roccoschili Chapter 738: Alone?
Chapter 738: Alone?
Chapter 738: Alone?
“...And that’s pretty much it,” Stryg finished regaling the events of the evening with his family.
“...I’m surprised you got out with your life.” Aurelia sighed and shook her head.
“The Traveler’s aspect allows you to go unnoticed,” Holo noted.
Stryg perked up at her words. “Is that what it was? I knew it had something to do with my titan abilities.”
“It isn’t as all-powerful as it seems,” Holo said in a firm tone.
“Yeah, I’m starting to get that,” Stryg glanced down at his torn and singed clothes.
“Was it worth it?” Elise asked.
“That depends,” Stryg said.
“On?” Elise cocked an eyebrow.
“Tomorrow,” Stryg said.
Holo crossed her arms and looked her little brother up and down. He looked terrible, but there was an ambitious albeit somewhat playful light in his eyes that reminded her of their father. “What’s the plan?”
~~~
…The next morning… Dusk Valley…
A massive tent had been erected to host the final strategy meeting before the armies of Frost Rim and Undergrowth laid siege to Hollow Shade. Four seats had been placed around a table that was laid with several maps, each depicting details of Hollow Shade’s infrastructure.
Lord Edil Aldine, Lady Sera Lilith, and General Maud Winter sat at the table discussing the final details of the plan. Curiously, the final seat was empty. A fact that continued to bother Edil.
“Lady Lilith will lead the secondary force and attack the docs here,” Maud pointed at a map. “Meanwhile,” she grabbed a wooden piece carved in the shape of a snowflake, “I will lead the main force against the western gate. Our red mages will form a shield wall above the gate.”
“While you have the soldiers placed down the alchemical explosives,” Sera added.
“Precisely. The explosives will make quick work of the gate and anyone standing behind it. The warlord Marek did not have access to our city’s alchemical secrets. If they had, they would have been able to destroy the shade wall with ease,” Maud said.
“Where is Calex Thorn?” Edil asked.
The other two turned to the empty chair.
“He sent a courier earlier with a message that he would be late,” Maud said.
“Still, he should have been here by now,” Sera noted.
“Precisely. So, where is he?” Edil asked.
Maud waved one of the guards over and whispered something to him. He nodded and left the tent.
“We’ll find out shortly,” Maud said.
“You’re wrong,” Edil said.
“What?” Maud asked.
“The shade wall would not have fallen even if Marek had known how to build alchemical explosives,” Edil said. “Have you ever witnessed the shade wall in its true form?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Maud said.
“At night, the shades would emerge from their magestone prison and wander around the city’s outer perimeter,” Edil said.
“We are all aware,” Sera noted with a bored expression.
Edil ignored her. “If any living creature were to approach, the shades would slip into their bodies and devour them from the inside out. A hideous sight to most.”
“Says the true black mage,” Sera said.
Edil leveled her with a stare until Sera began to squirm in her chair and looked away. “You haven’t seen it then, have you? The wall’s ‘appetite’.”
“Not personally,” Sera admitted quietly.
“Neither have I,” Maud said. “But the wall’s magic has since been destroyed. What does it matter?”
Edil leaned forward and placed his clasped, gnarled fingers on the table. “A single shade can damage the organs of a person. Several shades can cause an individual to writhe in agony before succumbing to their wounds. But an army of shades will sweep through a thousand men and leave nothing but bones and liquified flesh. So, General, how would one destroy such a wall?”
“Assuming the shades were still active, I would have trebuchets attack from a long-range distance,” Maud said.
“Practical. Yet not unexpected. The wall has various enchantments that could protect the entire city from any form of bombardment,” Edil said.
“But those enchantments have since all been broken,” Sera said.
“Says who? Because our scouts have reported that the wall has been fixed. Who is to say its magic has not been as well?” Edil said.
“The Ebon Lords built the wall, no one even knows how it really works, let alone how to fix it,” Maud said.
“Except they have an Ebon Lord now, don’t they?” Edil said.
“Still, the wall’s magestone is no longer black, but clear, like any magestone that has no mana coursing through it,” Sera said.
“Ah, yes. The magestone is now translucent. Tell me, Lady Lilith, how many magestones have you seen the size of a fist? A skull? Or even the size of this tent? What about the size of a wall?”
Sera sighed. “None.”
“And yet, there is one standing not three leagues from here,” Edil said. “What the Ebon Lords accomplished in this place is a level of magical expertise that has never been seen before. I want you both to understand that, to truly understand what we are dealing with. Just because the shades may no longer be in that wall, does not mean there are not various other enchantments locked in throughout the city. The night the siege occurred, the Ebon Tower flared with light. Does anyone know why?”
Sera and Maud stayed silent.
“Many odd things were seen that night and few have any explanations. What I know for certain is that there is still old magic behind those walls. We’d do well not to underestimate our opponents,” Edil said. “And where in the bloody realms is Calex Thorn?”
Almost as if on cue, the soldier from earlier returned and spoke quietly to Maud.
“There is no word yet on the Thorn King’s arrival,” Maud said. “However, it seems he has instructed Undergrowth’s soldiers to fall in line and follow our generals’ commands, as agreed upon.”
“Do you think something happened to him?” Sera asked.
“What? Why would you say something like that?” Maud asked.
“His camp is heavily guarded. Thorn has purple mages examining every single soldier in his ranks. My spies were unable to get inside, but they did mention noticing a commotion outside his encampment last night. To what extent, I’m not certain,” Sera said.
“You think Calex was attacked? In his own tent? Surrounded by thousands of soldiers?” Maud asked.
“On the eve of our battle? An assassination attempt by the enemy hardly seems implausible,” Sera said.
“Have any of you experienced an attempt in your life since we’ve arrived?” Edil asked.
“Not that I am aware of,” Sera said.
“No.” Maud shook her head.
“...Something’s not right,” Edil muttered. “General Winter, pull our soldiers back until we can figure out where is Calex Thorn.”
“My lord, our armies are already set to march into battle. The more time we give our enemy, the more time they have to prepare their defenses,” Maud said.
“That wasn’t a request, General. Pull them back,” Edil said with a bite to his tone.
A soldier ran into the tent, breathless. “General! A messenger has arrived…” he took a panted breath, “from Hollow Shade.”
“What did they say?” Maud asked.
“They refused to speak to anyone, but the War Master and other leaders,” the soldier said.
Sera and Maud glanced at Edil. He narrowed his eyes ever so slightly in thought. “Where is the messenger now?”
“Walking through camp. They will be here any moment,” the soldier said.
“You didn’t apprehend them?” Edil frowned.
The soldier swallowed. “He refused to be held back.”
“And so what? You simply stepped aside and let him walk past?” Edil asked.
“We have a retinue of soldiers escorting him here,” the soldier said.
“Military etiquette dictates messengers are to be left unharmed,” Maud noted.
“That does not mean to let them walk through our camp unimpeded. Did you shackle him at least?” Edil asked.
The soldier shook his head weakly. “N-No, my lord.”
Edil held back a growl. “And pray tell, why not?”
“He is the Ebon Aspirant Stryg, Lord of House Veres,” the soldier said.
“They sent the Ebon Lady’s son as a messenger?” Maud furrowed her brow.
Edil leaned back in his chair and tapped the armrest. “...I see. They offered us their most valuable prisoner. Lady Aurelia is trusting us to not kill him. A bold move.”
“Or a desperate one,” Sera said. “I wish to see this ‘Veres’ for myself.”
“Send him in,” Edil said.
“My lord,” the soldier nodded and left. A few moments later, he returned and pulled the tent flap aside. “My ladies and lord, Hollow Shade’s messenger, Lord Stryg Veres, and his steed.”
With a wave of his hand, Edil hid the maps on the table in a thin layer of dark shadows. Rhian stepped into the tent, clad in black armor with red accents, the colors of House Veres. Her face was obscured by her helmet, save for the jet-black hair that ran down her back in a single braid. She carried a massive kite shield, emblazoned with the image of Krikolm buried into a skull writhed in swirling shadows, the coat of arms of House Veres. A spear as tall as an orc rested comfortably in her hand. Sylvan prayers and arcane sigils ran across the steel shaft, ending in a magestone where the blade met the shaft.
The centaur towered over the others in the tent and moved with a grace that the nobles had not seen in a centaur before. Atop her back sat a figure wrapped in white petals. Edil recognized Blossom, the famed arcane cloak of House Thorn. They struck a contrasting pair of steel and nature, death and life. The whole tent grew quiet as the two figures seemingly out of legends stepped forward and eyed the nobles and soldiers.
“I see why they didn’t shackle you,” Sera looked Rhian and up and down. “You have an incredible beast.”
“She is not a beast, nor my steed,” said Stryg from beneath the cowl of flowers.
“I am Rhiannon, Spear of the Ebon Tribe and Champion of Veres.” She gripped her spear and pointed it across the table at Sera. “Call me a beast again and I will stab you in the heart.”
“And I have the honor of calling her my friend,” Stryg said.
Sera smirked. “I like the feisty ones. Always fun to break them in.”
“You must be Lilith,” Stryg leaped off Rhian. He cut quite a small figure standing next to her.
Sera rested her chin on her hand and studied his appearance. “Shorter than I thought.”
Stryg pulled the cowl down and looked her in the eyes.
Sera sat up and her red lips broke into a wide smile. “My, the stories do not do you justice. I’ve never seen such a beautiful drow, not even Calex Thorn. If you surrender now, I’ll spare you, darling.”
“Sera,” Maud shook her head.
“You call me a drow. I take it you’ve never seen anyone like me,” Stryg cocked his head to the side in a way that unnerved Sera.
“Forgive Lady Lilith, she enjoys taunting her enemies,” Edil said.
“And what about you?” Stryg looked at the old vampire.
“I am Edil, lord of House Aldine, archmage and War Master of Frost Rim. And I prefer to get straight to the point. What are you doing here?”
Stryg pulled out Calex’s chair and sat down. Rhian stepped up behind him. “I’ve come to demand your surrender.”
Maud wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow, while Sera outright laughed.
Edil narrowed his scarlet eyes. “And why should we accept this—proposal?”
Stryg propped his legs on the table and made himself comfortable in the Thorn chair. “Because if you don’t, you are all going to die today. Starting with—” Stryg pointed at Sera, “You.”
“Ooh. How exciting,” Sera wiggled her shoulders. “And how do you plan to do it? Do you think you can get across the table fast enough? I do hope you try? It'll be fun to see you struggle against three archmages, little Aspirant. Who knows, maybe your pet can help you? Oh, I’m sorry, did I scare you?”
Rhian bristled at her words, but said nothing.
Stryg stared at Sera for a long moment. “Scare? You don’t know Fear. My aunt is a monster. Not the kind that you seem to fashion yourself as so proudly, suave and commanding of respect, no. Fear is an actual monster, the kind that you would pray to never meet. I have little memories of her, but I did learn something from her actions. Rather, I was inspired.”
Stryg tapped the side of his head, “You want to know what I’ll do if you reject my demands? You insulted my friend, so there won’t be a struggle. I will bleed you dry until the light of your eyes grows dark, and you will do nothing to stop it. Once your heart stops beating, and you feel the world grow cold, you will find yourself in a place where there is no escape, only darkness. Then I will show you fear.”
Sera’s smile had slowly died on her lips as Stryg spoke. She cleared her throat and chuckled, “You paint quite the picture. Just one problem with your ‘threat.’ Vampires can’t drink another vampire’s blood or did you forget that when you recited that little speech in the mirror this morning?”
“I’m a Veres, not a vampire, and as I said, you’ve never met someone like me.”
“I quite doubt that,” Sera said.
“Enough, Lady Lilith,” Edil said. “Lord Veres, you are brave to come alone with just your centaur, but let’s put aside the blustering. You demand our surrender? Why should we accept? What message does your mother have for us that we would even consider such a thing?”
Stryg glanced at Rhian, then back at the three nobles, “Who said we were alone?”