The Game of Fates

by Joel Babbitt

  Gorgon, looking about himself to ensure no one in the other nearby huts was within earshot, beckoned for Durik to come closer. Durik was made only more curious by the fact that, whatever they were doing, the brash warrior Gorgon actually felt the need to be secretive about it. Walking forward, he put his foot up on the low stone embankment next to the sunken door and leaned closer to Gorgon. In the meantime, Ardan pushed his wheelbarrow full of limestone through the door and out of sight.

  “I didn’t want to say it too loud,” Gorgon started, then glanced around again, “since, as you know, they don’t know how to forge steel here in this gen.” Gorgon got a somewhat sly grin on his face, “but we do!”

  Durik was both surprised and pleased, as well as concerned.

  Gorgon saw the concern on his face and spoke quickly. “Oh, don’t worry, we’ll dismantle the additions we’re making to their forge once we’re done, since Lord Karthan hasn’t seen fit to give this secret to the Krall Gen yet.”

  “I wasn’t so concerned about that,” Durik said. “Tell me, where did you get the limestone and bricks?”

  Gorgon looked shocked, “You’re not accusing me of stealing, are you?” he said.

  “That wasn’t the question, but I was wondering where the materials came from,” Durik answered.

  “Well, I’ll have you know it was Ardan’s female friend, who recently opened up a trading shop I might add, that acquired them for us. ‘Anything to protect my love and his party’ as she put it.”

  Durik patted him on the shoulder. “I shouldn’t have doubted you, Gorgon.”

  “Rightfully so,” Gorgon answered, then looking around one more time hauled his wheelbarrow full of bricks through the door. Ardan’s voice could be heard inside briefing Tohr. In a few moments Tohr stepped out the door with Ardan just behind him. “Remember, no one outside our company is to come in here. I don’t care if it’s Lord Krall himself!”

  Durik shook his head and laughed to himself. He was proud of their ingenuity and skeptical at the same time. However this whole episode worked out, he was sure that they’d at least get some sort of armor out of it.

  Before leaving the area, Durik stopped by and informed Jerrig at the leatherworking shop that the design was probably going to change a bit and that he probably should go and talk to Gorgon.

  Jerrig’s eyes shot open wide and he quickly left to consult with his companions in the metalsmithy.

  Durik wanted to take Myaliae at face value, but the council of the other night had left him in doubt as to how much support the Krall Gen was willing to give to Morigar… and the group he traveled with. To calm or confirm his fears, Durik had decided it was time to pay Lord Krall another visit.

  The visit itself had gone pleasantly enough, but strangely enough Lord Krall only acknowledged that Myaliae was being allowed to accompany Durik’s group and, as such, was part of Durik’s Company. Lord Krall had left it unspoken, but it was clear; Myaliae was under Durik’s control and not Morigar’s.

  Durik had not known how to respond, and the silence had grown uncomfortable. About this time, someone had knocked on the door, interrupting them. Durik, thankful for the interruption, had hastily excused himself.

  Durik now sat with the rest of the company around tables in Lord Krall’s great hall waiting for the pair of servants that were preparing the meal to finish cutting the meat and straining vegetables out of the cauldron. His company was not the only group there. Krebbekar and the two scouts, as well as the remnant of Lord Krall’s house guards who weren’t on the trail with Krall were also there, seated around tables of their own. There was much chatter among the groups. As the meal was about to be served, the first platter was taken back through the door that led to Lord Krall’s chambers. No one expected that Lord Krall would join them.

  Kiria was making the rounds through the members of the company, dragging Myaliae in tow and introducing her to the rest of the members of the company. It was obvious to all that the members of the company were quite happy to have her along with them. Having been offered numerous places to sit on the benches, Myaliae finally acquiesced and seated herself between Gorgon and Jerrig. Kiria sat across the table from her and the pair of young females took well to the task of lightening up the conversation.

  Durik looked on in admiration at how quickly his company had accepted its newest member. Of course, she was a rather pretty addition to the company, and he was sure that helped at least a little. Durik, for one, was almost overjoyed to have a healer with the company, and one with quite a bit of alchemical or magical skill too, according to Manebrow’s report.

  Soon the meal was served and the company ate in peace.

  Morigar, youngest son of Lord Krall and soon destined to set out with the company on his own perilous quest, was not interested in the inner workings of Durik’s Company, or any of the information that they had at their disposal, nor did he make the effort to break the ice with the company, preferring instead to stay safely cloistered within the inner chambers of his father’s great hall. When Krebbekar came to him to show him the company’s Standing Orders, Morigar refused to even look at them. When Krebbekar mentioned that they should find out what knowledge the Kale Gen warriors had about the Dwarven Mining Outpost, Morigar dismissed the idea, stating that he was sure that whatever knowledge they needed could be found in their own gen’s archives.

  Krebbekar was about to go to Morigar’s father, Lord Krall, to bring some sense to the arrogant idiot that was his son, but he thought better of it. After all, if something ever happened to Morigar’s older brother Krall, Morigar was next in line for the throne. He had to give him as many opportunities to learn as he could. Of course, Krebbekar was determined to step in before Morigar screwed up too badly.

  Later that evening Krebbekar sat at Durik’s table and began to get the uncomfortable feeling from the many references in the discussion around the table to places he did not know that Morigar’s pride was holding him back from gaining much needed knowledge. He began to get that sinking feeling in his gut that, unless he worked to fix the situation, it would only get worse, and probably cause unnecessary death and pain on the part of Durik’s Company or his own team.

  Krebbekar’s dilemma grew. In his heart he knew that someone had to bring Morigar to his senses, but he also felt that going to Morigar’s father to get Morigar back in line wasn’t the way to get this quest off on the right foot. He also knew that Morigar wouldn’t listen to him. He was at an impasse.

  Krebbekar sighed. For now he would have to do double duty—his normal duties and what Morigar should be doing. As such, he arranged to meet with Durik’s lore master Kiria the next day to go over whatever information the company was willing to share. If Morigar wasn’t willing to get the information they needed to be successful, then Krebbekar would.

  As if Morigar’s failure in his initial jockeying for power over the company didn’t make his attitude sour enough, that night when Krebbekar told Morigar that Myaliae, one of their own Krall Gen healers, had been sent with the company, Morigar exploded. Angrily he stormed off to talk with his father. After much whining on Morigar’s part and a few sharp, but true words from Lord Krall, Morigar exited his father’s chambers with his tail between his legs.

  For the rest of that night and most of the next day Morigar wouldn’t see Krebbekar. Later that night when Morigar finally emerged from his quarters, Krebbekar could see that he was still bitter. He received Krebbekar’s report about the study session he’d had with Kiria without interest. Krebbekar left as soon as he gave his report to avoid any more of the uncomfortable silence.

  The time was passing quickly, and though Krebbekar was growing more and more confident in Durik’s Company, he was growing less and less confident in Morigar. In his heart he felt there would be trouble, but he let his mind convince him that he and the two scouts Lord Krall was sending from the Border Guard to accompany them on Morigar’s quest could make up the difference. After two days of working on the preparations for this
quest with Gormanor and Lemmekor, he had become confident in their abilities and dedication. They had a good reputation in the Border Guard before they had come to him, and watching them go about the preparations in a very skilled and thorough manner, Krebbekar could clearly see why.

  Morning of the company’s fourth day with the Krall Gen started with no surprises. After Gorgon and Ardan had fitted the forge to make steel the real work had begun. Despite their dedication, the two metalworkers soon had found that they needed help if they were going to get the work done in three days. As such, Durik and Manebrow had both pitched in to help out in the blacksmithy. Jerrig was soon asking for additional help in the leather working shop, so Kiria and Myaliae were assigned to help when they were not taking care of the animals.

  The second day of making armor had passed thus, with everyone working furiously, and now on the morning of the third day of making armor, the company’s fourth day with the Krall Gen, both Gorgon and Jerrig felt that they were on track to get the armor done in time.

  It was exciting to see. The Kale Gen had never been an armor-making or armor-wearing gen. In fact, before the Bloodhand Orc Tribe had gained the skill a decade or so before, they’d only seen armor in old books. Now they were building something that could possibly save their lives. The possibilities of better protection brought great enthusiasm to the group of warriors, and there was much excited discussion about how they could make each part of the armor better.

  The thinner steel of their armor was much lighter yet stronger than the heavier cast iron of the armor Krebbekar had lent them to use as a pattern. Because of this the group had felt that they could use more of the steel to protect other areas. Though there had been many different ideas, in the end it was Kiria’s books that provided the guidance they needed.

  On the morning of the second day of armor making Kiria had brought out a picture of a human warrior dressed in armor made of metal scales, all sewn onto a backing of hardened leather and padded with cloth backing on each scale. She’d shown it to Gorgon and Ardan. The two warriors looked at each other and got a big grin on their faces. The scales could be put on the suits of leather armor that they were already building, and would only be enhanced by the shoulder, waist, shin, and forearm guards that they were making in following the pattern of the Krall Gen armor. With Durik’s blessing, they quickly agreed to build as many suits of this scale armor as they could. The unspoken motivation, of course, was that this armor would be better than anything that the Krall Gen had.

  Finally, on this third day, they began binding the various pieces together and constructing semi-finished suits of armor. By second meal one full suit of armor was already completed, and several more were having the scales sewn on them. Holding the first suit up to look at the workmanship, Ardan got a smile on his face. It was heavy armor, but it would turn most blades at least, as well as many arrows and spears.

  The new armor would take some getting used to, however. After all, these warriors were used to being light fighters, their only armor being at most a shield.

  In front of her stall lay several burlap sacks of grain, each one carefully measured in the balance. It was a point of pride for her, and part of the reason that she was so well respected. No one could ever say that she was not fair to both buyer and seller. An honest broker; that was her reputation.

  Miratha looked up from the parchment where she had been cross-referencing the orders for grain with the sellers who had provided the grain. Focusing her eyes on the large shape making its way directly across the trading floor to her, she suddenly realized that it was Ardan draped in a heavy cloak. With a smile on her face, Miratha put down her writing board and moved to meet him. As she threw her arms around his waist, she felt hard metal. Opening up the cloak, she saw a large metal band bound about his waist, girding up a heavy jacket of metal scales.

  Ardan grabbed her arms before she threw the cloak off of him entirely, motioning toward the door of her booth. Walking together through the booth into the back room, Ardan now threw off his cloak, revealing the metal armor that he’d been working on for the past three days. Shoulder guards curved up to protect the base of his neck, gleaming in the light of Miratha’s candle. Greaves on his shins covered each leg, including the knee, leaving the upper part of the leg covered by leather. The upper part of the armor was a long coat of leather with metal scales sewn onto it in tight patterns, much like a kobold’s own scales, but made of strong steel. The bottom of the long coat came down over the upper part of the legs and was girded about in the middle by a large band of metal, tied tight over the belly with leather thongs to help distribute the weight. Its sleeves only came down to a little above the elbow. Below that, the bracers that covered the forearms flared a bit at the wrist and elbow, to prevent blades from sliding off the forearm onto the hands or elbows.

  Miratha was impressed. She’d not seen armor quite like this before. In fact, she’d not paid much attention to armor before, at least not before she’d gotten the limestone and bricks for Ardan. “So this is what you did with the limestone and bricks?”

  Ardan nodded. “We did more than just make armor. We made armor of steel. Here in the Krall Gen your smithies make fine iron, both cast-iron and wrought-iron, but none of them know how to make steel. Since steel is stronger, you don’t have to make it as thick as iron to do the same job. So, since it’s lighter overall, we decided to use more of it to make coats of this scale armor.” He turned around so that Miratha could see the entire suit. “They’re making steel helmets to go with it all even as we speak.”

  Miratha looked into Ardan’s eyes, “I like anything that helps keep my love safe.”

  Ardan smiled. “I may not be wearing the coat much, however,” he said. “Despite the cloth backing on each scale it does still make a good amount more noise than a scout like me needs to make. Because of that, we’re making a few extra coats without the noisy scales, they just have the shoulder guards and the large metal belts on them, just like the Krall Gen warriors use, so us scouts have a better chance of going unheard.”

  Miratha’s eyes were glazed over a bit. She was happy that her love would be more protected, and that was all that she wanted or needed to know.

  Looking into her eyes, Ardan changed the subject. “Durik, the leader of our company, would like you to come to second meal with us. He has something to give you in appreciation of helping us get the supplies to make steel.”

  Miratha’s brow rose. She’d never been given an award or anything of the sort. All of her successes had brought their own economic reward, but no special recognition of any sort. Her interest was piqued.

  Ardan could see that she was caught off guard. “Just come as you are. No need to put on anything special. We’re all hot and sweaty from working on the armor anyway. It’s just a little something to show you we appreciate your help. Oh, and don’t mention the armor. We don’t want word getting out yet.”

  Miratha nodded.

  “I’ve got to get back to the blacksmithy and leave the armor there. The rest of the company is at Lord Krall’s Great Hall. Will you meet me there shortly?” Ardan asked.

  Still a bit dumb-struck and uncharacteristically speechless, Miratha nodded.

  “I’ll be waiting at the door for you,” Ardan said as he put the heavy cloak back over his armor. “I love you,” he said as he turned to go.

  Chapter 14 – A Time of Blood

  The members of Durik’s Company had not heard any news about the progress of the younger Krall’s force. For that matter, very little information was leaking out from the Great Hall at all. That messengers from Krall’s house guard companions had come it was true, but after receiving their messages Lord Krall had sent them back as quickly as they had come under strict orders to not divulge word of the campaign. Now, only two days into the Krall Gen’s campaign against the great ants, as Ardan made his way from the workshops to the Great Hall for second meal, however, the sight that met his eyes was impossible to suppress.

 
Accompanied by a rabble of pig herders, shepherds, and whelps, a group of three herders’ carts with bandaged limbs and broken bodies visible on their berths, pushed and pulled by exhausted troops and a swell of locals, was making its way out of the woods and toward the hall of the master healer on the lake.

  Older whelps ran ahead of the caravan, yelling for the master healer as they went. Seeing an urgent need, Ardan also began to run. It didn’t take long until he was at the front doors of the Great Hall. Arriving at the doors, he flung them open. All eyes in the Great Hall turned and focused on him.

  “There are wounded warriors arriving in carts from the campaign,” he yelled. “Come, let us help them.” Shocked into action, the entire company and all the house guards stood to follow Ardan outside.

  Lord Krall, who apparently had been watching the road from his personal chambers, rushed past the group and headed straight for the procession. In matters of a child’s possible harm or death, both king and commoner are equals.

  In moments, the entire group was moving almost as one toward the carts to relieve the tired warriors and herders who were pushing them. As they came, questions began to be asked and answers were quick in coming.

  Durik was surprised to find the Heavy Guard contingent leader among those pushing the carts. As his warriors and the house guard replaced the exhausted warriors in pushing and pulling the carts, Durik listened to the report the Heavy Guard leader gave Lord Krall.

  After giving assurances to Lord Krall that his son was alive when this train of wounded warriors had left the field, the Heavy Guard leader spoke of what had happened. The picture that he painted was of a desperate fight and of a remnant left behind in a desperate position.

  Krall’s force had been caught out in the open by a superior force of ants. They were forming a camp in a small, bowl-shaped valley when their scouts had reported initial contact with a few, scattered hunter ants. Krall had done the right thing and formed his group in a circle, melee troops on the outside. Unfortunately, he’d chosen to form them in the bottom of the valley, instead of on one of the surrounding hills.