What Has Gone Before… #2
Once clear of the city, Aleida offered to remove the stagna, the iron ring embedded in Ruhlin’s neck that enabled one gifted in the way of metal to cage the monster within him.
Ruhlin, fearing what the monster might do if there was no means of curtailing it, opted to leave the stagna in place.
Guided by a Nihlvarian slave named Sygurn, Ruhlin led his band south to the port of Speltsaer, intending to steal a ship and make their way home.
Upon storming a recently arrived slave vessel, they discovered three captives, a boy named Jolnyr, a sailor from the southern seas named Behsla, and a tall warrior of flaxen locks named Guthnyr.
Yes, foreigner, the very same Guthnyr who was brother to Felnir Skyrnrak.
Captured when the Sea Hawk succumbed to the Nihlvarian assault, Guthnyr and his two surviving crew mates had been carried to Nihlvar as slaves.
Realising the ship has been set afire and their plan thwarted, Ruhlin was overcome by the monster once again, freeing Guthnyr and bearing him clear of the blazing vessel.
When they were safely ashore, Guthnyr pledged his debt to Ruhlin who was quick to notice the warrior’s fierce desire for vengeance.
With the coastal ports roused against them, Ruhlin’s band headed north, this time guided by Iyaka, a freed Morvek who insisted she knew a safe route into her people’s domain.
Far away to the west, a grieving Felnir Skyrnrak remained ignorant of his brother’s survival.
Having claimed the Sword of the Altvar from the feet of Ulthnir’s statue, Felnir had escaped the destruction of the Vaults.
At his side were his lover Sygna, faithful Albermaine-ish crewman Falk, and Wohtin, an ancient soul once known as Angmund, advisor to the fabled exiled king Velgard.
Wohtin it was who persuaded Felnir to seek a kingdom of his own across the Skyrn Agryr, the sea west of the Fire Islands beyond which lay the realm of Vorunvahl, the King’s Land.
Sailing the barrow ship Dehlgra, a remarkably preserved vessel taken from Velgard’s tomb, Felnir and his companions endured grim weather and worsening hunger until spying a sail upon the horizon.
Yet this was not deliverance, for this craft was crewed by those with murder in their hearts.
Upon spying the raven sigil emblazoned upon the other ship’s sail, Wohtin warned Felnir of their ill intent, and battle ensued.
Although outnumbered, Felnir Skyrnrak was the equal of ten men and, with the aid of Falk and Sygna, who wielded the bow of the Altvar, the attackers were soon defeated and their ship set ablaze.
One of the villains, a grey beard pinned to the mast of the stricken craft by one of Sygna’s arrows, called out a warning to Felnir as he died: “Pretender! We will never bow to you!” Turning his eye upon Wohtin, the grey beard named him Diretongue and asked, “What lies has he told you?” As they sailed away, Felnir demanded of Wohtin an explanation for the dying man’s words.
But, as was often his habit, the ancient one would not answer.
Days later the Dehlgra arrived at a port Wohtin named as the seat of Arnhilt Volksora, Gyrwald of the Greencrest and another ancient soul preserved by the power unleashed when Wohtin conjured forth the gifts of the Altvar.
Arnhilt welcomed Felnir with a feast, despite the obvious enmity the Gyrwald harboured towards Wohtin, who it transpired was his former brother-in-law.
Arnhilt revealed that there were many ancient souls such as himself still lingering in Vorunvahl, but their numbers were diminishing as the life extending blessing of the Altvar faded with each generation.
The Gyrwald also identified the villains who had attacked Felnir as members of the Ahrkun Krayl, which means Raven Hearts.
A deranged cult led by a mysterious ancient known as the Sindra, the Messenger, in recent years the Ahrkun had begun a reign of terror in southern Vorunvahl.
Villages were repeatedly raided or forced to pay tribute and their children carried off to be raised as members of the cult.
Arnhilt refused Felnir’s invitation to join with him in launching a crusade against the Ahrkun, refusing to acknowledge his claim to kingship of Vorunvahl but permitting him to sail on unmolested.
The following morn, Felnir found a band of youths at the dockside waiting to pledge their allegiance to his cause.
They were led by Tulvik, many times great-grandson to Arnhilt, and Beyorn, a youth with grievance against the Ahrkun.
Accepting these recruits into his menda, Felnir sailed on to the coastal settlement of Kahl Hardta where Beyorn promised he would find kinsmen willing to fight the cultists.
In truth, the fishing folk were initially cowed until Felnir’s words and Beyorn’s scorn persuaded them to rise against their oppressors.
Guided to the closest Ahrkun stronghold in the forest to the north, Felnir succeeded in infiltrating the fortress by stealth.
Making his way to the main gate, he forced it open and allowing his menda to storm the keep.
With much to avenge, the coast-landers visited great torment on the Ahrkun they took alive, although Felnir managed to save the life of a man named Olvynd.
A sly creature who had joined the cult in order to preserve his life, Olvynd was more than willing to share all he knew of the Ahrkun, including the imminent arrival of a tribute-collecting party led by the Sindra’s Factor.
Sensing a chance at both enrichment and victory over his enemy, Felnir set forth to orchestrate an ambush.
Thoughts of victory also beset Thera as she contemplated her next move after securing victory at the Lyx Helv.
Although her fleet had dealt the Nihlvarians a serious blow, it was clear they were far from defeated.
Having ordered Veilwald Hakkyn to gather all his people from the southern regions of the Isles and bring them north, she commanded a great redoubt be constructed at Danith’s Bay.
Warned by Skahlvyr Estrynlud that a fresh and yet larger Nihlvarian fleet had gathered in the waters off Skar Magnol, Thera resolved to sail for Vorun Hardta, the principal port on the southern coast of Ayl-Ah-Skorna.
Upon arrival, Thera found Synghild Vyrnvest, the Veilwald of the Speldmeara Geld, executing three of her children, for they had been unmasked as Volkrath.
A woman of implacable will and unswerving loyalty to the Sister Queens, Synghild would not spare her own kin, though she gave them the more merciful death of being burned alive rather than the bloodier end known as the Crimson Hawk.
That she reserved for the balladeer who had ingratiated his way into her household and seduced her offspring into a plot to assassinate her and seize the geld for the Volkrath.
Synghild was quick to ally herself to Thera’s cause, though avowed the intention to die in battle as soon as opportunity arose.
Worried that more Volkrath were seeded in the port, Thera set Lynnea to work tracking them down.
The silent maiden soon uncovered another agent posing as a scullion in the inn the balladeer had called home.
After ensuring enough time had passed for the scullion to report Thera’s arrival in the port, she bade Lynnea kill the spy.
Although Thera sensed her apprentice’s repugnance at the act, Lynnea did not hesitate in following her command and the maid’s body was recovered from the harbour a day later.
Now sure the Nihlvarians would come against her in Vorun Hardta, Thera set about preparing a grim reception.
The port’s inhabitants were set to work hewing stone from the surrounding marble quarries, all of which was tipped into the narrow channel forming the principal route to the port.
Also, an Albermaine-ish sailor was found with the skills to construct mighty stone hurling engines.
Exhausting labour ensured three of the contrivances were ready to greet the Nihlvarians when they arrived.
When the invaders’ fleet appeared, it sailed blindly towards Vorun Hardta in expectation of an easy victory, only for their vanguard to be wrecked by the newly constructed marble reef lying only a few feet below the water.
Those not immediately sunk were smashed by the engines positioned on the hills to either side of the channel.
Unwilling to retreat, the Nihlvarian commander ordered his warriors into boats to continue the assault.
Bitter fighting raged before the arrival of Thera’s fleet in the Nihlvarian rear ensured their destruction.
Amid the frenzy of victory a great shout went up from the Ascarls, though it pained Thera’s heart to hear it, for ambition had never been her vice: “Hail Thera, Queen of the Isles!”
Far away in the Verungyr, Elvine’s plans for escape were interrupted by the arrival of the main Nihlvarian battle fleet in Skar Magnol.
Upon witnessing Lore greet the Nihlvarian commander, a tall, imposing member of the Tuhlvyr caste named Vahlak Tahrimsturm, it became clear to Elvine that he and the queen shared blood, or at least a close personal connection.
This was confirmed in private when Lore happily revealed that she and Vahlak were in fact siblings.
For the first time Elvine understood the depths of Lore’s deceit, for she had been sent to Ascarlia when still a child in order to orchestrate the Vortigurn’s design.