The Dark Tide tgc-3

by Steven R. Burke

  King Derek Udrugi began to climb the stairs nearest the main gate as the morning sun continued to climb the morning sky. He had woken during the night to the shaking of the ground. He had never experienced such unnatural tremors before, so he would not be at ease until he had a look at the general area where the quaking had taken place. He had experienced trembling while in Landen, but not here in his peaceful homeland. He had returned home to direct the supply effort and also to oversee the training of new recruits. This unusual quaking had brought him out of some deep thought he had been giving to the current status of the war. As he reached the top of the wall, he clearly saw what the soldiers had overlooked.

  The king bowed down on one knee and lowered his eyes to the dark wall on which he knelt. He waited for an indication from somewhere out in the forest that he was to arise. There was a low rumbling which he took as a sign of acknowledgement. He then stood tall before the tall trees and waited for his unexpected visitor to initiate communication. He had only met one of these rare creatures by chance many years ago. He quickly reflected back on that wondrous encounter. The blessed meeting brought a warm smile to his face.

  “I am glad that you still remember our first meeting” the familiar, powerful voice sounded in King Derek’s mind. There was a deep hum that followed the creature’s mental communication.

  “I will never forget that blessed day. What is it that brings you to our humble realm?” asked the king smoothly. He was in awe of the sheer power emanating from his visitor. It was so rare to meet one of these majestic creatures and now he was meeting the same one again. He had a better chance of swimming to the center of Lachlan and diving to its deepest fathoms than having this chance meeting.

  “I come with grim tidings I am afraid. It appears that the orcs have tired with ramming their collective heads against the impenetrable South Gate. They have determined that your supplies to Landen are the reason for their misfortune. The loss of the high elves is likely the real source of their frustration.” The voice had a calming effect even though it could only be heard in the monarch’s head.

  “So, they are coming our way. How many days do we have to prepare?” He looked into eyes that were so blue that the sky above paled by comparison. It was amazing that a creature of such size could hide amongst the thin trees of Aran.

  “They should be here in a day or two. They will likely surround the city in an effort to contain you. They will build siege works to get over the obsidian walls. What they do not understand is that these walls are filled with magic. Even though it is dark by nature, the magic will protect all Aranians.” There was some worry in the mysterious visitor’s mind when it mentioned the dark magic.

  “I will begin preparations immediately. I am truly honored by your visit. Will we see you again?” He looked at the gigantic friend with hope and anticipation in his eyes.

  “You will most certainly see me and my kind at the end.” Immediately the ground shook even more violently than before. As the rumblings subsided, the king could no longer see his massive friend. It was truly amazing that such a massive creature could move in such a way for no one to take notice. You almost had to know where you needed to look in order to see one.

  “I wish you well…” King Derek said into the empty woods. He had a brief look of weariness on his face but it was quickly replaced by purpose. He had been given the gift of knowledge and he planned to put that to use without delay. He felt the wall beneath pulsate in response to his change in mood. After all these years it still made him a little uneasy when it responded to him.

  The second night after the visit by the mysterious creatures of massive proportions the lights appeared in the night. The orcs had arrived and they had already encircled the city of Agaroth by the time the moon was high in the night sky. The air filled with smoke from the fires lit by the various camps that were near the obsidian walls. The men behind the bulwarks were confident in the plan that their king had outlined for them the day before. They were going to give these fiends a real reason to be afraid.

  As the first night of the siege of Agaroth came to an end, the black walls began to pulsate with greater intensity. There was a feeling of power…dark and foreboding for those on the outside. An ill wind started as the sun broke through the tall slender aspens. The orcs were reluctant to begin their labors on their siege works as the breeze increased in strength until it reached gale force strength. General Akuji ordered his troops to their tents in hopes that the wind would pass. As the massive green and black beasts reached the safety of their tents, the once sunny morning disappeared. Dark clouds blotted out the sun entirely. The temperature dropped drastically in mere moments. Puddles of water froze in an instant.

  Even over the sharp howling of wind a rhythmic thrumming sound emanated from the black walls. A flash of bluish white light erupted from the walls of Agaroth. Instantly there arose a blizzard. Behind the walls the weather was unchanged…all the nasty weather was outside the barrier. The Aranian soldiers on top the bulwarks cheered as they witnessed the magical display. They were relieved that the battle with their formidable foes had been delayed…even if it was for only a day.

  “Do not rejoice yet men…the battle will begin despite the assistance we are receiving. Remember, these orcs are from Mount Tarn…they are used to this kind of weather. Be assured that they are, at this moment, altering their plan of attack. They will use the weather to their advantage” the Aranian king said wisely. He put his right hand on the soldier nearest to him in a fatherly way. His eyes were looking at the white out before him as though he was seeing something no one else could.

  “My king…what are your orders?” queried Captain Korvic. The soldier was still rather skittish after his deadly encounter with the giant wolves in the Forest of Renshaw. He had settled down considerably since his return to his home land; however the current events were bringing back feelings of unease.

  “Archers…touch the tips of your arrows to the wall and then let your bows sing” ordered the king with a steely glint in his eyes. Several of the soldiers looked at one another and then simply shrugged off their disbelief and followed orders.

  “For the free peoples of Tuwa!” bellowed Captain Korvic as he notched an arrow. He touched the tip to the wall which turned it completely black. He pulled back and let fly. The arrow flew with surprising speed. There was a dark wake behind the projectile that rippled like water. The tent door that the captain had unknowingly targeted opened slightly to see what was happening. The orcs had made sure to camp out of range, but this arrow had many magical properties that made distance meaningless. The head of a heavily armored orc soldier peaked out just as the arrow arrived. It embedded itself deep within the orc’s skull. The shaft stuck out from one of his eyes.

  Silent awe filled the air above the obsidian wall. After a moment of pause, there was an explosion from the tent that the captain had successfully, albeit blindly, attacked. Green gas filled the air around the burning canvas as several orcs ran for their lives. The Aranian archers filled the air with the deadly projectiles. The screams from the orc camp could not be heard over the gale force winds. Even though the soldiers atop the wall could not see or hear what was happening in the battlefield, they felt a surge of power and sense of purpose coursing through them. They continued their assault as though they knew exactly where to hit the beasts.

  Just as hope and good fortune seemed to be smiling down on Agaroth, there was a tremendous boom that shook the obsidian walls. The orcs were launching a significant counter attack. They were using their catapults and giant iron arrow throwers in an attempt to break down the accursed walls. The deadly projectiles had no effect on the walls, however, when they hit higher up, the effect was devastating. Several groups of Aranian archers were swept from the wall bodily to their gruesome deaths. King Derek’s face hardened as he made his way to the top of the front gates. He had expected this attack, but he was not sure what his home guard could do to counter such an effective assault.

 
The king scowled as he strained to see where the orc’s siege weapons were. As he looked left and right along the walls it became clear that General Akuji had distributed his heavy assault weapons all around their encampments. This thought frustrated him so much that he literally stamped his foot vehemently. The wall beneath seemed to ripple like water. Suddenly a dark voice spoke to his mind. “What would you have me do?” Fear gripped the monarch’s heart as he realized that the wall was not only alive but that it was a sentient being with a mind of its own and it had addressed him.

  “Do your worst” was all the king could say to the insidious voice. Without thinking about what he was doing, he raised his hands high above his head and lowered them slowly to chest height. Then he made a complex series of hand movements that made the wall around him swarm. Then he abruptly slammed both of his fists down which sent bolts of red light streaking along the obsidian wall.

  The archers inched toward the front edge to see what all the howling was below the walls. Shrieks of terror came from those who were able to see hell hounds emerging from the walls as though they had been there all along. Some of the hounds turned their heads to look at those high on the walls that had released them. Red eyes burned brightly from below which sent shivers down the spines of all who looked into them. King Derek heard manic laughing in his mind which made him immediately question his decision to communicate with the wall.

  “Do not worry yourself king…I was ordered to assist you by the guardian. I will not harm you or your people. However, I will do as I see fit with the orcs” chuckled the wall in King Derek’s mind.

  “I believe you” was all the king could muster. It was rather unnerving to have a wall communicate with you. He had thought he had spoken to the wall before, but apparently he was mistaken. He had an uneasy feeling…he knew the wall was of the darkest magic, so why would the guardian allow the Aranians to live in such a place. This place had ties to the underworld and its keeper. This was truly a strange turn of events.

  The Council of Landen

  “I am grateful for your attendance and will make sure to make this meeting meaningful” said a deep commanding voice. The council was comprised of most of the leaders of the free peoples of Landen. The people around King Ishrafle’s war room table were rather grim looking. The atmosphere was light and positive which conflicted with their physical appearance.

  “I think this meeting is long overdue” continued Lord Adair. He stood at the head of the table where King Ishrafle usually placed himself. The guardian’s appearance was clean…unmarked by the battles the other leaders had faced over the past few weeks of intense fighting. Most would not look the powerful elemental in the eye. Their minds were filled with questions, plans, and worries.

  “I agree my lord…what is it that you wish to discuss?” asked General Yukio smoothly. He had numerous battle scars which made him even more fearsome looking and added to his ever growing reputation. He was now carrying a staff which he used for wielding his druidic magic as well as a crutch. He had seen more battles than his fellow leaders, but he looked the wiser from his experiences. He also looked to be in control of himself for once.

  “I first want to report what I have been doing…at least what I can share with you at this point. Second, I want to discuss the significant threat on and in Lake Lachlan. Finally, we need to address a matter of the utmost importance…the Orb of Nitesh” the guardian said to the silent group. Quizzical looks were exchanged but the room remained silent. It was clear that the orb did not register with most of them.

  “What is this orb you speak of?” asked King Ishrafle with a worried expression. He did not like the sound of this mysterious object. Why are we only hearing of this object now?

  “You have every right to ask…unfortunately there is only so much I can share at this juncture. Let me discuss this topic first as it is now at the forefront of all of your minds” the guardian replied thoughtfully. “The Orb of Nitesh is a spherical ball of such immense power that if it were to fall into Kana’s hands, this war would almost certainly end badly for all of us.” He emphasized the word all…he wanted to make it clear that even the mighty elementals were threatened by the mystical object. This pronouncement certainly got their attention.

  “What kind of power does this orb possess?” asked General Yukio quizzically. His eyes looked intently at the guardian…it was as though he were trying to read his mind. He was the only one in the room who was confident enough to look him in the eye. He had forged a special bond with the elemental which was something that should not have been possible. The druids and guardians had always shared a mutual distrust of one another. Even when difficult times arose, these two powers often did not work together.

  “What difference does it make knowing what kind of power this ball of death contains?” snapped General Lysander. He did not have much use for a discussion that did not benefit his battle plans. Why are we wasting our time on this?

  “Lysander, it is of the utmost importance that we understand this orb to a certain degree…if you choose to ignore this topic, you do so at your own peril” warned Lord Adair sternly. He fixed the general with a withering look that made the horse lord shudder involuntarily. The man had never been comfortable with the guardians, even though he revered them.

  “My apologies…please, tell us where this object obtains its power” replied the general slightly abashed. He was respected by his king for his direct manner and as such, he thought there was nothing wrong with questioning the head of the guardian council.

  “I shall” intoned Adair darkly…he was clearly irritated with the interruptions. “The orb draws strength from the elements. So, as long as there are elements, this sphere will have the power to destroy and create. Yes, this sphere has the ability to destroy anything comprised of elements, but it can also build or construct anything out of the elements. The limits of this object are based solely on the wielder. So, it should be clear that if Kana obtains this ball we will all be in grave danger.” Again he emphasized the point that everyone was in peril if the fallen guardian gets her hands on the orb.

  “So, this ball is a source of life and death. Now that we understand how important this object is, what do you propose that we do?” asked General Yukio darkly. He did not like where the conversation was heading. He also knew that there was way more to this orb than what was being shared, however, he could do his own research later. He had the feeling that more knowledge would bring great peril to the acquirer of information.

  “Well, the orb is located in the west where it is protected by my magic as well as by a powerful ally. What we need to do at this juncture is to send a small party to reinforce the defenses. I know that Kana has dispatched her own minions to retrieve the orb, but we must ensure that she does not possess that powerful sphere.” He could not hide his sense of urgency regarding the orb.

  “My lord, I will lead the reinforcements to the secret location” sounded the confident reply of master Aiden. He had spent the majority of his time during the war at the front lines, but he was present at this meeting at the personal request of the guardian.

  “I thought you would volunteer…please leave at once. Head to Tarisdell where a small group of elven hunters and mages will be awaiting your arrival. You will then receive further instructions from mistress Khalida. Thank you for your willingness to serve” replied Lord Adair. He smiled briefly at the master swordsman before giving him a nod of dismissal. The master swordsman left without looking at anyone as he left.

  “So, what is the next item of business my lord?” asked General Lysander…his impatience returning anew after the brief discussion about the Orb of Nitesh. He wanted to get through this meeting quickly as he did not see a great deal of benefit in talking about objects that did not directly concern him.

  “As I have already reported some of what I have been doing the past few weeks, let’s finish up my findings and get on to immediate issues” began Adair considerably calmer now. “The battles raging in Moun
t Adem and Carrick are getting serious. The dwarves are holding back the tide, but sooner or later they will need assistance. It looks like the ever stubborn King Nognili will do nothing to assist his brethren in the south, so we are going to need to find a way to help them before too long. However, Lake Lachlan must be addressed first as the threat is more imminent. I will deal with the stubborn northern king…trust me.” He did not hide his disdain for the dwarven monarch. Adair had someone on the inside that would be able to help supplant the monarch for the time being.

  “If you need any help, please let me know” chimed in General Yukio slyly. The room chuckled appreciatively at the remark. It was no secret that Yukio and King Edric did not get along too well. The dwarven king’s isolationist philosophy had never set well with the Nairian general.

  “Be careful what you say Yukio…you may get what you ask for” replied the guardian smoothly. “Now, let us address the situation with the lake to the east. There is a significant army of creatures that were released from their northern prison by Kana and now they have a new leader.”

  “Who is that leader?” asked General Lysander quickly. He thought the monster from the deep was their commander and that the beast had been killed. His interest had returned as he felt that this topic was of direct importance to his command.

  “The demon lord who used to serve the dark lord before his imprisonment…Lord Nicor” Adair said with tangible distain. The vile demon could take many forms and was very adept at inspiring those he commanded.