by SJB Gilmour
Penethelia’s face darkened. ‘What?’
‘When Sarah summoned Werenmesse, werewolves from all over responded. Those troops of yours aren’t human any more, Your Majesty. They’re werewolves.’
‘Like Silver Shrouds?’ Penethelia was incredulous.
Jasper shook his head. ‘According to Wolfenvald, they’re a new Order among werewolves. They’re Golden Shrouds. Not quite as immortal as McConnell here, but close. They’ll be rendered mortal again once Her Majesty Kopernik joins the voices of Wolfenvald.’
There was silence around the table as this sunk in.
‘So where does this leave us,’ Kilnmacher growled.
‘We’ve your gnomes, The Halfling Hunters,’ Benjamin replied. ‘Next there are All The Men Of Jilde and The Forever Dead. There’s Lentekhi’s The Gilded Warrioresses—’
Jasper nodded. ‘And with Werenmesse, we’ve The Renegades of Wolfenvald.’
Siouxanne snorted and nodded her massive head. ‘We’ve two representatives from each of the twelve dragon Wings,’ she announced. ‘We’ll be flying over Conundrum with goblin spotters in harness. The spotters will give the co-ordinates for Masters Ottispuschenshuffen here to deliver your elevators and their cargo of troops. The rest of us will be able to fly in formation for a continual circular air assault.’
‘The Winged Fire,’ James said, smiling. ‘That makes six of the nine.’
‘Oh well done,’ Penethelia gloated. By now, everyone had heard of the nine armies listed in Jerrit’s last remaining copy of The Babylonian Heresies. ‘So The Winged Fire are the dragons,’ she said. ‘With Cassandra’s minotaurs, and your lot, Isaacs, that makes eight.’
Kilnmacher was yet to be impressed. ‘Okay,’ he rumbled. We now have the rudiments of a plan of attack, but we’re still missing an army. Who are The Lightning Ones?’
Maddy flashed into the room, followed at a much slower pace, by Eddy the vampire. The quickling and the vampire both held crystal balls. Within moments, two more portals appeared. Out of one fluttered several bats, which circled the table a few times then assumed more human forms of vampires and succubi.
Out of the other portal came an absolute flurry of motion as a whole platoon of quickling warriors from the Royal House of Hai Du stormed into the hall. They flashed around the room for a moment and came to a screeching halt alongside one wall to line up in formation.
Maddy beamed at her soldiers and turned to the group. ‘We might be small,’ she said shyly, ‘but we’re fast. These boys were my own personal bodyguards back home. They’ve volunteered to help out.’
‘The Lightning Ones have come,’ observed Nathan. ‘That’s nine.’ He looked curiously at Eddy and the succubi.
One of the succubi, a stunning redhead, introduced herself. ‘I am Elizabetha Medici,’ she told the group. There were several surprised gasps, growls, yips and mutterings. ‘As foretold by our own seers, we pledge our allegiance to your cause on but one condition.’
‘And what would that be, Highness?’ Jerrit asked in his most diplomatic manner.
Elizabetha regarded him seriously. ‘We will join Isaac’s mercenaries if we have your assurance that The Marked One does not kill us all.’
James looked at the beautiful succubus. ‘Sarah and Angelina are pretty tight,’ he told the wraith. ‘I don’t know what she’s done or how she did it, but the Sarah I know is a softie. She’ll only kill or cause pain if it’s necessary. She won’t stand for unnecessary killing unless you yourselves turn on her. Even if she does, I’ve got a fair amount of sway with Demeter. Apollo wouldn’t risk getting in Her bad books again. I’m sure if I ask for Her help, She’ll be able to convince Apollo to keep Angelina under control if Sarah doesn’t.’
Elizabetha chewed one lip with her fangs and then shrugged. ‘So be it. We are at your service.’
King Roger seemed confused for a moment. He looked at Queen Penethelia. ‘I thought Captain Troy is under your jurisdiction, Your Majesty.’
Penethelia nodded, not smiling. ‘When it suits her,’ she muttered.
‘She’s part of Pack Kopernik,’ Benjamin told him. He nodded apologetically at Penethelia. ‘It seems she’s serving too many masters.’
Penethelia agreed. ‘The only ones who can really stop Angelina doing anything are Apollo, and He doesn’t care what she does as long as she puts out, and the Golden Mane. Troy’s the most powerful necromancer I’ve ever seen. The only non-deity I’ve met who’s stronger is the Golden Mane. Problem is, that kid is also the most disobedient, insubordinate…’ She shook her head and let her rant drift off.
‘But that’s why we’re here, isn’t it?’ she continued. ‘This morning, Kopernik killed a whole pride of felis demons in one go. Then she stormed into Hades’ realm and demanded He release all three-fifty of my troopers the demons killed. Hera, Poseidon and Zeus tried to stop her, but she faced ‘em down and told Them that if They dared lift a finger against any of us, she’d come after Them!’
Penethelia laughed at the stunned faces around the table. ‘Can you believe that young cub standing up to Zeus and that puffed-up Poseidon like that?’ she crowed. Then she became very serous indeed. ‘I think Mautallius sent those demons to Lentekhi to divert the Golden Mane. Have any of you heard of anything happening yet?’
Jerrit nodded. ‘Immediately after she returned our moon, The Nightsmith was summoned away by Cassandra.’
Jasper nodded. ‘Queen Kopernik was also called away.’ He turned to Benjamin and James. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but all this has happened so quickly. My Second, Felix, was guarding the Hazelwoods and their child, but he was attacked and killed, and his charges abducted. When his spirit informed the Golden Mane, she went immediately to Crete.’
‘What?’ James and Benjamin yelled at once. James rose and began readying himself to go to The Labyrinth of Minos, while Benjamin cursed and growled.
‘Sit down!’ Penethelia yelled at them. ‘We won’t do any good if we all race off like bulls at a gate. We wait here till the others arrive. I want all our commanders here at this table so we can hammer out our attack plan.’
Nobody saw fit to argue with the strapping Amazon Queen.
James looked at Penethelia sideways. ‘What kind of plan do you have in mind?’
She shrugged. ‘It’s pretty simple. We can’t control Kopernik or Hazelwood or Troy or whatever she’s calling herself now—’
‘The Nightsmith will do,’ Jax advised her calmly but firmly.
‘The Nightsmith then. Not that we need to. They’re going after Mautallius and The Gate. Our job is going to be to keep whatever forces Mautallius has busy while they do it. That means an assault on Conundrum from all sides.’
King Roger nodded. ‘We’ll go in from underneath.’
Penethelia nodded back. ‘Get in touch with Cassandra and Tor. You’ll need to take the minotaurs with you. If anyone’s good at fighting in tunnels, it’s them.’
‘We’ll flood the maze with elevators and guardslins,’ Jerrit declared. ‘With the details of the maze Wolfenvald has provided,’ and he nodded at Jasper, ‘we’ll be able to plot the fastest course through the maze as well as cut off and open up channels as needed during the battle. We’ll be relying on constant reports from above.’ He nodded at Siouxanne and Jimbeaux.
‘We’ll keep you informed,’ Siouxanne assured him, ‘and we’ll rain fire down into those channels the likes of which has never been seen before.’
‘And I’ll take the field with my mercenaries and the Medici,’ James added. ‘There’s an open field of a good kilometre or so between the inner edge of the maze and the tower base.’
Jasper nodded. ‘We’re pretty sure the bulk of whatever Mautallius is going to throw at us is going to come from the centre of The Nonagon. That we can cope with. The real threat will be what happens if he manages to get Conundrum Gate operational. It’ll be raining demons.’ He grinned. ‘The werewolves, including the Order of Silver Shrouds, will fight in packs in the m
aze channels and on the inner plain.’
‘We’ll join you,’ Maddy piped firmly.
Penethelia nodded. ‘That just leaves The Nightsmith’s mummies and Kopernick’s Golden Shrouds.’
Jax risked raising her ire again by correcting her once more. ‘The name of that legion is The Nightcorps.’
Penethelia’s jaw was set and a vein in her temple pulsed. ‘Any more corrections you want to make?’ Her hand rested on her sword hilt.
Ronny coughed delicately. ‘This sounds like an excellent strategy so far, Your Majesty. Perhaps the best positions for The Forever Dead and The Gilded Warrioresses will be at the base of the tower? They’re the most invulnerable. If they can take the brunt of any demonic or Guild assault, the allies on and in the outer fields will have an easier time of it.’
Penethelia flashed him the briefest of thankful grins and relaxed a little. She looked around the table. ‘Very well ladies and gents. We know what we need to do. How long is it going to take to mobilise everyone?’
‘I’ll need about a week,’ King Roger responded. The others except Jasper expressed similar periods.
‘We’re ready to go now,’ Jasper told her. ‘But then we fight in small packs or solo. We can be mobilised in minutes. The real question is when will Their Majesties Kopernik and Troy need us?’
James grinned at him. ‘I dunno about you, but if we’ve got a fight coming, I’m gonna get ready.’ He waved at Felecia the faerie. ‘Ale all round,’ he requested. Felicia curtseyed mid-air and immediately produced several dozen tankards of ale for the table.
‘If there’s a battle coming,’ James told them all, waving his tankard, ‘you better drink ‘em while you got ‘em. It might be a while before your next beer!’ He held his tankard up high. ‘To The Golden Mane and Nightsmith!’ he toasted. ‘May Mautallius sneeze a pineapple!’
Just as he was taking his first sip, Sarah’s portal appeared. Sarah came through first, followed by Mel, Tor and Cassandra. Sarah looked around at the gathered leaders of the groups who would all be fighting for her. She felt a surge of emotion and was very glad she was in her wolf form because were she human, she’d have been crying.
Of course, everyone immediately crowded around her and Melanie and it took some time before they all settled down. Eventually, Sarah perched herself at the head of Benjamin’s massive table, with Melanie glowering in silent rage beside her.
Next down the table were the werewolves Jasper, Fergus, Mannix, Benjamin, Herschel and Abby. Seated opposite them were Queen Penethelia, General Sally Troy, Cassandra Troy, Silver Shroud Kate O’Brien and Herdmaster Tor. Further down still were King Roger and his Generals Quarry, Kilnmacher and Mason. Opposite them were General Jerrit, Field Marshall Jax and Princess Elizabetha Medici. Seated beside them was Her Royal Highness, Princess Madison Hai Du. Beside her sat the three Ottispuschenshuffen brothers. Amelia the healer sat next to them. Her face was serious but calm. At the far end of the table lounged James Isaacs, flanked by his two hired ogres Castor and Pollux. Behind them, because they were far too big to be seated at any table, crouched the mighty diamondback dragons, Siouxanne and her mate Jimbeaux. The ancient slateback Cexil lay on the floor with his scaled head resting on his claws.
After Sarah and Mel had been filled in on the council so far, Queen Penethelia addressed the table. ‘Okay ladies,’ she announced darkly to the entire table, ‘we know the target is Conundrum Gate which is at the top of that tower.’ She nodded at Sarah and Melanie.
‘Excuse me,’ Jerrit interjected. ‘We accepted you as chairman while Queen Kopernik and The Nightsmith were absent. Now they’re here, who made you boss of this thing?’ He tried very hard to pronounce it right. He almost succeeded.
‘Shut up, goblin,’ Sarah told him. ‘She’s not the boss. I am. Let her speak.’
At the same time, Mel said, ‘She’s right Jerrit. Shut your trap!’
Jerrit sat back down, deflated.
Penethelia glared about the room. ‘Anyone else got any objections?’
The silence spoke volumes.
‘Right,’ she said decisively. ‘We need intel.’ She glanced at O’Brien. ‘Lieutenant?’
O’Brien got up from her chair and pointed at an empty spot on the floor. A huge whiteboard appeared out of nowhere, with a detailed diagram of Cromwell’s island, the maze around it, the barren land between the maze and The Nonagon, and the tower in the centre. With elegant grace that had every pair of eyes following her intently, she walked over to the board.
‘Okay, this is Conundrum Gate,’ she told them all in her serious but quiet voice. She pointed to The Gate at the top. ‘The tower’s an even hundred storeys high — several hundred metres. We don’t know exactly how high. Some of those storeys are dozens of metres taller than normal. It’s an odd building.’
‘You can say that again,’ James muttered, shaking his bald head.
O’Brien nodded. ‘The stairs are the only way up to the top. To get to the tower entrance, you’ve got to get through the surrounding buildings. There are several barracks, a library and a few training houses plus the admin buildings. They circle the base and they’re going to be even more dangerous to get a force through than the maze itself.’ She looked at Sarah seriously. ‘You punched through once, First. I wouldn’t do that again. Mautallius has probably reinforced it. If you do get through, there’s a chance you’ll be vulnerable till you get your strength back. If I were you, I’d go straight past the buildings to the main gate at the base of the tower here.’ She pointed at a small courtyard.
Sarah nodded and wagged her tail. ‘That’s cool. We’ll go up the old fashioned way.’
Just then, Sarah caught a whiff of a scent she recognised immediately. The fetid smell of old gym socks and dead fish meant that somewhere, a troll was nearby. The other werewolves also noticed the smell and began to bound towards the door when it was opened by two of Mannix’s Black Coat sentries. Behind them were several more Black Coat and Brown Coat werewolves escorting a sizzling and very bedraggled Thrag into the hall. The troll was holding a small white flag in its claw but that gesture of peace had not stopped the werewolves from taking several bites out of its arms and legs.
Sarah was stunned. How come these damned trolls kept showing up? ‘What do you want, Thrag?’ she growled at the smoking troll. She licked her nose with distaste. Now Thrag was out of the moist air, its skin was beginning to dry off but the smoke still smelled awful.
‘Sarah Coppernick!’ Thrag burst out. ‘I’ve been trying to reach you for months! Haven’t you met any of my messengers?’
Sarah realised why she had run into those trolls. First she’d met one in the old salt mine in Wieliczka in Poland. Next she’d encountered one that had been trapped by Medusa on Crete. Both times, the trolls had been obliterated before they could speak to her.
‘I met two of them Thrag,’ she growled. ‘What did you expect me to do? Make them breakfast? I killed them!’
Thrag sighed. ‘Never mind,’ he told her. ‘I’ve found you now. I have to tell you something!’
Sarah looked back at the rest of the group. Nobody was smiling. She didn’t have to ask of course because what everyone was thinking was quite clearly written all over their faces. Nobody trusted that troll.
Melanie was especially angry. She half-leaped, half-flew over to the troll and without waiting another moment, lashed out with one of her wings, chopping Thrag’s head off in one clean swipe. Troll blood spurted all over the nearest werewolves who yelped and scampered out of the way. They did not at all like being covered in the foul gore. They whined and shook their coats and pawed at their faces to clean the blood off themselves as fast as they could.
Thrag’s body stayed still for a moment then toppled over with a wet-sounding thud, while its head sailed through the air and bounced and clattered on the granite floor. It rolled and finally came to rest at the foot of Ronny’s chair.
The startled gnome climbed down and picked up the head by one ear. ‘Eck!’
he exclaimed, wrinkling his grey stubby nose. ‘This thing stinks!’ He held the head out at arm’s length with one hand and held his nose with the other.
Without lungs, no sounds came out of Thrag’s mouth, even though it was obviously trying to say something. While everyone else began yelling and arguing, two more of Mannix’s sentries who weren’t so covered in troll blood as the others, hauled the body over to one of the many large half-barrels of water around the hall. Grinning with wolfish glee, they dumped it in and watched it fizzle and hiss. The water sizzled and boiled, sending clouds of foul-smelling smoke out into the hall.
James swore, waving his hand in front of his face. ‘For Pete’s sake, McConnell!’ he yelled. ‘Open some windows will you? We’ll all choke to death in this stuff!’
‘What did you do that for?’ King Roger demanded of Melanie. ‘Now we’ll have to wait for it to grow its throat and lungs back before it can tell us anything!’
Mel gave the gnomish king (whom she’d never met before), a scathing look. ‘We don’t need it to speak to find out what it knows, you lumpy little dumbass.’
Most of the group who knew Sarah and Mel better than Roger, began to laugh at the spluttering little monarch.
‘She’s right, Your Majesty,’ Sarah told him, also trying hard not to laugh. ‘Watch.’ She padded up to the head Ronny was holding and fixed it with her golden gaze. Thrag’s mind, she realised as she sank into its consciousness, was remarkably sharp for a troll. It was also quite disgusting. Even though trolls possess no gender and do not reproduce by mating with each other, that doesn’t stop them thinking all kinds of sordid stuff.
‘Ugh,’ she muttered through barred fangs, ‘this thing’s mind is a sewer!’
Finally, she found what she was looking for. Thrag, she discovered, had been keeping a secret about Conundrum that none of them knew. Back in the days when it had been Caretaker of Conundrum, the old troll had stumbled upon a labyrinth underneath the maze surrounding the island. With great relief, she cut her connection with Thrag’s head and let the golden beams of light from her eyes fade.
