Defenders of the Realm

by Dave Willmarth

  Alexander opened the portal and he and Jules stepped back through.

  *****

  Fibble sat in the stables pouting. No fair! Boss make Fibble take bath in lake. Nasty water from demon cave not smell that bad! Now Fibble smell like… food! Make Fibble hungry!

  The little goblin Minister of Demon-Killing and Cookies reached into his bag and retrieved a couple cookies. He sat munching on one of the treats and bemoaning his fate to have found a new clan that insisted on bathing all the time.

  One of the horses leaned its head over and sniffed at him. Fibble absently held up what remained of his cookie, and the horse took it gently from his hand. Fibble liked horses. Not to ride, of course. If he was going to ride it would either be on Tigger, or Lugs. But horses were nice. They smelled right. And they never tried to make him take a bath.

  The horse finished the cookie, leaning down to sniff at him again. A moment later it licked the side of his head.

  “Gah! Why horsey lick Fibble? Go away. Bad horsey!”

  The horse snorted at him, then went about its own business.

  “Everybody try to give Fibble bath today!”

  He crawled into the back corner of the tack room where he’d created himself a little nest. There were several pillows, origin unknown, and some interesting shiny things he’d picked up on his adventures. There was a broken dagger that had just enough blade left to be a good back scratcher. An old pot that he’d considered using as a helm until he’d been given a real one. A length of old rope about three feet long. He searched among the sundry items until his hand hit upon the one he was looking for. From out of the straw he produced a bottle of dwarven spirits. He’d snagged a few of them during the various celebrations. Nobody seemed to notice.

  “Fibble get warm tummy and sleep!” He murmured to himself.

  Using his teeth to grip the cork, he pried the bottle open and took a long drink. Followed immediately by a coughing fit as the liquid burned its way down his gullet. When he was done coughing, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

  “Good stuff!” he hugged the bottle close to his chest and leaned back against the pillows.

  After a few more drinks, he began to doze off. His eyes drifted shut and he was just about asleep when a strange noise startled him. Strange for the barn anyway. He heard an insect-like chittering. Opening one eye, he looked around.

  “Spiders? Fibble hate spiders. Not as much as baths…” he closed his eyes again and settled back.

  When the noise came again he hopped to his feet, gripping the bottle by the neck as if it were a weapon. The alcohol inside began to pour out onto the stable floor. The chittering increased, and Fibble thought it sounded annoyed.

  “Ha! Spiders don’t like good stuff!” He poured the rest of the contents onto the floor, then dropped to his knees. The boards of the tack room floor were not fitted all that snugly, and the spirits had quickly fallen through the cracks to a space below. Fibble grabbed his stick from his bag and jammed the point between two of the boards, shouting “Pew! Pew!”

  The bursts of light magic annoyed whatever was below much more than the spirits had. There was a series of loud screeches that upset the horses in nearby stalls. They began to whinny and kick at their stalls. Very quickly a couple of grooms ran in through a door to investigate.

  Fibble fired a couple more shots. “Pew! Pew!” the resulting screeching drew the two grooms to the tack room. When they entered, Fibble fired again. “Pew! Spiders! Pew!”

  One of the grooms grabbed a pitchfork while the other took off. The groomsman pointed the makeshift weapon at the floor and said “Fibble you should get out of here.”

  Fibble, half drunk and still feeling contrary after his bath, shouted “No! This Fibble’s place. Spiders not get my pillows!” He jammed his stick back into a gap between the boards and fired a few more times for emphasis.

  The other groomsman returned with Alexander in tow. Lugs and Helga were right behind him. When they heard the screeching from below.

  Alexander said. “What the hell? Jeeves, are we being attacked? It sounds like there’s an army of spiders under the stables”

  “Not spiders, Alexander. They are beetles. And I do not believe they are invading. They have long had a nest in the crevices below the stables. And they travel through a network of tubes and cracks under the keep. I do not believe they have ever caused any harm.”

  Lugs produced a spear and jammed the tip between two floorboards. He levered the handle down and popped one of the boards up from the joist beneath. Immediately, a large beetle the size of a serving platter emerged from the hole. It chittered excitedly at them before turning and fleeing toward Fibble’s nest.

  The little goblin roared at the insect and dashed after it. “You no take pillows!” He leapt upon the beetle’s back and began to pound at it with his wand. The confused beetle turned this way and that, trying to shake its attacker. The result was what looked like a rodeo bronco ride around the tack room. Fibble held on with one hand as he beat the insect with his stick. The beetle slammed into a wall, causing Fibble’s body to rock forward and slam his own head into the wall. “Ow! Stupid bug! Hold still!”

  Lugs was laughing so hard he could barely stand. He kept pointing and trying to talk, but couldn’t stop laughing long enough to get words out. Alexander and the others grinned as a drunken Fibble bounced around the room atop the beetle’s carapace, cursing and beating it ineffectually with his stick.

  A moment later, the little goblin surprised them all. Dropping his stick, he drew his sword. Getting to his feet atop the beetle’s back, he looked like an angry surfer waving his sword around as he tried to keep his balance. After half a minute, he seemed to gain his footing. Two seconds later he raised the sword above his head and rammed the point down through the beetle’s back. The sword slid easily through the exoskeleton and the thorax below, pinning the large bug to the floor.

  The beetle struggled for a short while, then became listless and eventually died. Fibble hopped off its back, leaving his sword where it was. He kicked the beetle’s head.

  “My nest! Get your own!” He shouted as he stalked over to the opening in the floor and promptly began to pee into the hole.

  Helga guffawed and slapped Lugs on the back.

  “Guess that settles that! Little fella’s done marked his territory!”

  The chittering below increased momentarily, then faded. Lugs handed the unattached floorboard to one of the grooms, saying “My work is done here.” before leaving the room. Alexander followed without saying anything. Helga stayed, saying “I think I’ll show the lil bugger some sword moves.”

  Fibble looted the dead bug, which awarded him four pieces of beetle meat, two pincers, and a carapace. He looked at the meat, then popped a piece into his mouth raw. Chewing, he offered a piece to Helga. She shrugged and popped one into her mouth as well. “Not bad.”

  *****

  Fresh from Fibble’s beetle battle, Alexander was in a good mood. He spotted Taylor lurking near the armory, clearly keeping an eye on him in case he tried to pop off somewhere alone. He changed his direction and waved at Taylor, who began to approach. “I’m not going anywhere else today. I gave Jenkins and his squad the rest of the day off. It occured to me that you haven’t had any time to yourself lately either. I think you and Mattie should go spend some quality time together. Maybe in Stormforge? Or up in the garrison tower?”

  Taylor looked uncomfortable. “Sir. With Jenkins and his squad gone, and us being short on guards after the battle…”

  Just like that Alexander’s mood was dampened. “Of course, Captain. You know best. Some other time.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Taylor replied. “If you don’t mind, I will go spend some time with Mattie in the grove. She likes it there.”

  “Absolutely! Good thinking. Have at it.” Alexander smiled at him. “Be sure and tell your men not to bother you for anything short of an invasion.”

  Jules had disappeared at some point while he
was in the stables. Alexander decided to pay Sasha a visit. He found her in her lab as expected. Beakers were boiling on her workbench and she was filling a row of empty vials with what looked like a mana potion based on its blue coloring.

  “So… how are things with mister longbow?” He teased from the doorway.

  “What?” Sasha looked at him with confusion on her face.

  “You know, the longbowman you were canoodling with at the party the other night.”

  “Oh. Him. There are no ‘things’ with him. Haven’t seen him since. Why the sudden interest in my social life, dork?”

  “Not sudden. I just… we’ve been in here a lot lately. And you haven’t had much time to socialize in the real world. I thought maybe you’d find somebody in here.”

  Sasha looked at him suspiciously for half a minute. As if she were trying to read his mind. “Have you been drinking?”

  “Well, yes... A bit... A little wine and a glass of ale. Just had a nice dinner with Jules at the Stallion in Stormforge.”

  Sasha snorted. “So that’s it. You’ve had a lil lovey-dovey romantic dinner, and now you want everyone else to be in love too.”

  Alexander poked back. “Well not in ‘looooove.’ I was just hoping maybe you’d gotten yourself a little. You know, to put you in a better mood. So you’re not grumping at me all the time.”

  He grinned and dodged as she threw a half-hearted punch at him. “What I’m getting, and from whom, is none of your damn business! Now get out of my shop before I find a way to turn you into a toad and Jules will never want to kiss you again!”

  Alexander retreated, stopping at the door. “Jules would totally still kiss me if I was a toad.” He took a parting shot as he sidestepped out of sight.

  *****

  Bodine was cleaning out the stall used by the bears when he one of his wolves came dashing into the barn and nearly bowled him over. The big wolf was panting from exertion, and its eyes demanded his attention. As soon as he made eye contact, he received a flood of images.

  Undead creatures. Hundreds of them, flashing through his mind a few at a time, moving westward from the mountain on the eastern border of Elysia. Then an image of a crack in the mountainside, demons flowing out into the sunlight. And an impression of the putrid stench of undead bodies mixed with the natural smell of the forest and the sulfurous smell that must be Demonkind.

  Bodine immediately shouted “Jeeves! My wolves have detected the missing army on the eastern side of the plateau!”

  “I will alert Alexander immediately. Thank you.”

  *****

  Alexander was just heading to see if Fitz was in his tower when Jeeves’ voice came to him. “Alexander, Bodine reports that his wolves have located the missing army on the eastern side of the plateau.”

  Alexander sprang into action. “Jeeves, loudspeaker please. And the emergency broadcast. I want every citizen to hear this.”

  “Go ahead, Alexander.”

  “Attention citizens and guild members. The missing army of undead that we thought trapped in the demon caverns, have been spotted up on the plateau. All hunters already on the plateau, please move east of the river and begin to scout. Do not engage the enemy. Everyone else, prepare for battle. We’ll defend our towers and take down as many of those bastards as we can!”

  He paused as he thought about what do first. “I need one of you from Antalia to alert the Queen. And anybody in Stormforge, please alert the Captain or the King. Silverbeard, if you’re still in Broken Mountain, please alert Thalgrin.”

  Silverbeard, Jenkins, and Michael all confirmed that they’d get the word to the proper people at their locations. Alexander was barely listening as he made a mental list and began to tick the items off on his fingers.

  “Sas…excuse me, General Sasha. I’m leaving the organizing of troops into groups to you. Lorian, you’re her commander of hunters and scouts. Taylor, you’re in charge of the force remaining to guard the keep. Recruit the duergar to help keep watch. They don’t have to fight if they choose not to. Brick, round up the light cannons. Leave two here, the rest go up top with us. We’ll make more first chance we get. Martin, we’re going to need the healers here. I’ll open a portal in 10 min. I know some of you are still low level.”

  Alexander stopped to breathe. He’d been rattling off orders so fast he’d been holding his breath. Realizing he needed to be calm, he waited through a few long inhales and exhales before continuing.

  “Kai, we’re going to need mages who know how to deal with the dark magic spells. Any chance your dragons would be willing to heal those who get hit?”

  Kai’s voice was an angry growl. “My people are already on their way. The chance to wipe out an army of foul undead abominations was all the invitation they needed.”

  “Great. Braxis, I’ll be up there in a few minutes. Any chance you can fly me over the plateau, so we can find the enemy?”

  A loud squawk echoed down from the roost that Alexander took as a yes. As he looked up, the other male in the roost took to the skies. He made a bee-line for the plateau.

  “Father Alric, when the other priests arrive from Antalia, I’d like you to take a contingent to the plateau. Hit each of the east and west towers, and pray to as many gods as you can. We’re going to need the land around each tower blessed so that it’s painful for undead or Demonkind to step near. And so that no drow can stealth in and open a gate.”

  Alexander heard a loud trumpeting from the direction of the drawbridge. Quickly teleporting himself onto the bridge, he found Rocky floating off to one side, looking up expectantly.

  “You want to fight too, huh boy? Well, I need you to stay down here this time. The fight up there could just be a distraction. You help Taylor protect this place, okay? Eat anybody who gets too close?

  The water dragon nodded his head, eyes sad and face somehow drooping, looking like a puppy being left behind. Alexander dropped to his belly and reached down to scratch the dragon’s nose.

  “Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll be fine. You must guard this place. And make sure nobody hurts Lars and his people. That old codge will probably insist on staying outside the walls.”

  When Rocky dropped back below the surface and sped off toward the eastern side of the moat, Alexander teleported himself back. He opened a portal to Antalia, and Martin led a stream of healers through the portal. Alexander counted about thirty in all. Combined with Sasha and the healers he had at the keep already, there would be roughly one healer for every eight of his people. Not ideal, especially since Martin and several of the officers were still low level after becoming immersion players.

  “Martin, I need you and your officers who are too low level to be in the fight to stay here. Start organizing a hospital here. Take a dozen of the duergar to help you move wounded through the mirror. You can treat them here and send them back. The rest of the healers, through the mirror and begin setting up a triage station at the garrison tower. Eventually we may move some of you to the eastern tower.” Alexander gave orders, and his people jumped to obey without question.

  He opened officer’s chat “Sasha get everyone into a raid group as quickly as you can. Noncombatants too. Everybody can use the experience. I’m going with Braxis to do a fly-over and try to get an idea what we’re dealing with.”

  He turned to face the roost and was about to teleport himself up when he saw Braxis gliding down. The massive gryphon landed gently next to him and crouched down to make it easier for Alexander to climb aboard. As soon as the elf was settled on his back, he took three running bounds then leapt into the air. The gryphon’s powerful wings thrust them skyward as he circled out over the forest and back toward the plateau.

  As a kid, Alexander had entertained dreams of being a fighter pilot. As far as he was concerned, this was better. Jet fighters didn’t think for themselves. Braxis already knew the rough location of the enemy and headed straight there. All Alexander had to do was hang on and keep watch. “Way better than autopilot” he said as he patte
d Braxis’ neck.

  On their way up, an idea found him. The wolves they’d been courting lived east of the river. The dark army might be pushing right through their territory. He patted Braxis again and said “We need to stop at the tower. Your old home.”

  Braxis nodded his immense head and adjusted his course slightly. Alexander opened guild chat and called to Bodine. He quickly explained his idea, and Bodine was waiting for him in the garrison tower courtyard when the landed. He quickly jumped aboard behind Alexander, and they were off again.

  Bodine filled Alexander in on the details he saw from his wolves’ images. Braxis listened in, and when Bodine described the crack in the eastern mountain wall, he banked hard to the right. Both man and elf gripped tightly to the gryphon’s fur to steady themselves. Braxis was now moving at an oblique angle across the forest toward the eastern mountain. Alexander called out “Braxis? You know the place?” The gryphon nodded his head and flapped his wings, adding to their already considerable speed.

  The two passengers scanned the forest below to their left and right. Just a minute or so after the course correction, Bodine tapped Alexander’s shoulder and pointed down to their right. Alexander could see a variety of undead shambling through the trees as they passed intermittent gaps in the canopy below.

  Alexander turned and looked up to get his bearings, at the same time confirming their position on his UI map. “The eastern tower is behind us. At the pace they’re moving, they’ll be there in a couple of hours.” He said aloud. “They’re heading toward the mine!” Alexander didn’t mention Geb, as Bodine wasn’t in on that particular secret.

  Bodine practically shouted behind him in order to be heard over the wind noise. “I don’t see the demons! They’re either bringing up the rear, or are already way ahead!”

  Braxis seemingly ignored the undead army below and continued toward his target. Two minutes later they were hovering high in the air over what looked like nothing more than a crack in the mountain face. Demons were stalking out of the crack and setting up camp in a clearing not far away. Camp for demons consisted of several fires upon which roasted humanoid-looking beings that Alexander couldn’t identify. Several of the demons pointed upward and began to send magical attacks into the air.