The Kingdom of Wizards

The Seals of the Altior

1

The Key to Magic

Gabriele Pratesi

Translated by Salma Moussafir

Gabriele Pratesi

The Key

to

Magic

Translated by Salma Moussafir

Copyright 2019 All rights reserved Gabriele Pratesi;

https://www.patamu.com/certificate/169357-92d

First edition 2021

Publisher Pratesi Gabriele

Dreams decide the goal

Reality traces its path

Table of Contents

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter III

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

Chapter VII

Chapter VIII

Chapter IX

Epilogue

Continue...

THE CHARACTERS

Spells, magic and association with the Devil

The Magical Arts

www.ilregnodeimaghi.it

Acknowledgements

Baltdeon is a young boy who finds himself enlisted at the behest of his father, among the recruits of the great order of the Paladins of Hombros.

Introduction

A warm and loving greeting to all readers who have chosen to follow the fantastic adventures of the Kingdom of Wizards.

The first chapter is titled "The Key to Magic" and is part of an ambitious project; the creation of a series of fantasy stories with the desire to free the imagination and bring the reader with the author elsewhere from this world. A world where heroes and evil characters with powers; thirsty for ambition and success, knights errants, invincible warriors, wizards and sorcerers. A world where there are terrifying and wonderful creatures; colorful, rich and flourishing landscapes and arid, cold lands in which it is impossible to survive. There are many ways to start an adventurous journey that lead to victory or defeat, to find or lose the desired object.

A world where fate, fortune and Gods often write the history of heroes and their antagonists.

Breaking out the monotony of everyday routine and fly with your mind wherever there is no boredom.

This is the purpose of the Kingdom of Wizards, to wrap the reader with the cloak of curiosity of the imagination or sitting on the couch of it.

“I decided to write down the adventures of these supernatural characters in black and white because, I don't have the capacity to explain it to you,but it's like they are alive in my head. After reading some fantasy novels or watching movies and TV series they would emerge in my thoughts. Often I'm not satisfied with how other authors' stories end, so I decided to write what I imagine, and give the ending I want to be. It wasn't easy to transfer in words my imagination, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Then I discovered the possibility of self-publication and after getting informed, I decided to try this path of sharing my story with the audience.

And here we are: the Key to Magic is the first chapter of the “The Seals of the Altior. "

The Seals of the Altior 1 - The key to magic

The Seals of the Altior 2 - Hombros' carousel

The Seals of the Altior 3 - The Altiors

The Seals of the Altior 4- The Eternal Forest

The Seals of the Altior 5 - The Grimoire

I recommend reading to an audience over 13 years of age as there are descriptions of battles and some scenes that can be gory.

The author

Gabriele Pratesi was born in Arezzo in 1985.

He graduated with the title of electrical engineer and works in an automation company.

He volunteered as an emergency animator at the Don Bosco Salesian Oratory for over ten years.

He is an amateur writer at first experience and has chosen the path of self-publication. The desire to start writing came by chance from reading some novels and watching television series inspired by them; he was not satisfied with the plots, often repetitive and obvious, or the endings.

He is passionate about the genre of Fantasy, adventure, science fiction and everything that stimulates the purest human emotions linked to imaginary, epic, chivalrous universes, far from the normal lifetime.

It is inspired by the great literary masterpieces such as "The Lord of the Rings", "The Hobbit", "Harry Potter", "The Knight of Eron" and by the classic and epic poems, so he is looking for a different story, original with an unexpected ending and therefore not obvious and not trivial, trusting in his characters and their adventures.

Previous History

Dream of a hundred years ago ...

-1-

B

ehind me the great door of the red city of Ignis, capital of the kingdom of the Magicians of the Circle of Fire was moving away.

I had been instructed by my brother to go to the city of Hombros, the capital of the Princedom of mankind, to buy some handicrafts in iron and steel.

I travelled around by Orius, a thoroughbred black mantle, and my cart.

My brother was older than me and he used to give me duties like these. I always believed he did it to empower me, rather, he did it to keep me away from him and his business. I was barely sixteen-years-old, and each month I had to face a ten-day trip.

Honestly, I was happy to travel too. Life in the city was boring and the history classes… were even worse.

I had reached the plateau on the southern border. From that point I could see the city in all its greatness.

…

An Echo of an explosion and a cloud of black smoke rose from the southern walls of the city.

The sound of Drums was keeping the time to the march of an army occupying the whole area of the Red Valley. I had never seen such a large army, nor had I read any in the history books, if I ever had the chance to read them!

I could not distinguish the colors of the banners and the coats of arms. The armour was dark green but I didn't recognise who it belonged to.

More explosions and more smoke rose from the city.

I couldn't stand there and watch.

I wished to come back to the city, trembling with fear of not knowing what I should have done, rather I wished to be there with my friends and alongside my brother to fight the enemy.

The enchantment of the circle of Fire had been summoned to defend the city. I could have seen it very well. A fiery red dome was protecting the council tower and the fortified city. I couldn't see anything else.

I tied Orius to the roots of a tree, releasing him from the cart and walking back. While I was approaching I noticed that the army had already passed the valley. The whole city was under siege. My magic was weak and I didn't know spells powerful enough to take on even a soldier. From that side I couldn't see much, so I gave up and went back to Orius. I felt useless, helpless.

I stood staring at the city through the darkness of the night. Flames of black fire rained down from the sky and dented the shield of fire.

Immediately after ... the darkness, the silence and everything else seemed motionless.

I hugged Orius. And I fell asleep full of sadness and fear and foremost unable to intervene.

The first rays of dawn reminded me to get up. I looked out to see what had happened to the city. The council tower was still there. The fire shield was nearly destroyed.

I start hearing new explosions. Flashes of light were almost subtle with the presence of the new sun. I was not able to continue my journey to Hombros, I had to find a way to return to Ignis to fight. I secured Orius to the root of the tree and walked back towards the valley. I had to be careful. There might have been soldiers left on patrol. I deliberately avoided the path and walked through the small wooded areas around the plain. Bypassing the plain took a good part of the day. The grove in the east extended out on the rise of a hill from which the south gate could be seen. At the entrance to the gate there were enemy hordes trying to take down the shield of fire.

Below me, a patrol of soldiers were sitting on a fire. There were at least eight. I couldn't see anything that could help me figure out who they were. The sounds of explosions and battle were distinct. The screams of the fighters could also have been heard. I stood hidden until sunset.

The patrol was still on guard. I was only armed with my wand. It was my training weapon. It couldn't generate powerful spells to knock out an opponent, especially if they were a soldier in heavy armor, but I knew some stun spells and someone I could use as a diversion.

I took a breath as I was about to launch against the first enemy who was separated from the group; an immense explosion blocked me. I looked up. From the council tower,a purple lightning flashed skyward. The shield of fire was dissolved. The patrol soldiers left the outpost and started fighting against the walls. Lightning disappeared in the sky. The earth was shaking. The council tower swayed. A rumble. collapsed in on itself. Red dust rose. The night and the dust blocked the view.

Suddenly a hum came from the sky. A strong purple glow from the sun was spreading over the city. It Blew up. A magical veil grew from the sky, launched towards the ground, where the Red Tower stood. The veil ran in all directions at great speed. The soldiers were escaping from the walls trampling each other. Those who were captured by the veil were dragged into the city.

I realized I wasn't safe. So I left the grove. I ran as fast as I could. I entered the valley to reach Orius as soon as possible and escape. The valley was filled with fleeing soldiers. I was able to hear them behind me. I passed the rocks south of the valley, some soldiers were about to join me. I turned around ready to fight with my wand in hand. But the magical veil sparkled behind them. I stared at them, and I recognized them. They were dark elves.

I swirled my wand and pointed it under my footsteps, a levitation magic. I lifted myself off the ground away from the elves and the magical veil that was sucking them in. Their faces were changing. They were deformed. :Wrinkled, crippled and full of lumps. They were swelled and hunched. To others, the muscles seemed to come out of the body and the slender shoulders were grown larger, transforming them into powerful beings. The magic veil disappeared with them.

I jumped on Orius and galloped non-stop towards Hombros.

Old man! Stop fidgeting and screaming. You disturb the other inmates. "- Ordered the guard from the crack in the cell door.

Chapter I

The reinforcements

-2-

T

he captain's regiment was on its second day of travel to the largest military outpost in the region. The principality's effort to defend the northern border increased every month and the reinforcements sent never seemed to be enough. The attacks from the north, by the orcs, became more and more frequent and with an ever greater attack power. The means available to the principality were finite and the continuous attacks were consuming both men and resources. The caravan consisted of just twenty and five recruits who were doing the hardest work, hauling the supply wagon.

The climb became steep and the tiredness began to affect the young recruits. The wagon was very heavy. There were barrels of wine and beer and baskets full of meat, bread and legumes. Tied to the sides of the wagon were secured the weapons, armor and shields that doubled the weight of the tow on the shoulders of the men.

"Hey, guys! I'm exhausted."– said Teroin, the youngest of the five.

The belts tied to the chest and shoulders were tight and the leather jacket they wore did not always protect them from the pressure of the rope that pressed into the flesh tearing it apart.

"You should eat more meat and get stronger."− Helder, the oldest of the five and physically more powerful and strong, replied.

Everyone laughed. While one of them was thinking elsewhere. He was watching the sides of the path. Even though he was breathing heavily from tiredness, the expression on his face was calm.

“Balt! Always with your head in the clouds, isn't it?"− Serafin, Balt's best friend loved to tease him when he immersed himself in his world and estranged himself from the reality of the world.

“He loves his plants and herbs. He is not suited for a military career. He was forced to enlist. Not like me who volunteered."− Vlad ruled.

"And I'm not even a citizen of Hombros."− replied arrogantly.

Helder shook his head. Every time he heard Vlad speaking, he felt immediately nervous. Balt, on the other hand, seemed absent. He did not open his mouth. He scanned the edges of the grassy path and tried to memorize what he saw. He raised his head to stretch his neck muscles.

"There is smoke."− Balt exclaimed softly.

He was heard by Serafin who smiled at him. The captain gave the order to stop. He nodded to the scouts who went on to study the situation. The path opened into the clearing where the outpost was located. The southern watchtower had collapsed. The black smoke arose from the watchtower to the north, the flames were almost extinguished. The tower was in danger of collapsing. There was no shadow of enemies. The explorers reported the situation to the captain. The caravan set off. It was a few miles from the outpost entrance. The collapsed tower was slowly overcome. The captain stopped his pace by watching the disaster. The soldiers already knew what to do and took their places in the perimeter helping some peasants to extinguish the last outbreak. The sun had now set. The night.

The boys pulled with their last efforts the cart located in front of the entrance door of the mighty fortress; a stately home which over time was enlarged with lookout towers, fortified with a keep and external walls.

Before being called for the unloading service, Helder took off his two belts and left the group. Balt threw off the straps, then he stretched and also slipped out. The others did the same.

The door to the fortress opened and a huge man in heavy iron armor stepped out. The chest was engraved with the coat of arms of Hombros, the golden Sequoia shrouded in mist. He looked at the three recruits then ordered them to empty the wagon.

“Food supplies in the pantry. At the end of the hall, on the left-side, you'll find a third door on the right. The weapons in the armory. Down the hall on the right. The fifth door."− He explained. A moment later, the captain appeared in front of him and greeted the general.

"How much formality brother-in-law."− He stared at the general with an unpleasant tone, trying to keep his voice low so as not to be heard by the newly entered recruits.

"How long have you not been back to a battlefield, Captain Goldeon?"− he said.

The captain ignored the warm welcome and he went straight away to be made aware of the situation. As they entered the three young men were running with their supplies to empty the wagon as soon as possible. They passed the two superiors who entered the control room.

"What happened to General Fortdar?"− The captain asked.

“Do You ask me what happened? you don't see it, perhaps?"− He replied .

“We have been under attack for three days. Today's was more violent than others. And they attacked during the day-light. With the sun at its zenith. Shit."− Grumbled the general.

“How many of you have come for reinforcement? In twenty? any recruits? ... Isn't our prince going to defend the borders? Shit!"− He screamed going around the room.

We are the paladins of Hombros. Damn. We can't stop an orc army. They look immortal.”− He tapped the table .

The spread map jumps. Some of the army placeholders fell. He bent down to pick up the wooden placeholders and placed them on the map.

“These orcs have been attacking us for two years now. And you know where they come from."− Fortdar said angrily.

The captain looked at the map. And he grew gloomy. With his palms resting on the maps he sighed.

"Ignis. The city of fire."− pronounced the captain.

"I had warned the great council that the matter had to be resolved immediately."− He went on, saddened by the memory.

Fortdar lost control in anger. He grabbed the captain by the neck. He shoved it against the wall and dropped a painting.

“Did you warn them about what? It's your fault that my sister died. For your negligence. You've had to protect her. Instead you were warning the great council."− He accused him with his face planted against that of his brother-in-law, forehead to forehead.

Goldeon struggled free from his grip. He threw himself heavily on his brother-in-law and pressed his face against the table. The crumpled maps pressed into his cheeks.

“Do you think I don't feel guilty about it? Every night I have nightmares and I wanted to switch roles. You know very well that I would have died for her."− He said letting go.

"Arguing between us won't bring your sister back to life."− He said as he thought about his wife.

He adjusted the maps and started to think again.

-3-

The three recruits were carrying the latest weapons into the armory. Crossbows, pikes, spears, willow bows, and short swords. They were exhausted, once they finished the last load. They hadn't noticed the screaming and fighting coming from the control room. The fortress had very thick walls and the hall was not adjacent to the corridor through which they passed.

Vlad grabbed a sword and started swinging it in the air. The blowing sound could be heard cutting the air. The two younger comrades admired him for his dexterity in movement.

It's wonderful. The Lunga of Hombros. The body of a two-handed broadsword and the lightness of a dagger. This sword is capable of penetrating any armor. But it is not very resistant to duels of strength."− Vlad explained .

He handed them the sword to feel its weight and to test it.

-4-

On the path northeast of the outpost Helder was patrolling the area. He had left the wagon purposely to take his time. He had never been to the Arx Lupus outpost so he needed to know a little about the area to feel comfortable. The land was uncultivated and there were brambles along the path. Weeds and bushes as tall as men were good hiding places for ambushing. The night with its darkness was not a good ally but the young man was a hunter and he often hunted at night. His eyes were already used to it and eagerly sought whatever was useful to him. A fenced cottage was located not far away from the entrance of a path into the thick of the forest. He moved slowly to the east, bypassing the house. He could hear light, discontinuous rustling. He still didn't know if he was approaching or moving away from something or someone. When he went to the forest, suddenly the rustling became clear footsteps fleeing. Later he felt them distant and he turned back. He knew there was someone watching them. And they weren't orcs, or they would have already attacked him. Helder left the forest knowing they were not alone but controlled by spies.

-5-

On the path to the north, the one that skirted the rock face on which the fortress was built, Balt was hiding among the huts. He had no intention of unloading the wagon, nor came face to face with his father, Captain Goldeon. Their relationship was not one of affection but only professional. His father could not differentiate and had always been cold. He was never at home to build a fatherly bond.

He moved stealthily around the huts and when he noticed herbs and seedlings that might prove useful in some way, he tore them from the root and put them in his saddlebag. Balt also had no problem moving in the dark, he loved walking in the forest at night after the long training of the day. He inspected some shacks that had burnt roofs and nearly collapsed. The air was dirty and he could hardly breathe through a cloth that he held to his mouth and nose. He didn't know what exactly to look for inside those crumbling shacks, he just hoped to find something useful. He saw a sign when he was almost giving up and turning back, which hung by a single creaking chain, had the medical symbol engraved on it. Part of the roof was destroyed and collapsed on one side. He went inside avoiding making noises and causing more collapses. The potions cupboard was overturned and he could see the glass fragments of the ampoules glistening on the floor. In the shelves on the left, where the structure was intact, there were bags with herbs and spices. Balt grabbed as much of them as he could, put them in his saddlebag. Further on he noticed a broken shelf at the foot of which were still intact vials. He grabbed those too quickly. They bore an inscription: "essence of force", "essence of vigor", "essence of mana". He no longer saw anything that might have interested him. Slowly he turned around and walked away. A shelf broke and he felt his ankle grabbed by someone. His heart jumped and he freed himself easily with a kick. lying on the ground half dying behind the counter, the apothecary mumbled to attract the intruder's attention. A broken shelf board was stuck between the man's ribs. He couldn’t breathe any more. Balt quickly pulled out the vial of vigor but he was blocked.

"You can't save me ..."− He whispered breathlessly.

"The or-cs... who ... has .. ... the ...ma...gic ..."− He said.

Balt was shocked for a few moments. He closed the apothecary's eyes and marked his forehead with the symbol of the circle broken in half. It was the symbol of the religion with which his mother had baptized him th, for that reason the young man continued in his practice as a memory He left the body behind and walked out of the building thinking over the apothecary's words.

-6-

The three recruits enjoyed trying all the weapons that were in the armory. The youngest of them, Teroin, grabbed a flail, a massive weapon consisting of an iron ball filled with sharp spikes tied to a chain and a stiff wooden handle. He tried to spin it, but the weight had thrown him off balance causing him to sit on the ground as the iron ball crashed into the stone floor producing a huge noise that spreads throughout the fortress. Teroin blushed. It looked like an earthquake.

"I wasn't the one who did this, right?"− He asked, confused.

It was an explosion. The east wing of the fortress had been hit by a flaming stone.

Chapter II

The fall of Arx Lupus

-7-

S

erafin helped his friend up. All three armed themselves with daggers and swords. They left the armory taking with them extra weapons to distribute to the others. They crossed the corridor to the main exit. A few steps forward they saw the captain and the general leaving the control room. The general turned back.

“You three, get to the watchtower to the east and join the regiment. We were attacked by a trebuchet. The enemy is at least four hundred paces away."− Ordered the general.

"Since when the orcs attack with trebuchets?"− Goldeon asked his brother-in-law.

“I don't know. This is the first time they use war machines. We must send a regiment to attack in order to destroy it or they will demolish us."− the general suggested.

The captain shouted and ordered his garrison to split into two regiments.

“Fortdar, if you find Baltdeon, protect him. It is not with the others."− Said the worried father.

"Is my grandson one of the recruits you brought into this hell?"− The general asked, confused and irritated. He separated from his brother-in-law.

They hadn't planned the defense and it seemed to be improvised. It was late at night and there was no way to tell which direction the attack was coming from. To the west was the rock on which part of the fortress was built and it continued north for at least a thousand paces. The attack could only be launched from the north. In the east-side, there was the forest and there were no clearings useful for using a trebuchet.

“Captain, the attacks have stopped. Only two flaming stones were thrown with the same throw."− Said a paladin next to the captain.

The three recruits had reached the meeting point commanded by the general.

The general in the shelter behind the north-east tower rejoined the regiment. He gave orders to reach the pass to check who was attacking and the size of the enemy force.

Two peasants who could not fight took care of putting out the fire that was starting in the east wing of the fortress. The structure was born as a stately gned to withstand an attack with catapults and fireballs. The watchtower was hit by fire and only thanks to timely intervention was the collapse averted.

-8-

Balt found shelter at the foot of the shack he had just emerged from. He had seen the fireball swirl in the air and saw it shatter against the outer walls. He drew his sword to be ready for any eventuality. He noticed no movement. He did not know the village and did not know if it was safe to move there. He took some time to think. In the distance he could not even see the other paladins and his companions.

-9-

The general's regiment moved north along the forest. It moved slowly. The crossbows covered the movement of the other members of the regiment. Generally a regiment was composed of eight units but with the continuation of the battle in the outpost the general was forced to reduce the number to five; there were few men left at his disposal. The paladins were armed with Hombros long swords, heavy iron shields, and the armor protected most of the body and limbs. Some were also skilled crossbowmen. The movements were slow, due to the night limiting visibility and to reduce the sound of the trampling of the leaves and the creaking of the armor. Nothing moved. Not a step. A rustling. The regiment continued on the perimeter of the forest, always keeping its guard up. The path went around a cottage. The paladins split into two groups and encircled the building. Then they all found themselves on the opposite side. The trail branched east into the forest and widened to the north along the great rock face. When they reached the plain surrounded by uncultivated fields, they saw the recruit Helder emerge from the brush.

The land of the trail was marked with an arcane symbol that had left the marks of a magical burning. Five stones were completely black, as if they were burned from the inside. A paladin grabbed one and crumbled as soon as it was lifted.

“Recruit, run and get your captain and the general. They must see this too."− Ordered one of the five.

Helder ran along the path. He went around the watchtower and was joined by Balt who had seen him approaching from his hiding place. They ran alongside.

“What happened Helder? Who were we attacked by?"− Balt asked with decisive curiosity.

“You will never believe what I have seen. It's an incredible and frightening thing."− Helder said as he turned towards the fortress.

“MAGIC! Balt! Orcs have magic."− He answered, running out of breath.

They both arrived at the gates of the fortress where the other paladins were retreating. They were immediately spotted and stopped by the two superiors. The captain saw his son and breathed a sigh of relief. The general was also relieved at the sight of his nephew.

“Captain, General. The regiment awaits you in the north, where the path opens."− Helder warned his superiors in full voice even though he was short of breath.

-10-

The captain and the general stared at the arcane symbol stamped into the stone. The general took the second black stone and it too crumbled as soon as it was lifted. The circle was ten paces in diameter.

"Sir"− interrupted Helder.

"I saw everything."− Explained the rookie.

The general approached him and ordered him to continue.

“I was on patrol when I heard footsteps coming from the north. It was a troop of five orcs. Armed with axes and breastplates that I had never seen before."− He took a breath.

“They placed the five stones in a circle. One of them was reading a parchment and the stones became luminous; blue rays began to connect the five stones together, generating this circle and these strange symbols."− Helder explained.

“Suddenly a trebuchet appeared. It was not as big as that of men. It fits perfectly within the stone circle. He had already loaded the burning stones. The orcs released the release mechanism by attacking the east tower and then the stones began to lose their luster. The orcs re-entered the circle with the trebuchet and were sucked in with the last flashes of brightness from the stones."− Concluded the recruit.

The general began to look around restlessly. The captain stared at Balt, glad he was unharmed. His face, however, darkened. Some thoughts flooded his mind and he shook his head to avoid thinking about them. He did not want for a moment to believe the fairy tales his father had been telling him for a lifetime.

"Let's go back to the fortress."− He ordered.

The General decided to leave a patrol in the cottage near the branch of the paths. From there they could spot suspicious movements. The rest of the group immediately returned to the walls. They had to plan a defense strategy.

Balt stayed behind the group and was tempted to pick up that charred black stone. Serafin had stayed with him. He grabbed the stone. He lifted it off the ground and the black dust from the combustion began to slip through his fingers until it fell to the ground. In the palm of his hand remained a sphere the size of a peach pit of a glassy blue, almost transparent color. Serafin rubbed his eyes. Balt didn't hesitate. He picked up the other two stones and the same thing happened. Now he held three stones in his hand.

"They look like crystals."− Serafin said incredulously.

How is this possible? The captain's and the general's hands are completely pulverized."− He exclaimed.

He looked at him. He had no answer to give him, he was fascinated and incredulous by what he had seen and done. He now possessed three magical crystals that he knew nothing about.

“Promise me you'll keep the secret. You won't have to tell anyone. Neither my father nor my uncle, the general."− Balt asked in a worried and authoritative tone.

Serafin was his best friend and he didn't hesitate for a moment to promise to keep the secret. He stood by his side and together they returned to the fortress as per orders.

-11-

The Captain flanked by the general observed the forces at his disposal. An orderly kept the map of the outpost well explained.

We cannot turn a blind eye to this. These orcs have found the magic. And now things get complicated for us.”− Said the general in a firm voice.

The captain reflected.

"We must lure the enemies to a place favorable to us to surround them and attack them on several fronts."− He said as he searched the map for the right place.

“If they have magic we are vulnerable. Damn. They carried a trebuchet through that kind of magical portal four hundred paces from the fortress. The Ignis pass is half a day's walk from here. We would have noticed his arrival with the noise one of those war machines makes to be moved. They would have needed at least ten, fifteen orcs to move it. "− The general pronounced nervously.

All the paladins and recruits who had regrouped stood silently waiting for orders. The two surviving peasants arrived with all the reinforcement weapons present in the armory. They were distributed to all soldiers and also to recruits. With a second trip the peasants also distributed portions of food; dried meat and legumes. On the third journey they came out of the gate of the fortress with a cauldron from which the smell of soup of meat and legumes was dispersed.

“We need strength and vigor. I have given orders to deliver the remaining portions of food to you so that each of you is independent."− Explained the captain.

“In the past two months the attacks have tripled. The northern pass is now under the control of the orcs. The city of Ignis is a treasure trove of resources for our enemies. As if that weren't enough, they found the magic. What has never happened before today."− The general went on.

Young Helder asked for the floor. The captain looked at him and agreed to listen to him.

“Sir. If the orcs use those stones to create those portals they could reach the outpost in minutes and with a large number of units. What if they had prepared other circles with those magical stones?"− Asked the young hunter.

The captain approached his brother-in-law for an opinion and they both seemed to agree. The risk of this being possible was high. But they both knew they couldn't expose themselves in the search for the portals.

“Sir. When I was near the forest to the northeast, I had the feeling that I was being spied on. I tried to see who or what he was but the footsteps were running away and I considered it risky to chase him into the forest."− The young man went on.

The two commanders consulted again. The general then let out something aloud as he reasoned.

"The rebels of Campo Libero."− He whispered, shaking his head. It was the least of the problems at the time.

"We cannot disperse the Helder recruit forces."− Answered the captain.

The recruit nodded; he did not know of the existence of a rebel village, he had never heard of it. His superiors did not find it urgent to deal with a spy, and despite his curiosity, Helder asked no more questions.

-12-

After eating a second time to gain strength, all the paladins took their places in various hiding places to rest. The night was still up. In autumn, in the Hombros valleys, the sun set much earlier than in the other seasons. Helder climbed to the top of a watchtower which was unharmed by attacks. He had prepared his hunting bow which he never parted with. Serafin and Balt chose the dilapidated watchtower. The acrid smell of burning had vanished with the light north wind. Vlad was left alone and preferred to stay at the foot of a half-destroyed hut. On the other hand, Teroin, the youngest of the company, had not bonded very well with his companions. He was always thoughtful and preferred to stay close to the captain or other older paladins. He tried to study their behavior, thought, words and movements. He dreamed of becoming a powerful and recognized champion as his father had been. He lay down in the shelter of an overturned cart near a hut. Beside him, on the steps were two veteran paladins.

-13-

At the first light of dawn Helder woke swiftly, alert on the northern horizon. The tall trees of the forest to the east still shadowed the path to the pass. His presentiment became reality. He screamed with all the breath he was wearing until his lungs were empty.

"Magical portal to the northeast, at the beginning of the forest!"− He was screaming over and over again until he was completely out of the watchtower.

The captain, the general and the whole army jumped up. Some were already awake and were sharpening their swords even more. Balt and Serafin jumped and got ready in seconds. Teroin was already on his feet following the example of the paladins he had nearby. Vlad, on the other hand, got up very slowly. He noticed the small diary that he always carried with him fell into the bush on which he rested his head. He had jotted down many things before falling into a near-deep sleep. He felt refreshed and energized.

In the distance, the steels of Hombros' swords and the axes of the orcs could be heard in a harmonized concert of slashing and parrying. The shooters ran up to the watchtowers and loaded the crossbows. From the top of the tower they could see the enemy. An army of at least one hundred. The patrolling paladins to the north were halved, retreating furiously towards the fortress. The enemy army recovered without taking any casualties.

Captain... They come. An army of at least one hundred."− Shouted the lookout.

"All in your seats, as planned."− Ordered the captain who drew the broadsword with two hands.

The enemy army was advancing compactly. Orcs, some muscular armed with double-bladed axes, others more slender armed with short bows. What united them was their gray face, full of cocoons and wrinkles, wounded and without a human line. Ears with the tip curved down. They kept pace with a rhythm that seemed to shake the ground beneath their feet. They all wore raw iron plate armor. The legs remained uncovered.

“Aim for the legs. Their armor is short."− Suggested the commander of the crossbowmen.

The first wave of darts swooped down from the remaining turrets. The front rows were taken by surprise. Several wounded were left behind bleeding from their mighty thighs and calves. They reformed the front line. They advanced with shields for protection. The crossbows were reloaded with new darts. This time they impacted a wall of shields which, positioned on the ground, parried the attack while avoiding injuries. Helder had joined Balt and Serafin at the foot of the dilapidated tower. They remained together hidden inside. The enemy army proceeded with their shields raised to protect themselves from the attacks of the crossbowmen. The order to stop throwing darts was immediate. They all came down from the towers and drew their two-handed broadswords. Helder, taking advantage of a slit, began to unload the arrows of his bow against the first row that did not expect an attack from below. At least ten orcs were seriously injured in the legs. But all that wasn't enough, evidently. It was the turn of the enemy army. The bows possessed by the orcs were short and had a short range. They were built with very hard wood which counterbalanced the loss of range with a great penetration capacity. The first wave of arrows exploded against the armor of some paladins who were not well protected behind some rubble. The arrows pointed like ice crystals pierced their armor and severely wounded them.

The horn blew. What appeared to be the army commander ordered the charge. The enemy horde struck Hombros' troops. Still hidden inside the dilapidated tower, the three young men shouted the charge when a few orcs remained in the rear. The skirmish began. The thunder of blades crashing hard against each other echoed at the foot of the rocky shore. Some crossbowmen from the east tower of the fortress found shelter to be able to attack enemies who did not blend into the fray. Their contribution was essential in knocking out an orc who was about to strike General Fortdar from behind. Hombros' paladins managed to stand up to their enemies. The two-handed broadswords resisted ax blows and were capable of demolishing enemy iron armor with calibrated blows. Each soldier of Hombros had to have a good physical bearing and be of robust and possibly high tonnage, above the average of any citizen of the principality otherwise he would not have withstood the physical confrontation against those robust and powerful enemies.

Further south where there were half-ruined huts Vlad fought like a pro. He parried slashes and dodged ax blows. He managed to knock out a couple of enemies thanks to his skill and dexterity. With somersaults, after having prevented a bipedal from cutting off his arm, using one of the daggers he had collected in the armory, he wounded one of the largest orcs in the army in the inner thigh with repeated attacks. He fell to the ground in pain, unable to continue the fight.

At the root of the walls to the west of the fortress, besieged by the mass arrival of the orcs, Teroin fought alongside the captain, the general and a squad of veterans who stood up to well over twenty well-armed and armored orcs. These, unlike the first lines, had leather protections in legs too. The fighting in the shadow of the walls looked like a dance like at royal gala parties. The warriors exchanged enemies, now attacking, now defending. The one protected the other by blocking, threatening lunges. The blades screeched together and the concert continued cruel and merciless and with each round of attacks someone was injured in the arm, another fell to the ground and was finished with the blade stuck in the abdomen, penetrating armor and flesh.

-14-

From the ruined tower the three companions moved towards the forest dividing a part of the enemy troop. They had a hard time fighting against those strong and physically superior enemies. Helder could easily bear the brunt of the attacks. Although Serafin was tall, he was not large in build and blocking the blows of the axes tired him more than expected. Balt, on the other hand, lacked height and tried to use his smaller stature to hit opponents where they weren't protected. The forest was close and now they were facing one ogre each. The most ferocious was faced by Helder who had to protect himself from powerful attacks made with a weapon he had never seen. It was a kind of two-handed broadsword but instead of a single central blade tied to the hilt, it had a double blade like a crescent-shaped double ax with serrated edge. Whenever Helder parried a blow, his sword was in danger of getting caught between the teeth of that broadsword. Balt and Serafin tried to sow their opponents in the trees to catch their breath and think of a strategy that could help them get rid of the enemy. The two orcs running in search of their prey were attracted by the fight of Helder who managed to hit the arm with which the orc was holding the double-faced broadsword. The young hunter was now in danger. He would have to face three orcs. They surrounded him. Balt and Serafin realized that they had outlived their pursuers and by chance they were able to see that they had surrounded their friend. They pulled their daggers from their belts and reached a reasonable distance; they threw them at the two orcs, wounding them in the shoulder and thigh. Helder took advantage of this and plunged his blade into the enemy on the left, letting him fall to the ground. Pulling out the blade at speed thanks to a pirouette he whirled with the sword tearing with the fast blow the iron armor of the enemy on the right. he caught his breath. One lunge and the second orc was also on the ground, out of action. When he turned he found three swords in front of his face a breath away from his neck. Balt and Serafin had crossed blades to parry the blow inflicted by the ferocious orc against the hunter who had dropped his guard to attack the other two. Their arms were shaking and their swords still vibrated after locking the double-edged sword. Helder did not hesitate and took advantage of that moment to stab the enemy who was within walking distance of him. Balt released his grip and dropped the weapon to the ground. He was shocked. He was out of breath and knew he wouldn't have time to regain his strength. His companions were also catching their breath. Despite fatigue, the hunter decided to pick up the orc's broadsword to try it out. The effort was enormous, he managed to lift it trembling with fatigue.

"It weighs at least three times more than the two-handed greatswords of paladins."− He said making the weapon fall to the ground.

Then he turned to Balt and pointed out that the fortress needed their support to stand up to the rest of the enemy army. Balt replied.

“We have to go north. You said they came with another magical portal. We must find it and destroy it to prevent others from arriving."− He picked up his sword and skirted the side of the forest headed north, inviting his companions to follow him.

-15-

As they passed the farm they saw land that had overgrown weeds trampled on. They approached cautiously, hiding in the thick brush and saw a circle of stones in the middle of the ground that had burned the weeds and created a clean clearing. The magical symbols were clearly visible and had marked the ground. There were two orcs on guard. Helder did not wait, he prepared two arrows and with tenacious professionalism shot them one after the other, hitting the two orcs who remained on the ground, alive, but out of action. Serafin rushed at them to finish them off but Balt asked him not to kill them. The two guards moaned in pain and wondered in their unintelligible language why they hadn't been killed.

“They cannot defend themselves. It wouldn't be a fair death. We must respect the enemy so that he can respect us."− He approached the stone circle. They were still bright.

Balt guessed they were still active waiting for the soldiers to return. However, he decided to try and get one. He feared that touching the stone he would burn or feel some pain caused by the magic and instead the only thing that happened was the sudden fading of the magical glow of the portal. Balt ran around the circle to collect all five stones that marked the perimeter of the portal which was over thirty paces in diameter. He hid the stones in his travel bag.

The orcs had seen it all and would not miss the opportunity to report what they saw to their comrades when they returned. The three friends immediately ran at full speed to reach the fortress where the battle for control of the outpost was inexorable.

-16-

The Arx Lupus outpost was the bulwark guarding the northern border of the principality of Hombros. It was famous for its impregnable fortress built into the rock, for the training ground of the paladins, the strongest, most skilled and tenacious warriors of all known kingdoms. It was a real fortified citadel that could count on numerous farms and herds and a good number of citizens who populated it since before its restructuring and fortification.

For two years now, since the first orc attacks began, the outpost has become an inhospitable and dangerous place. Garrisoned by General Fortdar's garrison, life seemed to go smoothly and sporadic attacks from the north were easily repelled.

Despite the efforts, the attacks continued until they reached a weekly consistency that made it impossible to work in the fields and graze animals that were killed or stolen. Day after day the inhabitants abandoned their homes and their jobs to return to the capital in search of a life far from the guerrillas. There remained only a few peasants who had no family and who did not like the life of the big city. The battles in defense of the garrison had lasted for a long time, involving many soldiers and if at the beginning the attacks were sporadic and conducted by a few dozen orcs, in recent times the general had realized that the orcs were led by some force that made inexhaustible their number, their power and their will to penetrate within the borders of Hombros, as if they were desperate for something.

-17-

The orc army had been halved thanks to the fighting power of Hombros' paladins who, however, had suffered significant losses. The battle raged between the dilapidated huts that ended curling up on themselves when the blows of the sword and ax struck in the sodden wood of the walls. Prey and predators reversed roles, first chasing each other to swing, then fleeing to dodge them. The three recruits returning from the northern path proceeded at great speed in search of the captain or general to inform them of what they had seen but were anticipated by the thunder of a fireball that fell on the east wing of the fortress, already a victim of the previous attack, mortally wounding the crossbowmen who had stationed there to attack the enemies on the ground. The battle stopped for a few moments. The captain, the general, and Teroin looked up at the collapsing walls and lookout tower. The control room was completely submerged in debris from the collapsed buildings. Goldeon looked around to count the remaining enemies and to cherish the hope of seeing his son again. He knew in his heart that he had not been a good father but simply a master of arms. Deep down he loved his son who allowed him to see his wife in him and had to work hard so that the same fate as his mother was not written for him. He turned his gaze and saw him, accompanied by his companions.

The battle resumed and continued along with the explosions of the fireballs that had resumed demolishing the fortress.

They approached faster and faster, climbing over the lifeless and dying bodies of paladins and orcs. The three boys shouted at their commanders.

“The orcs. Fifty other orcs are coming with trebuchets."− They shouted frantically for the race.

They were attacked by two enemies from behind and only managed to dodge the blow because they were running.

The armored orcs still resisted, tireless, and fought with arrogance and desire to eliminate their opponents as they had been ordered to do. They did not speak to each other and when they did their language was incomprehensible. Randomly thrown consonants and gibberish that sounds like coughing and spitting phlegm. Among these were three orcs who were armed with the same double sword that Helder had seen. The three rushed to the clearing where the commanders and Teroin were fighting. Vlad was also approaching the clearing soon after, leaving behind several orc corpses. The clash with these three orcs was made difficult by the presence of at least ten other enemies who, unlike the first, were less powerful but more agile. The arrival of the three recruits to the rescue was providential. Finally the three could confront enemies within their reach and physically equal. Helder drew some daggers and targeted two orcs that had paralyzed in front of him. Then he finished them off with the sword that no longer had the edge. An unsharpened sword could not cut even a straw. The lunges, on the other hand, were still valid allies. Vlad's arrival reinvigorated the group that managed to attract the more agile orcs to them, leaving the armored ones to the commanders and a couple of surviving veterans. In the distance the fortress burned and the battle had moved south where tall pine trees bounded the clearing that had been transformed into a fighting arena. Goldeon after each dodged shot looked for his son with his eyes. He was proud of how he was fighting and knew that he did not like to fight and that he would never have chosen a military career if he had not been forced by government edict. He also knew that these were dark times for the principality and the orcs were nothing but the straw that would break the camel's back. The captain was a tall, mighty man, and when his opponent's double-handed broadsword smashed against his two-handed sword he did not stagger and did not retreat a step. The confrontation was concentrated in the demonstrations of strength leaving aside the technique and the art of the sword. Continuing with that type of combat it seemed that the two opponents wanted to challenge each other who would destroy the other's weapon first. Many swings were thrown and many more were dodged and parried until the captain's two-handed sword got stuck in the teeth of the greatsword held by the armored orc. Goldeon backed away until he was leaning with his back to the trunk of one of the pines that bordered the clearing. The orc with a strong movement turned his sword, disarming the captain.

Balt fought with his comrades against five other orcs, the unarmored ones, and he happened to catch a glimpse of his father fighting. After making a blow, he looked for him and saw him unarmed. With his shoulders pressed against the bark Goldeon managed to duck just before the greatsword cut off his head. So the ogre was busy removing the broadsword from the bark where it was violently stuck. The captain rolled until he reached the sword and with a lunge from below he mortally struck his opponent.

Fortdar and the other veterans were holding off the other two armored orcs who, with a series of attacks, led by uncontrolled anger, managed to bring down one of the veterans lifeless. They remained two on two until