The Dawn of a Desperate War (The Godlanders War) by Aaron Pogue Page B
Authors: Aaron Pogue
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worshipped their gods in righteous fear. And none would do so more than an honest, good-hearted farmboy from the remotest corner of Raentz.
Corin raised his hands, prepared to argue his defense. “I meant no offense,” he said quickly. “Just the idle musings of a shipless pirate.”
But the farmboy did not lash out. Instead, even as Corin watched, a burning hope seemed to dawn in the other man’s eyes. It took the place of a fear so old and so familiar that it had become a part of him. Auric rolled his shoulders like a man who had just shed some dreadful burden he’d been carrying for years.
“My mother raised me to love Pellipon,” Auric said, his voice still low, but stronger now. “To love Pellipon and hate Ephitel like every man who’s good and true. However, in my travels I met Tesyn, and he loved Ephitel and hated Pellipon. But he was good and true.”
Corin nodded, understanding.
Auric went on. “Then I met Hartwin who worshipped Elsbrit. He didn’t murder innocents or wallow in obscenities. He is the most righteous man I know, but he would spit in Pellipon’s face if he ever met him.”
“I suspect they make us war for sport,” Corin said. “You’ve seen it in the Games. They play our nations off for their amusement, and men die.”
Auric nodded. That much most men accepted. After all, the ways of the gods were mysterious and just.
The farmboy continued. “Then I met Longbow. He knows nothing of the gods except their names, and he reserves those as the vilest of curses.”
“I remember Longbow,” Corin said. “He was good and true.”
“I respect the things my parents taught,” Auric said slowly, “but my whole life since I left Raentz has taught me they were wrong.”
“They were wrong,” Corin said. “Deceived by the gods they trusted. I have seen the secret face of Ephitel, and he is an elf who killed his king. Everything since then has been a farce at our expense.”
The farmboy clenched his massive hands in fists. He took a slow breath, then raised his head and showed Corin a startlingly innocent smile.
“So I suspect it’s not enough to bring down Ephitel. We’re going to have to kill them all,” he finished.
Corin yelped with laughter, startled. Then he clapped a hand on Auric’s shoulder. “You know . . . I’m slowly starting to believe you. We could be good friends indeed.” He glanced toward the house, remembering his conversation with Sera, and he had a sudden, sinking feeling. She would not be pleased at this new conviction.
“Auric, you heard how Sera feels about all this. I’ve no desire to see you embroiled in my madness.”
Auric shook his head. “It isn’t your madness, Corin. It’s theirs. Ephitel’s and Pellipon’s and all of theirs. It’s wrong, and it must end.”
Corin wanted to argue, if only for Sera’s sake, but Auric wasn’t wrong. Instead, Corin closed his grip tighter on Auric’s shoulder. “One thing at a time. First, Ephitel, and then we’ll see about the rest.”
Auric seemed to waver, and Corin caught his eye. “This is no easy matter. You must see that. It will take careful planning, and we cannot afford to start a war with all the gods. Not all at once. Not until we’ve breached their hull. Once they’re foundering, taking on water fast, then we can fall upon them like justice.”
Auric still seemed anxious to charge into the fray. “Ephitel is not alone in his tyranny!”
“We will break them, Auric, but not with a direct assault. They will not take any move against them lightly, and they have mighty armies and untold powers at their disposal. Look what Ephitel did to Aemilia just because I struck one of his dandies.”
“That isn’t right,” Auric growled. “It cannot be allowed.”
“But if we are to fight such power, we must take every step with care. Think of Sera. She’s a target, just as much as Aemilia. She’ll be seen as a traitor, and they will not abide that.”
Auric blinked. His fervor
Corin raised his hands, prepared to argue his defense. “I meant no offense,” he said quickly. “Just the idle musings of a shipless pirate.”
But the farmboy did not lash out. Instead, even as Corin watched, a burning hope seemed to dawn in the other man’s eyes. It took the place of a fear so old and so familiar that it had become a part of him. Auric rolled his shoulders like a man who had just shed some dreadful burden he’d been carrying for years.
“My mother raised me to love Pellipon,” Auric said, his voice still low, but stronger now. “To love Pellipon and hate Ephitel like every man who’s good and true. However, in my travels I met Tesyn, and he loved Ephitel and hated Pellipon. But he was good and true.”
Corin nodded, understanding.
Auric went on. “Then I met Hartwin who worshipped Elsbrit. He didn’t murder innocents or wallow in obscenities. He is the most righteous man I know, but he would spit in Pellipon’s face if he ever met him.”
“I suspect they make us war for sport,” Corin said. “You’ve seen it in the Games. They play our nations off for their amusement, and men die.”
Auric nodded. That much most men accepted. After all, the ways of the gods were mysterious and just.
The farmboy continued. “Then I met Longbow. He knows nothing of the gods except their names, and he reserves those as the vilest of curses.”
“I remember Longbow,” Corin said. “He was good and true.”
“I respect the things my parents taught,” Auric said slowly, “but my whole life since I left Raentz has taught me they were wrong.”
“They were wrong,” Corin said. “Deceived by the gods they trusted. I have seen the secret face of Ephitel, and he is an elf who killed his king. Everything since then has been a farce at our expense.”
The farmboy clenched his massive hands in fists. He took a slow breath, then raised his head and showed Corin a startlingly innocent smile.
“So I suspect it’s not enough to bring down Ephitel. We’re going to have to kill them all,” he finished.
Corin yelped with laughter, startled. Then he clapped a hand on Auric’s shoulder. “You know . . . I’m slowly starting to believe you. We could be good friends indeed.” He glanced toward the house, remembering his conversation with Sera, and he had a sudden, sinking feeling. She would not be pleased at this new conviction.
“Auric, you heard how Sera feels about all this. I’ve no desire to see you embroiled in my madness.”
Auric shook his head. “It isn’t your madness, Corin. It’s theirs. Ephitel’s and Pellipon’s and all of theirs. It’s wrong, and it must end.”
Corin wanted to argue, if only for Sera’s sake, but Auric wasn’t wrong. Instead, Corin closed his grip tighter on Auric’s shoulder. “One thing at a time. First, Ephitel, and then we’ll see about the rest.”
Auric seemed to waver, and Corin caught his eye. “This is no easy matter. You must see that. It will take careful planning, and we cannot afford to start a war with all the gods. Not all at once. Not until we’ve breached their hull. Once they’re foundering, taking on water fast, then we can fall upon them like justice.”
Auric still seemed anxious to charge into the fray. “Ephitel is not alone in his tyranny!”
“We will break them, Auric, but not with a direct assault. They will not take any move against them lightly, and they have mighty armies and untold powers at their disposal. Look what Ephitel did to Aemilia just because I struck one of his dandies.”
“That isn’t right,” Auric growled. “It cannot be allowed.”
“But if we are to fight such power, we must take every step with care. Think of Sera. She’s a target, just as much as Aemilia. She’ll be seen as a traitor, and they will not abide that.”
Auric blinked. His fervor
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