The green dots of the Stone Raiders started leaving their various hiding spots. Josh moved his shoulders, loosening himself up for the first phase of their plan.
He checked the time. Three minutes to go. He checked his map, looking at a mass of red in formation.
Several groups had joined together, making larger and larger formations as they moved down the roads toward Verlun. Now, they were headed off the roads, crossing through fields and moving to meet up with the other large groups to create one massive formation.
In a few hours, all of General Loughbreck’s forces would be together and just three miles away from Verlun and the Stone Raiders’ Guild Hall.
Josh rolled onto his front and moved forward on all fours, climbing across the roof’s tiles and staying low as the shadows moved away from him. Josh was to the side of the balcony as one of the spies stepped out of his room, holding up his hand to take in the familiar.
Josh used one of his skills. In a flurry of motion, he jumped from the roof, crossing the fifteen feet between him and his target. His left blade opened the spy’s neck while his right grabbed onto the top of the doorway, swinging into the room.
With Josh’s skill, people seemed to move as though everything were caught in molasses. Josh disappeared into the shadows, moving across the room. The spies were just starting to look up at their friend, who was turning around, his neck opened up in a bloody smile.
Josh plunged a dagger through another spy’s back. With his sneak modifier, the man died instantly.
Three more. Josh turned, holding his blade out as one spy started to stand. Josh opened his neck.
Two.
He jumped, flipping his body over the last card Player and coming up behind him.
The spy pulled out his sword, turning to face Josh just as a dagger plunged into his side, punching a hole through his heart and lung.
Josh ripped the blade out and opened the wound up more. The spy dropped to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
One.
The last spy, the controller of the familiar, blinked, coming back to reality. Josh threw one of his daggers. It buried itself in the man’s chest.
He coughed and blood came out of his mouth. A rush of power filled Josh through his blades, begging for more violence, for more blood and souls.
“We’ve got plenty more spies to kill,” Josh promised, pulling the blade out of the last spy’s chest.
With a flick, he cleaned the blades. Time returned to normal as cards settled on the ground and the last bodies fell to the ground, their lifeblood staining the floors.
Josh moved back to the balcony, sheathing his blades and climbing up the wall with ease. He looked out over Verlun, checking his mini-map. The slaughter was underway.
Josh laughed, running across the roof; he jumped onto another and bounced off two chimneys before he reached his next roof, picking up speed as he ran.
All around him, Stone Raiders flitted about, moving from one target to the next.
Josh waved to those he saw. All of them had hungry smiles on their faces. It had been some time since the whole guild had been out on a hunt. Something about it made someone feel so alive.
The wolves, hunting the sheep. They should have never come into a city under our protection.
***
Dwayne looked out over the city, Esa and Kim to either side.
“Well, I knew that they were going to send some people to help us. I didn’t think that it would be so many.” Dwayne laughed.
“Ten complete Warclans, ten thousand Aleph automatons, three thousand Kufo’tel rangers, and a full fifty thousand-strong DCA brigade with twenty-five thousand ground troops and the same amount in aerial forces.” Esa looked out over the forces that were arrayed down the four main streets of Terra.
“That’s not including the other forces that are coming from our other alliances and affiliates.” Lucy walked up to them.
“How are we looking on that side of things?” Dwayne asked.
“Each of them has sent at least some kind of force—the smallest being about ten people, the largest around a thousand. It was on short notice and the Dwarven tournaments are going on,” Lucy said.
“Better than I thought. I’m interested in what kind of magic they use.” Kim rubbed her hands together.
“Mana nerd,” Dwayne muttered.
“Muscle-brained warmonger!” Kim yelled back.
“Hey, we all know how much you like putting your spells to work on those deserving of your attention,” Dwayne said.
“Heh,” Kim said, moving awkwardly and blushing a little bit.
Dwayne held his head, shaking it in disbelief.
Lucy and Esa chuckled.
“So, what is this that I hear? Dave is out of the fight?” Esa asked.
“Deia said that he messed up and he was stuck in some kind of loop. I saw him. He’s just sitting in a room with all kinds of these distortions around him. It looks really weird.” Lucy shrugged.
“Hope he gets better soon. It’s always fun to see what the hell he comes up with,” Dwayne said.
“Yeah, the amount of times I’ve heard people saying that he’s cheating… He’s pretty powerful, but his weapons, armor, and ideas make him a damned powerful support,” Esa said.
They all nodded in agreement.
***
Deia looked up as Dave groaned and fell over. Deia checked for distortions in the room; there were none. She ran inside and pulled Dave to her.
“Dave, baby, are you okay?” She held his head on her lap.
“Sleep.” Dave’s eyes closed.
Bob rushed into the room. “Is he done?” Bob looked to Deia.
“I think, but he’s exhausted and he hasn’t eaten anything in nearly three days,” Deia said.
“Well, his Endurance will tide him over, but I’ll hook him up to an IV so he can get some fluids and nutrients in him.” Bob pulled out what looked like a Band-Aid.
Deia pulled off his clothes. Dave smelled pretty ripe for not showering in a couple of days.
Bob slapped the Band-Aid on Dave. “I’ll look after him; give me a few minutes.” Bob wrinkled his nose.
“You sure?” Deia asked.
“Deia, there are some things that men don’t want others seeing, even if they are the love of their life,” Bob said.
“Okay.” Deia lay Dave down. He looked so peaceful compared to the yelling and screaming man of the last couple of days.
Deia would have stayed up the whole time if Bob hadn’t forced her to get some sleep. The first night, he forcefully spelled her to sleep and put her in a spare lab.
Deia stepped out of the room. The glow of Mana filled the room and poured outside. After a few minutes, Bob spoke up.
“He’s good,” Bob said.
Deia looked back in the room, finding Dave in clean clothes as if nothing had happened.
“Thanks.” She moved back to Dave. She stroked his hair, moving it into a position she liked, and looked down on his peaceful face. She kissed his forehead and hugged him.
There will be hell to pay when he wakes up! Her eyes thinned and her jaw tightened. Dave didn’t react at all as her expression slackened.
Bob cleared his throat and Deia looked up to him.
“Deia, are you sure that you want to get involved with the oncoming battle?”
“Bob, we’ve been over this a dozen times.” Deia sighed.
“And each time you try to argue against my reasoning. You’re carrying a baby and Dave isn’t going to be there. Yes, your party is very good, but there is always a slight chance or possibility that you might be hurt or killed. You might come back, but we have no idea what will happen to the baby,” Bob said.
“I’m not even showing and this is my party. I have led them till now and I will continue to lead them. As you said, they’re a great party and I’ll be sitting back and running support,” Deia said.
“You say that, but I have seen your battles. You’re usually right u
p there next to Anna,” Bob grumbled, sighing and rubbing his forehead.
Deia smiled at his distress. “You don’t need to worry so much, Bob. I’ll be fine.”
“There is a very good reason to worry. Do you know what your husband would do if he was to find out that I let you out onto the field of battle?” Bob said with a dry chuckle.
“This is my life to lead and my decisions to make. I will be okay,” Deia said.
“Fine. I know there’s nothing I can do to dissuade you, but just try to stay back. Don’t get yourself on the front lines, okay?” Bob said.
“I’ll try my best, gramps.” Deia smiled.
“Make a man really feel his age,” Bob muttered even as the corners of his mouth betrayed him, lifting ever so slightly.
Chapter 20: Coming of the Dawn
None of the commanders made to move closer to General Loughbreck.
In the last two hours, every spy and informant in Verlun had gone silent. Their scouts were moving ahead to try to get a better understanding of what was going on in the city.
Those damn spies. I should have sent my own people, not just relied on their agents. They must’ve drawn the Stone Raiders’ attention in some way or they went to ground. Idiots!
His inner thoughts must have made it onto his face as a few of the commanders moved even farther away, anxious to not bring their general’s wrath down on them.
“We will be in position before last light. I want to have a meeting with all the commanders and make sure everything is ready. As night falls, I want us to be ready to move into Verlun. Our spies have already shown that they’re incompetent. We need to act fast before the Stone Raiders can start pulling information out of them,” Loughbreck said.
His aides opened their interfaces, sending out messages to the other formations that were under Loughbreck’s command.
He shifted restlessly on his war cat. He, like his soldiers, had been training to return Gudalo back to those who would bring their country into the older and more civilized times, times when they didn’t trade with every race and had closed their borders to the dirty races to their south.
They were lower beings that needed to be taught their place. Lord Esamael would bring about a time when the Humans of Gudalo once again controlled the beasts of the south through slave collars and physical force. They knew nothing more than how to act like animals and must be treated as such.
Loughbreck nodded to himself, affirming his beliefs as his army moved forward. He looked upon the ranks of soldiers who had been trained for the cause. A holy army, made to drive out the scourge and teach them their position in life.
The Stone Raiders and their love for the dirtier races was enough to earn their destruction. For daring to be in the way of Loughbreck’s army and taking the income of hard-working Human Gudalians with their teleport pad, Loughbreck would happily hunt them down.
He spat on the ground, just thinking about the ingrates.
***
“Preparations are complete,” Malsour said to Josh as he walked into the guild hall’s main office.
“Good.” Josh looked out of one of the windows and watched as people fled into the teleport pad. All of Verlun seemed to be emptying through the teleport pad. They all understood that a fight was coming. They had seen images of the Stone Raiders fighting and most just didn’t want to be caught in the middle of it.
Some of the fights in the city had gotten out of hand and a few buildings had suffered as a result.
Malsour slumped into a chair.
Josh looked away from the window, grabbing some wine from Florence’s liquor cabinet, and sat down. Josh held it out to Malsour.
“If I must.” Malsour smiled and sipped the wine. He looked impressed, taking a large gulp before he handed it back.
“I thought as much, she hid it all the way at the back,” Josh grinned and took a drink. “Damn, that is good!”
“So, what are you thinking of the coming battle?” Malsour moved to get the kinks out from sitting in one position for hours on end to concentrate his powers.
“I think it’s going to be a surprise for Loughbreck.” Josh passed the wine back.
“He does have some powerful people with him.” Malsour took a swig.
“Their strongest is the same level of our veterans, without all the fighting, skill, and weapons,” Josh said.
“True.” Malsour passed the wine back. “Though, we shouldn’t underestimate them.”
“Is that why you and Florence’s people were hard at work all day?” Josh grinned.
“Well, can’t go easy on them and people usually get scared when random uncontrollable things start happening.” Malsour smiled.
Josh chuckled and took a drink. “So, how are you feeling? Good for a fight?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Feel weird without Dave there to back me up, but he should be good in a few days.” Malsour burped.
“Nice.” Josh laughed as the door opened.
“I thought I might find you two hiding up here.” Florence eyed the wine in Josh’s hand.
“Want a drink?” Josh asked with a winning smile.
Florence’s eye seemed to twitch for a bit before she let out a deep breath and grabbed the wine from Josh.
“Not even using glasses,” she muttered to herself, pulling out three flutes and filling them before she passed them out. “You owe me a new bottle.”
“Of course.” Josh’s smile faltered at Florence’s smile. “Just for curiosity, how much does a bottle cost?”
“Oh, it’s nothing big to the Guildmaster of the Stone Raiders.” Florence sat in the chair next to Malsour in front of her desk, a sweet smile on her face.
Malsour looked amused as he sipped from the glass she had given him.
Josh took a drink from his.
“About one thousand gold,” she said.
Josh nearly spat the wine out of his nose and mouth, but recovered and swallowed it. I nearly spat probably ten gold everywhere!
“Why the hell did you buy wine that’s a thousand gold per bottle!?” Josh demanded.
“We’re pretty successful here and I vowed to do what I want, not what I should do. Got to take a break now and then and live in excess.” Florence winked, taking a small sip from the glass. “Also, it is highly potent. You won’t realize it, but three or four glasses and you’ll mellow out and pass out. It takes a few minutes to kick in.” Florence smiled.
Josh and Malsour looked at each other in alarm, thinking of how they had been simply throwing it back.
Josh pulled out a healing ring, putting it on his ring finger.
“You have another one of those?” Malsour asked.
Josh pulled out another ring and gave it to Malsour. Both of them sighed in relief. The rings would keep them sober, but it would also keep them from falling asleep.
“You really should invest more in wearable runed items,” Florence chided Malsour.
“I’ve never needed them.” Malsour shrugged.
Florence looked over Malsour, studying him. Her eyebrows rose. “You don’t have any enchanted item other than that necklace!” Florence said in surprise.
“Yeah. I use this to read up on the items in the Aleph college. Since the mirror school and their connection to you, they’ve been uploading a lot of interesting books,” Malsour said.
“But aren’t you one of the strongest fighters?” Florence asked.
“He is, but everything he and Induca do is by their own power.” Josh smiled.
Florence looked as if she were in a state of shock. “But how? Your Mana pool must be massive!” Florence demanded.
“A man must have some secrets.” Malsour smiled and sipped from his glass.
“Why don’t you use magical items?”
“Never really needed to and I usually break them,” Malsour said.
“Just a five percent increase in Intelligence would be massive for someone like you,” Florence said.
“Yeah, though Dave offered me fifteen pe
rcent rings. He gave them to Induca, because she’s been working with using magical items. I might give them a go. They’ve really improved her fighting ability.” Malsour looked thoughtful.
“Fifteen percent,” Florence said, her eyes wide. She recovered quickly. “The more I learn about the things that Dave makes, the more I’m simply blown away. You can sell one of those rings for a few thousand gold. Anything above seven percent multiplies in cost.”
“He is rather good at crafting.” Josh smiled and fingered the necklace he wore. It still pulled power from him. All of the Stone Raiders wore them—a simple piece of metal with a basic magical code carved into the back and connected to one of the guild’s vault-classed soul gems.
Today, they wouldn’t be taking energy but instead pouring it back into the Stone Raiders. Their aim wasn’t to just defeat Loughbreck, but to break him and his forces.
Josh looked out of the window; night was slowly coming. With it, the mage lights around the guild came to life. The guild hall and its outlying buildings covered nearly five hundred square meters. Their walls created a simple twenty-meter-tall octagon encircling a square mile of ground. The fields covering the two miles to the city and fifteen miles over all the surrounding fields were theirs.
Verlun lay in something of a valley, the fields around it rising gradually the farther away. It made it harder to see for a great distance in any direction. Trees and crops dotted the landscape, the trees showing the field’s boundaries.
Their plans were in motion. Now, they just had to wait and see what would happen. Josh checked his map. Loughbreck and his forces had gathered together and were now having a bunch of meetings to get all the leaders used to one another and ready for the coming operation.
***
Lord Esamael looked out over Emaren. Before him, there were four hundred thousand soldiers, all waiting around the teleport pad. Others were along the walls, making sure that they didn’t lose the city if they were attacked by Sigaird’s loyal forces.
Stone Raiders' Return (Emerilia Book 6) Page 22
