Battle for Peruna by Josiah Boss (book club suggestions TXT) 📕

Battle for
Peruna

Josiah Boss


Table of Contents
List of Characters 5
Introduction 9
Part One 11
Part Two 67
Part Three 143
Epilogue 211


List of Characters
Centaurs
Garnock & Garnet—the king and queen of Peruna
Garth, Gardenia—the twin prince and princess of Peruna
Zebulon—Garnock’s right hand general
Tace & Shiloh—left hand general of Garnock, and his wife
Nikkelon, Natelin—children of Tace and Shiloh
Aubin & Aura—leader of the archers in Garnock’s army, and his wife
Audric, Audrey—twin children of Aubin and Aura
Chance & Leigha—centaurs living in the minotaurs’ woods
Fletcher, Skye—children of Chance and Leigha
Atherton—another centaur general
Yasahiro & Zsa Zsa—a bowman in Garnock’s army and his wife
Ichihiro—Yasahiro’s son, a young warrior in Garnock’s army
Avelignese—the historic leader of the lost centaurs, also known as Centorius
Ricardo, Riley, Gideon—Avelignese's fellow generals
Damon, Micheal, James, Damion, Jadin, Bradin, Alexander, Taelon, Brian, Caevon, Nicholas, Jarek, Riordan, & Nathaniel—the legendary heavy centaurs
Humans
Skylar—a general of Garnock’s from our world
Skandar—Skylar’s long lost cousin, soldier for Mardoc
Jocelyn McFarland—Skylar’s neighbor in our world
Jack—Jocelyn’s son
James Harrison—a NFL player also known as “the Beast”
Older neighbor—comes to visit Skylar between “dreams”
Enemies of the Centaurs
Mardoc—the charismatic leader of the human army
Felgor, Forester—Mardoc’s right hand generals
Witch—an evil woman who Zebulon meets in Shadow-land
Minotaurs
Grunwick—leader of the minotaurs, whose great-great-grandfather was beaten by Garnock’s great-great-grandfather
Gandolf—Grunwick’s right hand man/general
Thornbutt—another general in Grunwick's army
Other Characters
The prophet—an old man who helps the centaurs


INTRODUCTION
 
“Silence!” bellowed Mardoc.
Instant silence followed.
“Thank-you. Now, I have called to tell all of you that we are now prepared to invade Peruna.” He said “Peruna” sarcastically. His generals roared their approval.
****************************
“Yes, that's right,” said Garnock. “The humans are getting ready to invade our territory.” He studied each of his generals' faces—no change.
“Let them come then!” bellowed Tace, drawing his sword and pointing it out in front of him.
“Yes, we're ready for them, ad it won't be as easy to conquer us as they think,” added Zebulon.
The others shouted their approval and galloped off.
*****************************
“All the plans have been laid. We start tomorrow,” said Mardoc.
“How long is it supposed to take?” asked one of the generals.
“Three-four weeks at the most; then Peruna will be ours.” Mardoc's eyes glinted with greed. “Now, is everything clear? Good. Meeting dismissed.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Part
One


PART ONE
Garnock galloped home his tail flying behind him as he skimmed over the ground. Just as he came in sight of his home the door flew open, and his son, sixteen year old Garth, came racing over the ground to meet him, followed by his sister, fifteen year old Gardenia.
As he trotted up to them, he asked, “Is mom here?” Without waiting for an answer, he raced into the house to greet his wife, Garnet.
“How was your day today?” Garnet asked. “Will there be war?”
“I'm afraid so. Even after all we've tried to do to avoid it, it looks like there will be.”
“Oh, dear, and just as Garth is able to go, it has to start.”
Garth grinned and pulled out his sword, admiring it, and getting visions of fighting in his head.
**************************
“Do you think Mardoc is right?” grunted Forester as he boosted himself onto his horse.
“Right about what?” Felgor asked, already knowing the answer.
“Right about how long it'll take, of course.”
“Oh, sure,” Felgor drawled sarcastically. “You know whatever Mardoc says, goes, and no 'buts', 'what-ifs', or 'maybes'.”
“Yeah, yeah, but I think Mardoc is losing his marbles.”
“Why?”
“You do know who the Perunians are, right?”
“Uh.......people? I mean humans, like us?”
“Nope, they're centaurs.”
A shocked silence followed.
Felgor finally broke the silence. “Well, then if you ask me, I think maybe it'll be three-four months, and then we might lose.”
“I agree,” said Forester, as they rode off together.
***************************
“What a boring afternoon,” groaned Skylar, as he flopped in his deck chair on his back porch. He lived alone in the woods, and now that he was out of college for a while, he wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He groaned again and heaved a sigh as he settled back into his chair. It was then that movement caught his eye. It looked a lot like a horse.
He smiled. He'd always wanted a horse, and he didn't have anything to do. He went inside the house, got a rope, and came back out.
***************************
Garnock flashed over the ground, weaving through the trees like an expert. He was on the run—he was being chased, and his enemy was close enough that he could hear the horse's hooves. He glanced back. Yep, he was still there and gaining. Garnock needed a break and fast. Just then, he spotted a tunnel in the ground and galloped into it.
***************************
Mardoc pulled his horse up so sharp, he reared. Where did that horseman thing get to, he wondered in a panic. He was just here and disappeared. But that's impossible. Ah, there he was. Mardoc pulled his horse around and gave chase.
***************************
Skylar looked up in time to see this armor clad man on a horse rushing at him with a sword drawn.
He jumped up and found his head rising above the man's head. That's weird, he thought, but he didn't have much time to think, not with this mad-man rushing at him.
Skylar turned and slipped. Just as his feet went out from under him, he saw another horse launch out of the brush and rise up to meet the mad-man's horse.
*****************************
What!? Mardoc's mind screamed. Where did that second fool horse-man come from?
*****************************
Garnock rose up to meet Mardoc's horse while drawing one-of-three swords. The swords clashed and violent fighting ensued for about ten minutes before Garnock side-stepped Mardoc's swipe and with his own sword walloped off Mardoc's horse's head and with the back-stroke knocked Mardoc out of the saddle, sending his sword flying out of his hand.
Garnock stood over Mardoc with his sword tip resting on Mardoc's chest. They glared at each other for awhile, before Mardoc finally croaked out, “What do you want with me?”
“I want you to leave us alone!!” growled Garnock.
“What do you mean?” Then when the sword pressed harder, Mardoc practically shouted, “Okay! Fine! Anything you want—just let me live!”
“I will though you don't deserve it, greedy pig,” said Garnock, and with that smashed his sword over Mardoc's helmeted head, knocking him out cold.
He sheathed his sword and walked over to Skylar who was lying on the ground, eyes wide with fright. “And who might you be?”
“Skylar, your-your, uh.... honor.. .highness... greatness.”
“Now, now, enough of that.” Garnock laughed. “Come on, I'll help you up.” Just then they heard hoof beats and two more horses, uh...men...uh, horsemen rode, up.
“Hey, captain, you in trouble?” the chestnut on the right asked.
“Well, not right now,”Garnock replied, pointing to Mardoc lying on the ground.
“Oh.”
“We'd better be going then.”
“Okay. Oh! Say, where did you pick up this young foal?”
“Oh, this is Skylar. Skylar, this is Tace, and the dark one over there is Zebulon.”
Skylar glared at Tace, “Me, a foal?! What are you implying? I'm not a horse; I'm a human!”
“You are?” Tace raised his eyebrows. “Look at yourself.”
“What!?” Skylar looked down and behind him. He was one of those-those horsemen standing in front of him.
“That's right. Now we'd better get going before he wakes up,” Zebulon said pointing to Mardoc on the ground.
***************************
“Captain? You there? Anybody?” Such were the shouts as two soldiers rode into the clearing. They reined in sharply at the sight before them.
Nearest to them lay a decapitated horse body with the head nearby. About ten feet from the body, lay another body—MARDOC! They started forward, then stopped as for the first time it sank into them how the ground looked. The clearing was blood strewn and covered with horse prints.
***************************
“But, why can't I?” Garth whined.
“Because. Just because you are old enough doesn't mean you can go out and start fighting invading soldiers” protested an exasperated Garnet. “Besides, Garnock still has to teach you how to fight properly.”
Garth fairly growled, he was so disgusted and angry. He stomped out the door, kicking it shut behind him. He went to his favorite hiding place to pout and vent his anger. Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to mind. Why not go out? He could handle himself. Besides, when he came back with bags of gold and a suit of armor or two...he grinned to himself, strapped on his sword, and galloped out.
******************************
“Garnet! Look here! I got us a visitor!” Garnock shouted as he trotted up the lane with Skylar, Tace, Zebulon, and his other general, Atherton.
“What! But...but...but we aren't prepared! I mean, we aren't able to...I mean...oh dear! What will I do?” Garnet whirled and raced into the house.
*******************************
Garth raced over the ground on fleet hooves, putting as much distance as possible between him and the house. Whoa! What was that up ahead? Two soldiers kneeling over a third one? His face broke into a smile, as he drew his sword. This might be easier than he thought.
********************************
“Mom, have you seen Garth?” asked Gardenia.
“I don't know where he is. I haven't seen him since he stomped out of the house. He's probably in his hiding place, at least you know where that is.”
“I guess I'll check for him there,” sighed Gardenia, as she turned and plodded out of the house.

*******************************
Just a little bit longer. Garth's tail twitched in anticipation.
*******************************
“Mom!” A panicky voice jolted Garnet out of her thoughts of supper. She flew to the door just in time to see Gardenia come flying across the yard up to the door. “He isn't there! I checked everywhere, and he's just disappeared!”
“What!? You're positive he isn't anywhere? Garnock! Oh God, help that crazy boy of ours.”
“Uh-oh, looks like trouble at the house. Be back soon.” Garnock wheeled and raced up to the house. “What's wrong?”
“Garth's disappeared! He's gone! The soldiers have him, I'm sure!” panicked Garnet.
“Now, now, I'm sure he's around here somewhere. Gardenia, are you sure you checked everywhere?”
“Yes! I know this place like the back of my hand, and he isn't anywhere!”
“Oh great. Atherton, Tace, Skylar, Zebulon! Can you come up here?” They came immediately.
“What's up, captain?” asked Atherton.
“Garth's disappeared! That's what. We need search parties—on the double!”
“Yes, sir!” The others answered, and they all raced off. Skylar hesitated, then galloped off after Garnock.
******************************
Now! The time was perfect! Garth launched.
“Now, all we have to do is to wai—What the...! Get down, Felgor, NOW!” Both men hit the ground just as a horse body sailed over them. They scrambled to their feet, drawing their swords, just as Garth reared and charged
again.
Swords clashed again and again as Garth fought the two men. Whirling, kicking, slashing wildly, he stopped the backhand of one of the soldiers, kicked the other away, and at the same time, the first soldier swatted Garth's sword out of his hand. He reared up only to have his back feet jerked out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground.
“Gotcha!” Felgor roared, coming to the front of him to stand beside Forester.
“I'm not finished yet!” cried Garth, but as he scrambled to his feet, something