“You still have the ability to fly away,” Garth pointed out.
“The spell leaves me vulnerable for a short period of time,” retorted Kalina. “It is not an option in this case. Once we spring the trap, it is win or die for me.”
“I will buy you the time if it comes down to that,” vowed Garth.
“At the cost of your own life?” balked Kalina. “No, Garth. We will fight and win together, or we will die together.”
Garth lowered the scope and turned around to face his wife. “We could pick another spot for the ambush,” he suggested.
“There is too little time left.” Kalina shook her head. “We will go with what we have planned and hope that your instincts are correct. Do we need to contact the Skate before the ambush?”
“I sent Bitsy to the ship when I saw them entering the harbor,” replied Garth. “That is all the contact we should need. Let’s have a meal while we wait for darkness.”
The Knights of Alcea left the balcony and went downstairs to the common room. They ate a leisurely meal as if the day held no specific relevance for them. In fact, it was the night before the new moon, and a night that would mark the opening salvo of a war between continents. Bitsy arrived before the end of the meal, but she stealthily slid into Garth’s pocket without speaking. That action alone let Garth know that there were no serious problems to report. By the time the Alceans had finished their meal, the sun had set and the street torches had been lit. Garth and Kalina rose from their chairs and exited the Bluff House Inn as if they were going for an evening stroll.
The walk through the city streets took the Knights of Alcea past the Temple of Balmak where the evening service was just ending. They paused on the corner for a few minutes to watch the worshipers disperse. When the streets emptied out, Garth and Kalina passed the temple and entered a dark alley near the side of the temple. Half way to where the alley dead-ended, the alley bent at a sharp angle. The Alceans halted at the bend.
“It certainly is dark enough,” Kalina commented. “Are we ready for this?”
“As ready as we can be,” Garth replied as he opened the door to an abandoned bakery and peeked inside. “Let’s see what Bitsy has to report before we begin.”
Garth stuck his finger in his pocket to get the fairy’s attention. Bitsy stuck out her head and looked around. She frowned at the sight of the dark alley and then glanced into the darker building.
“Where are we going?” chirped the fairy.
“We will explain in a minute,” Garth replied. “First tell us what those on the Skate had to say.”
“Their journey was uneventful,” stated Bitsy. “They are positioned as you requested. The crew will rest while they wait for the appointed time. There was nothing more.”
“Good,” smiled Garth. “Kalina and I are about to do battle. We would like your eyes and ears to keep us informed of anyone coming into this alley. I will be just inside this door. The door will be closed, but there is an open window on the floor above me. You must be quick with bringing me any vital information. If I deem it important to share with Kalina, you will then need to go to the far end of the alley as well. Are you comfortable with that?”
“That is an easy task,” chirped Bitsy. “Who do you expect to be entering the alley?”
“K’san,” replied Garth. “If I am correct, he will be coming with two black-cloaks and no one else. If there are others, I need to know as fast as you can fly.”
“That is pretty fast,” boasted the fairy.
“Alright,” sighed Garth. “Let’s do this.”
Garth stepped through the doorway into the darkness of the deserted bakery. Kalina waited until he closed the door before continuing deeper into the dead-end alley. When she reached the end of the alley, she glanced upwards to see if there was any light coming from the few windows above her. There was none. For a few minutes, she stood silently in the dark as she prepared for battle. When her composure was calm, she raised an arm and threw a fireball into the wall opposite her. The alley burst into brilliance as the fiery orb impacted on the stone wall, but the glow quickly faded. Kalina counted methodically as she prepared to cast another spell.
* * * *
K’san had just sat behind his desk when he felt the vibrations of battlefield magic. A deep frown creased his brow, and he slowly rose to his feet. He stood silently, his magical senses testing the vibrations of the city around him. After a few moments, he felt it again. There was no doubt in his mind that someone was using battle magic within the city limits. He calmly walked across the room and opened his door only to find two black-cloaks running up the corridor towards his office.
“You felt it?” called one of the mages. “It is very close to us.”
“I felt it,” K’san replied warily. “Come with me. We will find the source.”
“I will fetch the warriors to escort us,” offered one of the black-cloaks.
“No,” K’san replied tersely. “We will go alone.”
“It could be the rebels,” frowned the black-cloak. “We should have protection.”
“Are you afraid of rebels?” taunted K’san as he pushed past the other two mages.
“Of course not,” replied the black-cloak, “but it pays to be careful.”
“It also pays not to leave the temple undefended,” retorted K’san. “Did it ever occur to you that someone might be trying to lure us away from the temple so they could attack it?”
Another ripple of vibrations rode the air, but K’san did not falter as he strode towards the rear door of the temple. He pushed the door open and stepped into the night. The other two mages followed closely.
“Off to the left, I think,” offered one of the black-cloaks.
Another ripple attacked the priest’s senses. K’san suddenly halted near the two guards outside the rear door of the temple and frowned deeply. The guards looked on curiously, unaware of what was troubling the priest.
“The spells are too consistently timed,” the priest mumbled to himself. “It is a lure.” Turning to the two guards stationed at the rear door of the temple, K’san said, “You two will come with me.”
The priest did not wait for a response. He strode towards the side of the temple, his four underlings hurrying to match the stride of the tall priest. He walked directly to the mouth of the alley and halted several paces into it. Another blast of vibrations hit him, and he smiled thinly. As the others crowded around him, K’san reached out and placed a hand on the head of one of the guards. He mumbled some words under his breath and smiled in satisfaction.
“You two go and see if anyone is in this alley,” ordered the priest. “If anyone is there, you are to seize them and bring them to me.”
The guards headed deeper into the alley and drew their swords before the sharp bend.
“They will be helpless against a battle mage,” one of the black-cloaks said softly. “Why send them?”
“Quiet,” snapped the priest.
K’san closed his eyes and began observing things through the eyes of one of the guards. The guards turned the bend in the alley as a brilliant flash lit up the far end of it. There was a moment of searing white, but it only lasted a moment. As the guard regained his vision, K’san saw a figure deep in the alley. It was a woman.
The guards moved forward hesitantly, their swords extended out before them. The woman noticed them, but the distance was still too far for K’san to get a good look at her face. Suddenly the woman turned towards them and both of her arms rose in a menacing manner. The guards faltered, but it didn’t matter. Twin streams of fire sped towards them and engulfed them in flame. The guards screamed and tried to run, but they could not see. One ran into a wall before he died. The other tripped and fell, his life force going up in smoke.
A thin smile creased K’san’s lips. “It is a trap, but it is only a single woman. It is time to teach her the proper method of submitting to Balmak. I want the two of you a few paces before me. You are to keep a constant shield aroun
d all three of us. At no time are you to relinquish the shield.”
“Not even to cast offensive spells?” questioned one of the black-cloaks.
“At no time,” repeated K’san. “I will be the one delivering Balmak’s blessing to the rebel. Move.”
The two black-cloaks nervously moved deeper into the alley. K’san followed several paces behind. As the group rounded the bend in the alley, K’san saw two burning corpses. He promptly ignored them as he tried to focus on the woman, but the darkness hid her features, and the flames from the corpses destroyed his ability to see in the dark. The priest closed his eyes as they moved forward past the pyres. Once he felt the heat of the fires behind him, he opened his eyes and peered into the darkness. The female mage chose that very moment to send a flaming projectile at the group. The fireball flared brilliantly as it impacted the shields surrounding the group. K’san cursed softly as he shut his eyes again. He counted off a couple of seconds and flicked his eyes open, but the woman was assaulting the shields anew. In frustration, K’san’s arm came up, and he cast his own flaming projectile towards the end of the alley, hoping to divert her to a defensive stance. K’san opened his eyes in time to see his projectile flare on the woman’s shield. He tried to focus on her face, but she once again sent a flaming ball towards the group, as if she knew that K’san was trying to identify her before killing her.
“She is talented,” K’san grudgingly mumbled under his breath, “but that will not save her from Balmak’s revenge. It will only delay the inevitable.”
K’san raised both arms and called down bolts of lightning. He snickered softly as he shut his eyes against what he knew would be a blinding strike. The flash was bright even through his closed eyelids. K’san laughed inwardly, but the laugh soon died abruptly. The priest felt the blow upon his neck, but he felt nothing after it. His head separated from his body and bounced off the wall of the alley.
Garth shut his eyes as the pain of the brilliance blinded him. The momentary hesitation of his blade convinced him that he had indeed struck K’san, but he could see nothing. He heard the priest’s body hit the ground, but he feared tripping over it, so he halted until he could see. Loud thunder ripped through the air, and Garth felt suddenly vulnerable without the aid of his sight or hearing. Tense moments of isolation passed slowly as Garth blinked rapidly in an attempt to see. Finally, he picked out two blurry figures before him, but he could not even tell which way they were facing. Without hesitation, the Knight of Alcea leaped forward, hoping that he would clear the body of K’san. The blurry figures moved slightly as his boots landed heavily on the ground, but Garth was already committed to action. He extended his sword before him and twirled it in a figure eight. Screams from the left and screams from the right brought a thin smile to Garth’s lips, but he did not feel secure until two fireballs streamed from the end of the alley. The two blurry bodies erupted in flames.
“Are you alright?” Kalina asked as she raced towards Garth.
“I can’t see well,” he answered. “Are they all dead?”
“Very dead,” answered Kalina. “Let’s get out of here.”
* * * *
Garth was pacing the floor when Kalina unlocked the door and entered the suite. She looked at him and shook her head.
“Stop pacing,” she said softly as she closed the door. “You are making me nervous.”
“They haven’t sounded the alarm yet,” retorted Garth. “I was hoping to get that behind us before we left the inn.”
“There may not be an alarm,” replied Kalina. “The buildings along that alley are deserted. It might be days before anyone ventures in there.”
“But the battle…”
“Was not witnessed by anyone,” Kalina interrupted. “The only thing that would have been visible beyond the confines of the alley was the lightning, and I heard people talking about it. Some said that there was a storm brewing off the coast. I really do not think the bodies will be discovered before we leave the city.”
“Can we be that lucky?”
“You chose the alley because it was deserted,” answered Kalina. “That was not luck. Stop being so nervous. It is almost time for us to leave here.”
“Did you tell the innkeeper that we were leaving?”
“I just did.” Kalina nodded. “I told him that we would be leaving before dawn. He thanked us for the business and said he would be pleased to serve us when we returned. Everything is normal.”
“Well,” Garth said as he stripped off his clothes, “it will not be normal for long. Was the common room busy when you were down there?”
“No,” Kalina responded as she handed the Federation uniform to her husband, “but I think you should sneak out anyway. There is no sense in anyone seeing a general anywhere near this inn. It might cause them to look closer at people who stayed here.”
“I agree,” replied Garth as he pulled the uniform on. “Check me.”
Kalina walked around the general and inspected his uniform. She nodded her approval and stuffed his other clothes into a pack. “Who will you be tonight?”
“General Blackmoor rides again,” grinned Garth. “I kind of like the name, and I doubt we will run into any Vinaforans in the reeducation center.”
“I always liked you in a uniform,” chuckled Kalina. “I will take the unicorns and meet you in the agreed place. May the gods walk beside you.”
Garth kissed Kalina and then walked out of the suite. The Knight of Alcea moved stealthily down the back stairs of the inn and disappeared into the shadows of the night. The general kept in the shadows, but he did not lurk or call attention to his stealthiness. The few people he passed on the streets paid no attention to him. It helped that the only people out and about were those stumbling home from the taverns. Within half an hour, the general stepped into an abandoned shop. The six soldiers lurking in the dark snapped to attention and saluted. Garth smiled broadly.
“I could easily mistake you gents for real soldiers,” he chuckled. “Are you all ready to carry this charade forward?”
“We are ready,” declared one of the soldiers with no hint of humor in his voice. “May we know the name of our superior?”
“For tonight,” Garth answered, “I am General Blackmoor, Commander of the Tenth Corps.”
“That is Omirro’s unit,” frowned Bacar.
“So I have been told,” grinned Garth, “but not anymore. I heard General Omirro died to the rebels up near Sebastian Pass.”
“Is that true?” questioned one of the soldiers.
“Not that I am aware of,” replied Garth, “but it hardly matters. General Omirro can come back to life tomorrow, but for tonight, he is dead.”
“I sure hope this works,” worried Bacar.
“It will work as long as you remember the lessons I taught you,” stated the general. “Stay calm at all times. Protect your teammate, and expect the unexpected. Are we ready?”
Six heads nodded affirmatively, and General Blackmoor spun around and opened the door. He peaked into the street and nodded an all clear. Two of the soldiers scooted past the general and into the street. The other four followed General Blackmoor out of the shop. Once in the street, the six soldiers took up a formation surrounding the general. Together they marched along the street until they came to the reeducation center. One of the forward soldiers stepped up to the door and knocked loudly on it. Nothing happened. The soldier knocked again, louder. After a few seconds, the window in the door slid open and a soldier peered out.
“Open the door,” General Blackmoor said authoritatively.
“Sir?” came a weak response. “It is the middle of the night, General. Is there something we can do for you?”
“I do not need a reminder of the hour, soldier,” scowled the general. “I am General Blackmoor, Commander of the Tenth Corps, and I am here to inspect your facilities. Open the door now.”
The window slammed shut and Garth could hear shouting inside the building. Although the words were unintelligi
ble, Garth could visualize the mayhem inside. Instead of standing guard, most of the soldiers were probably napping, never expecting a late inspection. The soldier on door duty made a point of fumbling with the door lock as he stalled for time. Garth smiled inwardly, but kept a scowl upon his face. The seconds dragged on until eventually, the door was opened. Two of Garth’s soldiers marched in before him. The other four followed. The door guard looked out and closed the door when he saw no other soldiers.
“Lock it,” the general ordered gruffly.
While the guard locked the door, the general ran his eyes over the assembled soldiers. Next to the real soldiers, his thieves looked like polished veterans. The guards’ uniforms were in disarray as if they had just woken up, which many of them probably had.
“Excuse me, General Blackmoor,” said the door guard, “but I thought the Commander of the Tenth was somebody else.”
Garth glared at the soldier and then let his face soften somewhat. “I guess word has not yet arrived to the lower ranks. General Omirro died in a rebel raid up near the Sebastian Pass. His death is a great loss to Ertak and the Federation.”
Garth’s face hardened again as his eyes swept over the assembled soldiers. His gaze landed on a sergeant, and he stared at the man until he began to fidget nervously.
“Your men are a disgrace, Sergeant,” Garth scowled. “Get them into a line. Now.”
The sergeant ordered his men to form up while Garth turned to face his own men.
“Corporal,” he said to Bacar, “take your men through the facility to make sure that everyone is properly assembled.”
Bacar saluted smartly and led his men deeper into the center. The sergeant opened his mouth to object, but the general glared him. The sergeant shut his mouth. Garth still stood with his back to the door, so the guards lined up facing him. He walked to one end of the line and stared at the end soldier.
“Have you been sleeping on duty?” General Blackmoor asked the soldier as he gazed up and down at the man’s wrinkled uniform.
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