Destiny's Call

by E. Markus Sharp

  Marshal cut a swath killing three and four kobolds per swing blood flowed and body parts rolled away from their hosts mostly heads. Rein clashed with a huge orc who was fighting and throwing obscenities as he swung his huge sword. The two seemed to be matched and both were cut here and there Regina started to worry as Rein took a massive hit to his wounded shoulder that nearly buckled his legs. But when she realized that the armor deflected most of the blow she calmed herself. Rein then countered and pushed the blade through the orc's face. Trevor swung his sword and separated body parts from orcs trying to break the line he looked like he was at play not at war. Banz was so quick it was hard to see what he was doing except killing goblins. None of these monsters could match the fighter's skill. The mages cast fire and lightning into the army of sub-humans sending bodies flying through the air! It was beautiful to see. Corin was in his own class of fighting- no weapons and his flaming fists killed just as many goblins and orcs as the rest. Regina wondered at the flames. He was not burned! Gabe stood between her and the kobolds who wanted to get to her. She was glad he was there. A large balloon was launched from the other side of the palace and no one could get to it from here or noticed it from the group hard at work fighting the sub-humans on the ground. So Regina took out her two mile crossbow and loaded it. The kobolds rushed Gabe and one got past him and took a swing at Regina and in a flash Roderick was there blocking the monster's blows. Regina aimed the crossbow and fired the bolt. She took a breath and waited the second it took to reach the balloon seemed like hours. The balloon was hit and started deflating and Regina watched it crash in the field beyond the walls. She thought they were going to escape until a black dragon landed on top of the remains of the balloon and started killing!

  “I thought Blacks were evil.” Regina said as the black mauled the crew of the balloon.

  “Not that one.” Roderick said with a small laugh. Regina wondered what he knew about the black dragon and how he could know anything about the dragon. The armies and the avatars pushed into every hall and room searching for the leaders of this occupation and decimating their army. Before too long they reached the royal apartments and the kobolds stood at the end of a hall of portcullises. They had their bows knocked and were ready for a long battle they had barrels of arrows next to them. They taunted the front lines and a few shot down the hall hitting one of the infantry officers. He died on the spot!

  “Poisoned.” Marshal said in disgust. The stone giant made his way to the front Regina believed his name was Ganar the Rock. Ganar pushed down parts of the hallway when he didn't quite fit. Luckily all the apartments ceilings reached for the skies and were much larger than the rest of the structure. Ganar began moving and when he hit the first portcullis he was at a sprint. The wall and floors shook with his motion. He hit the second one and the kobolds started firing arrows that bounced right off of the Rock and when Ganar finally hit the third one the kobolds began their retreat running over one another to escape. The armies and the Avatars followed the stone giant into the very heart of the enemies' lair.

  ***

  “You must go my lord. We must retreat.” Bala told her husband as they watched their army fall to the advance of the three armies, the giants and the Avatars. He underestimated them and was now paying the price. He opened a portal to his home and let Bala step through. The queen stormed into the room just as he was beginning to leave.

  “Stop you must take me with you!” the former queen demanded with fear in her eyes. She ran to him and Xanthus slapped her to the floor in a quick move. She looked up crawling towards the portal.

  “Please don't leave me here!” She begged and Xanthus frowned down at her.

  “Pathetic. I can leave you here to die and I will. You were a mistake of Tolin's from the beginning.” He told her entering the portal. After he left the portal would close and she would meet her fate.

  “Good riddance.” Xanthus said to himself as he made it home.

  ***

  Queen Eleanor gathered her undead and waited in the royal apartments. Tolin was gone and so was Xanthus and his ogre mages. She would stand alone in the end. Maybe she was always alone maybe her allies were just using her for their ends. The apartment doors were easily breached by a huge stone giant and her undead attacked it fearless to the last only she feared what was next. The room and hall filled up with soldiers and giants as she sat in her favorite chair, waiting for the final blow. She couldn't escape the sun was still high in the sky and even with the rain the light was enough to kill her.

  “I Queen Eleanor of Lightbringer surrender to you. I'm at your mercy.” She told the invaders when the last of her monsters died. A knight in black gilded armor walked up to her and stood there for a moment his sword was singing an old battle song she vaguely remembered. Then he made a quick slice and her head fell from her shoulders and she felt death for the second time.

  ***

  Lightbringer is free but the scars of the Witch-King would continue to haunt each person who lived through the occupation. We were not prepared for the horrors we found after freeing the city. Mass graves, cooking pots filled with human bodies, woman who had to endure so much including the Princess of Lightbringer Astral. No one was untouched. The new Queen Gabrielle made an alliance with the Alliance and the Protectorate died with the siege of Lightbringer and the death of King Edward, (may he rest in peace). The Alliance absorbed the Protectorate cities and now controls most of the Midlands and we need them with the invasion of Zury we are still far from ending this conflict. We go to Zury now with just the giants. The Alliance told us they needed to redistribute their forces and the Gond army only came to free Lightbringer. So we left with the only allies we can count on maybe the cavilers of Zury and the giants can push back Thul Zun's main army. I doubt it but they will buy us time. We must find more allies and find the dragons if we ever hope to win this war. End of report.

  Lorena of the Red robes.

  Consortium Mage

  est.141 Year of the Dragon

  ***

  Epilogue

  Matron Illiora watched as her army moved silently through the Underworld. They were not able to take and keep the human settlement. There was just too much light. She warned the Witch-King about that very thing. The dark elves were superior in every way to those who lived under the cursed sun but they were reduced to nothing under that same sun. Now she would do it her way. The army marched to the Dwarven stronghold deep in the earth called Formath Keel. There they would take the great city and there she would help her forces become adapted to the light and have those smiths make goggles like the one Banz was wearing when last she viewed him. Then they would be ready for the sun and it's minions above. Then she would rule where others had failed. Even Banz was still her unknowing pawn She could use her divination on his so easily. He was connected to her and he didn't even know it. She was his mother after all. When he was born she was forced to cast him out because she couldn't be dishonored again by another male birth. She gave him to another noble house as a slave and there he remained until this betrayal. Now she could easily find him and focus on him to watch his new allies. They were the key to victory. With them out of the way her plans couldn't fail. But first was the attack on the dwarves. Loth's webs would cover the world soon starting with Formath Keel.

  ***

  Teamon sat at the top of the giant fortress watching the one who saved her. He who gave her a second chance, he who carried her through Gand's streets to be healed when she was at her weakest and he was kind to her and even now he smiled up at her and waved. She nodded at him. No one had ever showed her any kindness. She was hatched into the world to conflict and survival of the fittest. She would never leave this man and she would never betray him. She thought maybe she was in love but it felt like more to her than just simple love. He was more. She would follow him to hell.

  ***

  Thul Zun watched the whole disaster as it happened. A thousand troops wiped from the battle field. It took him six years to tra
in those troops and it took one battle to reduce them back to the sniveling cowards he had pulled together at the beginning. Maybe it was in their nature to not fall back on their training in a conflict. Maybe he failed. He slammed his fist onto the table breaking it in half. The others at the table stood as it fell all but one, General Frol. He had finally become what Thul knew he was capable.

  “We need a win after this obvious loss. General Frol I want you to go and capture the Avatars. I want them alive.” Thul ordered and Frol smiled.

  “I have just the trap in mind. The dark elves have run from the field of battle to pursue their own interests. We will use them to get what we want. I'll make my way to Formath Keel with a small force of orcs. We will lure the Avatars there and the dark elves can capture them for us.” Frol told Thul with a gleam in his eyes.

  “I know you can do this General. Do not fail me. Bring me the Avatars alive. I don't want to start the hunt over with their replacements.” Thul warned Frol.

  “Your will be done.” The general told him bowing low.

  ***

  James of the White robes heard the door open to his chambers and looked up from his crystal ball, whoever it was slipped by several different magical safeguards. It was he- He who brings light to the world- Rurik! James slipped out of the chair and to his knees.

  “Arise and report.” Rurik ordered. James got back into his chair.

  “Well sir they are capable but they have yet to display enough power to fight the Witch-King's henchmen let alone the villain himself. I say their a start but we shouldn't put all of our resources behind them just yet they maybe the Avatars before the true heroes and committing it all to them could spell disaster.” James informed the all knowing divinity.

  “You already knew what I was going to say so why ask?” James asked.

  “It helps me focus to hear you talk and why would I deny you your opinion? You have an opinion after all.” The god said making James less comfortable not more.

  “Am I wrong?” James asked as the divine being faded away.

  “I can't say James. Keep up the work and find a way to connect to them more. I have.” The god told him as the room seemed a little dimmer and a bit colder.

  “He has connected to them how?” James asked himself.

  “The divine never tell you what you want to hear just what you need hear to at the time.” James' father used to say that just before leading prayers. His father was a priest of Rurik, so to James' eternal frustration he knew what he was talking about.

  ***

  It roamed the streets looking but not finding. It wanted Gabrielle. Where was the it's new victim? It entered the Palace Tolin was gone, the Witch-King's army lay in ruins. He entered the apartments and found her. The foolish guards attack thinking they can hurt it. It shows them the light one turns to stone and one is disintegrated. She awakes and it shows her a light and she trusts it for now. It tells her to touch it's scaly skin and she does. It teleports her to Tolin's hiding spot. He is there.

  “Very good, Harialsamesh, I'll take her from here.” He told it using its name. Perhaps it could enjoy serving this man. When he starts hurting her it knows it will enjoy serving this man.

  ***

  Prince Ure found a friend who helped him to disguise himself as a moon instead of Gold. His friend James told him it would make the journey a little easier. Ure and James travel to the Dwarven stronghold of Formath Keel rumors have it the Avatars will be going there to enlist the Dwarves help with the war. Ure only cares about finding her. She haunts his dreams day and night. No one has ever touched him so.

  ***

  Kindle finally caught up with the others in Lightbringer. He had heard tales of the Avatar’s good works and knew it was them. Lila would have it no other way. He gave her the coin he made from the items sold. All in all it would be enough to fund another adventure or two. Kindle believed these adventures were far from over. He hoped Lila knew what she was doing. The Witch- King would take notice of them soon and make them pay. But Kindle would not let Lila be hurt while he drew breath.

  He hoped they knew what they were doing.