around with my sword. It hacks into her neck cleaving through armor, muscle and bone.

I watched as my foes head hit the ground. I fall to my knees my wounds kicking in. I looked up to see the battle raging all around me. The boy had stopped his mad assault on the dead soldier standing there looking at him.

I caught movement behind me turning to see my commander. Battle lord Sir Gregory Carmon battling a large ugly troll. Its skin is a pale green. The troll stands near eight feet stout with wickedly sharp claws and teeth.

The troll swung out slashing Gregory down across the chest. He stumbled backwards catching his breath. The creature came barreling in on him. Sir Gregory thrust out with his bastard sword it crashing into the beast’s breast.

It slammed into him he rolled with it pulling his sword free. The troll turned to face him. Gripping his sword in both hands Gregory swung up hacking it across the face. There was a sickly wet noise as the troll fall backwards. There is a dull thump has its large frame slamming to the earth.

Sir Gregory stepped over the troll as it began to rise. Thick black blood runs freely gushing from its wounds. Gregory swung out slashing off its

head killing it. Gregory looked over at the boy and me saluting us. He left us sitting there going to see where he is needed.

I looked to see the battle is mostly over. My side won, but at what cost? Hundreds lay dead or dying on both sides. My heart breaks at the carnage around me.

I go over to the youth taking him by the arm. I pull him up and away from his kill. He looks at me asking, Why, why this? He said, spreading out his hands before him encompassing the dead all around us.

This is the way of war. You hurt and feel lost never to find yourself. Remember this if nothing else boy. Today we fought the good fight. There is no magic or beauty to it. You fight the good fight and win or lose. We will go on carrying the scars we gained here. Remember this day well to tell you grandchildren. We fought the good fight.

He left me standing there amongst the dead. Going to stare at the men, he killed. I went to join him to see what is left of our troop. We take what we can then go home. Knowing we fought the good fight.

e9781257668304_i0002.jpg

A NEW DAWN

Illiquid stood over the pit of flames looking at his companion Hamlin. The both of them chanting calling upon the spells of old forget by most. Lost to the world of man expect those rare few.

Illiquid being a wizard of some power, which is now a dying, breed. Moreover, Hamlin is a priest to the dark god Malabar. They are summoning a demon from the Lower Hells to do their dark bidding.

Magic is leaving the world of man. As is also those who use it. It is rare to find wizards of any power. With fewer born who have the gift. Priests are in a little better shape, but not much more.

The elves and dwarves along with many other races have left the world. Neither race of elf or dwarf has seen in over a century. There is still a fair size of orcs and goblins left in the world. However, they are dying off as well.

They continued their chanting calling on the powers long forgotten my most. The flames grew brighter rising up into the air. A roar tore through the air followed by an explosion. It knocked then both backwards they recovered walking back to the pit. Standing there before them as the smoke cleared was their demon.

It stands near nine feet it is huge and muscular. It has the head of a lion what a powerful build human chest. It arms are hairy with wickedly clawed hands. Huge bat like wings spouted out from its back. Its legs are like a bird with sharp-clawed feet.

They looked at each other smiling at their accomplishment. The demon looked down upon them. Who has summoned me to this place?

The might of Malabar summoned you here with the aid of powerful magic.

We summoned you here to help us extract our will. Making those pay who wish to see us dead.

The demon tilted back its head starting to laugh. Showing its teeth long and