Chapter 14
Talks of War
"What business do you have in Lasticall?" asked the Engenium gate keeper.
"My name is Alexander Gorman. I was sent by the acting King of Galdarath, Sebastian Buxton, to speak with the Sestian. Will he see me?"
"Wait a moment," the Engenium replied.
The man sat on his horse several minutes, waiting on the Engeniums to allow him entrance into the city. It seemed that Lasticall took just as many precautious as Galdarath in these troubled times. Finally, the gate keeper's head popped back up over the wall.
"Sestian Drave has been expecting you," the gate keeper called out as the bridge lowered, and the large opas wood gate rose.
This marked the first time Alexander Gorman ever set foot in Lasticall. He heard stories of the wealthy city of the Engeniums, but nothing prepared him for what lay before his eyes.
All the structures inside the city were crafted from blocks of gold. The precious ore even served as the road through the kingdom, as well as the side roads and walks. One would have a difficult time determining which was brighter; the sun or the city.
Alexander stood for a long moment staring at the magnificent home of the High Engeniums. The castle, also made from gold and accented with precious gems, could be spotted from any point in the city, as it was the largest structure in the entire kingdom, towering above the other buildings and even the trees in the forest.
As he approached the castle, he saw hundreds of Forest Engeniums working frantically, making repairs to the city and its walls. The High Engeniums seemed to be overseeing this project, as it did not look like they fancied getting their own hands dirty.
This is the reason I despise this place, Alexander thought.
The High Engenium who led Alexander to the castle pointed out several important land marks throughout the city. Alexander, a proven warrior in Galdarath, got butterflies in his stomach when he saw The Stage. He vividly remembered the stories of how a lowly Forest Engenium rose to greatness. Even though there had never been another tournament in Lasticall, Alexander Gorman would still love to step inside its walls.
They ascended a lengthy set of steps and entered the castle. The interior of the castle proved to be just as spectacular as the exterior, maybe even a little more so. Swirls of emerald and diamond highlighted the golden walls, floor, and ceilings.
When they were just outside of the throne room, the High Engenium said to Alexander, "Wait here. The Sestian will call for you when he is ready."
Alexander nodded his head and patiently waited for an audience with the Sestian.
A moment later the Engenium reemerged from the throne room and said, "The Sestian will see you now."
Alexander entered the throne room and had to stop and admire its beauty. It was even more extravagant than the throne room in Galdarath. He could see his reflection on the floor.
A High Engenium dressed in a suit of armor made of gold sat on the throne, shoulders back and chin held high. He did not appear to be as tall as the other High Engeniums, nor as large, but his face was hard and weathered, riddled with scars. A golden chain held his silver ponytail in place behind his head.
"Welcome to Lasticall," the Sestian said as he stood. "My name is Tontal Drave, the acting Sestian of Lasticall."
Alexander Gorman bowed to one knee, "My name is Alexander Gorman, General of Nallenwood's army. I am currently acting as Commander of the entire militia of Galdarath. I bring good tidings from King Buxton."
Tontal sat back on his throne.
"You bring a message from King Buxton?"
Alexander rose to his feet. Tontal took notice of Galdarath's Commander. For a Human, he was of average build. He wore a suit of black armor, with a long sword sheathed on his hip and matching black shield slung across his back. Alexander kept his face and head clean shaven, showing off his well-defined facial features. Alexander's chin looked to be cut from stone.
A formidable man, Tontal thought.
"Yes, Sestian Drave. King Buxton sends you a letter," Alexander said as he gave the letter to Tontal's attendant.
"Why is it that King Buxton sends his commander to deliver this letter?" Tontal asked.
"It is of dire importance, and he trusted no others with the task," Alexander answered.
Tontal opened the letter and read.
Acting Sestian of Lasticall, Tontal Drave:
I do not believe we have ever had the pleasure of meeting one another. My name is Sebastian Buxton, acting King of Galdarath. Before accepting my second stint as King, I was Galdarath's Commander and protector of King Thaddeus Graystone. I am sure you have heard of me.
As you are aware, Calencia is on the verge of falling into darkness once more. The Dark Wizard, Hasbarie, has returned to the land of the living. These are dire times indeed. We have both been blessed, or cursed, depends on how you look at it, with the responsibility of protecting our respected kingdoms in these perilous times. It is my belief that we must not sit idly by as the Lord of the Dead mobilizes and strengthens his forces. We must act. I do not know what instruction Sestian Ferrini gave you before he departed, but Thaddeus conveyed to me that the most important thing was the protection of our kingdom. I assume Azonis gave you similar instruction. It is my belief that to achieve this goal, we must act.
While King Graystone and Azonis Ferrini are gone fulfilling their responsibilities to Calencia, I feel we must fulfill our own responsibilities. With that being said, I propose that we prepare our forces to march on Hasbarie in the uninhabited area west of Morgorath. I have also sent correspondences to Dead Marsh and Pizenchaffe. It saddens me to think of the travesty that fell upon the Brazurkins, but I fear the same fate for the rest of the kingdoms if swift action is not taken.
I propose that we send the majority of our forces, leaving behind only the minimal amount of troops to defend our kingdoms, to destroy Hasbarie and his forces. It was revealed to me that only the descendants of the Saviors would be able to defeat Hasbarie. This may be true, but I am not willing to sit back and watch his forces ravage our lands. I do not want to see the Dead Lands grow any larger than they already are.
I plan on marching Galdarath's army toward Hasbarie's self appointed territory in two days’ time. If all goes well, we should encounter the Dark Wizard's army on the morning of the second day after we march. I implore you to consider strengthening Calencia's Army by sending your army to take place in the battle, just as it was so many years ago.
I have heard a great and many things concerning you. I truly hope we have the opportunity to fight next to one another in the battle for Calencia. Please inform me of your decision in a timely manner. If you choose to pursue this course of action, Galdarath's army will wait for you on the outskirts of our kingdom, along the main road near Pizenchaffe.
Sincerely, Sebastian Buxton
Tontal read and reread the letter. Alexander could not even assume what the Sestian was thinking, as his facial expression never changed. Commander Gorman stood silent and still awaiting his response.
"Yes," Tontal said as he stood.
"Excuse me?" Commander Gorman asked.
"Yes," Tontal repeated. "I agree with King Buxton. We cannot sit by as this evil threatens our lands. Tell King Buxton, Lasticall will be by his side. I will prepare our army to march out on the morrow."
Commander Gorman bowed before the Sestian, rose, and said, "Very well, Sestian Drave. I will send word to King Buxton of your intentions."
"You are not going to deliver the message yourself?" Tontal asked.
"No," Alexander replied. "I am to deliver another message to the Queen of Dead Marsh."
"Hopefully you will encounter King Graystone and Sestian Ferrini. It would serve the armies well to know the welfare of their true leaders," Tontal replied. "They were headed that way when we last spoke."
"Yes it would," Alexander replied. "I will keep a keen eye out for them."
"A question before you go," Tontal said.
/> "Yes?" Commander Gorman replied.
"Just yesterday two messengers came to our gates seeking King Graystone. What message did they bring?" Tontal asked.
Alexander looked puzzled. "Galdarath has sent no messengers for King Graystone."
"One of them was a Human, the other Raptilian," Tontal replied.
"No," Alexander said. "We have sent no messengers for the King. Did you speak with them?"
"No. No I did not. We did not allow them entrance to the city. One of our gate keepers informed them that King Graystone departed for Dead Marsh, and they went on their way," Tontal said.
"I wonder of their true intentions," Alexander said as he rubbed his bald head. "I do not have a good feeling about these strangers."
"Nor do I," Tontal agreed. "I will send out riders to search for them and bring them back to Lasticall for questioning."
"I will search for them as well," Alexander replied. And I hope I find them first.
"Be cautious, Alexander. Would you like me to send one of the Sestian's guards along with you?" Tontal asked.
Commander Alexander Gorman considered Tontal's proposal. His initial response was no, but then his mind filled with the dangers that lay before him. Besides, it would not hurt to strengthen the bond between the Engeniums and Humans since they would join forces in less than a day's time.
"Yes," Alexander replied. "If you have an extra sword to spare, it would be greatly appreciated."
"Certainly. If these strangers pose a threat to Thaddeus, they also pose a threat to Azonis. I will have someone wait for you at the gate," Tontal said as he stood. "Good travels, Alexander Gorman. I hope you make it to Dead Marsh safely."
"Thank you, Sestian Drave. I will send word to King Buxton momentarily. I look forward to standing beside you in battle," Alexander said.
"As do I," Tontal replied.
When Alexander arrived at the gate leading out of Lasticall, the Forest Engenium who had brushed and saddled his horse handed him the reigns. Mounted on a horse beside his own, a High Engenium sat, ready to ride. He wore the traditional golden armor of the High Engeniums, with a matching sword on his side and shield on his back. A golden helmet hid his silver hair. His bronze face was rugged and riddled with scars.
"My name is Nezzer Trock. I am one of the Sestian's royal guards. I look forward to traveling with a man of your caliber and renown."
Alexander knew of this Engenium, Nezzer Trock. He had the reputation as one of the finest warriors in all of Lasticall. Rumor had it that his face became disfigured when he encountered a nasty run in with a young Woggen when he was a child. The stories said that Nezzer killed the Woggen single handedly, but only after the Woggen sank its teeth into his face and peeled most of his flesh away.
"The pleasure is all mine. Are you prepared to depart?" Alexander asked.
"Yes," he simply stated.
Alexander removed a small piece of parchment from his satchel and penned a short note to King Buxton. He then pulled a small cage from his bag and took out a tiny bird called a snoot and secured the note to its leg.
Alexander held the bird up in the air and said, "Galdarath, King Buxton."
The snoot flew from his hands and headed north for Galdarath.
The Commander of Galdarath and the Sestian's guard tore off westward along the main road toward Dead Marsh. In the back of Alexander's mind, he could not stop wondering about the intentions of the two strangers who had come to Lasticall under false pretenses in search of King Thaddeus Graystone. He hoped that he would catch up with them along the road before they found his king.