Erin Solstice was sleeping, and then she woke up. That was generally how her life worked. She squirmed about comfortably in the blankets that were her bed in one corner of the kitchen and then opened her eyes. Sleepily, she changed clothes beneath the sheets, grabbing freshly laundered clothes from the neat pile lying next to her bed. Ishkr was good at washing things.<\/p>\n
Next, Erin got up. She looked around, yawned, and then opened a cupboard for breakfast. Normally, in her world, she would have pulled out a box of cereal. Or a sugary pop tart. Or, if she was really energetic, she\u2019d go to the fridge for some eggs or find some bread to toast. But in this world, Erin reached into the cupboard and pulled out a steak, seared to perfection and glazed with a bit of butter and sauce. She stared at it and shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNah.\u201d<\/p>\n
She put the plate back in the cupboard and peered inside. After a second, Erin came out with a ham and cheese roll. She licked her lips and went over to her oven.<\/p>\n
It took Erin seconds to light the fire and find some tongs to warm the roll up over the fire. Soon it was steaming hot, and she juggled it as she bit into the warm sandwich. She looked around, opened another cupboard that she\u2019d labeled \u2018drinks\u2019, and pulled out a pitcher filled with milk. She filled a cup as she chewed and had herself a breakfast on a stool in the kitchen.<\/p>\n
Life was good. Erin hummed as she got out more food for breakfast. She\u2019d been thinking of introducing the wonders of muesli and fruit into the lives of her guests. It was certainly healthy, but she feared she\u2019d have a riot on her hands from Ceria, Jelaqua, and Mrsha, who all loved meat. And since Erin had had a roll, she decided she\u2019d postpone her tyranny via oats for another day and got out more premade sandwiches and began to toast them one by one.<\/p>\n
The trick to using her [Field of Preservation] Skill was to know if the food she was making needed to be rewarmed or if it was going to be okay cold. Because if it needed to be warmed up, it wasn\u2019t a good idea to toast it ahead of time. Then you\u2019d just burn the bread. Without a microwave and with only a fire, Erin had learned a lot about which foods could be reheated without drying out or catching on fire.<\/p>\n
The cold sandwiches quickly became hot, delicious meals on a big plate. Erin carried it out to the main room and heard rustling above her head. Lyonette and Mrsha were probably getting up about now. Erin smiled and hummed louder to herself, ready to face the day.<\/p>\n
Which reminded her. Erin went over to her magical door and checked the little wooden bowl filled with mana stones. Green, red, yellow\u2026they shone different colors as she picked up the red mana stone, ready to open the door to the Redfang\u2019s cave. It wasn\u2019t hard to figure out which mana stone led to which location; they were color coordinated after all. But Erin did wish she could make the magic of her door automatic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess that\u2019s the difference between a movie and real life. Yep, yep. The only difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erin nodded to herself and then grinned. She was about to open the door to the Redfangs\u2019 cave when she remembered that she did occasionally get the early-morning visitor from Liscor and Celum. And they tended to get stroppy<\/em> when she left them waiting at the door in Octavia\u2019s shop or in the rain for a few minutes\u2026or hours. She wasn\u2019t sure which was worse, standing in Liscor\u2019s ever-present rains or having Octavia try to sell you something as the fumes from her potion shop seared your sinuses.<\/p>\n \u201cProbably Octavia.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin sighed and found the green stone for Liscor. She slapped it on the door, opened the door, and stared into the wet and dark streets of Liscor just before dawn. No one there. She shrugged, closed the door, plucked the green mana stone off and found the blue stone for Celum. She placed it on the door and then opened it.<\/p>\n A Dragon stared at her through the doorway. His eyes were bright yellow, and his head was taller than she was. His nose was inches from Erin\u2019s face. She froze.<\/p>\n He was standing in a massive cave. Where was Octavia\u2019s shop? The question fled Erin\u2019s mind as the Dragon opened his mouth. Red and orange flames licked around his teeth as he spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cHuman girl, do not be afraid. I am\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAaah!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Erin screamed and punched<\/em> the Dragon straight in the nose. Instead of connecting with his scales, her fist passed through<\/em> the Dragon\u2019s face. Erin felt her fist connect with something else, though. Something that went crack.<\/em> She heard a yelp and a crash.<\/p>\n The Dragon vanished. Erin blinked as Octavia\u2019s shop, cluttered but familiar, appeared. And lying on the hardwood floor was a man with bright green hair. He was dressed in colorful blue robes decorated with magical symbols and mystical monsters like the dragon in gold, and he looked like he was in his mid-thirties. He was also lying on the ground, clutching a bleeding nose.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the heck?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin stared at the man and then looked around. Octavia\u2019s shop was right there, as it always was. And sitting behind her counter was Octavia, frozen in the middle of eating her breakfast\u2014a stale piece of bread with mold growing on one corner.<\/p>\n \u201cOctavia? What\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou punched the magician.\u201d<\/p>\n The Stitch-Girl stared at Erin and then slowly bit into her piece of bread. Erin stared at her and then heard a moan from the ground. She looked down. The [Mage] was getting up.<\/p>\n \u201cE-Eltistiman Verdue, Miss. At your service. I do apologize for the scare. Ooh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He covered his bleeding nose. Erin stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou were a Dragon. Why\u2019d you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n He winced.<\/p>\n \u201cI rather hoped it would have impressed you. Scared\u2014but impressed. I had an entire lineup ready to go, but I didn\u2019t expect you to punch<\/em> a Dragon in the nose. I\u2019m terribly sorry. Just let me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n With one hand covering his bleeding nose, he fished in his robes and came out with a handkerchief. He covered his nose with that and then bowed slightly to Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said, my name is Eltistiman Verdue. I am a [Magician]. Do I have the honor of speaking to Miss Erin Solstice, proprietress of The Wandering Inn?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right? You\u2019re a [Magician]? Are you some kind of illusionist? A performer?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin was starting to regret punching the man in the face. Sort of. What kind of a person sprang a Dragon on someone in the morning? Well\u2026someone like Eltistiman, apparently. He nodded, trying to tilt his head back, pose, and speak all at the same time.<\/p>\n \u201cI do tricks and wonderful illusions for all to see. I heard your inn was a gathering place for a wonderful new show\u2014by the Players of Celum? I had hoped to audition to join them as part of the attraction, but I fear my first attempt was somewhat off-putting. I beg your forgiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m really sorry. I, uh, just have a thing about Dragons. Actually, I\u2019m really<\/em> sorry I punched you.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin looked around frantically, then called out to Octavia.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, Octavia? Can I buy a healing potion?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Alchemist] brightened. So did Eltistiman. Erin beckoned him into the inn, flustered, embarrassed, and slightly amused all at once.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. Have a seat and a healing potion, on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, no, I couldn\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, really. You said you do illusions? I\u2019m sure the Players would love<\/em> to meet you, especially because Pisces has a job. You come over too, Octavia. And stop eating that bread! Is that the penicillin mold I wanted you to cultivate?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNah, this one\u2019s a bad batch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, stop eating it! Have some breakfast in my inn. I have hot rolls. Come on\u2014uh, Eltistiman you said? You can eat here. Do you like rolls? And what kind of illusions can you do?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin beckoned the bemused [Magician] into her inn as Lyonette and Mrsha appeared at the top of the stairs, the [Princess] holding a sword. They were soon followed by Jelaqua with a flail, who relaxed as soon as she saw there was no danger.<\/p>\n Erin sat Eltistiman down as her guests filed down the stairs, a bit early to breakfast and carrying weapons. The [Magician] apologized as he sat down for breakfast, and Erin found herself going into the kitchen for more rolls and some coins for Octavia, who wanted payment in advance.<\/p>\n That was how she started her day. And apart from that, it was fairly ordinary. For her, that was. For other people, the day began as ordinary but quickly became quite interesting indeed\u2026<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There was a lot Olesm could say about the culture around Drake [Tacticians] and [Strategists] and the way that Drakes made decisions, both militarily and politically. If pressed, he might even be able to say something complimentary. However, for all the chaos and infighting that went on between the Drake cities, it had to be said that they weren\u2019t all idiots.<\/p>\n When the news of the Goblin Lord\u2019s rout at Dwarfhalls Rest had reached the south (practically within minutes of it occurring thanks to the wonders of magic and paid informants), the Drakes had taken note and begun waiting for news of a pitched battle. But it never came.<\/p>\n Then they heard the Goblins were on the march with the Humans pursuing. A few suspicions had been raised, but there were countless reasons why Lord Tyrion\u2019s force might not have chosen to engage just yet, and so the Drakes had kept an earhole open while tending to their business. So a day had passed, then four days. And then eight.<\/p>\n By the ninth day, it was clear that the Humans were up to something. The Human army mustered by Tyrion Veltras had been pushing the Goblins at a breakneck pace, but they had yet to engage in any major clashes. The [Strategists] took a serious interest and came to a series of rapid conclusions.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re trying to push the Goblins into our lands.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm handed out a sheaf of transcribed reports to Zevara, Embria, and Ilvriss as they sat around a meeting table. All three Drakes sat up at once, and Zevara stopped yawning. She snatched the scroll from Olesm. The analysis from Zeres\u2019 top [Strategist] had been supported by five other Drake [Strategists], hence the mass of notes and addendums to the report itself. Her eyes flicked back and forth rapidly as Embria and Ilvriss read their reports as well.<\/p>\n The newly minted [Strategist] of Liscor hovered nervously until he realized he should take a seat. He\u2019d read the contents of the report already, and he\u2019d come to the same conclusion. Tyrion Veltras wasn\u2019t going to fight the Goblin Lord. He was going to push the entire army straight through the High Passes or around Liscor so they could cause more havoc in Drake lands.<\/p>\n \u201cThat scaleless, fleshy bastard!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Embria was the first to react. She hurled the report onto the table and stood up. She began striding about the conference room, her claws opening and closing as if she wished she were holding her spear. Ilvriss looked up and glowered.<\/p>\n \u201cSwifttail, do you concur with this analysis?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm gulped and sat up straight. He felt comfortable around the other Drakes normally\u2014okay, he\u2019d avoided sitting in the same room as Embria after she\u2019d tried to invite him out for drinks, and Ilvriss was still a Wall Lord\u2014but right now, he was in his official capacity, and this had a direct impact on the safety of Liscor. He cleared his throat, and his tail curled around his chair leg.<\/p>\n \u201cI, um, completely agree with the report. There\u2019s no reason why Tyrion Veltras wouldn\u2019t have attacked the Goblins already if he was intending to destroy the army. He outnumbers them both in quality and quantity<\/em> of his troops, which is clearly overkill.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClearly.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara muttered, still reading. Olesm nodded again. His leg jittered under the table, making the entire table vibrate slightly. He stopped and flushed.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry. It, uh\u2014yes, clearly he could have won at any time. But he delayed attacking for so long, and he\u2019s marched an entire army so far, at great expense I must add! If you factor in the cost of feeding so many soldiers and paying them, not to mention taking them away from their posts\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss was nodding.<\/p>\n \u201cClearly, he has a plan. And this is it. In true Human fashion, he intends to push the threat of the Goblins onto us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s sound strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n That came from Embria. The red-scaled Drake looked like she was stepping on hot coals, but she nodded grudgingly as she went back to sit down. She looked at the other Drakes as she spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cThat Goblin Lord\u2019s already destroyed two armies and taken out a pair of [Generals]. The Humans can let him rampage across our lands so that we\u2019re weakened. Maybe they intend to beat us during the annual battle at the Blood Fields, or maybe this is part of something larger. Either way, the Goblin Lord is their weapon to do it. They can run him south and claim he \u2018got away\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one would buy that, surely.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm protested weakly, but Ilvriss shook his head. The Drake ground his teeth together.<\/p>\n \u201cThe excuse would be flimsy, but it would work<\/em>, politically. We have an accord with the Humans that prohibits unprovoked assaults onto Drake sovereignty. So long as they can pretend that they have no direct hand in what the Goblins do, they can claim they\u2019re upholding the treaties.\u201d<\/p>\n He grimaced. The other Drakes sitting at the table went silent, and then Zevara spat a lick of flame.<\/p>\n \u201cPolitics.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She rolled up the scroll and tossed it at the table. Then she looked hard at Olesm. When she spoke, it was with the sharp edge to her tone that she used in battle. Olesm was relieved to hear it. Ilvriss might be a Wall Lord and Embria was technically his superior and an officer of Liscor, but Zevara was the Watch Captain. She held the walls, and she was the one who made the decisions that kept Liscor safe.<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm, you\u2019re convinced the Goblins are headed south. The question I have for you is this: are they coming through the High Passes or past Liscor?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm frowned and tapped the tips of his claws on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cThe report gives it seventy-thirty odds that they\u2019re going through the High Passes rather than Liscor. The Goblins can probably survive marching through the base of the High Passes with minimal casualties\u2014well, they\u2019d probably get at least half across with the Goblin Lord leading them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you disagree?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Strategist] hesitated. His mind was working hard now.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m considering that they might come through Liscor, yes. And if they do, we\u2019ll know soon.\u201d<\/p>\n He went over to the map of Izril he\u2019d brought to the table and pointed out Tyrion\u2019s current position on the map.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re four days away if they keep marching this fast. Maybe five or six if they hit delays, but four\u2019s my estimate. If it\u2019s the High Passes, though, we\u2019ll know tomorrow. They\u2019ll have to change course, and they\u2019ll be there two days from now.\u201d<\/p>\n Embria eyed the winding gap that marked the only other entrance point between north and south in the High Passes.<\/p>\n \u201cAssuming they do that, there\u2019s little we can do. They\u2019ll pop out far further west. But say they come to Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n She tapped Liscor on the map and pointed out the basin that Liscor lay roughly in the center of. Embria shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s foolish to try pushing the Goblins across the water while Liscor is flooded.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf they try to push the Goblins across the water, they\u2019ll die by the tens of thousands to our archers on the walls and the monsters and fish in the waters. We can range them, if not with bows, then with spells. And they won\u2019t have boats. They\u2019ll be sitting ducks!\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm nodded. That was what the [Strategist] from Zeres had written. But still\u2014he frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s true Wing Commander Embria, but the High Passes are just as deadly. It might be safer to dare crossing the basin, especially if Rock Crabs and assaults from Liscor are the only dangers. We<\/em> have limited arrows, and even if we slew\u2014what, forty thousand? How many arrows can our archers put out per minute? What if the Goblins travelled around the edge of the basin? That\u2019s still a huge force if this Goblin Lord can keep it alive. And more if they link up with the Goblins from the dungeon.\u201d<\/p>\n Embria paused. Ilvriss sat up slightly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think Tyrion Veltras is aware of the Cave Goblin situation and intends to grow the Goblin Lord\u2019s army?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt he knows, Wall Lord. But it might complicate matters if he finds them there.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss nodded slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cI have given much thought to the situation. There may be a few thousand Goblins living in the dungeon still, at least several hundred. Like all of the monsters that plague Liscor, they must be dealt with.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s stomach did an unhappy belly flop. Ilvriss sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is my duty to say they should be eradicated without mercy. But to slay them outright\u2026it sits ill on my conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir. I completely agree.\u201d<\/p>\n The Goblins had helped save the citizens of Liscor. More than that, Olesm had gotten to know the Redfang Goblins living in Erin\u2019s inn, and he couldn\u2019t fathom the idea of killing them. Embria clearly didn\u2019t share the same opinion, however.<\/p>\n \u201cThey may have served Liscor once, but they are<\/em> monsters, Wall Lord. If you wish to reward them, give them an hour to run and then send the Watch and my soldiers after them.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss glanced up.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think you could rout an army of two thousand Cave Goblins, Wing Commander Embria? With your 4th Company?\u201d<\/p>\n There were barely more than a hundred soldiers in her company. Olesm blinked, but Embria nodded confidently.<\/p>\n \u201cGive me a thousand Level 10 [Soldiers] and I could take on an army twice as large. Against Goblins? Four times. My company and I were deployed to hold Liscor. If the Goblin Lord comes through Liscor by water or these Cave Goblins need to be dealt with, the Watch supplemented by my soldiers can deal with either issue.\u201d<\/p>\n The red-scaled Drake smiled confidently. Ilvriss nodded slowly, and Zevara frowned, but didn\u2019t object. As for Olesm, he nodded slowly as he did the calculations. Embria wasn\u2019t lying or boasting\u2014much.<\/p>\n A hundred of her soldiers plus a thousand members of Liscor\u2019s Watch could do just what she said. They\u2019d proven it in the dungeon against the Raskghar; with low-level recruits and part of Liscor\u2019s army, they could take on threats vastly above their level. All thanks to Embria and her officers.<\/p>\n It was Liscorian strategy\u2014that was to say, a way of forming armies unique to Liscor. Liscor had an army of a few thousand strong at all times, a small army given how large the city was. Even smaller Human cities in the north half as large as Liscor had an army of at least five thousand! But the Watch was equivalent to any militia, and Liscor\u2019s regular army didn\u2019t need numbers to win battles. They had a trick, an open secret anyone in the military could figure out, really. And the secret had to do with classes.<\/p>\n At birth, each citizen of Liscor was formally conscripted into Liscor\u2019s army with a small ceremony. It was a trivial detail for most, but it was mandated by law. None of Liscor\u2019s citizens had<\/em> to join the army, mind you. It was a formality, but that formality mattered very much for how Liscor\u2019s army operated. Because it allowed them to promote their soldiers with impunity.<\/p>\n You couldn\u2019t have an unlimited amount of officers in an army. That went against common sense and military protocol. There was no way you could have two [Generals] in the same army, obviously. In the same way, higher-ranking officers required<\/em> a certain amount of [Soldiers] serving under them or they couldn\u2019t change classes, even if they were promoted in rank. That usually posed a slight problem in other armies, but not in Liscor\u2019s army.<\/p>\n Olesm wasn\u2019t sure of the numbers, but if one [Sergeant] was promoted to command eight soldiers\u2026or sixteen, or even thirty-two\u2026.there was a finite number that could be fielded in any army. And smaller armies of a few thousand would have a few hundred sergeants at most. But if every citizen of Liscor<\/em> was technically a soldier\u2026<\/p>\n It was the trick that made Liscor\u2019s army so deadly in small numbers. They had only a few thousand regulars in the army. But they had so many [Sergeants], [Captains], [Lieutenants], and even [Wing Commanders] that they could turn a group of low-level [Soldiers] into an army of war demons.<\/p>\n That was how Liscor fought. They kept an elite core of high-rank officers and constantly recruited soldiers who would fight under the effects of a dozen Skills at once. That was why a hundred or so of Embria\u2019s soldiers and officers could actually turn the tide of battle if they fought with the City Watch. That was how General Sserys had held the Antinium in the first Antinium War at Shivering Falls Pass, and it was why Liscor\u2019s army was famed throughout Izril.<\/p>\n Embria wasn\u2019t wrong to think she could beat an equal or greater force with help from the Watch, but Olesm knew Liscor\u2019s army wasn\u2019t invincible. It had suffered defeats like any other force, and the Second Antinium War and the assault on Liscor by Az\u2019kerash had shown just how weak Liscor\u2019s army was to an enemy with powerful magical support\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm? Olesm!\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake jumped. He looked around and realized Zevara was looking at him. He flushed and sat up.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, what was that, Watch Captain?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara ignored his lapse as she tapped the map in front of her.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the Goblin Lord will be pushed through the High Passes or go around Liscor. That\u2019s the contents of the report. What do you believe the reaction of the other cities will be?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNaturally, to ensure the Goblin Lord does not pass into Drake lands and disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss frowned. Olesm nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe that the Walled Cities will put forward a motion to gather a truly large suppression army at Pallass. Or Zeres, if the Goblins move through the High Passes instead of Liscor. They will attempt to meet the Goblins and force them back to the Human lands in turn\u2014or destroy them where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n He grimaced, imagining how difficult it would be for all the cities to send the required number of soldiers to Pallass in time to repel the Goblins. Zevara just nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, we can only wait to see what the Humans do. But if they come to Liscor, I\u2019ll make sure the Goblin Lord\u2019s army turns the waters red. I\u2019m going to check our ammunition stores and recheck the status of the enchantments on our walls. Wall Lord Ilvriss has agreed to communicate with the other cities, and Wing Commander Embria will do an inspection of our walls for weak points, if any. Is there anything else we should be doing?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019ll, ah, continue monitoring the progress of the Humans. I will of course report to you all when I have any information\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n He got up, trying to gather all the reports. Zevara nodded and turned. Embria was already striding out of the room. Ilvriss slid his report to Olesm. The older Drake sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother damn complication. It seems like every other week a disaster strikes Liscor. I should have known this one was coming; trust a Human to make our lives difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm couldn\u2019t argue with that. The enmity between Drakes and Humans was usually nothing pleasant, but he\u2019d grown used to Humans, living so close to their lands in Liscor. But this Tyrion Veltras was known for his anti-Drake stance, and he\u2019d personally fought against Liscor in the annual battles in the Blood Fields many times. If anyone could be considered an enemy among the Humans, it was him. Ilvriss sighed as he put his claws behind his back and faced the rain-spattered windows.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Watch Captain Zevara is overstating the danger. The Goblins may pass by our walls, but they\u2019ll be no threat. For once, Liscor may relax.\u201d<\/p>\n Our walls.<\/em> Olesm noted the words, but all he did was nod.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Wall Lord. But I thought I should bring it up given the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, of course. We must be informed at all times. You do your job with commendable attention, Swifttail.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss smiled fondly at Olesm, as an uncle would to a nephew. Rather like how Olesm\u2019s uncle Lism would puff up with pride, come to that. It wasn\u2019t a favorable comparison. The Wall Lord frowned suddenly as Olesm was rolling his map up securely.<\/p>\n \u201cThat reminds me. Young Olesm, I know you\u2019re an acquaintance of Miss Shivertail. Would you pass the results of the lottery to her or Guildmistress Tekshia in person? I would send a Street Runner, but I wouldn\u2019t put it past some adventurers to waylay any messenger in hopes of altering the results.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm jumped. He stared as Ilvriss pulled out a folded bit of parchment and proffered it to the [Strategist]. Olesm took it nervously.<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2014the lottery\u2019s finished?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was decided by random lots yesterday. Fairly. Most of the teams acquired some manner of magical artifact or other, and the rest will receive adequate gold as compensation. As will Liscor. Please inform the adventurers that they may begin picking up their shares here. In an orderly fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss sighed as if he was already anticipating angry mobs. Olesm nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll give it to Selys at once, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you, Swifttail. Now, I must inform Salazsar. Excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm left Ilvriss in the conference room. He stowed the reports and his map in his office and hurried down the stairs and out of the city hall. He paused and stared up at the rain as it instantly soaked his scales, but he didn\u2019t bother going back for his cloak, which he\u2019d forgotten in his office. Instead, he just tucked the parchment Ilvriss had given him into his waterproof belt pouch and hurried through the streets, grumbling about the rain.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t wait for all this water to stop. When\u2019s it going to end? It has to be next week at the latest, right?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Strategist]\u2019s aggrieved comments drew little notice from the Drakes and Gnolls hurrying about on their business in the wet streets. Complaining about the rain was practically a tradition in Liscor. That and moaning about clogged sewers or Quillfish. Then again, comments about the sewers had stopped due to a sudden improvement in the drainage system underneath Liscor, much to the displeasure of those who liked to groan about such things.<\/p>\n Olesm paused as a torrent of water from above nearly hit him. He shook a fist at a Drake who was unapologetically emptying a bucket from a balcony above and wondered when he\u2019d see the sun again. Maybe if he went to Celum after visiting Selys. It would be nice to see clear skies.<\/p>\n Clear skies.<\/em> Olesm paused as he stared up at the cloudy, rain-sodden skies. When would Liscor have clear skies? It had to be\u2026how long had it been raining? A month, now? He paused and then picked up his pace. But this time, he was staring up at the sky. The rain had to stop soon. Olesm felt that way as any native of Liscor did. But how soon? When, exactly, would it change? There was something about that thought that disturbed him greatly.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Day ???<\/strong><\/p>\n She dreamt she was floating in a sea of clouds. As high up as she could go and resting on a cloud as soft as cotton. But then she felt a hideous pain in her chest. She looked around and realized she was falling. And suddenly, she was bleeding, and she saw a Goblin staring at her with eyes like crimson fire\u2014<\/p>\n Durene shouted as she woke. She sat up and cried out in pain as whomever was standing next to her went flying. She heard a shout, and then someone rushed into the room. Durene was too busy clutching at her chest. It hurt<\/em>! But the pain was illusory\u2014as soon as she touched her chest, she felt only rough skin. Raised skin. A scar.<\/p>\n \u201cDurene?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Troll girl looked up. A young woman with a pointy hat stood in the doorway.<\/p>\n \u201cWiskeria? What\u2019s going on? Where are the Goblins? Where\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Durene tried to swing herself out of bed. She heard an exclamation and reached down, unthinking. She pulled up a terrified woman dressed in white. A [Healer]. She had both herbs and healing potions at her belt. Durene stared and slowly lowered the woman to the ground.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere am I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn Riverfarm. You\u2019re safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria reassured the young woman as the [Healer] fled out the door. Now that Durene was getting her bearings, she could see that she was in a house. It looked like\u2026one of the many houses that Laken had ordered built for the villagers, but wider, more open. Not her cottage. And when she looked down, she saw she was lying in a newly-made bed, made wider and longer to hold her. She looked around. Bright sunlight was streaming through the windows.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere am<\/em> I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a hospital. That\u2019s what Laken called it anyways. It\u2019s a place for the [Healers] to work. You\u2019re in a private room. In Riverfarm.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria repeated herself slowly. At last, her words sank in. Durene stared at the [Witch]-made-[General].<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the battle? There were Goblins. I was\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Again, she touched her chest. She realized she was bare from the chest up\u2014the [Healer] must have been tending to her. Durene looked down. Her dark grey, cracked skin was whole in most places, but there was a red wound on her chest, right between her breasts. It ran from just below her chin down nearly to her navel. It was nearly closed, but it was red. Puffy. It hurt<\/em>. Durene touched it and felt a flash of pain. She put her head down.<\/p>\n \u201cI got hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria nodded. The [Witch] tugged the hat brim lower on her head.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2026took a bad injury. We had to evacuate you from the battlefield, and so the wound didn\u2019t completely heal when we used the healing potion. There were also complications. If we\u2019d had a better one\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fine. It\u2019s not as if it makes me uglier.\u201d<\/p>\n Durene spoke numbly. It was not<\/em> fine. She ran her fingertips down her chest, feeling the scar again. Then she looked up sharply.<\/p>\n \u201cBut what about the battle? We won, right?\u201d<\/p>\n They had to have won. How else would they be here? Durene remembered the battle, hearing the soldiers screaming around her as they fought the Goblins. So many Goblins<\/em>. It had felt like they were pushing the entire army back, but Durene had held her ground and swung her club again and again, trying to hold them back. Until the fat hob with the battleaxe had appeared. She looked at Wiskeria, hoping. But the [Witch] only looked away.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2026lost. After you fell, Beniar charged to your rescue. That Chieftain took him down too. I called a retreat, and we ran. The Goblins nearly ran us all down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAll? Did they kill\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Durene\u2019s heart sank. Wiskeria shook her head hurriedly.<\/p>\n \u201cThey didn\u2019t get a chance. Another group of soldiers charged them. A group of cavalry led by Lord Pellmia. They came here with Tyrion Veltras himself.\u201d<\/p>\n The name stirred a thought in Durene\u2019s head. Veltras?<\/em> Wasn\u2019t that one of the Five Families? She stared at Wiskeria.<\/p>\n \u201cHow? I mean, how\u2019d they know to\u2014what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria hesitated, then sat on Durene\u2019s bed. The half-Troll girl found there were clothes folded near her bed\u2014her clothes from her cottage. She dressed silently as Wiskeria told her what had happened. First the army from Riverfarm had been routed, then Lord Pellmia had broken the Goblins in turn. They\u2019d disappeared, hunting the Goblins while Lord Tyrion himself had ridden to rescue Riverfarm.<\/p>\n All of that had happened as she slept. It was too much to take in. Durene put her head in her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I was out for all of it?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYou lost so much blood. Even the healing potion wasn\u2019t enough. And the [Healer] told us that you needed rest, so they put you here. You woke up a few times, mainly to use the toilet, but you were practically a zombie.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long was I asleep?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Witch] hesitated. Durene raised her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cHow long?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n When she spoke loudly, people tended to listen. Wiskeria didn\u2019t pale or freeze up, but she answered after a second.<\/p>\n \u201cNearly a week.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA week!?\u201d<\/p>\n Again, Durene tried to get out of bed. Wiskeria held up a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYou were practically dead when we brought you to Riverfarm! If you hadn\u2019t been as tough as you were, I think you would have been dead. Beniar had armor on, and he still nearly died! You took a blow from an enchanted axe to your chest and survived.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut we lost. And I lost. We lost the battle.\u201d<\/p>\n Durene felt completely adrift as she stared at Wiskeria. She saw how the [Witch] looked down, and a wave of despondency swamped Durene. She looked around frantically. She had to see him.<\/p>\n \u201cLaken. Where\u2019s Laken?\u201d<\/p>\n Part of her hoped he would be nearby. But Wiskeria didn\u2019t meet Durene\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s not in Riverfarm. He wanted to stay, Durene. He refused to leave your side, but Tyrion Veltras insisted. So he left. He was here every day until\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n She yelped as Durene grabbed her. The half-Troll lifted Wiskeria into the air as easily as a kitten and brought her closer to her face.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe left! He rode out with an escort two days ago! He wanted to stay! But Tyrion\u2019s messenger gave him no choice! Durene, put me down!\u201d<\/p>\n Durene realized she was shaking Wiskeria. She stopped and let the [Witch] drop. Wiskeria gasped as Durene took a step back.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Witch] shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly. All I know is that Laken struck a deal with Lord Tyrion Veltras. But he wouldn\u2019t tell me or Prost or Rie what it was for. He had the entire village of Riverfarm working these last few days. Now he\u2019s gone, and so is Gamel and Tessia and over thirty of the villagers. They\u2019ve taken\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Durene didn\u2019t hear the rest. She slowly sat down on the bed. Gone. Laken was gone, just like in her worst nightmares. And he\u2019d left without her.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t know what to think. She\u2019d lost. For the first time, she\u2019d actually lost a fight. She remembered the Goblin looking down at her as he swung the axe. She\u2019d lost.<\/p>\n And Laken was gone. Durene bowed her head. Then, suddenly, she looked up.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n Wiskeria wavered.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly. Durene, you\u2019re in no condition to move just yet. If you\u2019re thinking of following them, forget it. They had Skills and horses. They were trying to catch Tyrion Veltras, I think. And if he\u2019s where I think he is\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust tell me where! In what direction did he go?\u201d<\/p>\n Durene covered her face. She wanted to cry. Nothing was right in the world. She heard nothing for a moment, and then Wiskeria sat next to Durene. She put a hand on the Troll girl\u2019s shoulder, and Durene felt it trembling. She looked up and saw the desolation in Wiskeria\u2019s eyes too. They\u2019d failed. The two sat together for a moment, and then Wiskeria spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cSouth. They\u2019ve all gone south.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Olesm stood in the Adventurer\u2019s Guild and felt every eye on his back. He felt more in danger here than in a room full of zombies. There was nothing like having a dozen Gold and Silver-rank teams eying you from behind to get your heart racing. As casually as he could, he leaned over the counter.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s, uh, good to see you, Selys.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. What brings you here, Olesm?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Receptionist] looked unusually strained as she smiled back at Olesm. She was manning the desk in the Adventurer\u2019s Guild as always. But from what Olesm understood, that was not an enviable task at the moment. All the adventurers in Liscor had been fighting over who would get what from the lottery Ilvriss had created. And the fighting wasn\u2019t just verbal. Olesm could feel suspicious eyes on his back, and he was conscious of the slip of paper in his claws.<\/p>\n Ilvriss hadn\u2019t understated things. Olesm wondered if he\u2019d actually be jumped if he mentioned that he had the list of who got what in his claws. So, conscious of eyes on him and the various Skills that the adventurers had that would aid their senses of sight and hearing, he leaned forwards and pretended to smile.<\/p>\n \u201cI was actually hoping you could help me, you know, in my capacity as a [Strategist]? I need some information about Liscor\u2019s weather, and your grandmother\u2019s one of the oldest Drakes I know.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smiled, but her eyes flicked to the piece of paper Olesm covertly showed her. She looked at Olesm, and her tail twitched slightly. She knew. But she kept her face straight like the best of [Actors].<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Well, Grandma is<\/em> old, and apparently she knows a lot about Liscor. She won\u2019t shut up about how things worked in her day, at any rate. What do you need to know?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shrugged casually.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing much. I\u2019d just like to know when the rainfall usually stops.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rain? I\u2019d say it\u2019s due to stop soon, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but when,<\/em> exactly? Are there patterns? If Guildmistress Tekshia could tell me herself or point me to any books or reports on the subject, I\u2019d be grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, well in that case, I can take you to her. Why don\u2019t we go now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSounds good.\u201d<\/p>\n The two Drakes slid away from the desk and casually walked towards the stairs, bantering lightly. Olesm saw the Flamewardens, the Wings of Pallass, and two other Gold-rank teams sitting by the stairs. He could feel sweat rolling down his scales as the adventurers stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Olesm, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm and Selys froze as they passed by the not-leader of the Wings of Pallass, Bevussa. The Garuda smiled at him.<\/p>\n \u201cWe met during the battle. And the baseball game. How\u2019s it going?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, well. You know how it is. I\u2019m just on business for Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah? You work with Wall Lord Ilvriss, don\u2019t you? Any news about who got what yet?\u201d<\/p>\n The atmosphere sharpened to a razor\u2019s edge. Olesm saw Keldrass of the Flamewardens look up and a Gold-rank Gnoll slowly sniff the air. He tried to keep his tail from tying itself in knots.<\/p>\n \u201cT-the lottery? I\u2019ve got no idea. Wall Lord Ilvriss is making his decisions. If I knew anything, I\u2019d let you know, sorry. I\u2019m, uh, just going with Selys\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The [Receptionist] tugged Olesm, and he stumbled towards the stairs. Bevussa half-rose as her eyes narrowed, but the two Drakes practically ran upstairs. Selys pushed Olesm towards the end of the hall where Tekshia\u2019s office was. Only when they were a few feet from the doors did she finally slump.<\/p>\n \u201cAncestors, Olesm! You are the worst <\/em>liar I\u2019ve ever met! And I\u2019ve talked to the Antinium!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I panicked!\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm wiped sweat from his brow, then he froze.<\/p>\n \u201cCan they hear us\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, there\u2019s an anti-eavesdropping spell around Grandma\u2019s office. They can\u2019t hear a thing. Is that really the list of rewards?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm showed Selys the parchment. She snatched it from him and unfolded it.<\/p>\n \u201cHey!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up. Let\u2019s see here\u2026oh wow. Griffon Hunt got their first pick, the bow, the Halfseekers didn\u2019t get their armor, but they did<\/em> get a mace, the Wings got a sword, and the Flamewardens got the armor\u2014this isn\u2019t good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm craned his neck to see the neat scrawl. Selys tsked<\/em> as she read.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but it was going to be bad no matter what. All that fighting\u2014why couldn\u2019t Ilvriss have hurried up? Well, I guess either way\u2026there\u2019ll be a huge brawl when the adventurers hear who got what, you mark my words. Grandmother\u2019s probably going to have to get them to leave the city before she tells them or something. Otherwise, they\u2019ll wreck half the guild.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Strategist] winced.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s none of my business. I\u2019m just the messenger.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight, message received. I\u2019ll get this to Grandma. You can go.\u201d<\/p>\n Selys waved a claw at Olesm. He hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cActually, I was serious about the rainfall question.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt may be a matter of Liscor\u2019s security.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? No, wait, I don\u2019t want to know. Let\u2019s just get this over with. Grandma\u2019s not going to be happy about the Halfseekers, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? Does she favor them?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but she has a thirty-gold bet they\u2019d get the armor. Hold on. Grandma?\u201d<\/p>\n Selys raised her voice and knocked on the door. Olesm heard a muffled sound from within and then jumped as he heard a thump.<\/em> It sounded like someone had thrown something heavy against the door. Selys frowned and then the door opened, and a pair of people spilled out.<\/p>\n \u201cRevi? Yvlon?\u201d<\/p>\n The two women scrambled out of Tekshia\u2019s office as if they were being chased. They paused and stared at the two Drakes. Revi was smiling more widely than Olesm had ever seen her, and Yvlon looked pleased. However, both adventurers quickly shut the door behind them.<\/p>\n \u201cSelys, Olesm, I didn\u2019t realize you were outside.\u201d<\/p>\n Yvlon nodded at the two of them. Revi just kept smiling. It was quite eerie compared to her usual scowl. Olesm blinked. Selys folded her arms.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? I thought you two were meeting Grandmother on adventuring business.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe were. Just a casual update for Liscor\u2019s guild.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi pointed back to the door. Selys rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cIn that case, why did she throw her spear at you? Don\u2019t lie\u2014I recognize that thump.\u201d<\/p>\n Yvlon and Revi exchanged a quick glance. The armored woman was the first to answer.<\/p>\n \u201cYour grandmother\u2019s insane, Selys. She could have hit us!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOnly if you really made her mad. Sounds like she was trying for it anyways. What happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell\u2026we drew the short straws, so we had to meet her.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi and Yvlon exchanged glances. They didn\u2019t seem too displeased despite their brush with death. Selys frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n Yvlon coughed, and Revi shrugged. The two looked too happy. Olesm narrowed his eyes. Selys made a displeased hissing sound.<\/p>\n \u201cJust tell me, would you? You told my grandmother\u2014she\u2019ll tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, but we didn\u2019t tell her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShush!\u201d<\/p>\n Revi nudged Yvlon. The Stitch-Woman smiled at Selys.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t give out details, Selys. But you know how adventurers have to report income to the Adventurer\u2019s Guild?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Selys and Olesm nodded. Adventurers generally owed ten percent of everything they made to the guild. Normally, that was pre-deducted in cases of requests, but when adventurers found treasure in dungeons, they were required to pay a tax on what they earned, both to the Adventurer\u2019s Guild and the city if the dungeon was on their lands. Olesm knew Selys would have to fill out a myriad of forms after the Raskghar\u2019s treasure had been divided up.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone knows that. What, did your groups find some more treasure in the dungeon? If you did, you\u2019ll have to pay up just like everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n The two adventurers grinned giddily. Now, Olesm was seriously beginning to be weirded out. He took a step behind Selys as Revi replied.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, we know. And normally, we\u2019d have to disclose everything<\/em>. But, ah, not this time. We were just stopping by to let Guildmistress Tekshia know that our teams\u2014that is, Griffon Hunt, the Halfseekers, and<\/em> the Horns of Hammerad\u2014received a huge amount of income. And we\u2019re not paying for any of it. She was just testing us with truth spells.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? <\/em>But you have to pay! Grandmother wouldn\u2019t let you two off unless\u2014that\u2019s illegal!\u201d<\/p>\n Selys stared at Revi and Yvlon. Again, the adventurers shook their heads.<\/p>\n \u201cNot if it\u2019s a gift. Gifts aren\u2019t taxable under the Adventurer Guild\u2019s laws. And it just so happens that we got a huge \u2018gift\u2019 of treasure the Raskghar left behind. So it\u2019s all ours and we don\u2019t owe the guild a copper coin.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi smirked. Olesm raised a hand timidly.<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s just a technicality. If it was in the dungeon, it\u2019s still acquired loot. You can\u2019t just claim it\u2019s a gift to be exempt. If you found it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s the thing. We didn\u2019t<\/em> find it, so it wasn\u2019t adventurers\u2019 loot. We got it from the Goblins. They had all the treasure. All of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Redfang Goblins did? But they\u2019re adventurers too!\u201d<\/p>\n Selys looked astounded. Revi\u2019s smile only grew wider as she shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what we thought. But guess what? Apparently, Erin told us that they were made a team yesterday. Funny thing, that. I thought they were supposed to be regular adventurers already, but it sounds like someone<\/em> confused the paperwork so they wouldn\u2019t have to give the Goblins any of the treasure we got.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm blanched as Selys shot him a quizzical glance. He remembered that discussion with Ilvriss and Zevara. They\u2019d fudged the paperwork so that the Redfang Goblins would be exempt from the lottery.<\/p>\n \u201cT-that, how do you know that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, we don\u2019t care. And they don\u2019t either. But that means they were just random\u2026Goblins until yesterday. And they gave us all the treasure three days ago. So\u2026guess what?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi assured Olesm. She was still smiling. Slowly, Olesm began to put the pieces together. He paled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t mean\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s right! Your Guildmistress nearly strangled us, but we checked the law, and we\u2019re in the clear. She can\u2019t claim that\u2019s dungeon treasure, not if the Goblins had it first and they weren\u2019t adventurers. So all of this is a private donation by individuals unaffiliated with the Adventurer\u2019s Guild or Liscor<\/em> to us. Which means we owe you nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s jaw dropped. He didn\u2019t know how much Revi was talking about, but the huge grin the Stitch-Woman wore and the pleased expression on Yvlon\u2019s face told him everything. Selys stared at Revi as well. The [Summoner] wore the evilest, smuggest smile Olesm had seen on any face, Human, Drake, or otherwise.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Grandmother let you live?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe nearly got us with that spear. But we\u2019re in the clear. If she wants to argue, she can try, but we don\u2019t have to tell you what we got. We\u2019ve done our duty by disclosing the rough amount, and we\u2019ve been checked under truth spell. Now we owe you nothing. See you!\u201d<\/p>\n Revi waved at the two Drakes and then practically bounced down the corridor. She was actually singing<\/em> to herself. Yvlon smiled and paused before following her.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, but that\u2019s how it is. It\u2019s\u2026good seeing you two. Keep it a secret, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n She followed Revi. The two Drakes stared as Yvlon and Revi walked down the stairs. Slowly, Selys looked at Olesm.<\/p>\n \u201cGrandmother\u2019s going to have a heart attack. If I walk in that room, she\u2019s going to be dead\u2014or about to blow her scales off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Wall Lord Ilvriss and the Council will have my tail.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm groaned. He was putting the pieces together now. The Redfang Goblins\u2014or rather, the Cave Goblins must have known about the Raskghar\u2019s treasure stash! Of course they wouldn\u2019t have kept it in their mobile camps! And Revi was exactly right\u2014it wasn\u2019t taxable! By preventing the Redfang Goblins from earning their reward, Liscor had just lost\u2026<\/p>\n The [Strategist] was about to smack his head repeatedly into a wall when he noticed Selys smiling. He looked suspiciously at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019re you happy about? This is a disaster!\u201d<\/p>\n Selys smirked in a pretty good replica of Revi\u2019s expression.<\/p>\n \u201cFor Liscor and the guild, probably. But did you forget? I\u2019ve been leasing the Heartflame Breastplate to the Halfseekers. Under our agreement, I get 30% of whatever the Halfseekers make. It\u2019s no scales off my<\/em> tail.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s jaw dropped. He opened his mouth to protest, but Selys just opened the door to Tekshia\u2019s office. She called in cheerfully.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Grandma! Lower your spear, it\u2019s just me. The adventurers are gone. Bad news, huh? I\u2019ve got more! Ilvriss finally gave us the lottery results, and there\u2019s going to be a fight! Oh, and Olesm is here with a question for you. He\u2019s one of the people who helped make it so the Redfang Goblins got registered at the wrong time, by the way. Olesm?\u201d<\/p>\n She waved at Olesm. The [Strategist] felt his scales go white. He stared at Selys as he heard a guttural hissing <\/em>sound coming from inside the office. He wavered at the door, and then he slapped himself and focused. He had to know about the rains. He stepped inside\u2014<\/p>\n Below the office, the adventurers who weren\u2019t Revi and Yvlon were sitting together, glaring at each other and speculating about why they looked so happy. They looked up as one as they heard a shout of terror. They saw Olesm Swifttail dash downstairs, crash, roll, and spring to his feet and run out of the Guild\u2019s doors. He was pursued a moment later by an angry old Drake holding a barbed spear.<\/p>\n Olesm ran frantically and felt Tekshia\u2019s spear graze his shoulder. He ducked and ran faster as the old Drake hurled obscenities at his back. He resolved not to go near the Adventurer\u2019s Guild for a month. As Olesm ran, he felt the immediate, temporary fear of Tekshia\u2019s wrath subside and a truer, deeper panic set in. Because in between the Guildmistress\u2019 fury and his flight, he\u2019d learned what he needed to know.<\/p>\n The rains would stop any day now. And when they did\u2014<\/p>\n Well, Liscor would still be safe. In theory. But now, Olesm was worried. He ran straight towards the Watch Barracks to find Zevara. And to warn her of an impending brawl at the Adventurer\u2019s Guild.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Lord Yitton Byres had lived for over fifty-three years. He did not consider himself a humble man, but he did consider himself somewhat practical. And he did not think of himself as a good man, a failing often found in genuinely good men. Or realists. But he had lived as honorably as he could for over five decades and faced more than his fair share of monsters despite never having taken up arms as a [Knight].<\/p>\n He thought he had faced enough beasts and creatures of evil in his life. But the night after Tremborag had fallen, Yitton Byres found himself pouring an uncharacteristic first, second, and third cup of wine to steady his nerves. Yitton tossed down the third cup of the strongest and cheapest wine he\u2019d been able to buy from the [Quartermaster]. It didn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n He could still smell the burning flesh. He could still hear Tremborag\u2019s howl, a sound that hadn\u2019t ceased even when they tore open his chest and cut him to the bone. Yitton closed his eyes. The Great Chieftain of the Mountain had not died, though he had been speared through the heart, though they had torn him practically to shreds.<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods. I thought I\u2019d seen the last of such monsters in the Second Antinium War. How many more beasts like that roam the earth? Hidden in mountains? Underground?\u201d<\/p>\n His blood chilled at the thought. And it grew colder still to think of one of his offspring, Ylawes, for instance, facing a beast like that alone. Six Gold-rank adventurers had died or been maimed in the battle. Six.<\/em> Yitton was proud of his son and ranked the Silver Swords highly even among the continent\u2019s Gold-rank teams. But Tremborag was a monster worthy of a Named Adventurer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy didn\u2019t Arcsinger bring him down? She didn\u2019t fight. If she had\u2014no, Veltras had his reasons. And perhaps he would have killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n That<\/em> was a troubling thought. Yitton hadn\u2019t ever laid eyes on the last Goblin King; he\u2019d fought to protect his home and faced off against a Goblin Chieftain and even laid eyes on a Goblin Lord, but he had not seen the Goblin King. As far as he was concerned, though, Tremborag had been every bit as terrifying as a Goblin Lord.<\/p>\n \u201cSilver and steel. I should [Message] Ylawes. I haven\u2019t seen him in too long. And Yvlon\u2014where is she? Ylawes swore he\u2019d bring her back, but I\u2019ve not heard word from him or her. Are they\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton was pouring himself another cup when he heard a knock at his tent\u2019s flap. He turned.<\/p>\n \u201cEnter.\u201d<\/p>\n Lord Erill, one of the richer [Lords] and newly come to his nobility, pushed himself through the tent. His expression was a mirror of Yitton\u2019s own; pale, somber. For a camp that had just brought down a Goblin Chieftain, the mood was terribly quiet. Yitton rose at once, although he found himself stumbling slightly as the effects of the alcohol hit him. He was not a strong drinker.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Erill, greetings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYitton.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill nodded to him. It was not a slight since Yitton had requested the informality, but the patriarch of the Byres house couldn\u2019t help but use the man\u2019s title. Far too many other [Ladies] and [Lords] tended to slight Lord Erill, and Yitton abhorred that kind of disrespect. At the moment, however, Erill shivered as if he\u2019d like nothing more than to be a [Merchant] a thousand miles from here. He looked at Yitton, opened his mouth, and then spotted the pitcher of wine.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that you\u2019ve got there, Yitton? Wine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. Cheap stuff, though. I\u2019d offer you a drink, but it\u2019s practically vinegar.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d drink that if I could forget today. Will you offer me a glass?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton poured Erill a full cup, and after a moment of thought, did the same for himself. Erill drank his cup as fast as Yitton. Some of the color ran back into his face.<\/p>\n \u201cDead gods.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI warned you.\u201d<\/p>\n The other man shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, crude is what I need. I could use another cup, in fact. Thank you. I still can\u2019t unsee that monster. I\u2019m no [Warrior], Yitton. I\u2019m not ashamed to say that I\u2019m still terrified of that beast, headless or not.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not the only one.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton gulped down his wine. He shook his head briskly, feeling the liquid warm him from within. Erill breathed out slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cTo think it took that long to bring him down. When we had archers and mages and\u2014I thought he was done for when Tyrion ran him through with a lance, didn\u2019t you? But he survived that. Are they truly heartless, those Goblins? Or did he have several hearts, like some monsters?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked quizzically at Yitton. The older [Lord] shook his head. He nearly poured himself a fifth cup and then stopped himself. He still had to ride tomorrow.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. He was dead the moment Veltras struck him. We just didn\u2019t believe it. And he tore us to pieces before we had the sense to leave him alone.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue.\u201d<\/p>\n The two men stood in silence for a while. That was the irony of it. The soldiers had assaulted Tremborag relentlessly, attacking him from all sides, and they had paid the price in blood. But when they\u2019d drawn back, the Great Chieftain had seemed to lose track of them. He\u2019d just\u2026walked away. Northwards. Towards his mountain. And stopped.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel like a victory.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I think we underestimated this Tremborag. It was worth the price to see him fall, but I can\u2019t call this a triumph. A necessity perhaps, but\u2026no, not a victory.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton shook his head. Erill nodded. He tilted his cup up, realized it was empty, and set it on Yitton\u2019s plain table. It was cheap wood; Yitton hadn\u2019t brought a bag of holding with him, and so his furnishings were part of the camp\u2019s supply.<\/p>\n \u201cYou live simply, Yitton. I\u2019d offer you a spare tent of mine if I thought you\u2019d take it. But I\u2019ll spare such pleasant negotiations for another night. Right now, I\u2019m remembering why I came here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot to poison yourself on my wine?\u201d<\/p>\n Erill almost smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think you had a sense of humor, Byres. No. We\u2019re to meet Lord Tyrion for a late-night repast. I should have gotten you right away, but I got distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion wants us?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton was surprised. He set down his cup and strode towards the tent flaps. Then he checked himself.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m filthy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe won\u2019t mind. We should be there soonest. And I\u2019ve got a Wand of [Cleansing] somewhere on me\u2014I\u2019ll find it as we walk. Come on; if I can\u2019t drink in your tent, I suppose we\u2019d better meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy we, do you mean you and I? Or a gathering of all the nobility?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton followed Erill out of the tent. The camp was busy as always; torches and [Light] spells clearly illuminated the area for patrolling sentries. But there were more people out tonight than usual; Yitton saw more than a few men and women in the shared camp for officers and the nobility drinking and sticking together. He understood the urge.<\/p>\n \u201cNot just us, no.\u201d<\/p>\n Lord Erill walked briskly ahead of Yitton, rummaging in a bag of holding at his side. He turned back and glanced at Yitton.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo of our peers have been invited to this very select gathering. Any ideas who they might be?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton didn\u2019t have to think.<\/p>\n \u201cGralton and Lady Ieka.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCorrect. The same group that went to so boldly challenge Tyrion to his face. He\u2019s summoned us and apparently has a surprise in store. It\u2019s a smart move; I doubt the other nobility will whine more than usual since it\u2019s we four.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey won\u2019t? But I\u2019m not\u2014I could understand Tyrion\u2019s mistake, but me?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton was baffled. He wasn\u2019t an important noble! House Byres probably earned in a year what Erill\u2019s estates could make in a month. No, a week! And Yitton was hardly as accomplished a [Lord] as, say, Pellmia. But Erill just laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cThink on it, Yitton! We\u2019re the best representatives to see whatever Tyrion\u2019s cooked up! Can\u2019t you understand why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid not. Kindly illuminate me.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill shrugged. He found his wand at last and tossed it at Yitton. The [Lord] carefully ran the wand down his smudged and muddy tunic, blinking as he saw the wrinkles and stains vanish and the mud slough off. That was a lot of money just to enchant an entire wand to clean clothes. He carefully handed it back to Erill. The [Lord] flicked it into his bag of holding and responded.<\/p>\n \u201cEach one of us is important in our own way. Tyrion could have invited two dozen nobles or all of us, but he\u2019s chosen to have an intimate gathering. Less chance of interruptions I suspect, and he has our measure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo on. Why we four especially?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t see it? Gralton\u2019s an excellent fighter and leader, in his own way. He might be a hothead and smell like wet dogs, but he can evaluate good strategy when he sees it. Lady Ieka is both a [Mage] and one of the most powerful [Ladies] I know. My money commands authority, if not respect.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd my estates are neither large nor powerful or influential. Where do I fit in this gathering?\u201d<\/p>\n Erill smiled. It wasn\u2019t the charming smile that Yitton had seen him using in public. Instead, Erill\u2019s true smile looked sardonic. Not at Yitton, but the world in general.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy, you\u2019re the honest one, Yitton. Every secret gathering needs at least one honest man. Who would they trust if not you? Gralton? Ieka? Me? Or take Tyrion at his word? No, but they\u2019d trust Yitton Byres.\u201d<\/p>\n That paused Yitton, but only for a second. He strode forwards to catch up with Erill.<\/p>\n \u201cI see. I don\u2019t consider myself particularly trustworthy, though. And if it\u2019s honorable Tyrion wants, he would be better served by a [Knight].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpoken like a trustworthy, honorable sort. Besides, Tyrion seems to like you. Honorable men must not be something he encounters every day. A shame he couldn\u2019t find an honorable woman while he was at it, but I suppose you can\u2019t have everything. Come, Yitton, you understand my point.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton did, but he was troubled by the implications on a few levels. He bit back any response though; he had to admit that he was slightly pleased by Tyrion Veltras\u2019 trust in him. The man was hard to like on some levels, but there was much to admire as well.<\/p>\n The two [Lords] walked in silence through the camp, listening to the noise and horns blowing for the dead, as was the tradition for some cities. Yitton had been present when the corpses were cremated; some of the adventurers or ranking officers\u2019 bodies had been preserved for burial in their homelands. After a while, Erill spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cStill, that Goblin Chieftain\u2026it makes you think that Tyrion really knows what he\u2019s doing. Sending the Goblins into Drake lands, that is.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou think that\u2019s his plan?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomething like it. I think he\u2019s realized keeping it secret\u2019s pointless now. Everyone knows what he\u2019s up to, Drakes and Humans both.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s true.\u201d<\/p>\n If there was one thing you could say about Izril\u2019s Human nobility, it was that they employed people who weren\u2019t idiots. And some of the nobility were fairly intelligent, too. They\u2019d come to the same realization as the Drake [Strategists] quickly enough when they\u2019d tracked their progress on a map. By now, the entire camp knew what Tyrion Veltras was doing: sending the Goblin Lord and all the Goblins into Drake lands.<\/p>\n The idea had shocked Yitton the first time it had been suggested. He was no lover of the Drake people, with all their pride and hotheadedness and provocations, but he had grown used to the idea of the peace they had between north and south. True, tempers flared occasionally, and then both races would send an army to fight in the Blood Fields during a preselected time, but that was different from this<\/em>. This was tantamount to war, but it wouldn\u2019t be because of politics.<\/p>\n Few shared his reservations, though. The hostility towards Tyrion\u2019s mysterious behavior had all but vanished when the nobility learned what he was intending. In fact, many of the nobles had begun to treat it as if it were some glorious prank, the height of cunning.<\/p>\n \u2018A present for the Drakes.\u2019 <\/em>Yitton Byres had heard others saying it, almost as a joke. But he wasn\u2019t laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t know that\u2019s what Tyrion intends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, we\u2019ll know soon enough. We\u2019re almost here. Good evening Lady Ieka, Gralton.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill raised a hand, and Yitton saw they\u2019d arrived at Tyrion\u2019s personal tent. It was certainly large enough to host a gathering, and the two nobles standing outside the tent looked like they were dressed for the occasion. Each in their own way.<\/p>\n Lady Ieka wore a semi-translucent gown of enchanted fabric that looked scandalous at first\u2014until you realized that the outer layer was simply there to highlight the darker inner blue, so that the transparent outer layer looked like water moving over a dark ocean, flecked by distant stars. The effect was beautiful and mesmerizing.<\/p>\n By contrast, Gralton wore his travel gear, and he hadn\u2019t bothered to use any spells. He looked dirty from riding, and he seemed as if he could sit down at a rowdy banquet and begin quaffing at any moment. Both nobles stood far apart from each other. Gralton sniffed at Yitton and Erill.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re late.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton opened his mouth to apologize, but Erill smoothly cut in.<\/p>\n \u201cApologies. I delayed in picking up Yitton. I was tempted by the idea of drowning my thoughts, but then I recalled that we were supposed to be here, enjoying Lord Tyrion\u2019s social graces, which he is of course known for. Have we any word of who our mystery guest might be?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean the one that\u2019s been housed in the finest tents? And the mysterious influx of commoners? Not a clue. But he\u2019s inside. And it is a he.\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Ieka raised two perfectly shaped eyebrows. She stood with the three men in a circle as they spoke. Yitton glanced towards the tent flaps.<\/p>\n \u201cShould we announce ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t bother. He knows we\u2019re here. Tyrion\u2019s kept us waiting until you two arrived. Childish. And don\u2019t bother knocking. There\u2019s a powerful anti-detection spell on that tent. He\u2019s taking this seriously, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGoing to tell us what everyone knows? That we\u2019re giving the Goblins to the Drakes with a bow on top? Feh. I don\u2019t need to listen to that.\u201d<\/p>\n Gralton spat, which earned him a reproving glance from Erill and Ieka. Yitton just frowned. He opened his mouth to voice his opinion, but then Tyrion\u2019s tent flap opened. Jericha, the personal [Mage] and Tyrion\u2019s aide, opened the tent flap.<\/p>\n \u201cMy lords and ladies, I apologize for the delay. Lord Veltras welcomes you to a minor repast. Please, enter.\u201d<\/p>\n The nobles exchanged a look, and then they entered, Ieka in front, Gralton, and then Erill and Yitton bringing up the rear. He swallowed the words he was about to say as he entered the tent and saw the dining table set up with expensive cutlery and porcelain dishes. There was more than a light repast set on the table, and six chairs had been set around the table.<\/p>\n If the nobles had listened to Yitton a moment longer, they might not have been so surprised later on. For Yitton had his own opinion of what was going on. He was no [Strategist], but he knew Tyrion, if by reputation alone. Simply pushing Goblins into Drake lands? It couldn\u2019t be that simple. And when he saw the young man standing next to Tyrion, he was certain.<\/p>\n His eyes were closed, so Yitton could not see the color of his irises, but the young man was thin, and his hair was flaxen, slightly darkened, and his skin pale. His clothes were simple, far too plain for any [Lord], even a poor one. Laken kept his eyes shut as the nobles entered the tent and stared at him. And Tyrion Veltras. The [Lord] stood next to the young man, as if they were equals.<\/p>\n Yitton stared at the youthful stranger. Even Erill was older than him by at least a decade. He could have passed for a commoner with his garb. And yet, he had a presence. Yitton saw the young man tilt his head towards the four nobles. And still, he did not open his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion. We\u2019ve come at your request. Who is this?\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Ieka did not waste time. She peered at the stranger, her eyes narrowed as she flicked her gaze to Tyrion. The [Lord]\u2019s face was impassive as he indicated a chair.<\/p>\n \u201cI apologize for the delay, Lady Ieka. Please, have a seat.\u201d<\/p>\n Then he turned to the young man standing beside him.<\/p>\n \u201cYour Majesty, I present to you Lady Ieka of House Imarris, Lord Gralton of House Radivaek, Lord Erill of House Fienst, and Lord Yitton of House Byres. They serve as representatives to the larger gathering of nobility and are among those I trust to keep the nature of tonight\u2019s conversation secret.\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka froze in the middle of sitting down. Yitton felt his knees quiver. Did Tyrion just say \u2018Your Majesty?\u2019 <\/em>He saw Gralton snort in surprise and Erill\u2019s eyebrows raise. The merchant [Lord] cast a sharp glance towards the young man. Yitton saw the closed eyes turn towards him. And still, the stranger had not opened his eyes. Yitton felt a chill as he recalled a rumor he\u2019d heard.<\/p>\n A blind man. A foreigner carrying jewels and gold who appeared in Invrisil. A stranger who had attracted the attention of Magnolia Reinhart.<\/em><\/p>\n The Unseen Emperor.<\/em><\/p>\n Yitton stared at the young man. Lord Tyrion nodded. He met Yitton\u2019s eyes briefly, then looked around the tent. He spoke softly.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Ieka, gentlemen, I present to you [Emperor] Laken Godart of Riverfarm. Please, have a seat. We have much to discuss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all part of his plan. Tyrion Veltras, that is. He\u2019s going to take the Goblins to Liscor. And when he arrives\u2014in a few days\u2014the waters will be gone.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shook as he reached for a mug. He\u2019d ordered alcohol despite it being only early morning. He needed a drink to steady his nerves. He didn\u2019t know why he\u2019d dragged Zevara to The Wandering Inn, but something about it reassured him. And he didn\u2019t want to discuss this in the Watch House, not if he was wrong.<\/p>\n Zevara drummed her claws on the table, eying Olesm as he sipped from his mug. It was a dark lager, which Erin seemed quite proud of for some reason. It tasted normal to Olesm, but Zevara had ordered the same.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you asked me out for a drink, I didn\u2019t think we\u2019d be talking about strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm looked up sharply. Zevara grinned sheepishly at him. He didn\u2019t smile back, and the Watch Captain leaned forwards. She coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, bad joke. Are you sure<\/em>, Olesm? The waters will recede around Liscor in four days\u2019 time? Right as he\u2019s getting here?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Strategist] nodded. He saw his claws steady on his mug as the alcohol went down. He took a deep breath. It was going to be okay. It was just\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s timed it perfectly<\/em>, Zevara. Any day now, the rains will stop. And when they do, Liscor has only a few days before the waters drain. You know how fast the water levels go down. After that, Liscor\u2019s surrounded by mud, but you can fight in mud. Or lay siege in it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you\u2019re sure it\u2019ll be then? How can you be certain?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTekshia thinks it\u2019ll be around then. I asked her before she nearly gutted me, and she told me that there is a pattern to when the rains start and stop. It\u2019s not precise, but you can get within a few days of when it\u2019ll occur. And\u2014it\u2019s too much of a coincidence. First Tyrion camped his army without moving and only now<\/em> he makes his move? He\u2019s timed this, I\u2019ll bet my class on it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara scowled and sat back in her chair. The two Drakes stared at each other in grim silence\u2014for all of a second. Then they heard Erin breeze past them.<\/p>\n \u201cFries! Here\u2019s your fries, Olesm! And for you, Zevara, a bowl of fish flakes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Thanks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm looked around. Erin\u2019s inn wasn\u2019t exactly hopping, but it was doing good business. The young woman had Gnolls and Drakes and Humans eating in her inn, a few of which Olesm recognized as regulars.<\/p>\n There were a few new faces like the [Mage] with the gaudy robes sitting at a table just next to Olesm\u2019s. And was that a Cave Goblin walking in and out of the kitchen? Olesm spotted Numbtongue sitting at a table, playing on a guitar. He shook his head and focused back on Zevara.<\/p>\n \u201cThe waters will fall. And he\u2019ll march the Goblins straight in here. It\u2019s safer than the High Passes. And if they\u2019re not swimming, they can run right around Liscor with minimal casualties. Or there\u2019s a worse option.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo on.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara\u2019s grip tightened on her mug. Olesm took a deep breath.<\/p>\n \u201cThey make the Goblins assault the city.\u201d<\/p>\n He stared at Zevara for a few seconds in grim silence. The Watch Captain blinked, and then she laughed. She drank from her mug and chewed down a few fish flakes.<\/p>\n \u201cYou had me worried there, Olesm! That\u2019s not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re sure?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm\u2019s racing heart finally began to slow. Zevara nodded, chewing her food with good humor.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way. Even if a hundred thousand Goblins attacked our walls tomorrow, we could hold them. This isn\u2019t like the moths. There were probably at least a hundred thousand of them, and they could fly<\/em>. The Watch is thousands strong, and we have enchantments on our walls, Embria\u2019s company, Wall Lord Ilvriss\u2026and the Antinium.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s true, but I was considering the timing, and I thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara shook her head. She indicated the fries, and Olesm realized he hadn\u2019t touched his food. He began to eat as she replied.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, you\u2019re dead right about the Goblins moving through Liscor. Damn, they\u2019ll get past with far fewer casualties this way. But there\u2019s no way they can take the city. Not even if the Goblin Lord brings his entire force to bear. I\u2019m certain of it. Don\u2019t worry about that, Olesm.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Strategist] sagged in relief. He\u2019d been running through scenarios in his head, but if Zevara said so, he could relax. He was about to ask more when Zevara coughed. She glanced at Olesm and then leaned back in her chair.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, how\u2019ve you been lately?\u201d<\/p>\n The change of conversation was as jarring as Olesm could imagine. For a moment, he stared and then realized what Zevara was doing. He jumped and remembered that he had<\/em> asked if she was free. And they were eating at Erin\u2019s inn.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, nothing much. It\u2019s been work as usual, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe do see a lot of each other.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. And, uh, I haven\u2019t had much free time what with the Raskghar and all the reports.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. We\u2019re, uh, overdue for time off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n That line of dialogue died fast. The two Drakes stared at each other. Then Zevara shifted.<\/p>\n \u201cI heard there was something interesting happening over here the other day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen is there not?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHah. But I meant this game that Relc played. Apparently it was in Celum? And it involved hitting a ball and running around in a circle?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara looked hopelessly at Olesm. He smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cA diamond, actually. It was this fascinating game that Erin introduced us to. It\u2019s called baseball. I wish you could have been there. You see\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm, is that you? I haven\u2019t seen you in\u2014oh.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake broke off as Zevara was leaning forwards. He turned and winced. Of all the times\u2026Zevara leaned back, and her smile vanished. Ceria Springwalker paused as she realized what she\u2019d walked into.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, hello. Ceria.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Olesm. Sorry, I didn\u2019t see you were busy.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria stared at Zevara. The Watch Captain crunched down on a fish flake.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t mind me, half-Elf. I\u2019m just sitting with a fellow co-worker. Talking about business. Together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. I just wanted to say hi.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Cryomancer] stared cautiously at Zevara and then turned to Olesm.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, I\u2019ll leave you to it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. It\u2019s, uh, good to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm shuffled his feet. He was about to leave it at that when he saw the man across the table from him raise a hand and throw a bunch of sparks into the air. They floated upwards, turning into tiny phoenixes which flew about, flaming birds dancing in every color.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria turned. She blinked as she saw the tiny birds and then shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cHim? That\u2019s Eltistiman Verdue, a [Magician] who just came through from Celum. He showed up this morning pretending to be a Dragon when Erin opened the door. She punched his lights out, and he\u2019s been performing here all morning as an apology.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEltisti\u2014who? He got here this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf nodded. She leaned over the table, ignoring Zevara\u2019s irritated look.<\/p>\n \u201cYup. He knows a lot of illusion spells. Some of them are pretty impressive. He and Pisces had a competition this morning. You should have seen it. Erin\u2019s over the moon about him. I think she likes him. And she\u2019s guilty about punching him in the face, which was hilarious.\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf smiled. But Olesm felt a bit irritated. Not necessarily about Eltistiman, but about how so much happened around Erin that he never got to see because of his work.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy haven\u2019t I heard about him being here?\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria gave Olesm a flat look.<\/p>\n \u201cLike I said, he arrived this morning. You aren\u2019t here all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. I have work\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Which is very pressing, isn\u2019t it, Olesm?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara jumped into the conversation. She leaned around Olesm, not quite nudging Ceria out of the way. The half-Elf glowered at her. Olesm cringed.<\/p>\n He\u2019d had a brief fling with Ceria until she\u2019d essentially prevented him from joining the Horns of Hammerad. And Zevara had a not-so-subtle interest in him. It didn\u2019t take a [Strategist] to tell that he shouldn\u2019t be here. But now, Ceria had locked gazes with Zevara.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a shame he\u2019s so busy. But Olesm\u2019s not on duty right now. Can\u2019t he chat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s discussing private information. With me. I\u2019m sure Olesm will have plenty of time to talk when he\u2019s free for trivial pursuits.\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Elf\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that so?\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara breathed out a puff of smoke.<\/p>\n \u201cDo I need to repeat myself?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm was just about to pretend to choke on a fry when salvation appeared in the form of Ksmvr. The Antinium walked over and waved a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Olesm. Hello, Watch Captain Zevara. Hello, Captain Ceria. May I join your conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n All three stared at him. Ksmvr looked from face to face and only now seemed to pick up on the underlying tension.<\/p>\n \u201cAh. I perceive my presence is unwelcome. Am I being a nuisance? Please inform me directly when I am, and I will take note of my behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, Ksmvr\u2014I mean, yes, Ksmvr\u2014look, I\u2019ll explain it to you over here. Sorry, Olesm. I\u2019ll talk to you later.\u201d<\/p>\n Ceria hustled Ksmvr off to one side. The Antinium kept asking what he\u2019d done wrong. Sheepishly, Olesm and Zevara turned back to each other. After a moment, Olesm brought up the only thing he could think of.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, about the Redfang Goblins and this huge amount of money the adventurers have gotten\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara groaned. She fished around in her bowl for more flakes and found there were none. She sighed and took a sip of her drink instead.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not much we can do about it. Those adventurers will raise all kinds of hell if we try and reverse what\u2019s happened. I want to nail my tail to a wall, but\u2014at least we don\u2019t have to worry about the information leaking. Imagine the riots we\u2019d have if that got out. This is classified and buried.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm nodded. Zevara sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd on the subject of Goblins, did you hear what Ilvriss was suggesting?\u201d<\/p>\n Again, Olesm nodded. This time, he traced a pattern on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026not something I want to consider. They saved those Gnolls, Zevara.\u201d<\/p>\n She tilted her mug up. It was already empty.<\/p>\n \u201cThey did. But you know they can\u2019t stay here forever. Maybe\u2014no, maybe it\u2019s best if they leave with the Goblin Lord. By accident. Or maybe they can be \u2018encouraged\u2019 to leave ahead of time. They\u2019ve got a grace period while the waters are up, but if the citizens of Liscor see a huge tribe of Goblins suddenly roaming the plains\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCould they stay in the dungeon?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf they do, they\u2019re on their own against adventurers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n The two Drakes sat together. Olesm scrubbed a claw through his spikes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really not up to us. There\u2019s only one person who can get them to move. I can speak to Erin. Drop a few hints.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout what?\u201d<\/p>\n Both Drakes jumped and turned around. Erin paused with a bowl of soup in one hand and a spoon in the other. She delicately tasted the soup. Olesm stared at her and felt sweat rolling down his back for the umpteenth time today.<\/p>\n \u201cUh, Erin! How long have you been there?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cI just heard my name so I came over. What\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm and Zevara exchanged a quick glance. Olesm cleared his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2026but how\u2019re the Goblins, Erin? Uh, have the Hobs been in your inn recently? Are they\u2026doing well?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re doing great, thanks for asking! The Hobs aren\u2019t in my inn so much\u2014they\u2019re busy with the Cave Goblins. You know, leading them and teaching them how to survive and stuff. Numbtongue\u2019s over there. Actually, he\u2019s about to go back to their cave. I just need to give him this soup. I think it\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pointed with her spoon at the Hob. She tasted the soup again and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cYup, it\u2019s done. Hey, Numbtongue! Order up!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n She shouted at Numbtongue. The Hob looked up and abandoned his guitar. He walked over, and Olesm saw the same Cave Goblin trot out of the kitchen with a huge pot in her hands. He stared as she waddled over with it. The soup was steaming and gave off a fishy, yet enticing aroma.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is Pebblesnatch. You remember Pebblesnatch, right, guys?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCharmed.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara spoke flatly as she eyed the soup. Erin offered the bowl to Numbtongue. He grunted with approval and tasted the soup before nodding vigorously at Erin. She smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m teaching the Goblins how to cook as well as feeding them meals. It\u2019s actually sort of fun! You see, they really like to cook, and all I have to do is show them how to make something and they copy me. Sometimes they get it wrong, but there\u2019s a few promising [Cooks] among them! Pebblesnatch has been watching me work.\u201d<\/p>\n She patted the small Cave Goblin on the head. Pebblesnatch grunted and put the pot on the floor. Erin offered her the bowl to sip from as well. She pointed at it as she spoke to Numbtongue.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is fishy minestrone soup with a side of hot garlic bread. Share it; Pebblesnatch can teach the others how to make more, okay? Oh, and take some baking soda. And some flour. Krshia just sent me a shipment via boat. And you\u2019ll need some vegetables. Oh, and pepper. And do you have enough plates?\u201d<\/p>\n The Hob grunted and sighed. Erin began dragging over bags, and eventually, the Hob had to drag everything through the magic door into a cave filled with Goblins. Olesm caught one look of a dozen Goblins swarming Pebblesnatch, peering into the pot as she hit them with her ladle, before the door closed. Erin walked back into her kitchen as Olesm looked at Zevara. The Watch Captain shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cThat Gnoll must be making a killing providing so much food for the Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm nodded. He recalled a report that had landed on his desk.<\/p>\n \u201cApparently, someone\u2019s<\/em> bought enough food to drive up prices in the city. I\u2019d have spoken to you about it, but since we have access to Celum\u2019s markets, I didn\u2019t think it was cause for alarm.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh really? Well, I can handle that.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara smiled slightly. Then she leaned back in her chair and shouted towards the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cOi, Human! Buy your food from Celum instead of Liscor! We don\u2019t have unlimited supplies, you know!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw! Fine!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The Watch Captain grinned as she sat back and looked at Olesm.<\/p>\n \u201cProblem solved. Now, where were we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan we talk about Liscor and the Goblins? Er, I mean, the Goblin Lord. I was going to ask you how certain you are. I hate to keep harping on about it, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm twiddled his claw thumbs together. Zevara nodded. She sat up straighter and leaned forwards, lowering her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a concern to me because I know our numbers, Olesm. A siege isn\u2019t easy, and there\u2019s no wood around Liscor\u2014at least, not in enough quantities to help in besieging our city. Our gates are nigh impregnable, and even if the Goblins had siege towers or ladders\u2026the Watch numbers in the thousands. We have Embria and her soldiers, and they\u2019re worth something. So is Ilvriss. But what really reassures me are the Antinium. Don\u2019t let anyone know I said that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n There was a lot Olesm knew as Liscor\u2019s [Strategist], but some things were still above his pay grade. At least, they had been as a [Tactician]. Zevara nodded. She lowered her voice even further, although no one was listening.<\/p>\n \u201cOfficially, the Antinium have three hundred Soldiers they can bring to our defense if necessary. Unofficially\u2026we could hold off a hundred thousand Goblins even if all of them had ladders. We can fill the walls with bodies, make it practically unclimbable. And the Humans have to know that.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm whistled. Obviously, a single defender could repel multiple attackers, but Zevara was speaking about hard numbers here.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we\u2019re safe?\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they want to besiege us, they\u2019ll have to take our walls just like the Goblins, and we won\u2019t fall so quickly. It\u2019s my opinion that you\u2019re right and the Humans are pushing the Goblins past Liscor, but not attacking it. With that said, keep listening.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Keep me informed.\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara fished in her belt pouch and stood up. She tossed a few coins onto the table and strode towards the door. Olesm saw her pause there and waver. After a moment, she stomped back over, blushing.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, I guess this was a work discussion after all. I\u2019d stay and talk, but I need to tell Embria and Ilvriss and file a report with what you\u2019ve told me.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm stood up, flushing with embarrassment.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. I\u2019m sorry, this was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, it was good. And important. It\u2019s just that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDuty calls. Right. Another time, then?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNaturally.\u201d<\/p>\n They stared at each other for a second, and then Zevara turned away. She strode towards the door, so flustered that she took the bridge to Liscor rather than the magic door. Olesm sat back in his chair. He looked at his practically uneaten fries for a second and then noticed he had an audience.<\/p>\n At some point, a furry little Gnoll had crept up to the edge of his table. Now two big, round eyes stared at him. Olesm turned red.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n Mrsha stared sympathetically at Olesm. Then she grabbed his fries and dashed away. He leapt up, outraged, and then flinched as Apista buzzed over his head, stinger raised.<\/p>\n \u201cMy fries!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n He watched Mrsha dash upstairs, resigned, as Apista triumphantly followed her. Olesm stared down at his nearly empty bowl and then saw someone turn towards him. The [Mage] with the fancy robes who\u2019d cast the illusionary phoenixes raised a mug and saluted Olesm with it.<\/p>\n \u201cShe got mine too. Same trick, even. Fearsome things, those giant bees.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm sat back down, looking sadly at a wimpy fry at the bottom of his bowl. He raised his mug in turn to the mage.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, she\u2019s part of the inn. She\u2019s usually less trouble, but she\u2019s a food thief. Erin\u2019ll probably replace your food if you complain. My name\u2019s Olesm.\u201d<\/p>\n The Human smiled. He threw his mug up, and Olesm winced, but it vanished, liquid and all. He\u2019d been holding an illusion! He winked at Olesm.<\/p>\n \u201cEltistiman Verdue, [Magician], at your service. I was told this inn was the place to visit if I wanted an interesting time, and I believe it! You wouldn\u2019t happen to know when the, ah, play<\/em> is starting, would you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSometime tonight, sorry. Why, are you here for it?\u201d<\/p>\n Eltistiman smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here to join <\/em>it, if I can. I was wondering how much time I had. I was hoping to go to Pallass, actually. This wondrous door can send me there in an instant, can\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n He indicated the door, which had the glowing red mana stone on it. Olesm nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can do that, but the magic is limited. It can only send two people at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, that is inconvenient. But natural given the distances.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight, but there\u2019s more complications too on Pallass\u2019 side. They don\u2019t just let you walk through like, uh, Liscor. You\u2019ll have to fill out a request. I\u2019m sure it will be approved, but it will be at least a day before you can go through.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm looked apologetic, but Eltistiman didn\u2019t look too put out.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, a pity. I\u2019ll inquire about the details later. Thank you for your help, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n He smiled at Olesm and turned back to his table. The [Strategist] sat back down and tried to gather his thoughts. He wanted more fries\u2026no! He stared at the table, thinking hard.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething\u2019s not right here.\u201d<\/p>\n His conversation with Zevara had reassured him on a lot of points. But still, something didn\u2019t sit right with Olesm. He knew she\u2019d probably run countless simulations, but he wasn\u2019t reassured. The timing, the way everything was falling together\u2026was Liscor in danger? The least he could do was think it out. Olesm sat at the table, pondering hard as his brain ran through possibility after possibility. After a few minutes, he looked up and called towards the kitchen.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, can I have another plate of fries?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cComing!\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The late meal was elegant despite being held in a war camp. Almost ridiculously so; Yitton eyed the gilded plates and silver silverware with deep concern for the priorities of whoever had packed the camp\u2019s supplies. There was no need for this.<\/p>\n Then again however, it suited the gathering. Emperor Laken Godart sat next to Lord Tyrion, dining carefully. He was blind. Yitton had met men blinded in battle, and Laken behaved as they did, although there was a surety to his movements that he had that the men had lacked.<\/p>\n The young man sat stiffly, head slightly tilted towards Tyrion. He moved slowly, but not randomly, carefully finding his plate and food with knife and fork. He was able to eat with only a minimal amount of inconvenience. But his presence disturbed the others. He bothered Yitton too.<\/p>\n \u201cTyrion, how is it that an\u2026an [Emperor]<\/em> is sitting among us? Your Majesty, I hate to be rude, but the presence of any sort of royalty on Izril is unheard of. Let alone for someone of your station to appear here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka glanced between Laken and Tyrion, her face torn between suspicion and incredulity. Lord Tyrion looked up from his meal\u2014carefully prepared scallops adorned with so many little toppings that they quite outnumbered the seafood itself.<\/p>\n \u201cI requested Emperor Godart\u2019s company, Lady Ieka. The need for his presence will soon be made clear. As for his origins, that remains for His Majesty to reveal. I have not pressed him on the matter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t curious?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI consider the information superfluous. Emperor Laken, would you care for more wine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, thank you. My stomach\u2019s still unsettled from the ride from Riverfarm these last few days. I\u2019ve discovered that I don\u2019t care for horses.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken replied calmly. Yitton tried to remember where Riverfarm was. He must have been riding nonstop and with powerful Skills to have caught up. He was about to ask something\u2014Erill had been uncharacteristically silent\u2014when Gralton interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t care for games. Are you an [Emperor] or not, boy? And where the hell did you come from?\u201d<\/p>\n The table went silent. Laken Godart slowly turned his head in Gralton\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that Lord Gralton?\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion opened his mouth, looking displeased, but Gralton interrupted. The man had all the manners of a savage.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s me. Izril has no [Emperors]. We have no [Kings]. Where did you come from so suddenly that not even a she-weasel like Ieka knows of you?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton held his breath with the table. Ieka narrowed her eyes. Tyrion did not look inclined to intervene, and so everyone stared at Laken. The young man calmly speared a scallop.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is none of your business, Lord Gralton.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n That was the wrong thing to say to Gralton. The man half-rose and uttered a low growl, like the dogs he raised. The sound made Yitton\u2019s hair stand on end. Consumed by his class.<\/em> He eyed Gralton warily, wondering if he should say something.<\/p>\n But Laken Godart didn\u2019t flinch. He calmly chewed his bite and spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cHeel.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton\u2019s blood ran cold. The sound Gralton made was all beast now. He rose from his chair.<\/p>\n \u201cGralton.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill sounded wary. The [Lord] looked at him, and Erill backed up in his seat. Gralton leaned over the table.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve killed men for lesser insults.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd will you try again tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken\u2019s voice was glacial. He looked towards Lord Gralton in complete silence, his eyes still closed. Gralton\u2019s eyes narrowed. If the man had a dog\u2019s ears, Yitton thought they would have been laid flat against the back of his head. The intensity between the two ratcheted up another notch. Gralton began to snarl.<\/p>\n Yitton could sense the impending violence in the air. He held his breath, his body tensed to move. If Gralton leapt, possibly not even Tyrion could save the [Emperor]. But the air was heavy, and it wasn\u2019t just the threat of violence that hung there. Yitton felt something heavy<\/em> pressing down on his shoulders. And he was not the center of Laken\u2019s focus. The young man sat in place, head turned towards Gralton. And then he took another bite of the scallop.<\/p>\n The snarling abruptly abated. Gralton sat back down. Suddenly, the wild look was gone in his eyes. He laughed. <\/em>Yitton stared, but Gralton roared with laughter.<\/p>\n \u201cSo you are <\/em>an [Emperor]! At least that is true.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs I said.\u201d<\/p>\n Laken Godart smiled coolly. Yitton remembered to breathe as Gralton grabbed a scallop himself with his bare hands. Only now did he sense the air lighten. And only now did he place the strange emotion he\u2019d felt coming from Laken the entire meal.<\/p>\n He seemed irritated. Impatient, as if he did not want to be here. It was such a simple emotion that it surprised Yitton. For a moment, he was like one of Yitton\u2019s offspring, clearly unhappy about being here. But at the same time, he had faced down Gralton and even now exuded an air of\u2026assurance. Confidence manifest.<\/p>\n Pride. And it was Laken who put down his fork and turned to Lord Tyrion.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for this meal, Lord Tyrion. But I believe your guests and I have come for the same reason. Would you please explain what your grand aim is with the Goblins?\u201d<\/p>\n He sat back in his chair. Lord Tyrion inclined his head.<\/p>\n \u201cAs you wish, Emperor Godart.\u201d<\/p>\n He was respectful, but Yitton was sure that Tyrion used Laken\u2019s titles out of a desire to be correct, not out of any sense of deference. And he was just as sure from reading Laken\u2019s expression that the young Emperor Godart knew exactly what Tyrion was about to say. Yitton stared at Laken and then turned his attention to Tyrion.<\/p>\n For all an [Emperor] sat next to him, Tyrion Veltras commanded the room. He did not speak loudly or make grand gestures. He simply stood and spoke without wasting time.<\/p>\n \u201cI am aware of the rumors and gossip swirling about in the war camp. And I am also aware that many of the nobility have deduced the destination to which we travel. But in the interest of transparency, I intend to share with you all the full scope of my war plans tonight. Lady Ieka, gentlemen, our destination is Liscor. And I intend to use the Goblins as a first weapon to strike against the Drakes.\u201d<\/p>\n A sigh ran around the table from the other nobles. Satisfied, resigned, dismissive. Yitton looked from face to face at Gralton, Erill, and Ieka. They didn\u2019t look shocked or even surprised. He glanced at Tyrion. Erill mused into his wine glass.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the rumors were true. We are indeed fighting a war by proxy with the Goblins as our instrument.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI suppose it is somewhat worth the effort. But all the cloak and dagger nonsense could have been avoided to save us all distress, Tyrion. Just say we\u2019re sending the Goblins into Drake lands and we\u2019ll all support you. Well, most of us.\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka sighed as she lifted a fork to her mouth. Tyrion smiled. Yitton glanced at Gralton and noticed the man hadn\u2019t made a comment either. Like Yitton, he was watching Tyrion. It was his eyes. They betrayed the man\u2019s burning heart.<\/p>\n \u201cI am afraid that you are wrong in that regard, Lord Erill, Lady Ieka. My aim is not to simply send the Goblin Lord into the south as a marauding force. Rather, I intend to aim at a specific target. I told you we march to Liscor. And it is Liscor I intend to take.\u201d<\/p>\n For a moment, Yitton was convinced his ears had betrayed him. He half-rose from his seat. War. <\/em>Gralton was grinning madly. Ieka and Erill were frozen. Yitton uttered a strangled sound, and Tyrion looked at him.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Yitton?\u201d<\/p>\n It took Yitton a second to make words come out of his throat.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion, you cannot be serious! War has not been declared with the Drakes! To attack Liscor would be\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do not intend to declare war. Nor do I intend to violate the terms of our treaty with the Drakes in any way. We will take no direct action against the city of Liscor. But it will be taken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n Erill leaned over his plate. His eyes were sharp as they studied Tyrion. He spoke plainly, dispensing with formalities.<\/p>\n \u201cHow, Tyrion? The Goblin Lord may be weaker than our army, but he is not a mindless tool. Goblins are not entirely suicidal. Do you intend to force him to attack Liscor? I fear he would rather march around the walls and take his chances fleeing rather than face certain death. Liscor cannot be taken by an army so quickly, not without preparation. And not while the waters have risen.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion nodded. His eyes flicked amusement towards Erill, though his face was stoney.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is true, Lord Erill. But the waters will fall shortly. By the time we arrive, Liscor will be assailable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot by Goblins, and not without an even larger army than the one you brought! Their walls are enchanted! We\u2019d need dedicated siege mages, not the ones we\u2019ve brought. And ladders! Siege towers, dozens of them! Erill is right, an assault is suicide! You might as well kill the Goblin Lord and be done with it\u2014he\u2019ll never risk an assault!\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka glowered at Tyrion. He shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cI intend to offer Liscor to the Goblin Lord as a prize, Ieka. By making it a target easy to take.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cImpossible. No one can break the walls with magic or with steel. The Necromancer hurled his undead against the walls, and they held. The Goblin Lord\u2019d never get over before the Drakes reinforce the city. But go on.\u201d<\/p>\n Gralton grinned. Tyrion smiled coldly.<\/p>\n \u201cI happen to have a way to open Liscor\u2019s walls, Gralton.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be where I come in, wouldn\u2019t it, Lord Tyrion?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken looked up casually. Tyrion nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Your Majesty. As you surmised, your help is essential.\u201d<\/p>\n He began to rise from his seat, but a strangled noise interrupted him. Tyrion looked to Yitton. The [Lord] was on his feet. He looked around the room, from Ieka to Erill to Tyrion to Gralton\u2014and then at Jericha. Finally, he looked at Laken, though the young man could not return his gaze.<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion, everyone. Are you serious? Are you truly contemplating an attack on a sovereign city? Unprovoked?\u201d<\/p>\n He stared around, but saw no wavering in any of the gazes that came back to him. Just cold calculation in Erill\u2019s eyes, a burning fever in Gralton\u2019s, curiosity in Ieka\u2019s. And in Tyrion, he saw that burning excitement.<\/p>\n Only Laken Godart didn\u2019t respond with his eyes, because they were closed. But he shifted slightly, looked down. If he could have met Yitton\u2019s eyes, what would he have said? Tyrion interrupted Yitton impatiently.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are at war<\/em> with the Drakes, Yitton. We have been for centuries.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn name only. Surely this\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf the Drakes thought they could push into our lands, they would. Since we are strong, we have repelled such attempts. But I do not intend to wait until that day comes. Liscor falls, Yitton. And I would ask that you refrain from voicing your objections until I have finished speaking.\u201d<\/p>\n Slowly, Yitton sat. He was trembling. Tyrion waited a beat and then went on.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Liscor has been my target from the beginning. Ever since I began mustering this army. I would not have informed any of you of my plans until the moment was at hand. It is not that I do not trust any of you personally; I trust no one at all with my plans. But it seems Magnolia Reinhart is determined to sabotage me regardless of the cost. She has sent a message informing the Drakes of my plans.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMagnolia has?\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka breathed in sharply. Erill stirred, and Gralton muttered a word not fit for polite company. Or any company, really. Tyrion nodded coldly.<\/p>\n \u201cShe is determined to keep the false peace in place. So she\u2019s warned the Drakes.\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s ruined your plans, hence you telling us? Or must we move quickly, alter this plan you\u2019ve yet to tell us?\u201d<\/p>\n Erill raised his glass and looked at Tyrion sharply. The [Lord] smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the contrary. I\u2019m choosing to tell you all because it\u2019s too late for her to stop me. Too late for her or anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Erin peered across her inn. So far, her day had been pretty normal, aside from punching Dragons before breakfast. She\u2019d made some soup, hung out with her friends, scolded Mrsha for stealing food\u2026now she was a bit worried about Olesm. He\u2019d been muttering to himself for the past hour, and people were beginning to stare at him.<\/p>\n Olesm was sitting at the table, head in his hands, muttering to himself. Since that was how he tended to behave when he played chess against her, she didn\u2019t worry too much. But she did make sure he got his fries and sent a plate to Eltistiman the [Magician] as well as an apology.<\/p>\n She was about to go over and talk to Olesm when she noticed Jelaqua coming in from Liscor. She noticed because the Selphid was dripping wet and holding something behind her. A bulky, cloth-wrapped something. Seborn was holding the other end. It looked like a body.<\/p>\n It was.<\/p>\n \u201cJelaqua, what\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid turned. She\u2019d clearly been trying to sneak upstairs, but she was about as good a grave robber as\u2026well\u2026Erin had no frame of reference. She smiled guiltily at Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Erin! What\u2019re you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat. What\u2019s that you\u2019re holding?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin pointed at the clearly large, clearly dead body. A furry paw was sticking out from underneath the cloth.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid tried to hide her end of the covered body behind her. Erin folded her arms. The Selphid wavered.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, maybe it\u2019s a dead Raskghar. But it\u2019s dead, see?\u201d<\/p>\n She poked the body and lifted the cover. Erin recoiled.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy <\/em>are you bringing it into my inn?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua winced.<\/p>\n \u201cI was going to store a few in my room. You know, just in case? Or\u2026I was thinking we could use the basement. There\u2019s only food down there, and you don\u2019t have rats. And it\u2019s nice and cool.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. Absolutely\u2014why do you need multiple dead bodies?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpares in case my body gets damaged? To try out? Emergency food supplies?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor fun?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Seborn raised his end of the Raskghar. Jelaqua and Erin stared at him. The Drowned Man shrugged.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what you told me.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeborn!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not having dead bodies in my inn. They\u2019ll rot. Okay, maybe they won\u2019t with the [Field of Preservation] but\u2014rats will eat them! If I had rats. I\u2014I\u2019m just not having them here! No way!\u201d<\/p>\n Erin raised her hands. Jelaqua nearly dropped the dead Raskghar and held up her claws imploringly. Seborn swore as he tried to prop the body up.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Erin. Please? I never <\/em>get extra bodies, and these ones are so\u2014do you know how prestigious it is to be the first Selphid to wear a new body? You won\u2019t notice them at all, I swear! And we\u2019ll pay you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no w\u2014how much?\u201d<\/p>\n The iron wall of refusal Erin had built up turned out to be rusty. She hesitated and edged over to Jelaqua.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, okay, I\u2019m pretty rich right now from all the gold I got from Ilvriss. I can buy a lot of potatoes or\u2026nails\u2026but if you\u2019re giving me money\u2014not that I\u2019m saying you have lots of money to give or anything\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The two conferred for a minute. After a little bit, Jelaqua shook Erin\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t regret this. They won\u2019t go anywhere, I promise. Unless I\u2019m in them! Come on, Seborn, we\u2019re taking these guys downstairs!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. Hurry up. Moore says the other ones are getting drenched in the rain.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n The Halfseekers stomped down into the basement. Erin looked around sheepishly. All of her patrons gave her a long stare. She coughed and sidled over to a table. She leaned on it and then spoke to Eltistiman.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry about that. That doesn\u2019t happen all<\/em> the time.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Magician] blinked up at Erin. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out for quite some while. And Olesm was still muttering.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can\u2019t be that simple. This Tyrion Veltras can\u2019t be that stupid. He had to know a Goblin Lord\u2019s army couldn\u2019t take Liscor, not with the Antinium and<\/em> the Watch and enchanted walls on our side.\u201d<\/p>\n He was doing calculations on a scrap of parchment. Erin had banned him from using the table. Olesm frowned as he muttered.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat if they tried linked casting? If they linked every mage they had\u2014assuming all the Gold-rank adventurers he\u2019s hired and if you assume\u2026what, one high-level [Mage] per thousand [Soldiers]\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He had to consult a [Mage] on that. Unfortunately, only Falene and Pisces were present. They had been playing an unfriendly game of chess, but the half-Elf paused to give her opinion on how feasible that would be.<\/p>\n \u201cLinked casting is certainly a powerful technique. However, it requires immense concentration and discipline on the part of the casters. It cannot be performed with totally untrained mages\u2014in Wistram, only students of the fourth year or older would learn to cast together. Of course, any true<\/em> graduate of Wistram would know how to perform such a spell.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked pointedly at Pisces. The [Necromancer] rolled his eyes. He interrupted Falene with a sneer.<\/p>\n \u201cThe problem that Falene has yet to point out, Olesm, is that linking does not allow [Mages] to cast spells they do not already know. They could boost an existing spell several times over\u2014the classic example is using [Siege Fireball], which is simply an overcharged version of [Grand Fireball]\u2014but unless the lead mage knows a Tier 6 spell or higher, the effort is usually pointless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get it. So there\u2019s a limit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd unless there\u2019s a truly powerful Gold-rank team\u2014no, they\u2019d be Named Adventurers. Or you\u2019d know of the [Mage] by name if they were coming your way.\u201d<\/p>\n Falene nodded grudgingly. That left Olesm with an answer. Of sorts. He went back to his table and continued calculating.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, so assuming they don\u2019t have that many powerful spells or Tier 6 is the absolute limit\u2026they might be able to do that. But we have anti-spell wards. We could take at least a few hits from a Tier 6 spell, and [Siege Fireball] wouldn\u2019t be enough to damage our walls. Right? And those [Mages] are in danger of being killed if they\u2019re in range. It\u2019s not a sensible idea. We held off the [Necromancer] after all\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n There was no way Tyrion Veltras would try something with so many risks. And his army wasn\u2019t that <\/em>mage-heavy. Olesm crossed that idea off his list. That should have made him relieved, but he wasn\u2019t. He felt like he was missing some crucial piece of information. Something important that would put it all together.<\/p>\n And then it came to him. Not as an idea, but as a letter. The door to Celum opened, and someone appeared in the doorway. Olesm paid no notice at first. He vaguely tuned out Erin exclaiming and greeting a tall Human [Runner] who Olesm only barely recalled.<\/p>\n \u201cFals! Why are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a letter, actually. It came by regular mail. Took a while to get here due to a few delays\u2014an idiot sprained his ankle, and it would have taken several more days, but someone paid more for a faster delivery. So here I am.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs it for me? Wait, is it from Ryoka?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo. It\u2019s to\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOlesm?\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake looked up. He saw the Human offering the letter to him. He blinked at the delicately scented stationary.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, it\u2019s a fan letter to me. For my chess newspaper. I haven\u2019t run an issue in a while. I\u2014thank you. I\u2019ve got my seal around here. One second\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Absentmindedly, he gave Fals his personal seal and a tip. The [Runner] left the letter with him and went to chat with Erin. About Ryoka. Olesm left the letter on the table for a while as he mentally struggled with the puzzle he was facing. And then, since he was tired and out of sorts, he opened the letter.<\/p>\n It was indeed fan mail, or at least, that was how it began. The delicate cursive made Olesm blink, as did the gold-nibbled edges of the card. It looked expensive. It even smelled <\/em>expensive, but then he\u2019d received a lot of letters from famous [Strategists] and chess fans. Even Niers Astoragon. He read the letter slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cTo Olesm Swifttail of Liscor, I am a deep admirer of your \u2018chess newsletter\u2019 that seems to have spread across much of the continent recently. I must confess to having only a passing interest in the game, but I am acquainted with chess and found the games rather fascinating. They are also, apparently, games of the highest caliber according to a rather grumpy friend I regularly correspond with. He has since become vaguely interested in your newsletter, and that is quite an accomplishment in itself. I do hope you will continue releasing the games\u2026hope that you will consider sending copies north\u2026mhm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm scanned the rest of the letter. It seemed like what he regularly got. He vaguely wondered who was writing this and checked the envelope. Sometimes, the writers sent him gold or trinkets. One time, he\u2019d gotten a clawful of powdered silver. Weird stuff like that. Olesm found nothing else, but he noticed something on the bottom of the card.<\/p>\n It was a single sentence, underlined and circled repeatedly. It stood out from the rest of the writing, and it made him freeze. It was a strange sentence that didn\u2019t mesh at all with the rest of the letter. But it mattered. It was the same sentence, word for word, that was sent via Courier to the top [Strategist] in Zeres and to other Drake [Strategists] via [Message] spell and Runner. Three words. But they made Olesm shout and leap up from his table. He overturned his chair, ran for the door to Liscor, and raced out it, shouting for Zevara. It changed everything.<\/p>\n When Olesm\u2019s wild shouting had died off, Erin unfroze and walked slowly over to the table. She picked up the card he\u2019d dropped and turned it over. She skimmed the message until she reached the bottom and saw the underlined word. Then she frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has trebuchets.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked up at the staring customers. Erin stared at the card and then looked around. She scratched her head.<\/p>\n \u201cWho does?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTrebuchets.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton sat at the table. He tried to picture the word, but he had only seen one in a book. He\u2019d heard what they could do, of course. They were siege weapons, designed to take down enemy walls from afar. But none existed in northern Izril. They were impossible to make unless you were an [Engineer]. Who would contemplate building such a thing? Who would know how other than someone who had a class?<\/p>\n An [Emperor], that was who. Laken Godart sat at the table and nodded, calm as could be. The staring nobility finally remembered to close their jaws at last.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how to make trebuchets?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. I\u2019ve taught my [Engineers] how to make them as well. We had two when Lord Tyrion rescued Riverfarm. But at his request, we\u2019ve been working on duplicating them as fast as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now? How many do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n Lord Erill leaned over the table, ignoring the food that smudged his expensive clothing. Laken paused for a second and then nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have thirteen trebuchets, eight of which have been tested. My [Engineering] team will continue testing the others and constructing more on the march.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve conscripted every high-level [Carpenter], [Blacksmith], and [Builder] into working on the trebuchets. I intend to have at least twenty by the time we arrive at Liscor. If I can contrive it, forty.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cForty\u2014<\/em>but how many [Engineers] do you have?\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton choked on the thought of so many. Laken just sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly a pair for now. But the class doesn\u2019t matter, Lord Yitton. It is not the class which brings knowledge. It is understanding. And I understand how trebuchets work. I do not need a Skill or time to experiment; I can order my people to replicate the design a hundred times. A thousand times, if need be.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you brought thirteen of them. To besiege Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton repeated the words slowly. He tried to remember if he\u2019d heard any rumors of strange weapons arriving. How big were they? They had to be massive, surely. Erill frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere were they kept? I heard nothing about any trebuchets arriving\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka laughed softly. She fanned herself, glancing at Tyrion with something akin to admiration.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s using bags of holding, obviously. You\u2019ve got all the parts stored neatly away. And ammunition, I shouldn\u2019t wonder. Nothing to see. Or sabotage. How quickly can they be set up and operated?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt will take time, but Emperor Laken assures me that his people can train others in the operation of the weapons. And with them, taking Liscor becomes a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n It was the same question, but there was urgency in it this time. Now, all the nobles looked at Tyrion, not with incredulity, but wanting to know exactly how it would be done. Yitton pointed out the obvious with a sick feeling in his stomach.<\/p>\n \u201cAttacking Liscor will still violate the terms of our peace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot if the attack was incidental.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou mean\u2014an accident?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. An unfortunate misunderstanding. Poor aim as our army finally assaults the Goblin Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n Lord Tyrion\u2019s eyes glittered. He had a cup in his hands. Now he put it down to speak.<\/p>\n \u201cOur army has been pursuing one purpose and one alone: to slay the Goblin Lord. He has escaped us for many days, but at last, we will have cornered him at Liscor. To attack his army, we will deploy trebuchets, a powerful weapon which will surely be his downfall. Unfortunately, on the day of the assault, the trebuchets will misfire. And strike Liscor instead.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is absolutely no way the Drakes will accept that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo? Accidents occur. Regardless, the trebuchets will continue<\/em> firing until Liscor\u2019s walls are breached. And then, naturally, they will stop. The army will advance upon the Goblin Lord as is our mission. And the Goblins\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014Will storm the city through the breaches. Of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka sat back in her chair. Yitton nearly vomited. That<\/em> was the plan? That? A lie barely disguised? Destroy the walls and let the Goblins pour through? Tyrion was still talking, outlining his plan to the others.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is not an offensive action against Liscor. The trebuchets are a terrible mistake. All the bloodshed and the taking of the city itself would be the fault of the Goblins. Naturally, once they sack the city, it would have to be retaken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy a conveniently placed Human army?\u201d<\/p>\n Gralton snorted with amusement. Tyrion nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cIf one happened to be nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you think you can take Liscor? Just like that? With trebuchets?\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka eyed Tyrion sardonically, but her hands played with a fork rapidly. She was excited. Tyrion nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cTrebuchets are a rare weapon, one that Liscor was never designed to withstand. Magic, yes, but trebuchets? No. They have enchantments on their walls, but no siege weapons themselves either. Drakes are naturally possessive, and that technology resides solely in the Walled Cities, and [Engineers] capable of constructing such weapons have been practically impossible to find\u2014until now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut Liscor was designed to be unassailable. The Necromancer\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion held up a hand, forestalling Erill\u2019s argument.<\/p>\n \u201cLiscor\u2019s walls are spelled against magic and physical harm, but how strongly? A [Mage] will tire, but a trebuchet? How many stones will the wall endure before the magic runs out? Forty? A hundred? Liscor is no Walled City. The Necromancer could not take it with his magic, but that was his arrogance. I place my trust in stones and wood. What is real and will not evaporate or disappear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd which you can replicate. Clever.\u201d<\/p>\n Ieka gazed at Laken. The [Emperor] didn\u2019t notice her glance. He was staring ahead. He did not look happy. Tyrion did. He nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have the weapons to crack Liscor\u2019s walls and an expendable army that will see the city as their only salvation. By the time we reach Liscor, I have no doubt that the Drakes will be marching a force north from Pallass to keep the Goblins out of their lands. The Goblin Lord will have no choice but to assault Liscor and hope he can hold the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n Erill nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd when he does, Liscor falls. And we take the city. We outnumber the Goblins. But wouldn\u2019t they know it\u2019s a trap?\u201d<\/p>\n Gralton grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cBetter trying to hold a city than fight a Drake army or a Human one out in the open. And Liscor is what you want, isn\u2019t it, Veltras? That\u2019s what all this is for. Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at Tyrion, not as a rabid dog might, but with sharp cunning in his eyes. Tyrion smiled in response. He had a map of Izril, and he brought it out now. His fingers traced Liscor and moved ever south, pointing out lines of attack and defence that all ran through one spot.<\/p>\n \u201cLiscor\u2019s value as a strategic location cannot be overstated. In the past, our armies have traditionally fought in the Blood Fields as a matter of course; we cannot hope to take and hold Drake Cities further to the south with Liscor at our backs, able to cut our supply lines in half, so we fight at a prearranged location with the Drakes. But if we hold Liscor, we may mount as many southern offensives as need be, at our leisure.<\/em> The city is practically impregnable if defended correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is insane. It would be the first prelude to a full-scale war. The Drakes would never let Liscor fall so easily.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton felt like he was alone in the room. The others barely glanced at him, but Erill did look up.<\/p>\n \u201cYitton has a point, Tyrion. If Magnolia Reinhart has warned the Drakes, they\u2019ll be marching north as fast as they can. But they don\u2019t have to wait. They have that magic door. You recall, from the siege of Liscor?\u201d<\/p>\n Lady Ieka snapped her fingers, frustrated.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course! I recall that thing! They could continually reinforce Liscor, send an army through before we got there! If they do that then\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCalm yourselves, that issue has already been accounted for.\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion\u2019s voice was unperturbed. Erill\u2019s eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair as he glanced at Tyrion. The [Lord] did not elaborate.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve already made a move in that regard. Moreover, I suspect that door cannot transport legions of soldiers without great cost. But it is another reason why I intend to take the city. A doorway that would allow us to reinforce the city or transport an army would be of considerable strategic importance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot to mention economic.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course. Liscor is<\/em> a gateway city. And in times of peace, it would be valuable to hold.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLord Tyrion. All of what you\u2019ve said is an open declaration to the Drakes. If you take Liscor, they will declare war. A true war that will split our continent in two once more.\u201d<\/p>\n Yitton spoke through numb lips. He stared at Tyrion. How could he have misjudged the man? But then\u2014he hadn\u2019t. Tyrion had always been aiming at this. He hadn\u2019t lied to anyone. If he\u2019d done the trickery, it was by hiding his intent until the last moment. But he\u2019d shot towards his goal. Straight as an arrow. And just as deadly. Lord Tyrion looked at Yitton, and for a moment, his gaze softened. Perhaps he wanted Yitton to understand, but the Lord Byres couldn\u2019t. At last, Tyrion shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not an act of war. This is an unfortunate accident that will lead to the fall of Liscor. The Goblins will sack the city. And we will clear them out. We will not violate our treaties; nor will we kill a single Drake. Naturally, Liscor must be occupied, and so our army will rebuild it stronger and populate it once more.\u201d<\/p>\n Just hearing the way Tyrion phrased it made Yitton feel as though he\u2019d swallowed muck. He bit his tongue rather than shout, but then he heard laughter. It was coarse, boisterous, almost mocking. Lord Gralton stood up. He pointed down at the map and looked Tyrion in the eye challengingly. His bloodshot gaze promised death, but his words were surprisingly measured as he spoke to Tyrion.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if the Drakes don\u2019t buy your twisted words? What if they march their armies north and demand Liscor back at the point of the sword? What if they take it back by force of arms? What then?\u201d<\/p>\n Tyrion Veltras paused. And then he smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can try.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Olesm stood in the conference room of Liscor\u2019s city hall. He was panting, out of breath. For a second, Ilvriss, Embria, and Zevara stared at him, and the same horror in his chest painted their faces. Then Ilvriss moved. He turned and roared an order at his aides, who were staring into the meeting room.<\/p>\n \u201cGet me a [Message] spell to the Walled Cities now!<\/em> I want every report on Liscor\u2019s rainfall sitting in front of me!\u201d<\/p>\n They ran. Ilvriss swore and grabbed at his scrying orb. Embria\u2019s voice shook as she looked around.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to find a [Mage]. Now. I must inform High Command!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThem? What can they <\/em>do?\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm looked incredulously at Embria, but the Wing Commander was already gone. He turned back to the map that Ilvriss was already poring over.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they can break our walls, it\u2019s not a question of holding out. If they can breach the walls, the battle will be swift. How many Drakes can we call up north? How quickly?\u201d<\/p>\n He turned to Olesm. The [Strategist] measured the distance between Pallass and Liscor and shook his head. His claws trembled on the table.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a four day march from the Blood Fields to Liscor! From Pallass\u2014even with Skills, they won\u2019t make it on time! And that army\u2019s massive! Pallass can\u2019t field\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss turned away from the map.<\/p>\n \u201cThe door, then. How many soldiers can we pull through per day?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt can barely hold two\u2014but if we use [Mages]\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Zevara was staring out a window, at the walls of her city. Her voice was very distant as she spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll need thousands to hold the walls if they can create a breach. Are you sure they have trebuchets? How many? If it\u2019s just a few\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t know. If they have an [Engineer], they should have one. Two at best! But if Tyrion has multiple [Engineers] somehow\u2014the letter said trebuchets.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. He wouldn\u2019t come without enough to do the job.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss slowly sat down at the table. Olesm stared at him. The Wall Lord looked tired. And grim.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll break open the walls and let the Goblins come through. Then he\u2019ll take the city and pretend it was all an accident. The fault of the Goblins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut that\u2019s such an obvious lie.\u201d<\/p>\n Olesm whispered through numb lips. That was the part he hadn\u2019t understood. Why lie about it? Ilvriss was convinced that was how it would occur, but why did the Human have to pretend? But the Wall Lord just shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course it\u2019s a lie. But it\u2019s a splendid little lie the Humans can shout. We\u2019ll know it\u2019s true, and our people will know, but what about Humans who only hear what Tyrion Veltras says? What about other nations? The lie will become truth to many. And it\u2019s the lie that will start a war that Tyrion Veltras wants. It\u2019s\u2026a reason. Humans need reasons to go to war. Even if they\u2019re lies. They want to believe they\u2019re in the right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen it\u2019s happening. He\u2019s going to besiege Liscor. The Goblin Lord\u2019s coming to destroy the city.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n Ilvriss didn\u2019t move. Olesm looked at him and then at Zevara. Both Drakes were very still. And then Zevara turned. She looked older than she had this morning. Older and tired. But fire burned in her. She spoke it as she turned.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone get me Klbkch. Tell him I need to speak with his Queen now. Tell him\u2014Liscor may be in mortal danger. Summon the Antinium and rouse the Watch. Send word to the cities.\u201d<\/p>\n She looked at Olesm and Ilvriss. Both Drakes slowly looked up. Zevara clenched her claws into fists.<\/p>\n \u201cTell them. And tell the damn Humans. Tell Tyrion Veltras. Tell the world. Liscor hasn\u2019t fallen yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The dinner party ended with drinks and a toast, as was custom. Yitton could have thrown his drink down, but he stood mechanically as Tyrion addressed the others. The honorable man stood and watched as his peers toasted. And he knew that he was not an honorable man.<\/p>\n An honorable man would have found a way to stop the bloodbath. An honorable man would have fought rather than stood silently. But for all Yitton feared a war between Drakes and Humans, he had not the courage to try and stop what was occurring. He knew he could not.<\/p>\n So he stood and listened as Tyrion spoke. The Lord of the Veltras family smiled, a cold smile while his eyes burned. He looked from face to face as he raised a wine glass.<\/p>\n \u201cPrepare yourselves accordingly. I will make a formal announcement two days hence, although I suspect the news will already have been leaked in some fashion or other. Regardless, it matters not. In four days, we will reach Liscor and the Goblin Lord will begin his siege of the city. In four days, Liscor falls.\u201d<\/p>\n He drank, and the others toasted him. Three [Lords], a [Lady], and an [Emperor]. Yitton looked at Laken Godart. The young man raised his goblet but didn\u2019t drink. And though he could not see Yitton, though he was blind, his head turned slightly towards the [Lord]. And Yitton thought he saw a similar expression cross Laken\u2019s face. He was an [Emperor]. But in that moment, he and Yitton were the same.<\/p>\n Trapped.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n It was another ordinary day. That was how all days were. Ordinary, until they weren\u2019t. Erin stood outside her inn and stared up at the sky. Normally, she would have been drenched in a moment and water would have pelted her upturned face. But for the first time in what felt like ages, Erin didn\u2019t feel the downpour. She felt light, and she turned her gaze up to see a bit of sunshine poking through the dark clouds.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. The rain\u2019s stopped. That\u2019s wonderful!\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled. The rain had stopped! Maybe it would be only for a moment, but people had been saying it was about time for the weather to change. She hoped it would be sunny soon. She couldn\u2019t wait for the summer. She tilted her head back up, smiling, and then heard it.<\/p>\n A strange echo of the falling rain. A distant patter, a thumping heard far off. Like a heartbeat. Or drums, heralding war. Erin shook her head and rubbed at her ears, wondering if there was water caught in her inner ear. After a moment, she shrugged and went back to her inn. That was the last she thought of the sound.<\/p>\n But he heard it too. The Goblin crouching on a distant hilltop, nearly invisible in the grass, raised his head and looked northwards. He could sense the thunder in the distance, growing louder and louder. He looked back to the inn, at the closing door and the young woman who disappeared inside. The old Goblin stroked his grey, tangled beard.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do I see? An army of lost children and five who walk Garen Redfang\u2019s path. What will you<\/em> do, for all those who play games with Goblin lives? And who is she?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Greydath of Blades stared at the inn, and then his gaze twisted north, to a cave where he sensed the strangeness that had drawn him south. An unexpected twist to all this. There were some things even a Goblin Lord couldn\u2019t predict. Well, he would see what it meant soon enough.<\/p>\n He grinned, and his eyes burned crimson. Greydath stood up and leapt into the water. He disappeared with a splash into the murky depths, and the fish swimming around him fled. After a few minutes, a dark shape darted closer. The waters became violent for a second, and then blood began to rise up like an underwater cloud.<\/p>\n No one noticed. The people of Liscor looked up as the rain stopped, and they saw something wonderful as Erin went back to her window. The end of the rains had brought something special to the skies over Liscor. A rainbow. It shone down from the heavens, a beautiful light that stretched from mountain to mountain. Erin smiled and hummed to herself as she stood outside and the sun finally showed itself.<\/p>\n It looked like it might be a beautiful day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Erin Solstice was sleeping, and then she woke up. That was generally how her life worked. She squirmed about comfortably in the blankets that were her bed in one corner of the kitchen and then opened her eyes. Sleepily, she changed clothes beneath the sheets, grabbing freshly laundered clothes from the neat pile lying next […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693085,349],"tags":[],"twi_volume":[11693134],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-5404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-5","category-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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