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A.R.Yngve DARC AGES Book Three _________________________ |
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![]() The Orbes Brothers |
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Chapter 41
The gloomy afternoon began to change into a night without a visible sunset. Lord Bes Orbes had his troops and knights scattered over three neighboring islands. These forces encountered much the same opposition as Yota's men: mutated, hostile beasts and no humans. Dispatches and light-signals had been frequently used in the charge, as well as some air support -- and eventually, the incoming reports convinced Lord Orbes that the islands were abandoned. He ordered a wide-scale retreat to the southern main island, where he was to join their commander Lord Pasko. His soldiers and knight-sons were grateful to leave the frightening, cursed islands -- yet the prospect of entering another witchdoctor's island frightened them more. Saburé and Kensaburé Orbes were sitting in the same ship as they approached the smoking, large main island. Both of them brooded over the same question. Was Dohan Damon, Lord Damon's renegade son, present somewhere down there? Could they fight a former trusted friend and ally? Something occurred to the younger brother Kensaburé -- a notion that had been growing in his archaic imagination since before the war. He cupped his hands around his mouth to be heard over the engine noise, and spoke in his older brother's ear. "Saburé! You must not tell our father -- but I think this is wrong, what we are doing today." Saburé glared at his brother over the shoulder pad of his armor, too bewildered and tired to say anything. The younger brother persisted: "You know as well as I, that Tharlos is a scheming, no-good traitor, ever since the Summer Joust! Why are we taking orders from him, against good and noble people such as Dohan? Why?" Saburé took off one armored glove -- with an effort, since his heavy, motorized armor was switched off for recharging -- and slapped Kensaburé's forehead. "You fool!" he snapped tersely, anxiously checking that nobody heard them. "Are you asking to be shot for desertion? Or have you just soiled your underpants?" Kensaburé blushed, and felt a strong urge to punch his brother -- neither of them were clever with words, and they easily took to anger. |
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"I'm not a little brat any longer, Saburé! I'm a real knight now -- I've been in battle, and I'm not putting up with your bullying." Saburé merely grunted at this, and turned away to watch the steadily approaching main island. "Besides," Kensaburé added, "the signs are against us. What if Darc really is the Singing King -- what if the Goddess is trying to warn us not to attack! That burning mountain..."
Saburé stiffened with fright, but kept his indifferent stance. Infuriated, Kensaburé blurted out a secret that would make his older brother take notice. "I've been listening to Darc's radio transmissions! And I think he's making sense --" Before Kensaburé finished, Saburé slammed his bare hand over his brother's mouth. "Be quiet!" hissed the white-faced Saburé. The soldiers, who were strapped to their seats beside them, saw the quarreling knights and drew their own conclusions. The fighting morale was dropping like a rock. The Orbes jet fleet landed on the beach. The knights screwed on their helmets and gloves, and switched on their armor motors. Lord Orbes stepped out first, leading his troops over to the parked fleet of Lord Tharlos. He was quickly briefed on the present situation. Orbes raised his broadsword, switched on the loudspeaker in his suit, and bellowed: "Red company stays behind to guard the ships! Behind me, sons... for the greater good of Castilia... we join the main force! Attack the enemy stronghold! CHARGE!" Bes and his sons ignited their jetpacks. As they soared above the beach and speeded up across the burning, blackened hillside, their footsoldiers paced after them. |
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