Council of War

by Richard S. Tuttle

  "I am amazed at how wrong our histories have been," replied the historian, "but I can not find any fault with Kalina's telling. She has obviously been in Dorgun, and her own knowledge of the lineage of the dwarves is remarkable. Her statements of the Collapse also explain many of the anomalies we noticed twenty years ago. In short, I believe what she has said."

  "But?" prompted the king. "I know you well enough to know when something is bothering you."

  "You do at that," smiled Aardo. "It is the part about the elves. While I do believe Kalina, we have a history of turmoil with the elves that goes back many centuries. Even if our original histories were wrong, our hatred for the elves is a deep part of our culture. I do not think logic alone will overcome that."

  "The dwarves of Dorgun have," interjected Kalina. "The elves of Sorelderal worked side-by-side with the dwarves of Dorgun for a hundred years to build a great tower of peace. The bond of friendship extends deeply between those two peoples."

  "But as you said," retorted the historian, "it did not begin that way. The purpose of building the tower was to build the peace, and it took one hundred years."

  "We do not have the time available for that," stated Garth. "The Federation will strike within the next half year. We must be ready for it."

  "What exactly are you asking of us?" questioned King Drakarik.

  "I am trying to form a Council of War," stated Garth. "The horse countries and the elves have agreed to join, but we need more than that. Unless I can raise twenty thousand warriors from the south, the horse countries will not leave their borders."

  "We are not familiar with the lands outside our home," stated the dwarven king, "and we have no desire to be familiar with them. We came to these mountains for isolation. It is all that exists for us now. We will not be involved in any Council of War."

  "You wish no vengeance on the empire?" asked Garth. "I saw your father in my dreams. I saw your people as they arranged their bundles of clothes and solemnly marched out of the mines for the last time."

  "We want vengeance," growled Gortha.

  The king glared at the broad dwarf and shook his head.

  "We want no part of the human race," declared the king. "The memories of that journey still cause our hearts to ache. I ask you not to mention it again."

  "Yet your historian talks about the inability to forget the elves who never really did attack you," stated Kalina. "I am sorry, King Drakarik, but that makes no sense to me. The Federation must be stopped."

  "It is not the concern of the dwarves," stated the king.

  "But it is," retorted Garth. "While the dwarves of Tarashin might be able to hide in these mountains, the dwarves of Lanto, Dorgun, Talman, and Cazra will be doomed to the very bondage that your people escaped from."

  "What does this have to do with the old country?" asked the king.

  "The Federation is bent on world conquest," explained Garth. "That is why we Alceans have come here. The Federation is planning on attacking Alcea, and that includes the four dwarven tribes I mentioned. They are all part of Alcea now."

  "I am confused," admitted the king. "I thought you wanted us to attack people in this world, not the other."

  "I apologize for the confusion," Garth replied. "There will be battles in both worlds. My people are incapable of halting the attack on Alcea, but we are capable of striking the Federation in these lands while the bulk of their armies are overseas. I am trying to organize a force to do exactly that."

  "And this will aid our brother dwarves in what way?" questioned the king.

  "We will remove the enemy's ability to retreat or supply their troops," answered Garth. "In addition, we will take away their home base and cut off their leadership."

  "And this will save the dwarves in the old country?" asked King Drakarik.

  "Not by itself," replied Garth, "but it will weaken them enough that the Alceans will have a chance to win the fight in the old country. Without our actions here, Alcea has no chance."

  The chamber grew silent as the king gazed at the floor. After several minutes of silence, the king raised his eyes to his advisors. Gortha opened his mouth to speak, but the king shook his head. Gortha frowned in disappointment.

  "If the situation is as portrayed," stated the historian, "we have an obligation to our kin. I do not much care for announcing our existence to the world, but I do not see an honorable way around it."

  "Once our existence becomes known," stated another advisor, "we had better destroy the empire once and for all. We cannot afford half measures in this matter. If the combined armies of this Council of War fail in the effort, Tarashin will pay dearly for it. There can be no doubt about that."

  "What if the location of Tarashin was never mentioned?" suggested Garth. "Only my people know, and we will not reveal it. The best anyone else could determine is that the dwarves live somewhere in the mountains of the Barrier."

  "Why must anyone know about us at all?" asked the king. "If we are willing to offer three thousand warriors to help you defeat the Federation, is that not enough?"

  "I have promised twenty thousand warriors," replied Garth. "The horse countries are going to demand to know where those fighters are coming from. I doubt that they will accept the number alone."

  "Why are these horse countries so important that they can dictate terms of this council?" asked the king.

  "They are offering twenty thousand of their own men," answered Garth. "Without them, we can do very little, and they know it."

  "They also are hesitant to leave their homes," interjected Kalina. "Such has been the way in Zara for a long time, but in the few months that we have been here, three other countries have fallen under the heel of the Federation. Each country seems to believe they will not be next, but the Federation will not stop until they control it all."

  Gortha could hold his tongue no longer. "We must join this council," he blurted out. "We will never be safe as long as the empire exists. With the help of these humans, we can finally put an end to them and no longer live in fear of being discovered."

  "Humans and elves," Aardo cautioned. "Can you fight alongside the elves, Gortha?"

  Gortha's face turned red with hatred, but he nodded. "To destroy those who enslaved our ancestors, I can do anything."

  "We shall see," the king said calmly before turning his eyes towards Garth. "If we agree to this Council of War, what happens next?"

  "I will report your commitment at Herinak along with the others," answered Garth. "If the horse countries agree that I have met my commitment, a representative from Tarashin will have to travel to the meeting in Herinak."

  "A dwarf cannot walk through a human city," frowned the king, "not that one of us would go alone in any event."

  "We would need only one representative," replied Garth, "preferably yourself, but there would be no walking involved. We ride unicorns, and my people would escort you and guarantee your safety."

  "Unicorns?" gasped Aardo.

  "So there was a flying horse before," mused the king. "I thought it was a tall tale by a sleeping sentry. I would love to own one of those."

  "No one owns unicorns," Kalina declared. "They are an intelligent race just like us. I will not permit one to be put into slavery."

  The king's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know that they are intelligent?"

  "They talk within your mind," answered Kalina.

  "They are also wise enough to tear up nets before they can be captured," smiled Garth.

  The king smiled and nodded. "I would enjoy meeting one of these creatures before you go."

  "Then you will accept?" pressed Garth.

  The king sighed heavily. "We will discuss your request among ourselves, but I will not allow some humans to decide how my people will fight. If we do accept, we will be an equal in this council, or we will not participate."

  "Agreed," smiled Garth. "I would not have it any other way."

  "What of your tunnel to the Isle of Despair?" asked Kalina. "We need to find it
for the elves to escape their slavery. We have found the island end of it, but not the Elfwoods end. Do your archives record the location of the entrance?"

  The historian dwarf looked to the king for permission to speak. The king nodded his permission, and Aardo turn his gaze to the humans.

  "There is a large rock in the Elfwoods south of the Isle of Despair," stated the historian. Under that rock is the entrance to the tunnel."

  "There are many large rocks in that area," Garth said. "We just came from there."

  "This rock has letters chiseled into it. The letters are the name of a shield wielded by ancient dwarf kings. "

  "Oykara?" questioned Kalina.

  "You know of it?" the historian asked with surprise.

  "Shield of the Kings," smiled Kalina. "We have held it in our hands. It was lost under the reign of King Astel. We recovered it and returned it to the dwarves of Dorgun and Lanto."

  "Then you are truly friends of the dwarves," the historian said reverently. "Does the term Garala mean anything to you?"

  "It does," answered Kalina. "It is the dwarven name for King Arik of Alcea. He was the bearer of the Shield of Oykara."

  The historian gazed at the king again. The king frowned heavily and questioningly returned the gaze.

  "It is in King Arik's name that we have come here to wage war on the Federation," Garth said as he saw the looks exchanged between the king and the historian. "The dwarves of Alcea owe allegiance to Garala. Is it not the same with dwarves everywhere?"

  "It is," the king confirmed with a nod. "I suspected as much when Kalina told us about the Dwarven Ruby and the Sword of Heavens, but now you have confirmed the truth of who you serve. I will attend this Council of War in the name of Garala, but my prior concerns will still apply. If I feel like this council threatens my people for the benefit of the elves or the humans, it will take a personal order from Garala to force me to commit to remaining in league with the Council of War."

  "As one of Garala's Knights of Alcea," vowed Garth, "I will not permit the dwarves of Tarashin to be taken advantage of."

  * * *

  Kymia and Yurl glided down into the mountain valley. Garth and Kalina dismounted and the other Alceans gathered around.

  "The dwarves are in for three thousand warriors," grinned Garth. "They also told us how to find the tunnel entrance in Elfwoods. Karl, you, Shawn, and Max will return to the Elfwoods and help the elves locate the tunnel. The entrance will be found under a large rock with the name Oykara etched into it. It may take a bit of manpower to move the rock. Make sure it is done in such a way that the entrance will continue to be hidden. Tedi, you and Natia will be joining Kalina and me in Karamin. It is time to find out if there are any patriots left in that country."

  * * *

  The Federation soldier swung his sword high in a decapitating move, but the captain was expecting it. He met the soldier's sword with his own, but he did not press forward right away. Blocking his opponent's swing, the captain took a step forward and moved his left foot behind the soldier's leg. Only then did the captain press forward, forcing the soldier to retreat. The soldier tripped over the captain's extended foot and tumbled to the ground, his sword escaping his grasp.

  "Much better," General Forshire said approvingly. "Don't waste your energy pushing just for the sake of pushing. What the captain did was use the push for a tactical advantage. Remember that most fights are usually won by using the muscle between your ears rather than the strength of your blows. That is enough for tonight. Think about this lesson as you drift off to sleep. Tomorrow we will explore it further."

  The Federation soldiers nodded and split up as they prepared to turn in for the night. The men assigned for first watch took up their stations, and Captain Magee walked over to the general.

  "You did well out there," Clint said to the captain. "You have good instincts."

  "Thank you," Captain Magee replied with a smile. "I just wanted to thank you for the men before turning in myself. The change in the attitudes of the men has been remarkable. I think this is the first time that any officer has truly taken an interest in their training. A week ago I thought they would scoff at the idea, but they have proven to be eager to learn. We all owe you a debt of gratitude."

  "The men deserve praise for the way they have accepted the challenge," smiled the general. "However, the only debt that they owe me is loyalty. I am not training these men to serve under another general."

  "You have their loyalty," vowed the captain. "There is not a man in this squad who would accept a transfer unless it was forced upon him. Even then I suspect they would find a way to get out of the transfer. They idolize you. So do I. I have never really felt like a soldier in this army, and I am an officer. In fact, there is quite a concern about this journey ending soon. We will be in Valdo in two days. The men are not looking forward to that. They want to stay here forever and continue to learn."

  "We cannot stay forever," replied the general, "but we can delay for a day or two. We will also have the days between Valdo and Despair to continue our training."

  "A day or two will please the men," stated the captain. "Will our practice have to stop once we reach Despair?"

  "I am not sure what to expect in Despair," Clint replied honestly, "but the men will practice as long as they are under my command, and I intend to see that they are not reassigned. In fact, I would like to increase the size of my detachment. If I am able to do that, most of these men may end up being officers. There would, of course, be a promotion for you as well."

  The captain's smile spread ear to ear. "Tell us how we can help with your plans, and you will find twenty eager volunteers."

  "The first thing the men have to do is look impressive," replied Clint. "I want this squad to be viewed favorably when we march into Despair. I want people talking about us as if we were some type of elite force. I know that is a lot to expect in a short period of time, but I think you can do it. Once we are in the city, I want our group boasted about. The idea is to get other soldiers interested in transferring to us, but only select soldiers. I want men whose loyalty might be suspect. I think you understand my reasoning."

  "I do," nodded the captain. "Any recruits must be willing to offer you their loyalty above all else. That is most easily given when the men have no loyalties to begin with. Frankly, I do not think there is a shortage of such men in the Federation army, but we will be careful who we talk to."

  * * *

  The sun was setting over the Cordonian city of Darcia as Queen Tanya crawled up the hill to the east of the city. When she reached the top of the hill she pressed her body against the moist ground and stared at the farm spread out before her. The farmhouse was old and dilapidated, but the barn showed signs of recent repairs. The fields of grain were withered and untended. A new fence surrounded a large herd of horses. Two men sat on the porch of the old farmhouse staring at the sunset. From a distance the queen could not tell if anyone was inside the house or the barn. She roused Bantam from her sleep., and the fairy stuck her tiny blue head out of the pocket and yawned softly.

  "You are getting your clothes dirty," scolded the fairy.

  Queen Tanya pointed towards the farm, and the fairy turned to look at it. "I need you to find out if there are other people in the house or the barn. Do it quietly, and do not get discovered."

  The fairy set her face with determination and bowed to the queen. She leaped into the air and let the wind carry her away. In moments she was lost to Tanya's sight. While Tanya waited for the fairy to return, the sun set, and the two men moved inside the house. Bantam returned and reported that only the two men were on the farm. Queen Tanya nodded in satisfaction and placed her head on her arm and closed her eyes.

  "You are going to sleep out here?" questioned Bantam.

  "I am only going to rest for a bit," Tanya replied. "Keep watch for me."

  Tanya drifted off into a light sleep as the sky grew dark. A few hours later she awoke and stared at the farmhouse. There were no l
ights showing through the windows.

  "Are the men still inside?" the queen asked.

  "They have not come out since you went to sleep," answered Bantam. "The last light went out an hour ago."

  "Good," Tanya said as she rose to her knees and then stood. "I need to snoop around in the barn. I want you to warn me before anyone finds me."

  "Should I put them to sleep if they leave the house?" asked Bantam.

  "No," the queen replied. "I do not want them to become suspicious. They must never suspect that anyone has been snooping. Just warn me."

  Queen Tanya moved quietly down the hill and across the narrow trail that connected the farm to the nearby road. The fairy flew alongside the queen, occasionally darting high into the air and settling back alongside the queen's head. As the Knight of Alcea neared the barn, she heard noises inside. She froze.

  "It is only the dogs," offered the fairy.

  "Dogs?" questioned the queen. "Why didn't you tell me about them?"

  "You didn't ask about dogs," frowned the fairy. "You asked about people. Dogs are not people."

  Tanya turned and glared at the fairy. "Put the dogs to sleep and report back to me."

  Bantam frowned, but she immediately darted into the barn. She returned a few short moments later.

  "Is there anything else in there that I should know about?" asked Tanya.

  The fairy shook her head silently, and Tanya moved into the barn. The queen glanced around the barn and her eyes were immediately drawn to a stall that had been boarded up. The sides were covered with planks, and a door was attached where the gate should have been. She moved to it and extracted a ring from her pouch. She mumbled a few words over the ring, and it began to glow. She held the ring high over her head and glanced up at the top of the door. Seeing nothing unusual, she lowered the ring and ran her eyes along the molding. At the very bottom of the door she found what she was looking for. There was a small number carved into the door, but the queen frowned in confusion when she saw it. Taking a deep breath, the queen placed her hand on the doorknob and tried to open the door. It was locked. A distant sound caught the queen's attention, and she shoved the ring into a pouch. A moment later Bantam appeared.