The Ring of the Killravens: Hell Gate, #2

By Tony Andarian

A new constitution prepares Carlissa for an era of enlightenment. The old order fades, and a promise of freedom stirs the air. In the space of one terrifying day, that promise is shattered in a bloodbath of fire and magic.

 

In Hell Gate II - The Ring of the Killravens, the survivors of the Horde's first brutal assault regroup and consider their options. The royal family plans a desperate gamble to use the power of an ancient, hidden artifact against the demons.

 

An ancient enemy returns with the opening of the Hell Gate. Chaos reigns as the people rally to fight a desperate battle for survival, and many wonder bitterly why the gods seem to have abandoned them. Their only hope lies with the magic of the Archmage — and his, with a free-spirited princess who never wanted to rule. She must find the strength to set aside her bard's calling and take up a battle against impossible odds, or surrender her land and people to the Black Magus and his demons.

 

The Ring of the Killravens is the second of four novella length episodes in the miniseries Hell Gate, which is now also available as a full novel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andarian Publishing
• Release date: Apr 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201734862

Book preview

Chapter 4 - The Hunt Begins

The Hunter

The ground shuddered with the heavy thud of Gorath’s feet as it lumbered up the palace road. Behind it, a second wave of demons rushed forward to block escape from the High City.

An agonized roar keened through the air above. It looked up to see the enormous form of Incanus Thad flying toward the hellgate, its great wings beating frantically away from the palace.

Gorath threw back its head and laughed. As with most of the larger and more powerful demons, its voice was loud, and it reverberated menacingly. It had a grating edge that made it difficult to listen to, like the sound of nails being raked across a chalkboard.

So, the royals aren’t so soft after all, it said aloud. "And once again you overestimate yourself, Captain of the Horde. I don’t know what Lord Borr sees in you. Without that axe of yours, you’re just a second-rate Deman with pretty feathers."

It turned toward the palace, and what it saw made its eyes narrow dangerously. The remnants of the winged strike force were being driven back by a disciplined line of soldiers with gleaming pikes. A fusillade of arrows rained down on them from the upper walls. Alchemical bombs and bursts of magic launched from the tower above exploded in their midst. Many of the monsters were already leaping from the lower walls to escape. The attack was quickly turning into a rout.

So much for the ‘decapitation strike,’ it growled angrily. Thad’s fleeing and we’re losing the bailey. It won’t be long before the rest come limping out as well.

It was quickly proven right. Demons appeared around the corner from the north side of the castle, where the walls and ceiling of the conference room had been breached. Some were so badly wounded that they could barely fly. The rest of the attackers took to the air as well. They fled the palace, wings beating away from it to the east.

Gorath raised a scaly hand. A burst of flame erupted from it and flew into the sky. Some of the demons immediately banked toward it. Before long, many of them had landed nearby, regrouping around it.

One of the larger creatures stepped toward it with a salute. Gorath did not return it.

Report, Barzoun, Gorath ordered.

Barzoun bowed, eyes lowered. The strike force has been repelled, Captain Gorath, it said.

Gorath grabbed the demon’s head and slammed it into the ground. It grunted in surprise and pain as its face struck, hard, against the paved stone of the roadway.

Do not tell me what I can plainly see for myself, worm-brain, it growled. Tell me what I do not know. And tell it quickly, lest I become even more displeased with you for wasting my time. What resistance did you encounter, that forced you to withdraw, instead of readying the palace for my forces to secure?

Barzoun was among the demons that had assaulted the conference room. Face held in the stone and dirt of the palace road, it explained what had happened, up to the arrival of the rescuers. It told the story with remarkable speed and conciseness.

Gorath released the monster’s head when it had finished, and it rose unsteadily to its feet. By then, more of the creatures had landed around them. Others had run up along the road from behind.

Barrier formation, Gorath ordered. Form a line across the valley here. Nothing gets out of the High City.

Should we send fliers to surround the palace on all sides? one of the winged demons asked.

No. The cliffs and the mountain will keep them in.

What about the pegasi? the demon countered.

Gorath turned to glare at it. Explain, it demanded impatiently.

We slew a pegasus in the air above the palace, it said in a suddenly shaky voice. We thought it might have arrived to carry off some of the royals.

Gorath smiled with interest. You saw only one, then? it queried. And it wasn’t mounted?

No. It came in over the ridge to the south and slew one of our scouts.

And then flew right to the palace? Gorath demanded. Its grating voice was incredulous. While it was being attacked by your force?

Yes, the creature replied.

Bring me one of the wyverns to serve as steed, Gorath ordered. You will show me where it attacked this scout.

It turned to one of the others as the demon flew off.

Nagoth, you will remain here, it commanded. Carry out my orders while I investigate this incident.

Nagoth grinned. Just the blockade? it asked.

Just the blockade, Gorath confirmed. Any attempt to escape by flight has already been accounted for in Lord Borr’s plan.

Chaos in the Streets

Orion and Diana ran along the road to the east. This part of the city was dominated by homes, mainly for the capital’s more affluent citizens. High hedges blocked their view of an estate as they sprinted past it on their right.

The panic in the marketplace had reached the Upper City. Terrified shrieks and wails rose around them. To their left they could see people looking out of windows, or standing on porches and lawns, staring into the air and pointing in horror.

Winged shapes circled above, laughing and mocking them with fell war-cries. Occasionally an arrow or a ball of fire would arc down, striking an unwary soul or igniting a conflagration. Flames were spreading as the people ran for cover, afraid to come out into the open to fight them.

For the moment, though, the demons were making no concerted attack on the city. Aside from the force moving on the academy, they seemed content simply to spread fear and panic.

A bow twanged to their right, and an arrow shot up from behind the hedge. It flew true, striking a demon as it passed overhead. There was a harsh cry as one of the creature’s wings twisted awkwardly, and it fell toward the ground.

A cheer went up all around them, but the celebration was short-lived. The demon spread its injured pinion, arrested its descent, and yanked out the arrow with a clawed hand. Black ichor dripped from the air as another demon circling nearby turned to join it, and the pair banked toward the source of the shot.

Twin balls of fire rocketed down and exploded with a deafening roar behind the hedge as Orion and Diana ran past it. The verdure absorbed the brunt of the blast, but the concussion still staggered them. Shrieks of death rose from behind it as demon-fire rained again and again on the grounds within.

They’re sending a message, Orion gasped. Resist, and die.

Diana huffed agreement. We can’t keep running in the open like this. We need to find cover!

Not here, he said. We’re still too close to those troops coming for the academy. We need to get further away.

She spared a glance to their right. The burning hedge ended as their road curved toward the edge of the terrace. They were running past the lawn of a small park now, and the Lower City was once again in full view.

She pointed. Trouble, she panted.

Orion looked. Small groups of Hellmen were running east along the streets on the terrace below them.

They’re making for the road from the docks, he huffed. If we don’t get there first, they’ll cut us off!

It’s all or nothing, then! Diana cried. Run for it!

They sprinted down the road along the ledge of the terrace. The ground to their right fell away in a forty-foot drop, and they could plainly see the chaos in the Lower City below. Screaming people were running, most of them away from the amphitheater along the line of the firth. Smoke and fires dotted the marketplace and the docks. The sky was thick with winged demons.

The next few minutes faded into a haze of pain and terror. Orion once again found himself grateful for his time at the Silver Star. He would never have been able to run as fast or as far before his adventurer’s training, with its strict regimen of physical conditioning. Yet Diana was still outstripping his pace. She held her skirt hiked up above her knees, her athletic legs pumping as she ran. She pulled ahead of him despite his efforts to keep up.

A fork appeared in the road before them. One way ascended steeply to their left, rising to the next level of the Upper City. The other descended in a switchback that wound down over the lip of the terrace to their right.

Diana came to a stop and turned, heaving huge gulps of air. She tried to speak as Orion caught up with her, but barely got out the words.

Wha — wha — way? she whuffed.

He raised his hand to point to the right.