The cold night air was invigorating to me, the coolness removing the cobwebs from my brain from hours in the hot foundry. I was just starting to really enjoy the flight, when I felt a shiver in my arms. I had forgotten that my dark elf was wearing just a thin dress. Stirring against my chest, she opened her emerald eyes and smiled up at me.
“I was dreaming of flying with you.”
“A good dream, I hope,” I said.
“With you, they are always good dreams,” she said languidly, snuggling closer into my chest. “In my dream, I wasn’t freezing to death though.”
A few strong beats and I dived down, finally reaching our destination–the balcony of our room. Setting her on her feet, I folded my wings away.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”
“Yeah well, too bad; now you will have to deal with the consequences, Magic Boy.”
“Consequences?”
“Ahuh, now I’m fully awake and really, really cold. I’m going to need a lot of warming up.” With that, she put her arms around my neck, kissed me softly, and pulled me through the door. At the same time, she grabbed the dozing pixie out of her nook in my armor and tossed her over her shoulder out into the cold night air. A well-placed heel kicked the balcony doors closed with a firm click. In the back of my mind, I could have sworn I heard some determined tapping and pixie expletives outside the door. But I found I didn’t care anymore once I felt my love’s cold lips on mine.
Chapter 15
The next few days were like a living hell…ok, not really; because I, of all people, really know what that’s like. But that’s what Maya, Nia, and Rosa kept saying as we were all forced to listen to more reports and do more paperwork than any of us wanted to see in our lives. But I will admit, it was the quickest way to bring us up to speed on the state of the fortress, both the good and the bad.
The good news was that the fortress, with the aid of Bel’s farmers and all the supplies being routed through from the remaining supply portals like Foalshead, had acquired an impressive amount of fresh and preserved foodstuffs, grain, timber and high grade ores for Darroth’s forge. The fortress’s armory was also opened. Inside were some usable weapons and antiquated armor, but Rosa inspected it all and proclaimed that none of it was enchanted. The inevitable conclusion being that we either haven’t found the ‘special’ armory items or those pieces had been looted centuries ago.
The bad news was what was causing headaches and loss of sleep. Apparently, when Qleyse made his grand gesture, showing off the might of the fortress, he was caught up in the moment and a wee bit too optimistic. Oh, the old girl still had teeth to be sure, but those teeth hadn’t been sharpened properly in a millennium or more, and there were some problems.
The ballistae on the main walls were still operational, just requiring a tune up by Conlan’s boys. However, Winya and her girls used up nearly every ballista bolt in the place during the last days of their stand four hundred years earlier. Fortunately, ammunition was not a problem for the catapults and trebuchets. All we would have to do is fire back the junk they shot over the walls during the last siege. But all the wooden arms and supports were dry and badly cracked with age and would most likely snap like twigs the first time they were fired. So those were on the dwarves’ repair list, also.
The four machines on top of the inner curtain walls that we assumed were some form of ballistae were another concern. They didn’t fire physical bolts at all; rather, they were some kind of rapid-fire crossbow platform designed to take down flying targets. Of course, they were designed and built by nebulia, so their operation did not require that they follow any known weapons technology. Instead of bolts or quarrels, they were designed to launch bolts of pure Nova magic. I asked Qleyse why they were set back and not on the main walls, and he informed me that they didn’t have the punch needed to take down a heavily-armored demon like the minotaur I fought, but they would provide a very nasty experience for the more lightly-armored fliers like the bat things we saw at Xarparion. Rosa was spending all her free time trying to restore the flow of magic to those battlements.
Still another problem was the light that shown so brightly from the top of our tower; it wasn’t supposed to do that. That was actually a misfire of the fortress’s main weapon, a main weapon that no one seemed to know what it did or why it malfunctioned. According to the dwarf siege engineers, it wasn’t included in the afterlife mock-up of the citadel that they trained in, so they were as puzzled as everyone else. About the only thing we knew for certain was that it was broken, and this made my parents very upset. Of course, they weren’t being very forthcoming about its true purpose either.
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Ryliss
Begrudgingly, Naurakka and I slunk through the portal, ending up on a hill overlooking my home, the dark elf capital. From where I was standing, I could clearly see the main gates. Apparently, this was a spot that Sir Alex and Maya knew well.
Rosa, Prince Alex’s mentor, stuck her head through the portal. It was unnerving to see a disembodied head floating in the air, but I was getting used to it by now.
“Remember, Ryliss, the portal will reappear promptly at dusk for fifteen minutes in the event there are any messages to come back through. After that, it’s closed for the duration. It’s been good knowing you.” She gave a little wave and pulled back and the portal shrank down in size, eventually disappearing completely.
Crap, I really didn’t want to leave Sky Raven, but Alex had insisted. He had promised my father that I would be kept safe, and Sky Raven on the verge of the battle of her life was no longer safe. I snorted as I turned my head toward home. Like any place on the planet was safe right now.
Just before reaching the main gate, I squatted down and peered into the startling blue eyes of my Jag’uri, willing her to understand what I needed from her. I had no choice but to bring her along; I don’t think either of us could live without the other at this point. But I was also pretty sure she wouldn’t be getting a warm reception. Next to evil dragons, Jag’uri pumas were the most feared creatures by my people.
I looked her over lovingly. She had been growing at an astonishing rate, thanks primarily to my friend, Lin, who had personally taken charge of her feeding and hunting/training program. Let’s just say that the marmot populations near the citadel were diminishing rapidly. My cat’s back was already to the top of my calves, and I am considered tall for a female dark elf. She was also losing her kitten awkwardness quickly and showing signs of the fearsome predator she would soon become.
I brought out a thin but stout length of rope and fashioned a leash of sorts. I explained to her that this was to make the townsfolk happy, not to restrict her; but still she snarled in annoyance. Naurakka wasn’t talking yet, not even to the more experienced druids like Jules, but she could still make her wishes known.
The main gate swung open with practiced precision; this was my father’s area of responsibility and his pride and joy. All of the warriors who manned the walls and gatehouse in this area knew me well. I grinned at a few shouts of recognition as well as some good-natured catcalls from the troops as the gate closed behind me and I waited for my father to appear. Naurakka curled defensively between my legs and dragged her razor sharp claws through the sandy soil nervously.
Almost immediately, I heard my name and saw a familiar chain-mailed figure dashing out of the gatehouse. Normally he would rush over and scoop me up in his arms like a little girl, but this time he stopped and eyed my cat warily.
“I can only hope there is a really good story behind this,” he said, scratching his chin perplexedly. I crossed the few feet still separating us with Naurakka following docilely behind.
“She won’t hurt anyone, Dad. How about a big hug for your only daughter?” Finally, he crushed me to his chest gratefully.
“Well, I suppose that’s to be expected when I let you hang around with druid girls; but by the stars, a Jag’uri puma, Ryliss? How do you know it won�
�t turn on you in your sleep?”
“This is Naurakka. ‘She’ is not an ‘it’, and I rescued her from a forest fire and a hunting party of goblins that killed her mother. She’s an orphan, and I am raising her.”
My father, Ollis, snorted dismissively and changed the subject. “Honey, I’m so glad to see you home safe. Is everything going well at Sky Raven?”
“No, no it isn’t, Dad. I really need to explain everything with the King and Queen present. My news affects the entire dark elf nation; the whole planet, in fact.”
He grimaced. “Well, I know he’s in meetings all afternoon, but I think the rest of the morning is free…I’ll send a runner ahead.”
Thirty minutes later, I was seated in the kitchen of the recently remodeled home where King Faeron and Queen Renalla lived. Naurakka lay on the floor in a corner gnawing on the large meaty leg bone of an elk, seemingly happy.
“So, Ryliss, what news do you have of Sky Raven? How are Maya and Alex?” Faeron asked, setting some large mugs of tea down in front of us all. Queen Renalla sat next to me and patted my hand reassuringly.
“My Liege and Lady, I can honestly say that your daughter grows more beautiful and radiant every day…umm, Alex, too,” I added, walking a mental tightrope. I wasn’t sure how much I should reveal about the whole wings and glowing change. I came to the conclusion that it was probably something best explained by Alex and Maya in person.
I hurriedly filled them in on the rescue of Xarparion and the new information about the coming attack on Sky Raven, also the Kerr’s intentions for our world. The mood at the table grew decidedly grimmer, and I saw my father’s face turn dark with anger.
“Destroy the planet? Who do these Kerr, or even the Nova, for that matter, think they are that they can just come in and destroy our home? Why are they interfering?” he growled and shook his head.
King Talmin just steepled his fingers and leaned back in his chair in thought. “I’m sure they give it no more thought or remorse that we would sweeping a hornet’s nest out of the eves of our cottage, old friend.” He looked at me. “But you say Alex’s parents, the Nova, have a plan?”
I nodded. “Yes, but Alex, Maya and Sky Raven have to win their fight with the Lifebane and his forces for it to work.”
The King pondered this for a moment before he asked, “And what will you do, Ryliss? Are you going back to Sky Raven?”
“Yes.”
“No!” my father echoed, looking at me in abject horror.
“Yes, I am!”
“But, Ryliss!”
“Father, King Talmin, my Queen…this all comes down to one chance, one battle, one throw of the dice. If Sky Raven falls, it will matter little if I die on her ramparts or ‘safe’ in my own bed here in the capital. The net result is the same. I have people who I have come to care about in this battle. I also believe in the message of change that Sky Raven represents for our entire world.” I paused to take a breath and continued, “Besides, if we win, someone should be there to chronicle the event. I’m sorry, but I intend to return to Sky Raven at dusk.” I sat back, folding my arms defiantly, searching each of their faces for signs of disagreement, but all I saw was concern and a flash of pride.
King Talmin stood up and smiled. “Well, Ollis, it appears our young scholar has grown up. I just needed to hear her reasoning from her own lips, and I have to say I’m very impressed.” He put a gentle hand on my father’s shoulder. “If I’m not mistaken, the Ninth Corps owes a life debt to Sir Alex of Sky Raven for his timely rescue outside our gates during the undead siege. Even as depleted as our forces are, let no man say that our people stood idly by when our world was in peril.
That evening when the portal on the hill opened, I walked through proudly with my Jag’uri, followed by my father and sixty-five fully equipped dark elf archer/rangers. Pulling up next to an astonished Rosa, I said, “I bear a message from King Talmin of the Dark Elves!”
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Alex
The arrival of the dark elf contingent was a surprise. Of course, there were some hostile looks exchanged between our human guards and the new arrivals. But Higs and Ollis both seemed to be going out of their way to work together. In fact, I was walking past the entrance to the barracks where the dark elves were housed when the door opened, and a young dark elf female who looked vaguely familiar stepped out.
“Dawn?”
She smirked, “Oh, hello, Father.”
“What are you doing here and in disguise?”
“Just checking to see if the dark elves have recovered yet; Queen Maya was concerned.”
“Recovered?”
Dawns eyes lit up mischievously as she latched both hands onto my arm possessively and walked with me, winding our way through the streets servicing the barracks areas and finally into the civilian areas. “Oh, my Lady Queen hasn’t mentioned the dark elves’ reaction to her yet? Well, perhaps it isn’t my place to say then, me being just a humble handmaiden and all…”
“Spill it or I’ll ban bacon from the fortress.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
“No need to get testy, Father,” she purred, leaning her head softly on my shoulder. “You know I ever-so-hang on your every wish and command.”
The story Dawn told me; I found curious. Maya, learning about the arrival of her countrymen, went down to the barracks where the dark elf troops were billeted to offer her thanks and encouragement. She was exhausted and emotionally drained from days of planning and certainly not in any frame of mind to face down veteran troops. Mind you, these were all hardened dark elf rangers, both male and female, and most of them were aware of the “Warrior Queen” episode from Maya’s brief stint as the dark elf Queen. But when they all gathered around her for the first time, it was as if she was still the Queen. They treated her with so much reverence, Maya became so overwhelmed with emotion that she inadvertently extended her wings and glowed briefly, lighting up the entire lounge with astral warmth.
According to Dawn, the effect was immediate. To a man (or woman) they froze, their faces taking on an almost beatific calm, as they kneeled and placed their weapons on the floor at her feet. Every dark elf in the hall enthusiastically pledged their lives to her that day, and begged for the opportunity to serve as her personal guard and die gloriously smiting her enemies.
“I’m pretty sure they all meant it, too,” Dawn sighed dramatically. “Oh, if only I had someone who thought of me in that way! But alas, I am but a poor, lonely dragon girl, doomed to wander the world fruitlessly comparing every man I meet to the impossibly high standards set by my own father. Ach, it is too painful to contemplate,” she gasped and pretended to fall into a swoon, knowing that I would catch her–which I did. Fortunately, I had spotted Hons approaching from down the street, so I deftly lifted the comely dark elf lass up and handed her off to the arms of the surprised earth wizard.
“Here you go, Hons. Don’t ever say I hogged all the beautiful dark elf girls to myself!”
My last meeting of the day was with Elsa and Darroth. Earlier that morning, Elsa had suggested we open a portal back to the dwarf capital. She reasoned that a large sack of gold coins from Sky Raven’s treasury would go a long way toward relieving our ballista bolt shortage, and she volunteered to broker the exchange. Before leaving, she had gathered up all the demon horns and claws that we had acquired as well, promising to make good use of them.
I found them both at a small table in an empty stable that had been appropriated by Elsa’s boys as an impromptu bar. A huge keg of ale sat propped on its side in the back of a wheelless wagon which doubled as the serving platform and snack bar. As usual, they were hip-to-hip and both nursing a quart tankard of ale. Elsa slammed her hand down on the table and waved me over happily as I walked in.
“Sir Alex, or should I say King Alex now? Come join us; have some ale.”
I waved her off and smiled. “No thanks, Elsa. I have no desire to wake up
on a bar bench in my underwear ever again. So what good news do you have for me?”
The blonde dwarf princess grinned and slid a piece of paper toward me across the table. “A receipt, your Kingliness, for three thousand dwarf-crafted, steel-tipped, ten-pound ballistae bolts which have been transported here and turned over to that sharp-tongued Ebony wench; and I have to say even she was speechless for a brief period!”
My mouth dropped open for a few seconds. “Elsa, you are amazing!”
“Aye, that I am, but that’s not all.” She reached under the table and pulled out a crimson-tipped arrow, setting it gently on the tabletop. “I showed those demon horns and claws to a few specialist friends. After a little trial and error, we decided they were more mineral than bone, so we ground them up and sintered the dust mixture into the alloy we make arrowheads out of, and it worked!”
“What worked?”
“In addition to the ballistae bolts, you now have three hundred demon killer arrows to distribute to your human and dark elf archers. I don’t think Ebony was nearly as impressed with the arrows, though. The way her nose curled up in disgust at the sight of them, Helios probably think they stink,” Elsa chuckled. “Now don’t worry, Alex, I saved you a piece.” She reached into her pocket and brought out the sharp tip of the minotaur horn that I had brought back with me from the hell dimension and set it on the table. “My friends recommend you incorporate this into your hammer to increase its effectiveness against demons.”
I looked at it for a few moments, and then pulled my hammer out of its sheath and examined it. The remaining horn piece was almost exactly the same size as the spike on the backside of the hammerhead. I held the horn at the appropriate angle and willed the metal to liquefy and flow around the base of the horn, completely encasing the back half but still leaving the razor sharp tip exposed. I was sweating profusely when I was done, but the change to the weapon was stunning. The white metal had not only flowed around the demon horn but somehow also purified it, turning it into a substance that resembled cut crystalline diamond. It no longer seemed to radiate evil, but it was definitely still badass.
Heir To The Nova (Book 3) Page 26
