The Resurgence

Rise of Darkness

By D. Rillem

Added 06/27

Chapter 1:  Midnight Surprise

    “Damnit” muttered Klax under his breath as he tried simultaneously to hold Dyna’s suddenly limp body from falling down the hill and scan the midnight black woods for the cause of his companions, and possibly lover if he could get her out of these hellish woods and into a bar he thought briefly, sudden comatose state.  A brilliant blue light behind the crest of the hill drew his attention. The faint sound of guttural chanting accompanied the sudden illumination.

    He flung her limp form over his shoulder with amazing speed for a man of his meager stature.  Several thoughts collided between his ears.  Gotta get her someplace safe.  At least I’m wearing my brazed knuckles.  Sounds like an orc…orcs? And for some reason Good Lord she smells good was in there somewhere.

    He scurried down the hillside, Dyna bouncing on his shoulder.  To his right the light crested the hillside, in its glow he could clearly see a large shrouded in a flowing robe of the deepest black.  A hood was pulled over its head but he could clearly see the snarling features in the blue light emanating from its hands. He knew the skin was likely green, but in the blue light it almost looked purple, and for some reason this made him snort a small laugh at the ridiculousness of it.  The purple snarl chanting was coming louder now, more urgent, and the light grew in intensity with it.

    He was down the hill, trying to weave between trees when another figure crested the hill.  This ones armor gleamed brightly in the light of its allies casting.  The steel plates clanged loudly as its feet thundered down the hill toward the fleeing man.

    “Help” He yelled mentally.  Concentrating on the necklace as Syna had taught them when she’d given them to everyone.  He didn’t concentrate on any one person as he could have, instead he concentrated on sending the message to all of the necklaces in range, anyone that could hear him… and hopefully respond in time.  He fled into the woods as more figures crested the hill.

    A flash of light to his left as some form of magic struck a tree nearby.  The shockwaves of a resounding boom from the blast struck him, picked him up like a hot angry hand and flung him to the ground.  He tucked Dyna’s body within his own, trying to keep her from harm as he hit the underbrush.  As he stood back up, returning her to his shoulder the tree that had been struck crashed to the ground a swords length away.  He jumped involuntarily.

    He yelled for help into the necklace again, giving their location and his estimation of the enemy.  Then he had an idea, and quickly started stuffing Dyna’s helpless form under the fallen tree, stuffing her as deep in its foliage as he could.  Then he began creeping as quietly as he could in an arc to get back behind his attackers.  He could make it, he would just have to rely on the Wings of Justice.

Added 06/30

     “We must find him before he alerts anyone of our presence” bellowed Scar Captain Schicksal to his lieutenants in their native orcish “We did NOT come this far to lose the element of surprise NOW!”

    Lieutenant Singultus ran ahead shouting unneeded orders to the grunts just to be away from the captains’ fury.  He didn’t want to be the one taking a beating if it came to that.

    Lieutenant Leturn on the other hand stayed by his commanders’ side for the time being.  “Perhaps we should leave a unit here to deal with this minor inconvenience and continue on to the rendezvous” he suggested flatly.

    Schicksal was silent.  He appeared to be peering into the black depths of the woods below - and perhaps Leturn was gullible enough to think he could, but he’d given up actually trying to see anything in the darkness some time ago.  He had, however been thinking of doing exactly as Leturn just suggested.  He had just one problem with that, well two if you consider that now he had to come up with something just so Leturn would not think his advice had been taken at face value.  The fact remained however that Colonel Vehemens would not tolerate failure in this matter.  So he stood silently, staring at nothing and weighing his options, not even bothering to grunt in response to the lieutenants’ suggestion.

    Leturns’ eyes narrowed slightly as he turned away, ignoring the offense.  Schicksal is a fool, and an arrogant obnoxious one at that he thought as he too pretended to see what was going on in the woods below.

    Schicksal sighed as he thought – four units and only three shamans under my command.  Could I just leave the human and hope we rendezvous and attack before he alerts the locals? Probabl  <CRACK>

    He was tossed face down by the force of the unexpected blow to the back of his head.  He felt no pain as rage overtook his every nerve.

    Leturn saw his commanding officer go sliding face first down the hill and time seemed to slow down.  A part of him wanted to laugh regretting only that he hadn’t been the one to hit the bastard.  How did I know he’d been hit?  Oh yea…the sound.  So loud… had his skull cracked?  It took his head what seemed like several long minutes to turn from the sight of Schicksal sliding down the hill to the cause, and it arrived just in time to receive a high arcing roundhouse kick to the temple.

    “What the hell?” Dynas’ groggy voice demanded inside Klaxs’ head.  His adrenaline was running so high the sound of her voice made him jump and spin around looking for an attacker that wasn’t there before he realized who it was.  I’ll never get used to these telepathic necklaces he thought to himself.

    Leturn hit the ground hard and slumped at Klaxs’ feet, his eyes rolled back in his head, tongue lolling past jagged yellow teeth like a dreaming dog.

    “Stay hidden in tree, orcs everywhere” he stammered mentally as he half ran half slid down the dew laden grassy hillside to the big one he’d hit first.

    “No shit!” she announced sarcastically “I’m already invisible, where the hell did you go?” she demanded, and he thought he heard “put me under a bloody tree and ran I bet” but he couldn’t be sure.  The orc was on its feet staring at him and trying to rub the hurt out of the back of its head

    “No time, hide” was all he could say as he rushed the orc.  He used the elevation advantage and jumped.

    Schicksal pulled his hand away from the giant knot on his skull only to see blood smeared across his hand.  He smiled with malevolence at the sight and returned his gaze to the formerly missing human and thought problem solved.  His grin widened as he unsnapped his giant war axe from its resting place across his back.  The human jumped into and seem to float in the air above him momentarily.

    Klax surged forward with a flying dragon kick.

    Schicksal bent low to the ground one knee hitting the moist hillside in front of him and swung the axe in an upward arc, aiming to cleave the human in two and be done with it.

    Klax saw the axe coming and abandoned the kick.  Still in midair he twisted his body around and struck the flat side of the axes double bladed head with his palms as it went by. Then he was twisting his body around again to land behind the orc.

    Schicksal had put everything he had into the swing, and just let it carry its weight through the entire arc, simply turning his body and letting his arms rest.  The axe head and the man seemed to travel at almost the same speed now, riding side by side overhead.

    Klax landed leaning forward to compensate for the slope.  He had forgotten the wet grass however and when he landed his feet shot out from under him and his face went into the hillside so fast he didn’t have time to grab any breath.

    Laughing, Schicksal left the axe buried in the hillside.  He lifted his right leg and brought it down with all his force on the back of the mans head.  It landed solidly driving Klaxs’ face into the ground, but then slid off the other side of the round skull making him lose his balance momentarily.  Not enough to miss the bloody bootprint smeared on the back of the mans head though.

    A brilliant white hot pain exploded in that tender spot just under the armpit on his right side.  He was still trying to catch his balance, but his feet wouldn’t co-operate.  He tried to bring his arm down but it made the pain in his side jump to extraordinary levels.

    He looked up the hill to see a scraggy wood elf standing on the hilltop with a bow drawn taught and aimed straight his way.

    Klax lay motionless under the squirming orc.   Valicka wondered briefly if he was too late as he released his second arrow at the orc, this one thudding into its chest.

    To his left the other orc stirred on the ground, he didn’t have long now.  He knocked another arrow, began drawing the bowstring back and chanting low under his breath.

Added 07/01

    Schicksals’ smile was nowhere to be found as he fell backwards.  His back landed on the rear blade of the massive battle axe buried in the ground.  Thankfully it didn’t cut through his armor, but fell sideways under his weight.  It’s buried blade digging up a large mound of dirt like a shovel.

    Valicka finished the chant and tapped the knocked arrow with his fore finger and green flames jumped down the shaft igniting the barbed steel tip in a ghostly green tongue.  Then the arrow leapt from the bow and buried itself alongside the other in the orcs chest.  The green flame seemed to suck down the shaft into the wound. The orc screamed in agony, squirming on the ground and clutching at the pain inside.

    The ranger didn’t waste time watching the thrashing orc.  Instead he moved away from the wakening orc.  He crouched low, moving along the hilltop slowly, blending deeper into the shadows.  As he went he pulled another arrow from his quiver and rested it readied in the bow he held horizontally in front of him.  The orc stirred again, began raising its head.

    Klax rolled sideways gasping huge chunks of air into his lungs.  He could taste blood, his face felt like a giant bruise and his head was pounding and throbbing. He couldn’t open his eyes.  Wondering why he felt so much pain if he was dead he began to focus his inner energy and pray to the great spirit of Lao.

    As a disciple he had trained alongside the Lao monks, gaining their martial prowess, but he had also spent time in the temple, alongside the Lao priests, and knew the prayers of healing.  Though his cross training in the martial arts seemed to keep him somehow removed from the center of The Lao and his prayers, while always answered had lesser results than the priests.  “Any answer is better than none yes?” he remember his old friend Accredo, a cleric of Lao.

    Leturn had momentarily forgotten where he was and what was happening, but it all flowed back into him like a slow moving stream.  Instead of jumping to his feet, he stayed prone, hoping the enemy wouldn’t realize he was awake yet.

    He tried to look around with minimal movement, he saw nothing.  No one was on the hill with him, then he heard the short scream of a startled woman, and his head snapped involuntarily toward the sound.

    Valicka crept around the hillside trying to keep both the orc and Klax in view but found it wasn’t possible if he was going to reach Klax.  Something large and soft hit him in the side.  A womans’ startled shout blasted his eardrum from less than a foot away.

    He rolled forward on the ground, losing any pretense of stealth, and bringing his bow to bear on the unseen source.

    He felt his eyeballs go suddenly chilled and a blurred female form faded into existence in front of him.  Dynas’ arms were weaving in the air between them and she smiled at him, he felt his skin prickle and tingle from head to toe as she used her arcane art to render him invisible to the naked eye.

    “Have you seen that baby Klax?” she asked telepathically through the linked necklaces they all wore.

    “Was just going to see if he’s ok, he’s unconscious down the hill” he relayed mentally with a nod of his head in Klaxs’ direction. They set off together toward their fallen comrade.

    Klax was so deep in prayer that he barely heard her scream, in the back of his head though he knew it was Dyna’s voice, and that’s what caused him to rub mud grass and blood from his face and open his eyes.  The prayer had worked, he felt not only his wounds healing but the aches and pains in his body faded into the ether.

    As he sat up he saw next to him the body of the orc he’d been fighting.  It lay on its back its head downhill, its belt caught on the massive axe kept it from sliding down the hillside. His still foggy mind somehow didn’t see the arrows protruding from its chest and he turned to scramble up the hillside.

    Leturn could not find the source of the scream, it wasn’t all that close but it hadn’t been very far away either.  Now he heard someone puffing breath and pulling grass coming up the hillside to his left and he turned his head toward this new development. Pulling his sword from its scabbard he remained on the ground, closing his eyes until he was looking through slits and bringing his legs up under himself should he need to get up quickly.

    They came around the hillside to where Klax had been only to find him gone.  Her eyes were drawn to the fallen orc.  There was only one arrow in its chest now, only a burnt hole in the armor was all that remained of the other. Its mouth was open slightly, locked in a moment of confusion and pain.

    Valicka however looked up the hill in time to see Klax get to the top and stand, looking from side to side, he leaned into the hill and started to climb without a word.

    Leturn had only seen his attacker for a split second, but he recognized him instantly as the man that stood before him.  Had he killed the Captain? Well if so he still couldn’t thank him for the favor.  I’ll deal with that lapdog Singultus later, I WILL command this troop He decided firmly.  His legs flexed, he pushed himself up with one arm, charging the man, bringing his sword up at his side, its tip twirled in a small circle as if it couldn’t wait to bite flesh and drink blood.

    Klax saw the orc coming and turned to face him, feet spreading slightly, hands up unfisted and his center of gravity slid down to just above his knees as he entered the LaoJin’Cao stance.  A defensive stance that used the opponents strength and momentum to achieve results.

    Leturn came in fast with a arcing slash toward Klaxs’ throat.  Klax ducked and slid under the attack.  He reached up with his left and caught the orcs sword arm firmly while his right elbow drove into its hip, then the thigh then the back of its right knee in rapid succession.

    As Leturns’ arm stopped in mid swing the momentum of it was transferred to his left side, but as he tried to redistribute his body weight the blow to his hip threw his balance completely out, then his thigh screamed as the pressure point between the muscles received a solid blow, then he knew he was going to fall when the only thing keeping him up was taken out as his leg buckled from the strike to the back of his knee.

    He released his sword in an attempt to regain balance and keep from falling down the hill.  Surprisingly the human kept holding his arm.  He used this focal point as he landed on his chest with a thud.  He pulled forward with his hld arm using it to both pull himself up and his attacker down.

    Klax was however ready for this and Leturn felt his nose explode as Klax kicked him square in the face.  He released the orcs arm, and landed blow after blow to the back of the orcs head with his bronze brazed knuckles.  He landed five despite that he was sure it was dead after only three.  He heard clapping from below, but could not see anyone there.

    His eyes went suddenly cold and there stood Dyna and Valicka.  The elven ranger was smiling and clapping while the sorceress, smiling despite her efforts to glare at him, was already casting another spell.

    “There are tons of them, we have to keep moving” Klax told them mentally.  “You know these woods Val, where should we go now?” he asked, deferring to the rangers knowledge.

    “Depends” replied Valicka “Do we want to kill them or report their presence to Caiel’Brae?”

    “Tanvu’s closer” replied Dyna as she finished casting the invisibility dweamor on Klax.

    “I was thinking Tanvu as well” nodded Klax.

    Valicka laughed out loud.  “Oh yea, I forget your both human. If you want to report to your bureaucrats in Tanvu go ahead, if they decide to do anything other than talk sometime before it’s over you can let them know the wood elves are on their way from the south.”

Chapter 2:  The Powers That Be

    The wood elves lived in what the other races considered a glorified tree house, a tree city really.  Cael’Brae was not just ‘in’ the trees, it was the trees.  Centuries of guiding their growth, limbs from one tree were twisted and somehow hollowed into catwalks that led to other trees, and those had limbs that led further into their forest.  Dozens of trees were incorporated into the city.  Many of the ancient oaks had been forced to grow around ‘bubbles’ of magic that created rooms large and small hundreds of feet above the forest floor, inside the trees themselves.

    It was in one such chamber Valicka found himself now pleading with the North Warden of the Wood for assistance against the orc invasion.

    “Valicka” said he said patiently “Not only is it not our fight, how would be get a force through the blight unnoticed?”

    Valickas’ head sagged in defeat.  He knew he could not argue with the Warden.  He argued for a living, while Valicka was far more at home hunting rabid beasts.  He could do nothing but shake his head and hope Klax and Dyna were having better luck.

    He also felt shame.  Shame because he had failed on his promise to bring aid, and shame that his people were too cowardly to fight.

    He sighed as his saddened gaze returned to the wardens eyes.  “When the humans are dead and the orcs are burning our trees, what will you say then?”

*****

    “The Emperor is busy, none are granted passage today” said one of the two seemingly emotionless royal elite guards standing in front of the castle gate in Tanvu.

    “It is a matter of national emergency” demanded Klax unflinchingly “A large orcish force is closing in from the southern forest and what we saw may not have been all of them.

    The guard did not answer again.  He stared ahead without even hinting that he had heard what was said.

    “I must speak with someone!” Klax half demanded half plead.

    They still refused to acknowledge his argument.  “To hell with this, and to hell with you!” spat Dyna at the guards and began walking between them boldly toward the gate.

    This however did elicit a response from the guards, and two swords sang with a metallic ring from scabbards at their hips.  The both took a half step toward her, still emotionless.  No warning passed their lips as they struck with well aimed horizontal slashes.  One struck her in the hip, biting deep.  This alone would have brought her noble march to an end but the other struck her firmly in the neck.  Her head came off so fast it looked like it had never really been attached.  Her head spun around slowly in the air a look of complete shock on a face that didn’t even look dead yet.  It almost completed a full circle before it and the body below it crumpled to the ground.

    Klax back pedaled in surprised horror.  He stumbled down the granite steps that lead to the gate.  Collapsing to his knees halfway down them, tears welled up in his eyes, and a black void of anger rose in his soul.

    He gaze rose back to the gate.  The guards stood once again motionless at their posts as if nothing had happened.

    Klaxs’ eyes narrowed in hatred.

    The one who had removed her head lost his emotionless facade for a brief moment as his eyes locked with Klaxs’.  An infinitesimal smirk played on the edges of his lips, and his eyes laughed.

    His sadness turned quickly into a black coal of hatred that lodged itself where his heart had once been.

*****

    The necklaces were abuzz with chatter at the loss of Dyna, the coming orcs, and the lack of response from anyone.  Most expressed rage at the Emperor, but before it could turn into a revolutionary plot that would not only throw the whole of Kojan into chaos, but also fail to address the orcs, which was the bigger threat currently on the table.  A calm, quiet voice came through the necklaces.

    “So the Emperor and his men are ruthless” a mental shrug heard by all “Is this new?” short pause  “No, all know of the Emperors infatuation with Ra’Jin and its darkness consumes him and all that serve him.  So, for now, let that be as it may.  We can see to vengeance at a more appropriate time.”

    “Let the orcs have them all” sneered Klax

    “No, we cannot do that either” Romulus stated “We can’t just give the orcish horde perfectly good land and resources while allowing them to exert even more influence than they already do.”

    Silence from the others as the truth of his words sank into the hearts and minds of more than a hundred members of the secret society known as the Wings of Justice.

    “We need a plan” he continued “Me people are more likely to assist the orcs than the humans … if they aren’t already” he added.

    “We gotta quit foolin’ ourselves” came the gruff dwarvish baritone of Finny, a paladin second in command of the Wings, behind only Romulus himself.  “Since yer the only dark elf I ever met that I didn’t kill… er no offense mate… anyway, no point in talking ‘bout ‘em ‘swhat I mean ta say ‘ere.  We’re just gonna ‘ave ta go out dere and kill us some orcs” he finished with a smile in his voice.

    “Perhaps” came a soft voice “While I relish the thought of orc hunting at your side husband, there may be a better way.”

    “We’re listening Lady Nikle” came Romulus’s soft tenor.

    “Haven’t the Ulvari been waging a war of sorts on Tanvu for months now?”

    “So?” Finny harrumphed “All that means is that the emperor and his cowards feel safe inside their walls.

    “No no” she reasoned “What if the orcs and the ulvari were to cross paths?”

    “Ah I see it” Romulus said, a small excitement crept into his voice.  “The ulvari are a plague to all the living races”

    “Except perhaps the emperor” Sneered Klax again.  “It is said that they are manifestations of the Ra’Jin he worships”

    “Amazing!” interjected the voice of the half elven sorcerer Fenwick “I had never thought of it that way before!  It’s true that they are extraplanar manifestations of pure Ra’Jin.  I’ve been assisting the House of Fallen Leaves in some studies on the heavy ulvari presence in the area.  Samples have been taken of flesh, articles of clothing, jewelry and…”

    “Wow, ever heard the expression ‘we don’t care’?”  another voice boomed, despite the lesser giants’ efforts to project his voice quietly.

    “Vylance, you don’t care because your skull is too thick and your cranial cavity contains bitumen .”

    “Uhhh, no I don’t care because it dud'n matter.  Ulvari evil, Ra’Jin evil so who cares? What important is will ulvari make war on orc?”

    “Of course they will” Fenwick replied as if he were a teacher responding to the stupid student in class “the Ulvari will attack any sentient being they come in contact with.” After a moments thought he added with a smug grin “So I guess you’re safe Vy”

    “Shut up I kill you” he wasn’t sure exactly what Fenwick had said, but was sure it was an insult.

    “Ok children” came Nikles’ motherly voice “So, basically I was thinking we can launch strategic attacks against the orcs to kind of…herd them to the ulvari encampments and let them fight each other”

    “Great idea” Romulus’s nod of approval could be heard by all.  “Let them kill each other off.  Everyone head to Tanvu, we will organize raid parties there.”

Added 7/12/07

*****

    Despite the fact that his deeds were renowned in the area, his name sung in barroom dirges, and feared by the enemies of mankind, Romulus had to pull the cowl of his cloak down low to hide his ebon skin from prying eyes.  He was more likely to be executed on sight than to be heralded as the hero his deeds professed him to be.

    He rode a chestnut stallion through the open gate along the cities outer palisade wall, with a small nod to the guards there.  He slid off the stallions back in front of The House of Whispers a well known tea house held in high regard amongst the local constabulary.  With a flick of his wrist he tossed the reins over the lash post. He didn’t bother to tie them however as he had no fear that Chothsol (which is to say Fire eye in his native tongue) would either leave or let anyone else take him.

    He entered the tea house and pulled his hood back with a nod at the hostess Syung’Li.

    She returned the nod, but her eyes dropped low in an attempt to hide the small glimmer of fear as she turned and led him to their private suite upstairs.  Even when they know me they fear me because of my kinsmen he released a sorrowful sigh and followed her up the well polished wooden steps.

    When he entered the room the first thing that drew his attention was the nine foot tall lesser giant trying to look comfortable encumbered by 200 pounds of steel armor and seated on a decidedly inadequate floor cushion against the wall opposite the sliding rice paper door.  The big mans smile consumed his face “Thanks for keepin’ us all waitin’ big guy” he teased jovially.

    Romulus smiled genuinely in reply and turn to see a pair of dwarves, both also clad in layers of polished steel.  They both had chairs pulled up next to a small corner writing desk but they faced the room, 2 large mugs of ale sat on the desk between them.  Finny, the male dwarf stroked his long reddish orange beard, while his wife Nikle looked up at Romulus with mischievous eyes.

    Romulus nodded to both of them at once then took a seat on one of the plush floor pillows around a short legged table.  “Syung’Li, a pot of tea?” he asked “with fresh lemon wedges and some honey of you would please dear.” He smiled at her warmly, but of course she only backed out the door with a deep bow.

    A deep laughter and “Thank you darlin’” could be heard from the hallway as Syung’Li bowed her way backwards through the doorway.  She did not however close the door which would have been customary, instead she was replaced in the doorway with another giant of a man equal in size to Vylance and if one could imagine, even more encumbered in some of the largest, battle scarred plate armor you’ve ever seen.

    He was still looking after Syung’Li as she descended the steps and forgot to duck through the doorway.  His head recoiled from the wooden frame with a snarl, and he ducked into the room.  Looking around the room he decided that just inside the door against the wall was as good a place as any and he sat down.

    He looked toward Vylance and laughed heartily.  “You need another pillow there little lady?”  Everyone present seemed to suddenly realize that a giant steel clad warrior sitting on a little human sized pillow was indeed funny, and snickers immediately ensued.

    “Don’t make me slap you Maagni” Vylance smiled at the other giant, but this only made Maagni laugh harder.

    “Oh no don’t hit me with your pillow!” he jokingly mocked.

    A knock sounded on the open door and everyone except Romulus turned toward the sound to see Syung’Li kneeling outside holding a wooden tray holding a clay tea pot, a bowl of freshly sliced lemons, a small decanter of honey, and six small thin tea cups.

    “Your tea lord” she said quietly.

    Romulus smiled over his shoulder to her and waved her into the room while rolling up a scroll he’d been looking at.  She set it down and bowed backwards out the door again.

    Maagni’s jaw went slightly slack and he seemed lost again as he watched her go.  After she closed the door and her footsteps could be heard going down the wooden steps he released breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.  He shook his head like a waterlogged mongrel as if to clear the cobwebs and bring himself back to the present.  He looked back up with a smile.

    Romulus offered everyone tea.  Vylance wanted to accept but realized that he would probably only break the tiny cup, and it only held a sip anyway so decided against it.  So he poured himself a cup and began the meeting.

    “Justiciars” he began by addressing his advisors with full weight of their title “three of our number have attested that an unknown clan of orcs have invaded the area around Tanvu, no local government seems willing to take action of any sort, so that leaves us to once again defend the people.” He unrolled a map onto the low table before continuing “I’ve already dispatched ranger scouts to scout the peninsula, Ayanami west around the tip, Wol’fang south of the Celestial Range to the east and Sraew to their north.”

    “What about Chenaya?” asked Vylance “She’s our best scout” he added

    “She’s guarding our encampment north of the city.” Finny interjected.

    “Yes, she’s more valuable there at the moment” added Viceroy Romulus “Lord Tinsus and Lady Lukka are in charge of getting the camp set up and making sure everyone there is fully equipped and ready to go when we sound the horn.  Right now we need to separate everyone into units and come up with a plan to push these orcs into the sea.”

    This was met by nods from everyone, the dwarves leaned in for a better look at the map on the table and the giants scooted in along the walls, Vylance abandoning the comfort of his pillow.

    “Ok” the Viceroy began again “We know for certain there was a contingent of orcs, in this area.” His finger tapped the map in the woods a mere dozen or so kilometers east of Tanvu.  “According to Klax, Valicka and the late Dyna they are recovering from the loss of two of their commanding officers, rank unknown, and are moving toward the city, though we don’t know if they went north or south around the mountains between.  All I can say is that it’s a good thing they don’t know the glyphs for using the Riftway here at Tanvu or we would have been here in time to kick dirt on dying embers, even using it ourselves.”

    “Speaking of Dyna” Maagni snarled but was cut off by Finny before he could continue.

    “Later” was all the dwarf said.

    The meeting went late into the night.  Syung’Li brought more pots of tea, more mugs of ale, and an empty mug which Vylance used to empty many a tea pot to the Viceroys disapprobation.  In the end it was decided, as they all knew it would be, that each justiciar would lead a unit of masters.  But also that each unit would travel with another unit, Finny and Nikle’s together of course, leaving the two giants together which was to their liking as well.  Despite how they joked with one another, there was mutual respect between them.  The Viceroy would lead an elite team of nobles, the lords and ladies of the Wings, into the heart of the largest orcish camp once it was located by the ranger scouts.

    Once it was all settled they all went to their respective rooms to get what little sleep they could in preparation of what would undoubtedly be a long day.

Added 7/13/07

Chapter 3:  Soup is Thicker That Water

    Stopped in a small copse of trees outside of Tanvu a man dressed in the fine armor of an elite imperial guard stooped low to unwrap the rags from his horses’ hooves.  Had Klax been there he would have instantly recognized Dyna’s murderer, but he was not, in fact no-one was there to witness him out skulking through the darkness with rags muffling the sound of his horses’ steps. Better to remove them so I can put them back when I come back in he thought with a sideways glance toward the secret entrance in the outer palisade wall of Tanvu.

    His task completed he hitched himself into the saddle and went west, slowly at first then gaining speed as he left earshot of the sleeping city.  As he went he thought about how fortunate it had been that he had been the guard on duty when those adventurers had come calling on the emperor to stop the orcish attack.

    He laughed out loud at the thought.  The idea of the Emperor stopping an attack he himself had gone to great lengths to manufacture was indeed a source of mirth.  All he had to do now, was get the second payment to the orcish commander, one Colonel Vehemens if memory served him correctly.  Once that was complete the orcs would attack, killing many innocent peasants, the guards that ‘happened’ to be on duty (he laughed again at this) and then they would be chased into the woods and ‘slaughtered’ by the Emporer’s Elite.  He was in great cheer as he rode north west along a ridge in the Celestial mountains.  To the right he could see a few lights still burning in the city, but it soon faded from view as he turned more westerly, deeper into the woods.

*****

    After a full day of over seeing the preparation of a camp for over two hundred brave men and women, Lord Tinsus lay sleeplessly next to his wife Lukka.  He thought again how a wood elf like him could be so fortunate to have found such a beautiful loving young woman.  He felt a rather familiar pain in his side as he remembered the downside of their relationship.  Her human metabolism would degrade her fragile mortal form in a hundred years or less, and he would have to watch her grow old and die while he was in his prime.  He vowed for the thousandth time to find a way, some magic the shamans of old had hidden away in a cave somewhere, that would let him preserve her youth for as long as he could.

    He was startled out of his reverie by the telepathic voice of the ranger scout Sraew.  “They have a camp on a ridge on the northern face of the celestial mountains” a short pause, followed by an disheartened “There are at least three hundred of them, but I have no idea how deep the camp is from here.”

    Tinsus sat up immediately.  Lukka stirred at his side, and he leaned in “shhhh it’s ok my love, get your sleep” he whispered, before mentally answering Sraew.  “If they’re on a ridge I need you to find out how many ways in and out of the camp there are, and find any choke points along those routes as well – we can use those to our advantage.”  He considered briefly rerouting Wol’fang and Ayanami from their searches to assist Sraew, but then thought better of it as they could very well have more than one camp set up.  He would if he were in their shoes.  A coordinated multi-point pincer attack would devastate Tanvu’s meager defenses.  Crashing through the wooden outer palisade and hammering at the inner walls only moments after the cities militia knew they were coming.

    “By the blood of Lao’Jin!” exclaimed Sraew in obvious surprise.  Tinsus waited for him to continue.

    But when no explantation was forthcoming he promted “ For the gods sakes what?!?”

    “An Imperial Elite just entered the camp… hang on” came the clipped reply.

    At this, Tinsus slipped slowly off of the sleeping mat he shared with Lukka, threw on his ceremonial robes of the high shaman and left the tent, to pace and wait.  With this news he was sure he wouldn’t get sleep tonight.

*****

    Sraew was in his element.  The woods were his home, not his second home, or home away from home, but home.  There was some small slivers of moonlight penetrating the canopy, but otherwise darkness prevailed, and while his elfin eyes had no trouble at all seeing in the dark, the orcs were not so blessed.  This and the fact that he could hide from these simpletons in the shadow of a cactus at noon gave him enough confidence to sneak past the perimeter guards into the camp itself.

    He found the imperials horse easily enough.  It was lashed to the post outside what had to be the command tent, as it was the only one with four extra large orcs guarding its flap.

    He crept silently around to the back listening intently.

    “Attack here and here” a human voice “kill all the guards, and sweep into the outer city to this area killing everyone you see – the alarm should sound when you hit the gates, we will give you ten minutes at the most before we come from the inner wall here”

    Silence.

    “You should have your expendables in this area here – that’s where we’ll hit first” another short pause “I hope you brought expendables Vehemens, there have to be some enemy corpses for the people to see when the dust settles.”

    “You’ve paid for ten… maybe” came the guttural reply, the Kojani tongue spoken with surprising clarity orc.

    “We need at least twice that!” demanded the imperial soldier “At least! Forty would be more like it.” Short pause “And don’t think for a moment you can just kill the messenger and double cross us either – If I do not return to my men soon the entire army of Tanvu will come to reclaim this” the sound of a chest of coins being kicked “deposit” he finished.

    Sraew was startled by sudden footsteps, and turned to see an orc running…not toward but away from the command tent – he entered another small tent nearby and began barking orders in orcish.  He turned his attention back to the conversation inside, while making small paraphrased reports back to Tunsus.

    A few moments later several orcs dressed in dark leather, accompanied by the command tent guard that had been shouting orders, emerged from the small tent – the leather clad ones left the camp and immediately started sneaking rogues thought Sraew, the guard whistled the soft, sharp edged warble of a sea fisher bird before returning to his post at the command tent.

    Sraew had seen and heard enough, he crept away from the tent to look for those routes and chokepoints Tinsus had asked for.

Added 7/15/07

****

    Gremkull was the highest ranking member of The Hall (as it was commonly referred to, but officially it was called the Hall of Assassins) on this little incursion to Kojan.  One of Vehemens’ personal guards had come to the assassins’ tent with word that the human emissary sent from the emperor had let slip word of a force waiting in the woods for his safe return, under orders to either attack or warn the emperor.  Either way it didn’t matter.

    From what he’d been told, the human may or may not return.  Therefore it was his job to locate this hidden unit and make sure whatever it was they were going to do never happened… if it came to that.

    He stayed at the bottom of the only path leading up to the camp.  Ordered one man into the woods near where he himself would be “Stay hidden, at least twenty five meters away, somewhere where you can see me should they attack before we find them.” He ordered.  “The rest of you spread out and begin a fanning sweep of the area, we have no reason to believe they are on any pathway, but we can’t rule it out either.  If you spot them alert everyone with the mating call of a female night warbler.”  It was not mating season for the night warbler, but he hoped the humans didn’t know that, because he had to choose a call that nature wouldn’t reproduce on him and foul his plans.

    I could use this to find the monocle quietly without all the drama! he thought suddenly.  He’d have to think fast to do it though, he sat down in the rocky scrub with his back to the mountain to ponder this new possibility.

****

    Sraew saw the orcs at the end of the path, one of them giving orders to the others and thought how nice it would have been just now to have learned orcish somewhere along the line.  He had no idea what they could be up to.  He didn’t think the camp was alerted the presence of an intruder.  Are they betraying the Emperor? And if so why?  Perhaps they are just extra precautionary measures.  They couldn’t suspect me he thought again, a small trace of fear creeping into his thoughts.

    He had already come to the conclusion that this was the only path into the camp, he had wanted to wait and find out what these rogues were doing, but a little voice in the back of his head kept whispering looking for you.  He knew the voice wasn’t real, that he was just letting the fear of three hundred orcs at his back and now hidden ones between him and safety get to him.  He took a deep breath, and went to look down the cliff below for any possible emergency exit if it came to that.  Unfortunately he couldn’t see any outcroppings or anything to jump to, though he might be able to scale down twenty feet and jump the last twenty or so.

    He turned his attention back to where the path opened into the woods, where the orcs had been talking.  They were all gone, or at least appeared to be.

****

    Tinsus had initially wanted to wake the entire camp and head toward the orc camp.  Catching them coming down that ridge in the morning would allow only a handful of their warriors to meet ours at a time.  He observed.  On the down side they could deploy archers along the open side of the ramp and shower us with arrows…so that was out.

    Besides they might never see the rogue guards – as he was calling the orcs from The Hall now – in time and be caught in an unfavorable position without warning.  So he sat down at the long faded embers of one of the camps fire pits, and removed a long handled pipe from an inside pocket of his robe.  He traced the familiar rune carvings along the handle with his thumb for a moment before reaching into another pocket for a trio of small pouches.

    The camp was quiet, no reports from any of their sentries as he pulled an herb from one of the pouches and packed the pipe.  He then sprinkled a vermillion powder from another pouch on top of the herb, and lit the pipe.  The air above the pipe snapped and sparked, and the inside of the bowl momentarily glowed a bright white.

    He stood with a groan and looked at the horizon, the sun would be rising soon, and he briefly regretted getting no sleep.  Two pouches went back into his pocket, but the third stayed in his hand.  He walked around the camp slowly, smoking the pipe and blowing the smoke onto the many tents, while chanting a prayer to ancestors and gods alike, and shaking the pouch, which rattled like a child’s toy.

    Justice members began waking with the sun, and when they saw him gave him a curious look in response to which he blew smoke on them and they felt a supernatural vigor infuse their bodies.  His chanting grew louder as more Wings woke up, word of his prayer blessings spreading through the camp so that eventually he no longer had to walk around the camp, but they all came to him.

    Viceroy Romulus rode Chothsol into the camp followed by his justiciars, and they too got smoke blown on them and felt the vigor come, their muscles seemed to tighten with added strength and the morning fog instantly cleared from their heads.

****

    The orc camp stirred as well as captains kicked lieutenants awake who in turn kicked their men awake.  Normally a horn would have called the men to muster, but today they still needed the silence.

    The human emissary had been promised almost thirty orc corpses fertilizing the fields of Tanvu by noon, and so had left well pleased with his self.  Vehemens now smiled at how easily humans were to manipulate.  They thought of orcs as monstrous beasts without intellect.  This infuriating prejudice had worked much to his favor last night as he’d decided to simply let the mutts think they were still in charge.

****

    Gremkull stood inside Tanvu as the sun began to rise. It no longer mattered who won the fight today because he had followed the human back to the city and had been rewarded with a secret entrance through the wall.  Either way he would sneak in and take the monocle.  He smiled broadly as he took a final sweeping look over the small plateau like rises dedicated to farming that made up the outer city, he turned and ducked back through the hinged plank and hurried back to the woods.  Nikwillig will be pleased he caught himself thinking, despite having invested much thought into using the monocle himself and ridding himself of the odious goblin.

Chapter 4:  The Blood that Binds

“WHAT NOWS!?!” shouted the shrill almost squeaking voice of the infuriated goblin at the knocking on his laboratory door.

“His Majesty requires your presence.” Came the raspy rumble of High Scar Deleor Plene.

The interruption angered Nikwillig, though the fact that even the high scar himself dared not open the door into his inner sanctum gave him some small pleasure.  He could not afford to deny his royal weakness just yet, but a quick glance at his blood drenched sleeves and he knew he would have to buy time.

“Me’s apologizes High Scar, please be tell His Majestys I’s comin’.” He squeaked, trying to sound as cowed as possible while draping a large tarpaulin over his workbench which currently held an array of animal heads in various states of dissection, a small army of jugs, bottles and vials filled with an assortment of dark viscous fluids, and all of it soaked liberally with blood.

“My Lord has asked for your appearance immediately Advisor Nikkwilig” Delor explained with a stoic sense of duty.

“Of’s course – of’s course” answered Nikkwilig as he disrobed and scooped water from the trough used for keeping live specimens healthy until needed and splashed it over his face.

Silence from the door as he continued scooping the cold brackish water and wiping away the streaks of blood.  His hand moved more slowly near his sternum despite that the flesh was no longer so tender, the memory of the pain was enough to make him move with care around the Kishmaa.

The memory of it flooded back to him in a rush.  The dark elf Jaraxle, and their argument over the who had rights to the riftway.  Neither would back down and a magical battle ensued.  Jaraxle was no apprentice, his focus of the energies smashed into Nikwilligs’ small frame blasting him to the ground.  Were it not for Nikwilligs knowledge of the blood arts Jaraxle might have won that day.  But Nikwillig stole the dark elfs very life force and used it to heal his own injuries.  In the end Jaraxle had fallen.

In his bags Nikwillig had found a most interesting necklace. It had a loop with jagged teeth mounted to the chain and a cats eye agate under that with three small teeth protruding under the eye.  The agate pulsed with an inner light, and Nikwillig was compelled to put it on immediately.

As soon as the necklace had hit his chest, its many teeth had burrowed into his flesh.  He’d dropped to his knees pulling at the chain, prying at the pain in his chest.  But it only dug in deeper, the pain grew unbearable.  He passed out among the corpse of his fallen foe, the strewn bags and the riftway they’d fought over.

When he woke up, he’d learned the true nature of the necklace.  It was sentient…alive in its own way.  Its name was Kishmaa and it was an artifact of great power.  It knew of more artifacts, could help him harness their powers, and all it asked for in return was a small taste of his life force.  It would feed on his blood, but not to worry, his body would make more, and they would both grow stronger for it.

The memory left him and he found himself still washing off in the trough of water.

No clean robe… he thought I must remember to keep a few clean ones in here for times like this I suppose he pondered as he scoured the room with his eyes for something he could use. They paused briefly on a fresh vulmane corpse he’d not yet had removed, he shook his head, that would only mean fresh blood.

“Ahem” High Scar Deleor cleared his throat loudly outside the door.

Nikwillig quickly grabbed a stack of rags from a box on one of the shelves and quickly tied a few of them together at the corners.

“Coming” he said to the door.

He emerged from the room naked except for the few rags tied around his waist “I’s hope me’s has time to grabs a clothes before we’s goin’” he said as he sauntered past as if there was nothing strange about a kings advisor emerging from a dark laboratory that reeked with the coppery scent of blood dressed in naught but rags.

Deleor did not argue the point but simply fell in behind the goblin.  I don’t know what his majesty sees in this foul little thing he thought, followed immediately by Is that blood on his back? He coughed in surprise as Nikwillig passed him.  He lowered his gaze and followed at a respectable distance while trying to decide whether he should mention the blood to the king or not.

****

“Archers up the hillside here!” Finny bellowed as he tightened his grip on the axe haft in his right hand while his left arm thrust downward a few times testing the grip of his shield.

The archers moved up the hillside in unison, others coming down toward the main group from the area now designated to the ranged combatants.

“Units one and two regroup on the road around that corner – do NOT look around the corner, that’s what the scouts are for!” he bellowed again before leaning in toward the giants Maagni and Vylance.

Nikle looked at Finny, and held his eyes for a moment before heading to her units’ area.  As can only happen among the closely intimate, an entire conversation passed between them in that single fleeting look

Coming?

Yes in a moment go on ahead

Giving orders to Maagni and Vylance?

Yes, I love you

I love you, see you soon

He turned his attention to the two giants.  “Maagni I need you to hide your unit in the underbrush on the inside of the corner Nikle and I will be waiting behind. Vy, I want you halfway between Maagni and the archers.”

“I thought we were supposed to keep groups two and three together” asked Maagni

“I know but this is better, the archers will draw attention to themselves – Vylance keep you people hidden until the enemy charges the archers, then crush them and press the attack on the rear flank. Maagni after the archers attack begins, Nikle and I will come from around the corner.  If you can, wait until whoever is going for the archers goes then add your strength to us at their left flank” his hands weaved the battle scene in the air between them.  “Oh, and Vylance, yer in charge a’ the archers too, make sure they attack just before the orcs get around that corner” he said with a grin.  His eyebrows arched as if to say “any questions” when none came he turned and jogged to catch up with his wife and the men and women that would fight at his side.

Maagni and Vylance looked at each other.

Vylance shrugged.

Maagni raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side then smiled “Unit two to me” he bellowed and began walking down the hillside to find a good place to hide.

****

The King of all Martok sat atop his throne in consternation.  He’d sent three hundred fifty orcs to Tanvu on the goblins advice.  He was no longer entirely convinced the advice had been sound.  There was still the issue of the Gulgrethor clan pressing him hard to the east and north, on some fanatical crusade for Martok itself.  Thus far his troops had been unable to crush the invasion.  So why waste the valuable troops for a few thousand coins?

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of High Scar Deleor “My Leige, Nikwillig is here as you requested.” He announced with a bow, then turned around in the quick sharp heel to toe manner of a lifetime militant and marched from the chamber to wait just outside the door.

“Me’s Lords, Is goods to sees you mighty deliverer of me’s peoples” he bowed deeply several times while advancing toward the throne.  We cannot kill this fool yet Nikwillig Kishmaas’ words of warning were soft and sinuous in his head, like a velvet serpent.

“Nikwillig” the king said flatly as his eyes rose to rest on the approaching goblin. “Tell me again why we sent troops to Tanvu?” he querried

Nikwillig had to bow again to hide the rage he new bubbled into his eyes this fool interrupted me’s experiments for this!  He raged inside.  “Me’s told me’s lord, they’s am pays you. Theys am thinking “we makes dem stupid orcs looks bad to alla da peoples yes? Theys wants us attack and run away like babies who nots come prepared”

The kings eyes narrowed slightly, so far he didn’t see the wisdom in looking bad.

Nikwillig saw this and gulped a healthy serving of nervous saliva as he tried to remember the lies that had worked before, and improve on them if he could.

“We’s gonna give thems big hurts, we’s ambushes ‘em where theys not thinks and kills ‘em!” he said “Then we’s get more than just a littles coins – we’s, no YOU’S gets ALLS the coins see?” he cajoled.

The kings eyes narrowed further still “And just how are three hundred fifty men supposed to accomplish this magnificent feat?” he asked

“Them’s humans is openin the gates fors us yes?  They’s lettin’ us comes right in and kills peasants to makes ‘em afraid so’s he’s can makes em his slaves. Whys we kills slaves then tells me?” he asked rhetorically.

Finally the kings’ eyes lost some of their trepidation, a glimmer of hope.

“We’s keeps the slaves and takes ‘em homes.” He smiled again

“We’s kills thems guards theys asked us to, then we’s ignore the peasants and gets in best places to kills the ones that’s be comins to chases ‘em outs!  Thems be the ones that matter, after we’s kills them all of Tanvu is ourses”

“Then why only three hundred fifty orcs?” the king countered “why not an entire regiement?”

“Me’s lord” Nikwillig sighed “thems Gulgrethor ones is still makin problems on the frontier, we’s can’t afford that manies, besides, we’s asked to be sneaky by thems humans.  Theys know if we’s brings more see?”

The king nodded slightly, once again feeling better about the plan, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more.  Did Nikwillig know what that something was?  The goblin might sound like an imbecile with his speech, but he knew better than to underestimate him.

“Is there anything you’d like to let me know while you’re here?” the king asked lightly “Anything…additional we might be in Tanvu for perhaps?”

“Likes what?” the goblin asked apparently confused “Treasures and slaves and dead humans no goods reasons?” he asked in return.

The king shrugged nonchalantly “Oh just anything at all you might be aware of that perhaps I haven’t heard…yet” he said coyly “Never mind that for now though my dear Nikwillig, I do have one other thing to discuss with you before you go.”

“Yes me’s lord?” the goblin almost shook with relief.

“Your … laboratory…” he began “I’m afraid we’re going to have to…move it.  There have been numerous complaints of screaming keeping everyone in the west wing awake at night.  Whatever torture you’re doing in there can be done in the lower dungeons”

“Me’s not torture!” the goblin proclaimed “Me’s learn! Me’s takein’ secrets, and energy and magicks from flesh see?” he stated with measured vehemence.  “Me’s’ll be fars from my rooms and many fars from you’s most highest kings” he plead “and me’s no likes dungeons” he finished.

“Whatever you call it Nikwillig, it sounds like torture in the halls at night.” The king persisted

Kishmaa had taught Nikwillig to enjoy the screams though they weren’t necessary.  “What if me’s makes ‘em quiet yes?” he asked “Me’s not lets ‘em scream no mores, then can me’s stay there most gracious lords?” he begged from his knees, his hands gripped in a prayer like state in front of him.

The king sighed, “One more complaint Nikwillig, just one more and you’ll be doing your experiments in the lower dungeons.” He emphasized the word lower.

“Yes me’s lord yes, thanks you! Thanks you many muches” he groveled his way backwards out of the throne room and into the hallway.
            He was furious by the time he was in the hallway Kings will die, yes he wills he thought to himself maybe hims die many sooners than me thoughts before.  That damned giant had better find the orb of Zhin’sha AND SOON! His fury hit a crescendo and he marched back to his laboratory imagining the day the kings’ screams echo’d thoughout the castle and every soul in Martok bowed at the feet of King Nikwillig.  Kishmaa didn’t bother trying to calm the goblin.  Kishmaa liked the anger, it made the goblins sweet blood gallop to him.

****

The endless sands swirled around the camels plodding hooves as it made its way across the desert.  A giant warrior sat atop the tired beast, his eyes narrowed to slits against the biting sand as he scanned the horizon for a sign of the cave.  I’ll get it back and kill that damned goblin he absently rubbed his sternum with his thumb while he thought.

Kurzid’Mengins as he was now known thought back to a day when things were simpler, before the goblin.  He’d set off as a young giant from the halls of Halgarad, a self appointed emissary of the lesser giants in search of fame, glory, and peace amongst the races.

That had all ended so quickly.  In the middle of the night while he lay sleeping next to a dying fire he’d wakened in terrible pain.  Clutching his chest in agony, he’d heard the elders speak of these attacks of the heart, but he was too young wasn’t he?

His hands had come away covered in blood and he gasped for breath his eyes wide with terror like a frightened horse.

“Hello me’s Kurzid” he’d heard from the darkness nearby.  “Yes you’s me’s Kurzid now, Kurzid’Mengins you’s is” high pitched laughter.

The goblin had taken his heart!  That which pumped his blood had somehow been removed and yet he was alive!?  Nikwillig had shown him the heart. It was now in a glass jar sealed by some arcane magic the goblin claimed only he could undo.

“Now you’s does only what me’s says” the goblin said smiling “You’s is me’s Kurzid, you’s does what me’s says or you’s die.  You’s sees yes?  Me’s has your heart, me’s has your lifes, me’s has YOU’S” he pointed a stubby little finger at the giant.

The whole thing had a dream like quality.  He’d drawn his sword and forced himself to his feet ready to kill the goblin and take back his heart.

“Tut tut!” the goblin reprimanded as he bounced back a few steps from the giant “Me’s dies, you’s dies, me’s gots yer hearts see” he smiled again.  “You’s mines” he whispered.

Kurzin shook the memories from his shaggy head, and continued searching the horizon for some sign of the cave Nikwillig had sent him to search.

How the wretched little beast knew all the things he knew was beyond the giants imagination, but he did know that in the five winters since the goblin had stolen his destiny, he’d yet to be wrong when he sent him on one of these missions.

The heat vapors in the air seemed to part before his eyes, and looking in the distance was a large rock formation in the distance.  That’s it he knew instinctively.  He heard the goblins voice in his memory You’s finds the plateau, south wests side and ins you’s go.  He looked into the sky, his eyes squinting even further, he grimaced in the heat as he tried to judge direction by the sun.  How the hell am I supposed to tell what time it is let alone what direction is what when the damned sun is ALWAYS directly over head? He wondered angrily.

Chapter 5: Back to the Front!

 Added 1/6/08

            The road came down the ridge along a long gentle slope, then hit the valley floor and turned abruptly left to travel almost directly east along through the long thin valley.  Large foothills with slow rolling curves reached into the valley from the south side, and the road passed between these and the choppy granite face of an impenetrable cliff side on the north.  The valley eventually turned south to swing around the nearest foothill and descend quickly among the foothills.  At this eastern end of valley, just as it turned south a long thick tendril of forest hugged the road and reached some ways up the foothill itself. Small copses dotted the foothill between in and the ridge to the west that the road came down.  After this there would be the matter of skirting the last foothill near Tanvu itself without being seen.

            Commander Vehemens again considered the wisdom of going around this last hill away from Tanvu, which may include attacks from wild animals or worse, or on the side closest to the city, which may give away their position to the enemy before he was ready to make them aware.  Of course a third option did present itself, and that was to camp in the hills above the city and attack with the moon.  But of course that came with both of the above problems though perhaps to lesser extents.  He sighed once again leaning toward the path nearest the city but still not completely convinced.

            With a grunt a nod and a flick of his index finger he sent scouts from The Hall scurrying down the path to check the way ahead.  He placed a foot in the stirrup and swung himself into the saddle of his great grey gelding.  He scowled across his troops before raising his arm.  He turned to face the road ahead and let his arm drop to point ahead and the troops began marching forward at once.  Three hundred orcs came down the mountain road like a long snake, the whole of which could not be seen all at once from the twistings and turnings of the mountain road.

*****

            The small throng of archers lay low amidst the tall damp grass astride the hills windswept crest.  The road below still slightly obscured from their sight by the wisps of morning fog that still clung to life in the valley through which the road travelled.  The sun had risen over the hill to burn the moist tendrils away less than an hour ago.  Lady Lukka crouched among them, continuously scanning the road as far back as her sharp eyes could see, waiting for any sign of the coming orcs.

            Below the archers, strewn out among the tall grass and occasional trees on the hillside were a smattering of warriors, lying in wait for their prey.  They crouched like great hunting cats as they waited, ready to strike out from a single gesture or word from Vylance, The eight foot tall lesser giant that led this group.  He crouched behind a pair of old sycamore trees, using their twisted branches to shield his considerable bulk.

            Inside that tendril of forest that came up the hillside along the road was another group of hardened warriors they were not just ready for the days fighting to begin, they were growing impatient for it.  Another lesser giant, Maagni, led this group among the trees.  He sat on his haunches, and waited patiently while the men around him shifted their weight from foot to foot in anticipation.

            Finny and Nikle stood behind the forest on the road itself, a handful of highly capable temple warriors -or paladins as they are called- stood with them.  Behind these faithful men of arms stood a small army of arcanists; wizards, necromancers, psionicists, and even druids, and priests stood ready to unleash a torrent of magical energy so fierce as to rival the very fires of hell itself amongst their enemies.  Among these the dark elf Romulus sat astride Chothsol, his head bowed in prayer.

            All of these lives are in my hands Lord he prayed Please give us the strength for victory this day, grant me – your servant ever faithfully – the fortitude to keep them all safe, the perserverance to see todays bloody job finished and the wisdom to know when that time comes.

            He raised his eyes from his prayer, he felt a certain sadness in his heart but his eyes showed only strength and determination as he stared ahead.  He too was growing impatient.  Sraew should have had word of their approach by now he thought, and a specter of doubt began to creep into his thoughts.  Perhaps they had misjudged, perhaps they weren’t even coming today, he shook his head to fling these thoughts away and settled himself more comfortably in the saddle to wait.

*****

            Only four members of The Hall were actually scouting.  Gremkull had returned late in the night and given them their orders.  Three men were to go with him and four to scout for the troops.  When Vehemens gave the order to scout he and his selected men would veer off and head down the rough terrain toward the secret entrance he’d found in the wall of Tanvu.  They would rest there until the army attacked and use the distraction to enter the city unnoticed.  He couldn’t tell them the real reason for the maneuver.

            “Vehemens may or may not even get into the city.  If things don’t go well for him, he may stick to the agreement with the humans and scurry off into the forest to ferry the troops home with nothing but their petty payment for this ignorance.  I intend to insure that The Hall and  ... ahem” he cleared his throats for emphasis “the agents on this mission in particular – this does include you” he nodded to the four left to scout “are well paid for their time.” He finished with a conspiratorial smile.

            These four now reached the bottom of the switchback and split up, two followed the road along the valleys floor and two veered to the right up along the hillside. They crouched low and moved swiftly.  The two on the stayed close to the cliff face, blending almost casually amongst the shadowed crags of the rock face.  The two on the hillside stayed low and glided among the tall grass.

            Where it not for the grass parting for their passage Sraew would never have seen them pass his position at all.  He was situated on the hillside itself just above where the switchback petered out into the valley.  He had neither heard nor seen anything, but now his eyes riveted to the two breaks in the grass.  If it were an animal there would have been some sound, some tell tale sign, he knew instinctively it was the enemy scouts.  By light of Lao’Jin they’re fast he thought.

            They’re here he announced as quickly as could. Two scouts up the hillside, coming toward Vy’s position from the ramp and moving FAST – look for the grass moving as they go!

            Vylance’s entire body was suddenly wound like a spring on the verge of breaking.  He crouched lower to the trees and for the first time in his life cursed his massive warriors frame.  With a glance around he saw his men trying to reposition themselves nervously.  He released a hand from the tree trunk and motioned for them to be still.  Some stopped moving but remained tense, others made a final adjustment before settling down, and a couple men ignored his signal altogether, moving to face fully toward the new threat and even bring knees up under chests for better foot grip when the time came to spring into action.  Vylance dared not utter a word of reproach but marked the faces of those who had ignored the command to deal with them later.

            Tinsus crept along the hills crest for a better view – perhaps he could warn Vylance when the scouts came close.  Lukka, still crouched low glared at him with a mixture of love and worry which came off looking more like anger at his recklessness.  He gave her a slight nod that told her to stay there and not worry, a little smile that said he’d be fine and a twinkle in his eye that said he loved her.  Her eyes crinkled and lips pursed be careful and his smile broadened in acceptance.

            Maagni did sat motionless among the trees.  He was too far to help anyway, his eyes slid closed slowly as he tried to mentally lend his strength to his brothers in arms.

            Romulus lowered his head in prayer again, the whole operation here would come to a very unhealthy end for them all if the scouts were allowed to relay their positions to the approaching army.

            Nikle felt Finny squeeze her hand in his ever so slightly and she returned the squeeze.  There was nothing they could do but wait, but all not involved seemed to wear themselves out by mentally willing a decisive victory in this small yet pivotal confrontation.

            Then Finnys eyes shot open Only two? He queried loudly through the necklace didn’t you say there were seven or eight the other night??  Everyone stay hidden and BE READY!  He commanded.

            As this realization struck them all, eyes opened, and minds returned from the warriors on the hillside to concentrate on every shadow, every swaying branch, falling leaf and skittering creature around them.

            Fenwick walked up to stand beside Finny and Nikle chanting low under his breath.  His chanting finished and he waved his hand in front of him.

            Nothing happened.

He resumed chanting and stepped just inside the tree line and started moving forward to get a view around the trees into the stretch of valley.

            Wiri, the shaman assigned to Vylances group growled low in his chest some mystical call, his form began to waver like heat vapors in the desert then it twisted and was replaced by that of a wolf.  He sniffed the air, picking up the scent he growled low into the grass.

            Following Wiri’s gaze Vylance was able to see the oncoming disturbances in the grass easily.  Wiri was overcome by some lupine instinct and howled at the approaching odour.  The orcish scouts instantly stopped.

            They crouched low, and with the hand signals known to all members of The Hall they discussed the situation.  Though the language did not have a full vocabulary it was sufficient to relay most needs.

            Go around or kill?

            Split up?

            Me straight ahead – you flank.

            No look – go back.

            At this the other orcs face questioned the other “what?” was not in the hand signal language.

            The first thought how to say it with his hands and decided that there were neither the words nor the need in the silent language.   He leaned in and whispered  “If there’s a wolf on the damned hillside then it would have either given away or driven off anything we’d be looking for anyway right?”

            The other thought about this, it was against his training to do such a thing, but there was undeniably wisdom in it.

            Vylance nodded his head to his troops and into the necklace he said low and flat Wiri, show us.  The wolf bolted into the grass and the men had to jump up and run to keep up.  Vylance swung around the tree and bounded after him as well.

            Fenwick finished muttering with another sweep of his arm.  This time a pair of orcs creeping along the cliff face suddenly appeared.  They glowed a low purple at the edges and snapped into focus separated sharply from the shadows.

            “Oh shit!” stammered the orc who had suggested they go no further along the hill.  The other followed his gaze and saw the giant coming toward them.  With practiced ease he pulled daggers from a belt that went diagonally across his chest – letting three go in quick succession.  The first was turning to flee just as a small black wolf crashed through the grass and ran past leaving only a bloody gash down the fleeing orcs thigh to mark his passing.

            Vylance bobbed his head to the side letting the first dagger spin harmlessly past.  His left arm came in over his stomach and another dagger bounced off with a metallic twang.  A slight smile played on his lips as he brought his sword in to deflect the last one.

            Finny and Nikle saw the two orcs appear suddenly and they quickly replaced each others hands in theirs with weapon and shield.  They charged toward the exposed orcs and through the necklace Nikle said to their troops Kill them quickly they must not be allowed to escape! And with that a seemingly endless array of fireballs, frozen spears and jolts of lightning jumped over their shoulders and crashed into the confused orcs.  There was nothing but smoke and burnt rocks by the time the pair made it to them.  Nikle crinkled her nose at the smell.  I think you over cooked them she joked into the necklace as they turned to return to their post Finny chuckling softly beside her.

            More wizards joined Fenwick in his search and they scoured the valley floor for more scouts.

            I missed?! He thought in surprise.  The humility hurt more than the gash the little dagger had left in his arm when his sword had failed to deflect it and it caught him just past the elbow and ripped a gash through his triceps before sticking momentarily then flicking itself loose with a wet plunk and a good deal of pain as it did so.  He ignored the pain however and kept charging.

            The orcs drew their swords now and went back to back, circling slowly.  They could hear the other men coming.

            Vylance however never made it to the fight.  His step faltered when his sword fell from his hand.  Confusion gripped him.  It didn’t cut that deep he thought.  He reached down to pick it up and they edges of his vision blurred, he grabbed the sword with effort and stood up straight.  He looked at the orcs and snarled, the blurred edges were creeping in on his vision, obscuring more and more with each moment.  The orcs now seemed to be far away through a tunnel, still he plodded foreward to meet them.  His sword again fell from his hand but he didn’t seem to notice, he plodded on.  His shield was released from his grip and slid down his arm, the forearm strap snagged on the back of his thumb, the weight pulled him sideways and he fell, one knee hitting the ground but he kept his balance.  His mind was receding too quickly for him to even realize that he’d been poisoned.

            He was however struggling back to his feet, he tightened his grip on his sword or so he thought, he got to his feet, saw the rush of his men hit the orcs ahead of him then everything went black.
            The orcs stood back to back as the fifteen hardened warriors slammed into them.  They fought like cornered racoons, but in the end, they never stood a chance.  They were cut down swiftly by a cohesive unit of trained men and women that didn't fight like cornered animals... they fought like rabid ones.

Added 1/7/08