Embers of an Age by Tim Marquitz

Author:Tim Marquitz
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781477648728
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2012-06-13T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

The detour at Tolen soured what little happiness Uthul had for seeing his home and people again. Most of the Tolen army had marched to aid their forces, which had happened upon the battles at Fhen and Lathah. What soldiers were left in the nation hunkered down and were in no position or frame of mind to offer any assistance to the Sha’ree.

To further add to the ill news, Uthul was informed of the unexpected arrival of an army of Hull to the north. The massive stone creatures had descended through the Dead Lands and swept Y’Vel away and currently laid siege to Vel. Despite the irrationality of the Hull attack, the Tolen officer Uthul spoke to had made it clear the apparent goal of the creatures was Ah Uto Ree. His scouts reported the whole of the Sha’ree nation had been cut off from the rest of Ahreele. The news struck Uthul like an arrow.

He’d continued on from Tolen and confirmed the Hull movements with his own eyes. His stomach churned as he stared at the mass of creatures that stood vigilant just inside the border of Ah Uto Ree. It was a full-scale invasion of his homeland, their numbers in the thousands. He had never seen anything like it. The Hull had always been hostile, but they had remained within their own borders and had never journeyed south in all their years. To see such a force of them so far from the Stone Hills was disconcerting. What purpose did they have for invading Ah Uto Ree? Uthul knew the answer would terrify him. Not knowing was even worse.

Weakened by the plague and the removal of all their O’hra, the Sha’ree had no hope of defending against such a powerful army, especially if they had no knowledge of its approach. Distracted as they’d been by the plague, the Sha’ree were likely still gathered in the north training the O’hra-bearers. There would be no advance warning of the attack.

Uthul knew he must get through, but he could see no break in the Hull lines. They would see him coming. He sighed, examining his possibilities. There was only one that gave him any chance of getting into Ah Uto Ree without the Hull spying or stopping him. However, it was no less dangerous than confronting the Hull directly.

He lurked in the trees of Y’Vel, just outside the border of his homeland hoping for some movement in the Hull rank. They held their ground, forcing his hand. There was too little time to waste on the uncertainty of their intentions. Uthul stripped the O’hra off and placed them into the bag once more. The last Succor had stemmed the tide of the plague, but he could feel it worming inside deep his veins. It was a certainty he would suffer its virulent touch once more, but there was no way around it. He needed to warn his people of the Hull and the strange new O’hra they would likely encounter. He sighed, his choice made.

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