The Ageless Giant Read online

  The Ageless Giant Copyright 2019: Brian K. Suitter

  Amazing Cover Art by Lilly Dormishev www.ldormishev.com

  Cool Map by Storm (Suitter) Sandberg

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owners and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners

  To Storm, who unknowingly put me on this journey, and has kept me inspired since.

  1

  Year of the Ageless Giant 2300 A.A. (After Asar)

  “My Lord, they are inside the walls and running unchecked throughout the castle – we must leave now,” begged Captain Shanks. A woman’s cry from the next room brought an anguished look to the king’s face.

  “How can I leave now, Captain? The queen gives birth to my child as we speak.” As the king turned to go back into the birthing room, Shanks reached out and took hold of his arm. “You forget yourself!” the king roared, wrenching his arm free from the other man’s grasp. “Never lay hands on me again or I will have your head!”

  “My King, Dishoni are running the halls!” Captain Shanks yelled back. “I am your shield and I will not sit by and watch you cut down! The castle has been compromised. We have to get you down to the escape tunnels!”

  “And what of your queen? Would you see her killed as well as my child, the heir to the throne?”

  “The queen cannot be moved, or she will die. I will stay here and protect her while Yamen fights in the lower halls, but you must go with Daphaxian down to the tunnels.” The captain’s voice lost all momentum and faded to a whisper. “If you don’t go now, we may all die.”

  “So be it,” the king sneered, and he turned and walked briskly into the birthing room where the queen was laboring with his unborn child.

  “Bar the door,” Captain Shanks instructed Sergeant Daphaxian. “Let no one in. We will hold here for as long as we can. If the gods are good, death will come quickly for us all.” Daphaxian gave Shanks a wink and slammed the door in his face.

  “Uriah,” the woman whispered to the king as he took hold of her hand.

  “We are safe,” he smiled to give her comfort, but she could read his face and the story it told was not true.

  “You must push, Aliha, and breathe,” the soothing voice came from the foot of the bed where a healer stood ready to receive the child from her womb. He was middle-aged with a strong jaw and brown eyes. He had a full head of hair that was dark brown and streaked with grey and it fell straight, just below his shoulders. He was not tall, but neither was he a short man.

  The queen cried out in pain as she pushed, clenching the king’s hand as sweat ran down her forehead and into her soft pillows, mixing with the tears from her eyes. Aliha was beautiful – even in this condition. Her eyes a soft blue, her blonde hair matted against a heart-shaped face covered in sweat. She grunted, cried out in pain, and pushed again. This would be her first child, and possibly her last.

  “I can see the child’s head. One more strong push and it shall see the light of day!” Gideon was an herb healer and usually assisted the queen’s personal attendants, but when the castle was infiltrated, most of the servants were taken to the underground tunnels and led to safety.

  At first the king would not allow Aliha’s nurse maids to leave while the queen was in such a state, but Aliha insisted they be spared if Gideon promised to stay and deliver her child.

  The queen pushed once more, a soft gasp escaping her lips, and the child was born. A sudden cry filled the chamber as the healer cradled the infant and gently cut the soft cord that was attached to its mother.

  “A son,” the king whispered. “I…, we have a son. All will be well,” and Uriah let go of her hand. Aliha watched the king gently take the babe from Gideon’s arms and leave the room with Daphaxian following close behind.

  “Where are you going, Uriah?!” Aliha cried out, but she knew already the answer. He would take her son out through the escape tunnel where he would be safe, while she stayed behind with an unknown fate.

  A wave of pain racked her insides and she cried out.

  “Aliha,” Gideon said as she arched her back.

  “Gideon! What is happening?!” Aliha screamed through clenched teeth. “It feels like…, it feels like!”

  “It is, Aliha! You are!” Gideon stammered as he rushed to the foot of the bed. “Twins, you will have twins! Now push, you must push, now!”

  Sounds of battle began to play their way up through the castle and they both knew they had very little time. The queen pushed, this time in urgency. She could hear steel clashing together and cries of men dying below.

  “They will be here soon, Aliha! Push! PUSH!” Gideon roared. Then he turned and rushed to the door, swinging it shut and throwing down the locking bar.

  Aliha pushed with all her might, screaming, her life’s blood pouring from her womb. The baby girl was slick as she emerged into the healer’s hands and he cut her loose from her mother. He quickly put the baby into Aliha’s arms where she gladly received it with tears of joy streaming down her face.

  Lost was Aliha in her baby’s small face and delicate cry that she took no notice of Gideon as he produced a silver chain and amulet from beneath his soft wool tunic. She stared at the child’s tiny delicate features and nothing else seemed to matter. Aliha couldn’t hear the sounds of battle outside her door and didn’t notice that Gideon was holding the long silver chain and amulet above her. She didn’t even care when the room began to spin, and the walls fell away into darkness.

  Aliha held her baby girl with joy and didn’t mind that she was no longer in her own bed in her elaborate castle chamber, but instead, lying on a soft bed of earth and pine needles. Tall trees replaced the granite walls of Castle Lamourne and a forest stretched out all around her, but Aliha took no notice.

  Gideon was there next to her and was exhausted from the use of the magic. He felt older, drained of all but a spark of energy. He clutched the silver chain in a trembling hand and held it over the dead woman. He stared at the crystal in the center of the amulet, wanting to call forth the magic to bring Aliha back to life, but knowing he could not do so. The amulet could do many amazing things, but resurrection was not one of them. It was not uncommon for a woman to die while birthing a child, especially when delivering twins, but Gideon could have saved her if he had had more time.

  Suddenly, the infant took in a large gulp of air and Gideon realized the child had died as well, but then was able to come back somehow and fill its tiny lungs with life. The baby coughed a series of short sharp bursts and started to cry. Gideon held her close, standing and walking with the newborn child, trying gently to hush her with the slow rocking of his arms.

  It took Gideon much patience to get the baby to calm, and after the child finally fell asleep, Gideon placed her back in the arms of her dead mother and allowed the baby to stay there while he dug a grave that would not be shallow.

  The earth was hard packed, but the man was determined, and he scraped at the dirt with his small dagger. This last service he would gladly give, and he dug all day, even after the child awakened and started to cry.

  When he finall
y finished, the sun was setting to a soft crimson glow and the tall pines created an early darkness that spread throughout the forest. Gideon retrieved the child from Aliha’s lifeless grasp and swaddled her in his soft tunic. He walked around the grave, allowing the infant time to find sleep once more so that he could give his queen a peaceful burial.

  As Gideon paced the small clearing, he soon realized he was not alone and felt the cold stares that were upon him. Slowly, he removed the amulet from around his neck, spoke a quiet word, and watched the crystal as it began to spin, bringing a soft glow of light to the surrounding area. Four hungry wolves seemed to materialize from the forest itself, baring teeth that were sharp. The light from the amulet intensified, and a warm sense of peace suddenly filled the clearing. One by one, the wolves whimpered and laid down upon the earthen floor, each showing their submission to the healer’s magic. He then bid them to come forward and lie down in a small circle at the foot of the grave, and he placed the precious child in the center of the wolf-pack. Gideon then put his magic amulet back around his neck and went back to the business of burying his queen. It took the rest of the night to fill in the grave and he left the child with the wolves as he labored, knowing the baby was safe in the magic’s care.

  When dawn broke the next morning, Gideon was just finishing the burial by scratching letters into a large flat stone that stood at the head of the grave. The headstone simply read “Aliha.” He then knelt at the side of the grave and said a short prayer, asking his god to receive the gentle spirit into his kingdom and treat her with kindness.

  When Gideon was finished, he returned to the child and held her close in his arms, already able to see the resemblance of Aliha in her tiny features. He smiled to drive back the pain of her loss and rocked the baby gently to keep her asleep as he began his slow weary trek through the woods with the wolves faithfully at his heels. Aliha’s daughter needed a new home and a new family, and he had a strong desire to return to the distant land he had so unexpectedly left behind.

  The amulet was extremely powerful, and he used the magic to whisk them away from Castle Lamourne, far across the Eastern Ocean to the continent of Perlosia. In this land, the child would be safe and live a normal life, free from the burdens of war and monarchy. Here the child would grow to be happy, and Queen Aliha could watch over her in peace.

  By mid-afternoon he broke from the shade of the large pines and asps that the forest bred. He gazed across a vast expanse of rolling hills covered in tall shadow grass that grew as high as mid-thigh. Gideon thanked the four wolves for their help and instructed them not to follow as he walked away from the forest edge and headed towards a winding blue river and a small wooden bridge that crossed it. Gideon felt confident that it would lead to a village or farmhouse, and he hastened across the field of high grass with the small baby girl held protectively in his arms.

  ****************************

  DeeAnna set a wonderful table. A loaf of fresh baked bread cut into thick slices with creamy butter spread across each piece. There was a large bowl containing a tossed green salad with small plump tomatoes and thinly cut cucumbers and radishes. A plate of roasted yams and potatoes sat next to a small bowl of thick rich gravy, and in the center of the table was a small cooked turkey, the soft white meat steaming, the tasty smell wafting throughout the small dining room.

  DeeAnna, a tiny woman in her late thirties, spread a napkin across her lap. She had short brown hair, small brown eyes and an oval-shaped face. She was unable to have children and that left a touch of sadness to her, but she always wore a slight smile.

  Across from her sat Robert, her loving husband. He was ten years older and had the look of a man that spent his days working hard in the field. He was large, heavily muscled, standing just over six-feet tall. He had a large round head which was shaved bald, and grew a thick yellow beard running from ear to ear. He was a man with a look to be feared, but his eyes betrayed him, for in the dark blue orbs a certain kindness spilled over and you knew he was a man to be trusted.

  Also at the table sat an empty cup and a plate with no food, and Robert and DeeAnna prayed at each meal to be blessed with a child of their own so they would know the joy of parenting.

  The two ate quietly with few words between them. They shared a simple life in a simple time, not much ever changing. The same routines left nothing to the imagination as their part of the world was peaceful and uneventful, and there seemed a void in their lives that only a child could fill.

  A soft knock sounded on the front door and Robert stood, excused himself from the table, and walked slowly into the front room. The couple rarely had unexpected visitors, and when someone did come calling, it was a neighbor from one of the other farms asking to borrow or to inquire about DeeAnna’s health. Sometimes the town healer would make a friendly house call, wondering how they were both getting along since they hardly ever left the farm anymore. DeeAnna never felt like going anywhere and Robert, always worried, never wanted to leave her alone for more than a short while.

  When Robert opened the door, he was stunned to see an older looking man, bare-chested, wearing only trousers and a pair of worn sandals on his feet. He would have been handsome in his youth. He had a strong jaw and a full head of white hair that was streaked with brown and it grew straight, falling just past his shoulders. He had dark brown eyes and lips pursed in determination. He wore a silver chain around his neck that was attached to a strange amulet.

  Oddly, all of that seemed normal compared to the fact that he held a small baby wrapped in a grey tunic. It was crying softly, and all the man said was, “Do you have milk for a hungry baby?”

  DeeAnna swept past Robert, “Yes, of course, please come in.” She reached out hesitantly and Gideon put the baby in her arms.

  “Your child is so beautiful,” DeeAnna said as she took the infant into the house. Gideon stood at the front door patiently as Robert watched his wife fuss with the baby.

  “May I come in?” Gideon asked and Robert turned back around.

  “Yes, of course, please forgive my rudeness. Come in, come in.” Gideon walked into the small house and found DeeAnna already sitting down, holding a small cup of goat milk up to the child’s mouth.

  “My, aren’t you a hungry little angel. Do you have wings under that tunic?” DeeAnna looked up and realized it was the man’s wear. “I have a blanket. Here, take your tunic – you must feel uncomfortable without it.” DeeAnna unwrapped the baby and tossed the tunic over to Gideon, then went into the other room and returned with the child wrapped in a soft yellow blanket.

  “What is the name of the child?” DeeAnna asked as she sat back down to feed the baby.

  Gideon gave her a look and puzzled through the answer. “Her name is Aliha.”

  “Oh, what a beautiful name for such a beautiful baby. Aren’t you, Aliha? Aren’t you just beautiful?” DeeAnna giggled some more as a small tear of joy ran down the side of her face.

  “Are you hungry, sir?” Robert asked. “We were just sitting down to eat, and we have plenty of food.”

  Gideon was about to graciously decline the offer, but the smell of roasted turkey set his stomach to rumbling and he knew he must accept. He had not eaten for quite some time.

  “Yes, thank you, that would be nice.”

  Robert took the healer into the dining room while DeeAnna sat giggling and fussing with the small baby.

  When Gideon approached the table, he saw three place settings, two of which were obviously where the man and woman had sat down to eat before he arrived. The third place sat empty with a clean plate absent of any food and a cup with no liquid.

  “Were you expecting someone else for dinner?” Gideon asked, nodding towards the empty place setting.

  Robert stared at the vacant seat for a moment before a soft smile touched his lips. “Yes. Strangely enough, I think we were waiting for you.”

  2

  Year of the Ageless Giant 2300 A.A.

  Nine Days Earlier

  Bla
nkets of ice and snow ran red with blood along the base of the Titans. The two towering mountains rose up to the clouds and were given the name because they were the largest in all the realms. They stood at the center of a long chain of mountains that ran a wide stretch the length of Asaria and were sentinels to The Scar – a wide pass that cut through the mountain chain connecting the Northern Kingdom to the warmer, more hospitable southern expanse. Wars had been fought for control of the pass many times and whoever controlled The Scar gained supremacy over the trade routes linking the two very different lands.

  The Northmen were considered giants compared to the smaller men of the south. They were hardened warriors, all standing near to eight feet tall. They accepted no weaknesses in their race, and even the women were large and heavily muscled. They were called the Beoraki and they kept no slaves, choosing to do all the hard labor themselves. Some were miners, some sludge drillers, and others fishermen, but with no exceptions, all the people of the North were warriors.

  The largest and fiercest of all the Northmen was King Ironheart and he wielded a huge two-handed sword named Deathbringer. He swung the blade ferociously, cleaving his enemy in half, running out of the pass ahead of his brutal army of Northmen. Nothing could stop him. He was invincible in his armor of plate mail and he wore the hollowed-out skull of a giant white bear.

  One by one, men from the South fought and died. They fell two at a time, ten at a time, a hundred at a time. Soon, Northmen flowed out from the pass and The Scar became a riverbed of blood as the Southern army was overrun.

  “They’re coming fast and hard! No one retreats! Hold the line and we’ll survive!” Captain Shanks was a young man, but a veteran to the wars. At eighteen summers old, he had killed his first Northman, and by the time he had reached twenty-one, he was leading small skirmishes on the Western border. Now, four years later, he oversaw the entire legion because he was the highest-ranking officer still alive.