“Not all of them are as bad as I said. Not that it matters, they are our best chance at saving Kade.”
“Can they help us against the dragons?” Amber asked.
“I plan to ask, whether or not they agree to do so is another story. They would be a great help against the beasts. Unfortunately, we have little to offer them in return,” Wrotan replied.
“Is not the defeat of the dragons enough?” Mariah asked.
“It could be, but magicians are not like others. They see the world in different ways, as they should. We are limited to shorter lives that deal with smaller areas. The sorcerers live longer and deal with things that could affect the whole world.”
“Like the dragons,”
“If they are seen as enough of a threat, yes. In fact, that may be the best argument we have for bringing them into the fray.”
*
Hadrin stormed away from the gates of Barnet Manor. Not only had they refused to meet with him, but they insulted his people. He had heard the stories of how humans were dismissive of elves, but he hadn’t ever thought he would experience it for himself. His experience with Mariah, Amber, Wrotan, and the spirit monks had been positive. Alandra and the others followed the Prince at a slight distance, unsure of how to deal with the situation. He let out a sigh as he slowed down. His companions weren’t the ones that had needlessly offended him. Only House Barnet deserved his wrath, though he was certain there were other humans that agreed with them. He turned toward the next keep and waited for the others to catch up to him.
“It would give me unmeasurable satisfaction to end the miserable lives of those fools, but we haven’t the time or the ability at present. We need to focus on getting House Guilder or House Martine to join us,” he said.
“What if they aren’t willing to join us?” Charise asked.
“We move on to the militias and the regular populace. The borderlanders must know the importance of defeating this menace. They were already attacked by the elves without the assistance of the dragons. Adding those beasts only means more death for their opponents.”
“Do we even have much chance of defeating the creatures?” Nicolai asked.
“Of course we do, but it won’t be easy. The more people we recruit, the better chance we have against them. I’m not certain how much regular troops will help our cause, but we must try.”
“If not regular troops, then who?”
“Wrotan is the reason why we were able to fell that earth dragon. Mariah and the dwarves were immensely helpful, but he was the key to our victory. Hopefully he will have a chance to teach us how to defeat the dragons. I fear that their numbers may just be too much for us.”
The group got silent as they neared the gate to House Guilder. A gaping hole in the side of the keep revealed disheveled and out of date furnishings. Aside from that portion of the keep, the rest of the building seemed well kept. The guards at the gate didn’t even question any of the group. Hadrin took the lead as they entered the courtyard. It only took him a moment to realize that the gardens were open for all to visit. The Prince had not seen such behavior from any of the royal elven populace. He wondered if humans were more likely to act in such a way or if it was something unique to House Guilder. One of the guards stepped forward from his spot next to the main doors to the keep.
“Lord Guilder hopes that you’ve enjoyed the view of the gardens,” the guard said.
“That we have. Would it be possible to meet with Lord Guilder?” Hadrin asked.
“If your group is willing to give up their weapons for the duration of the meeting, this can be arranged.”
“Certainly, those are acceptable terms.”
Guilder’s guards seemed relieved at their quick cooperation. They opened the doors for Hadrin’s group and led them through a small entryway into a sitting room. Lord Guilder stood as they entered the room. He was by no means an intimidating man. Even the shortest of the paladins was half a head taller than the man. His thin build only built upon the perception of weakness. He motioned for his guests to find a seat as he returned to his own. Hadrin, Alandra, Charise, and Nicolai took seats at the table as the rest of the paladins found places on the chairs and couches scattered through the room. The look of the room itself made the elf Prince feel as though their host was something of a scatterbrain.
“Welcome to my humble home. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Guilder asked.
“We are here to form an alliance of sorts. Though not in the sense that one would generally think. This is not a long-term proposal. My father and his allies have unleashed an unspeakable horror on the world and we need help to contain the situation,” Hadrin replied.
“I do not envy your position. Going against blood is never an easy task. Unfortunately, House Guilder lacks the resources to go to war. We are doing what we can to keep the populace safe after the loss of the council army, but we aren’t making good progress. It is likely that House Martine will assist for the sake of glory. Perhaps you can see if one of the local militias will help you as well.”
“You have been quite helpful, Lord Guilder. Thank you for your time.”
“Going so soon? Surely you can spare a few minutes?” Guilder asked.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt,” the elf replied.
“Excellent, I’ll call for tea. Perhaps biscuits as well?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Right you are, of course.”
“Might I enquire as to why you’ve a gaping hole in the side of your keep?” Nicolai asked.
“Gives it a sort of different feel, don’t you think?”
“Yes, it does. Unfortunately, we must be going,” Hadrin said.
Prince Hadrin stood up from his seat and bid the noble farewell. Alandra and the others followed suit. The elf was unsure of how he felt about the man. There was a lot of honor in making sure that those around you were safe, but the man also seemed to see the world different than most. None of that mattered at the moment. The task at hand was finding as much assistance as possible for the coming confrontation with Obrin and his dragons. Whether they would find enough help remained to be seen. Hadrin suspected that they wouldn’t know until they confronted the elves and dragons. He let out a sigh as they exited the courtyard. House Martine was the final noble house for them to visit within Reddington.
*
Kade stumbled over a slithering tentacle. He spun as fast as he could and chopped at it with his sword. The creature slid back into the shadows. It shot a tentacle out at him as he approached. He sliced at the appendage, but it whipped out of the way before he could make contact. The pain in his head intensified as he dashed after his prey. Another tentacle shot out and hit him in the chest. He fell backward and tried to scramble to his feet. The tentacles pulled back as he let out a scream. His vision began to blur as he closed in on the creature. It let out a snarl as it lashed out at him with several tentacles. The tentacles wrapped around him and pushed him to the floor. He tried to cry out, but his voice failed him and his vision dimmed.
*
“What is it this time?” Padraig asked as he looked up at Finian.
“There is another human in the forest. He is acting rather erratically,” Finian replied.
“Do we have reason to believe he is hostile?”
“It is a distinct possibility.”
“Gather the sorcerers and tell them to meet me in the forest. We need to investigate this disturbance.”
The leprechaun King stood up from his chair and headed into his chambers. He put on his armor and attached his scabbard to his belt. It had been quite some time since he had been forced to use his sword, but it still seemed like it fit at his side. The blacksmith that made and enchanted the sword had explained that it would always be his unless he chose to relinquish it to an heir. There was a magic that resided within the sword that gave the wielder a slight advantage against an opponent. King Padraig didn’t understand the enchantment, but he knew that it had kept him alive on mo
re than one occasion. It comforted him to know that he could pass the sword on to his daughter someday. He took a deep breath as he exited his chambers.
“Zaira, chose five of your best soldiers and follow me,” the King said.
His daughter nodded before turning back toward her fellow guards. She pointed to five different soldiers. They followed the King as he headed out into the forest. Several sorcerers were already gathered outside the city. They paid their respects before falling in line behind the warriors. The group, though small, was comprised of the most skilled magicians and fighters within the fairy kingdom. King Padraig was certain that they could contain the lone intruder without anyone getting hurt. He slowed down as he approached the clearing where the young man had been seen. Zaira and her soldiers took the lead as Padraig and the wizards brought up the rear. They stopped when they reached the clearing. The young man was already on the floor. The Princess bent down and checked to see if he was alive.
“He is breathing, but I doubt he will last much longer,” she said.
“Allow us,” one of the sorcerer’s said as he stepped forward.
The wizard threw his hood back as he knelt down next to the young man. He placed a hand over the man’s heart. His companions surrounded the fallen human and lent their magic to their leader. The process took several minutes, during which the King was able to further examine the intruder. He stepped back and let out a sigh. The young man didn’t look to be much of a threat to him or his kingdom. Zaira and her warriors put away their weapons as the lead wizard stood. The King turned toward him and waited for the diagnosis.
“There is a madness inside of him. I’m not certain we can fix him, but we can keep him alive,” the sorcerer said.
“Could this be the friend that our previous visitors spoke of?” King Padraig asked.
“It is possible, but I do not know.”
“We can’t leave him here. Bring him inside and see to it that you do everything you can for him.”
*
Hadrin grabbed the hilt of his sword as he approached the gate to House Martine. Several rough looking men were arguing with one of the guards. The elf was too far to hear what they were saying, but he could see that it wouldn’t end well. One of the ruffians pointed toward his group and then they all dispersed. Nicolai ordered two of his paladins to watch the streets as they approached the guards. House Martine’s guards were still a bit shook up by the confrontation, but they were willing to let the elf Prince meet with their leader. He took Alandra with him as they headed into the keep. This keep was in much better shape than that of House Guilder, but it wasn’t overly fancy like the others they had visited. Lord Martine stood up from his chair to welcome the two guests.
“You must be the elf Prince that I’ve heard so much about. Please, sit,” Martine said.
“My name is Hadrin and this is Alandra. We’ve come seeking your assistance against my father, his army of elves, and his dragon allies. It is not a small task, but losing may mean destruction of the known world,” Hadrin said as he took a seat.
“You don’t give me much of a choice, it seems. What would the people think if they knew my failure to act brought about the destruction of the world as we know it? I doubt anyone alive would care. No doubt you’ve been rejected by each of the other houses. That is to be expected though.”
“Now you see how desperate we are. Perhaps it was not wise for me to approach you in such a way, but this is an issue that needs to be addressed.”
“Of that, you have me convinced. Answer me this, what are the chances we defeat these dragons?” Martine asked.
“I wish I could say otherwise, but the chances are exceedingly slim. We face dozens of dragons, maybe even hundreds. Then there are the four elven armies to defeat. Last of all, my father is a powerful magician and he employs at least one other powerful mage.”
“I’ve always been partial to heroic jaunts with little chance for success. What is life without a little adventure? Give me a few days and I’ll have an army together.”
“You have my thanks,” Hadrin said as he stood up.
“One of my men mentioned that you helped run off a group of brigands. They’ll see you as a target now. The next few days should be interesting for you and your bodyguards,” Martine said as he escorted them to the door.
“They are paladins who are trained for war, these ruffians you speak of won’t stand a chance,” Alandra said.
“Perhaps you should seek them out. The militias have their hands full with those pests.”
*
Hrimgur scratched at his beard as he contemplated the scout’s words. Their force was significantly larger than that of the slavers, but it would take time to defeat the foul humans. The thought of letting a band of slavers prey upon his people was enough to solidify his decision. He hooked his mace onto the loop at his belt and called forth his Generals. They devised a plan that would ensure their people wouldn’t have to deal with slavers for a long time. He gathered together the majority of his forces and set off toward the slaver’s camp as one of his Generals headed around to ambush them from behind with the dwarves’ mobile ballistae. The dwarves marched until the camp came into view. Their goal was to draw the slavers’ attention while the ballistae got into position.
“Have a good portion of the troops hang back, we don’t want the slavers running away from us. We want them to think they have a chance,” Hrimgur ordered.
His dwarves followed suit, splitting into two parties. The one group held back and waited for the signal as the others continued forward. He could see the slavers alerting one another to their presence. The dwarves drew their weapons as they quicken their pace. A group of slavers rushed forward to engage them. Hrimgur held his weapon up above his head and let out a battle cry. He charged forward and slammed his mace into the chest of the nearest slaver. His troops engaged their opponents and began to push them back toward the camp. The fighting intensified as more soldiers from both sides joined the fray. A horn sounded in the distance and the dwarves all drew back and formed a shield wall. Ballista bolts rained down on the slavers, breaking their spirit. Hrimgur called his men together and they set about destroying what they could of the camp.
“This should set them back, but it won’t stop them altogether. We will need to deal with this on our return trip.”
The Arcane Academy
Amber watched as Wrotan, Mariah, and Lamont all unhooked their sword belts and held them up to the side. One of the mages at the tower entrance motioned for them to come forward. He took their weapons and placed them in a large chest near the entrance. The door swung open on its own and the mage motioned for the four to enter. Lamont slouched as he entered the tower. Amber couldn’t help but feel like he had something to hide from the Arcane Academy wizards. The entryway was significantly smaller than she had expected it would be. There was a single round room whose diameter couldn’t have been more than eight feet. From the outside, the tower looked as though it would have been two or three times that size. There were stone arches all along the wall, but each was only a foot or two deep. She tapped Wrotan on the shoulder to get his attention.
“Where is the rest of the bottom level?” She asked.
“The Arcane Tower is a special place. Only the wisest and most powerful mages have chambers within the tower itself. The majority of the students are at the academy itself. We’ve entered the home of the most powerful magicians in the known world. The outside tower is just an anchor that allows us to travel to this location. They didn’t want others to be able to tear down their tower with siege weapons and other means,” the hunter replied.
“How is that possible?”
“Magic is a powerful tool, young one,” a mage said as he stepped out from one of the arches.
“Excuse me, sir. We are looking for magicians who specialize in locating people,” Wrotan said.
“Ah, yes. Location services are not too uncommon. Theodorus can be found through the orange arch. Best of fortune in
finding your friend.”
“Thank you,” the hunter said as he offered the mage a small crystal.
“It is refreshing to see that some still know the practices of dealing with a wizard. If you have any other questions, feel free to seek me out within the green arch.”
Wrotan nodded to the man before turning toward the arch with the small orange square above it. He glanced back at the others before stepping under the arch. Amber gasped as the hunter disappeared. Lamont let out a chuckle as he followed Wrotan. Mariah place one hand on Amber’s shoulder and motioned toward the orange portal with the other. The young woman took a deep breath before stepping into the portal. Everything went black for a split second and then she was standing in another room. This room was much too large to fit inside the tower, which only served to further prove Wrotan’s comment. The room was lined with bookshelves. There was no doubt that they had entered the Wizard’s Library. She had heard stories about how it was the largest library ever built, but even those stories didn’t do it justice. In the center of the room, there was a round desk with several statues on top.
“How can we help you?” One of the statues asked as they approached.
“We are looking for Theodorus,” Lamont replied.
“One moment, please.”
The small statue levitated above the table before heading off into one of the aisles of bookshelves. Amber watched as it whizzed by a few more times. She turned her attention to the closest of the bookshelves. There were tomes highlighting the basics of everything from gardening to magic to masonry. The library was, without a doubt, the single largest repository of knowledge in the world. That would make it a prime target for Obrin and his allies. She wondered if they could use that fact to bring the sorcerers into the war against the dragons. Her thoughts were interrupted by the return of the statue. It stopped in front of Lamont and waited for them to follow. They followed the statue through what seemed like a maze of bookshelves before coming to a small desk near the corner of the library. A lone mage sat at the desk with piles and piles of books all around him. He was significantly younger than Amber had imagined, or, at the very least, he looked younger than she imagined. His short black hair was accented by a small amount of gray at his temples.