The Gate to Redemption by Ryan Kirk

Author:Ryan Kirk [Kirk, Ryan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Waterstone Media
Published: 2020-12-22T16:00:00+00:00

Later that day she found herself mounted on a horse, not quite sure she had made the right choice. A group of a hundred Lolani warriors marched before them, armed with sword, shield, spear, and bow. When the queen said she intended to test the invaders, she’d spoken true.

Alena rode well behind the column. The queen’s instructions to her had been clear. At some point she was to fight. They wanted some idea of when Dezigeth would stir to action.

Beside her, Jace, Toren, and Brandt all guarded her. She was still riding for battle, but she would be the best protected person on the field. Any general would be proud of such protection, but it did little more than make her uneasy.

When their journey was about halfway complete, Toren rode closer to her. He spoke low so the others wouldn’t overhear. “You’ll do well.”

She managed half a smile. “Do I look that nervous?”

“And then some.”

“If I do this, I’ll be guilty of the same crimes I accuse the queen of.” She held up a hand to stop his reply. “I know. I understand the reasons, and I know it needs to be done. At least, I can’t think of a better alternative. But what makes me any different than her, once I do this?”

Toren didn’t even have to think hard about the question. “None of this would bother her.”

“That hardly matters.”

Brandt spoke up. Alena hadn’t even noticed him also edge closer. “Nonsense. Toren’s right. It makes all the difference in the world. Back when I was a wolfblade, I had a practice that I tried to honor.” He paused. “Whenever I killed an enemy with my affinity, I didn’t turn away, not if I had a choice. I saw it too often with other wolfblades. They refused to acknowledge what they had done. I knew that if I could ever kill an enemy with fire and not feel anything, I’d gone too far.”

They let Alena ride in silence, digesting their wisdom. She looked to each of her companions in turn. “Will you stop me, if I go too far? Or even if I’m about to?”

“We will,” Jace answered.

Their first contact with the invaders came sooner than Alena expected. A small group of the creatures, no more than fifteen, wandering beyond the main camp, came upon them. “Scouts, or perimeter guards,” Brandt decided.

When the invaders spotted the Lolani advance, they turned and charged directly. Alena looked to Brandt, hoping for an explanation, but he was leaning forward in his saddle, his attention focused completely on the battle. Why would the invaders attack, though? They were outnumbered almost ten to one.

Arrows raced from the Lolani side into the sky, and when they hit, creatures fell and didn’t rise again. The scouts now numbered less than ten, but still they advanced, their charge eerily silent. Alena shuddered as she watched the creatures move, the four legs lending them a gait that was distinctly not of this world.

Three of the creatures carried spears, and they threw these as they came in range.

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