The Keeper of the Stones

Chapter 25



Morning of 15th August – The Battle of Erriard Forest – Part 2



The battle had been raging for hours. The Rebel Army had fought valiantly but the Northern Army advance had not been checked. Ben, Artrex and Knesh had finally had to retreat to their established ‘last line of defence’. They now found themselves in a group of rebel soldiers who were forming the eastern edge of the rectangle formation that would hopefully hold the enemy back long enough to give the remaining rebels a ‘corridor’ through which they could escape, out of the forest. Facing them were the Thargws and Falorians, who continued to advanced relentlessly and were now rapidly approaching their position. The rebels were all exhausted, having dashed from one ambush position to another, but up to now they’d only seen the enemy from afar and had managed to skilfully avoid close quarter battle, just as Knesh had hoped and planned.

This time however, there could be no retreat. They had to withstand whatever the enemy threw at them. There was nowhere else to go and nothing to do but to stand and fight! They could hear the Thargws and Falorians moving noisily through the forest, as they waited anxiously for the inevitable attack. Knesh seemed to be totally at home in the hostile environment. Despite the risks, he stood up calmly and took out what looked like a child’s wooden toy from his pocket. He unwound the vine that was wrapped tightly around it and let it drop, until it was dangling loosely by his side. Then he whirled it violently and rapidly around his head. As the air was forced through the slits that were carved into it an ear-splitting, high pitch shrill sounded loudly. It forced Ben to cover his ears and he instinctively ducked, although he had no idea why he had.

“What the…? Hey! What is that?” he asked, his fear and nerves of before now having subsided.

“It is a Rhuaddan Geslaq. An old huntsmans tool. We have been using them for years. It will tell our soldiers to retreat, they have to protect our escape route, or we will be surrounded. The situation is critical, Ben. The enemy was not meant to have advanced so far and so fast. The enemy opposing us, to our front and to our right, will be here soon. And now they will have heard our signal, it will have given away our position. That could not be helped. Listen to me, Ben! Quickly, you have to do as I say now!” said Knesh firmly, placing both his hands on the young boy’s shoulders.

Ben was alarmed by the sudden urgency in Knesh’ voice, it was completely out of character for the warrior. “Of course I will Knesh, you only have to ask.” he answered, his mood altering drastically as he thought of what the warrior was about to say.

“Ben my friend, I need you to leave right now. You have to go with my King, to protect him and the stones.” he said, for the first time displaying real emotion that he wasn’t trying to hide.

“But, I can…!” interrupted Ben, forgetting his promise as the gravity and probable consequence of the order dawned on him.

Knesh looked back at him sternly. “No! Do not disobey me on this, Ben. Please! If the Thargws or Falorians break through the line, all will be lost. We will be encircled and they will have my King and the stones. I cannot allow that to happen. You have to go now, quickly!” he implored. The warrior looked pleadingly at both Artrex and Ben. Ben didn’t have time to respond.

“I will not leave you to your fate, my friend!” stated Artrex, before Ben could speak and with a tear in his eye. “There are others who can perform this task. It does not have to be you!” he added, anticipating correctly his friend’s plan and knowing only too well the suicidal nature of what was being proposed.

“Yes. Yes, it does sire! We both know it. Who else will our soldiers follow? I owe it to them to fight by their side. I cannot desert them now. I have lived a good life, my King. It has been my privilege to know you, and to serve you. You are a good man, a good King. Please explain all of this to Zephany, she will not understand I think.”

“She will understand my old friend,” stated Artrex sadly, reluctantly accepting his friend’s decision, “you have taught her well. Farewell.”

King Artrex embraced Knesh warmly. But the two friends and warriors knew that they had to make their goodbye short and they didn’t linger. Ben was lost for words, he wanted to say something more, he needed to say something more!

But he couldn’t. Tears were streaming down his cheeks as Artrex placed an arm around his shoulder and led him away. He glanced backwards one last time as they reached the horses, just in time to see Knesh, sword in hand, explaining the impossible situation to the soldiers who had to stay with him. His address was deliberately short and to the point and, to Ben’s astonishment, the rebels all accepted their fate without a single complaint. They began to take their positions.

‘Such is the measure,’ Ben thought, ‘of the man who leads them.’

* * *



The Northern Army continued its relentless advance. It was now closing in fast on the ‘corridor’ of defenders who had volunteered to remain with Knesh and hold the line long enough to enable their King, Ben, the stones, and the rest of their Rebel Army to escape. The beleaguered rearguard now numbered only around one thousand men. They knew they couldn’t hope to hold out for long against the far superior forces they faced. But they also knew that the King didn’t need too long to lead his mounted force out of Erriard forest. And they shared in the belief that their sacrifice, in saving their King and the stones, would keep alive the hopes of eventually destroying Vantrax and his armies and freeing their people, so they fought hard.

Artrex climbed quickly up onto his horse, he stretched out his hand to Ben and pulled him up onto the saddle behind him. Ben was still carrying the bag with the box of stones inside and it became caught under him as he jumped onto the horse. He lifted himself in the saddle and altered his position to pull out the bag, before placing his arms around the King. Artrex cast a quick glance over at Nytig who was sitting with his hands bound at the foot of a large tree. He decided that the servant could yet prove useful to them and he instructed one of his men to put him on his horse. The soldier grabbed Nytig and thrust him across the beast roughly, the vile servant ending up with his head facing the floor. They wasted no more time. As soon as all were ready, Artrex kicked his horse hard and galloped away through the trees, racing down the ‘corridor’ that was temporarily open to them.

Artrex was angry and frustrated, his heart was breaking. He knew he’d left his good friend and his comrades behind to face almost certain death, but the King tried his hardest not to show his despair, aware of the example he needed to set to his men. Ben said nothing, he was clinging on desperately to Artrex as the horse weaved violently from side to side to avoid the trees, but he was still crying openly at the thought of Knesh’ probable fate.

As they galloped through the forest they soon began to hear the unmistakeable sounds of battle moving closer and closer towards them, the roars of Thargws and Falorians, the cries of the wounded and dying, the clashing of swords and armour. The sounds grew louder and louder, until they were both beginning to fear that they wouldn’t make it out of the trees.

“Oh sh… How much further to the edge of the forest?” shouted Ben anxiously.

“Not far.” answered Artrex. “But we may not make it, look!” he added, pointing towards a group of his own men who were running towards them, away from an enemy.

The King pulled hard on his reigns and stopped his horse, he drew his sword and waved the column of horsemen past him, then he approached the retreating soldiers.

“What do you think you’re doing?” yelled Ben frantically. “Are you crazy? Why are we stopping?”

“Ben, calm yourself, please. This has to be. I am going to lose enough soldiers today, with all those brave souls staying behind with Knesh. I am not going to lose any more!” stated Artrex defiantly, as he raised his sword and halted the running soldiers.

Ben obeyed the King’s command, he was as scared as he’d ever been. He wanted to say more, but something inside of him told him to remain quiet. The column of retreating horsemen continued to gallop past as Artrex spoke to the soldiers, who had all stopped running upon sighting their King. He had to shout loudly to make himself heard over the sound of galloping horses.

“Soldiers of the Ruddite Rebellion! We do not have long, so I will be brief. I know we have already asked too much of you this day. You have all performed wonders. It goes without saying that I am very proud of you all. You are all loyal companions, and I would not choose to lose any one of you. But these men and women who leave with me now, are your friends. Your comrades. The sacrifice you have been asked to make is the only chance they have of escape. There is no other way, the enemy is upon us. If you desert us now, they will surround us. And they will capture the stones!” he shouted, pointing at the bag hanging from Ben’s shoulder. “Those stones will help to liberate people, I promise you all! But… My loyal subjects, if you so wish it, I will now remain with you. And I will fight. And I will die, by your side. Friends. Brothers. I will not leave you now. Not unless I go with your blessing!” the King stated proudly.

Ben looked at Artrex in exasperation, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he admired the King’s bravery and he knew that Artrex was offering to face certain death when he didn’t have to, but he could see no sense in it at all! He spoke without thinking once again, in typical Ben fashion.

“But… That’s stupid! You can’t!” he screamed loudly, without any regard for the King’s status. Artrex ignored Ben completely and continued to talk to the crowd.

“I am sorry, but I have to ask each of you now, what is it to be?” he shouted. There was an agonising two second pause, before one of the rebels suddenly yelled out from the centre of the group.

“Go my King! Save yourself! Restore the stones! We are enough for this task. Your place is at the head of our army. Come on you old Ruddites, one last battle for our King and country. Let us show these Thargws how to fight!”

The old rebel saluted the King with his sword and turned to rejoin the fight, running swiftly through the trees and towards the sounds of battle. All of the remaining rebels joined him and it was only seconds later that Artrex and Ben heard the sounds of clashing swords once more. Artrex kicked his horse hard and lashed it with his reigns. They galloped as fast as they could to escape from the forest, for they knew that the enemy was now almost upon them.

* * *



Vantrax and Strymos were standing on the ridge that overlooked the Plains of Astelli. The bulk of the Northern Army was waiting impatiently on the fields below them for the order to advance and join the battle. The wizard King and his Gerada could see the vast Erriard forest across the plain, but they couldn’t see the battle that was now being fought amongst the trees. They were in fact, totally blind to the events in the forest, and they were unable to influence what was happening in any way, much to their annoyance. The sounds of battle were being carried to them on the soft morning breeze, but they could discern nothing at all from the noise, and their frustrations were mounting.

The signal for the second wave of Northern Army soldiers to attack was supposed to have been three long sounds of the Thargw battlehorn. But the young warrior who carried the horn into battle had been killed in the second rebel ambush and, in all the confusion of the attack, the soldiers with him (including Sawdon) hadn’t realised that he’d fallen. They hadn’t retrieved his horn and they could not signal the others to advance. Strymos was growing increasingly uneasy at the situation that was developing. He sensed correctly the growing restlessness of the soldiers on the plain below.

“My King! You have to do something! You have to send in the rest of the army now, if we are to complete the victory. Speed is vital. We have to act, if you want to prevent them from escaping. We have not committed enough warriors to surround them sufficiently. It makes no sense to leave all these soldiers here with nothing to do. Better to send too many…” he stated, realising that he was risking the King’s displeasure by speaking, but unable to remain silent any longer.

“Yes, Strymos. Stop your bleating! Very well, send them in. Rrar! Curse this damned forest! Bring me a bowl of water, now!”

Strymos immediately took a step forward onto the edge of the ridge and waved the army forward. The whole second wave of Northern Army warriors advanced. Only the soldiers of Vantrax’ Personal Guard remained behind to guard the King. He walked over to the makeshift camp they had made and emptied a wooden bowl that lay on the floor. He filled it with water from his bag and brought it to Vantrax, laying it down on the floor at his feet. Vantrax immediately took hold of the Lichtus and pulled it out from beneath his shirt. He held it over the bowl as he closed his eyes and began to chant.

“Brystolanu psofkashtuk allanakshue deshlish



Brystolanu psofkashtuk allanakshue deshlish



Brystolanu psofkashtuk allanakshue deshlish



Brystolanu psofkashtuk allanakshue deshlish , Metroush!”



The white stone lit up dimly, then it began to hum quietly.

“Tarowel bishtuk ishmir valanararg ashash!”



A bright beam of light once more shone out of the stone and raced down onto the water in the bowl, causing it to splash. When the ripples had subsided, a small picture was clearly visible to the two eager onlookers. Vantrax and Strymos knelt down to look more closely at the scene that presented itself. They could clearly see King Artrex on horseback, with Ben holding on behind him. They could also just make out that Ben was carrying a bag which bounced up and down furiously along with the movement of their horse, as it galloped at full speed out of the forest!

This was the worst possible sight for King Vantrax. All of the effort and the bloodshed that day would be in vain if he couldn’t capture or kill his brother, or at least retrieve the stones. Without achieving either of these primary objectives, the current situation could conceivably continue indefinitely, the war would go on, and he would never be rid of the challenge to his reign that his brother’s continued existence posed. Without the stones and with the Lichtus’ size and power diminishing with every use, his own position could only grow weaker, whilst that of his enemies could grow stronger.

The tide appeared to be turning in Rhuaddan. The victory that was so very nearly within his grasp, seemed to be eluding him once again. It was a scenario that Vantrax did not wish to contemplate.

“Rraarrr! They are escaping sire!” shouted Strymos. “You have to do something, Quick!”