Four Horsemen Book 5 - Old Histories: Prologue

Vessali walked out of the city, his silvered armor covered in blood and gore. The coppery tang an afterthought.

Buildings burned in his wake, one collapsing in a furry of embers. There was no alarm, no yelling, none left alive to worry anymore. An army stood impotently at the gates to the city, grand things near four stories tall and cracked through the middle. Each hinge nearly the size of a man.

Soldiers parted for him, their hands on their weapons, their faces tense. He didn’t slow his steps, as he reached the two men at the center of the soldiers. General Malagni was iron-faced, while Lord Ebruke grimaced at his visage.

“Your foes are defeated. The city is now yours.” He flicked his weapon, several swords hissing clear of their scabbards as the caked blood on his weapon was rejected and hurled upon the ground, some of it splashing onto Lord Ebruke who let out a yell and backed up spitting.

Vessali sheathed his sword without a seeming care for the general and lord’s guards.

“Now you have no other option. Fight with us or lose our support, general. Your mistress was a duke as soon as she talked to our envoy. She just didn’t know it yet.” Vessali looked at the man, a smile spreading across his face. “Serve well and Axiom may allow you to join the halls of the valorous.” Vessali’s visage spread into that of a demon’s, his eyes staining red. “Service above life.” His voice was not his own, Axiom chuckling through his mouth before receding.

He didn’t wait for a reply, he didn’t need to, the path was cut, now they would follow. Soldiers cleared a path as he walked through them to the small contingent of Geraxi Legionnaires.

“Brother,” Mika said, tossing him a cloth.

“What is the word, sister dearest?” He asked wiping his face clean and then working on his breastplate. It would need to be pulled apart and cleaned completely. Or he’d have to find someone with water spell skills.

“Silence from Ilus and the other cities around it. Word is that they are working together.” Mika said.

Vessali reached the horse his brother Indra  was holding, tossing him the bloody rag before he mounted the beast.

The Lord was wiping his face with a handkerchief while the general issued orders to his troops who marched forward into the city.

“What do you think of the Crystalline Dominion’s forces, Indra?”

“They’re not as well organized as our legionnaires though they’ve seen fighting and become effective at it. I’m interested to see what their mages and crystals can do.” He smirked with casual doubt.

“We will see them in action soon.” Vessali turned his mount. “Rejoice, a new dukedom has been founded this day.” He kicked his horse in a gallop. “Tomorrow, may their lives be used to grow the empire!”

Dark chuckles and cheers ran through the legionnaires and his two siblings as they followed him away from the city.

He would crush everything Desari cared for, taking it from her as she had taken their ancestral lands from their family. He would remove the reaper that had been hanging over his neck since he was a child.

The Avatar of the Geraxi Pantheon suppressed a shudder, drawing up the anger that roiled in him, gripping his fists tight.

Soon, Desari.