by Eric Vall
I expected another solemn nod from Dogra, but instead, his expression darkened, and I was surprised to see Foreg avoiding my gaze.
Then Killick spoke up. “Our army will be prepared to head to the northern tunnels by tomorrow.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “The soldiers you can spare for the south will need to leave sooner, though, so they can reach Falmount in time to join with our troops in Nalnora and Illaria.”
“That won’t be possible,” Foreg informed me, and I furrowed my brow. “Our alliance is with you, Defender Flynt, not with the elves. The Arms of Aurum will remain in the north.”
“Our original alliance dictated your soldiers would assist my own--”
“Defender Flynt, the Arms of Aurum are comprised of every able-bodied dwarf within the capital,” Killick clarified. “To send five hundred of our citizens into battle all at once is no small matter, but to expect them to risk their lives across our borders for the sake of barbarians like the elves is out of the question.”
My left eye twitched as I nodded slowly, but I responded in a calm manner.
“I understand your concerns, and believe me, the risk we’re all facing with this attack is not something I take lightly, but you gave me your word you would join me in this fight and--”
“Yes, and we stand by our word,” Foreg interrupted. “Should you require our army to join with yours in a siege of the Master’s headquarters, which rests within our borders, then we will certainly provide all that you require. For now, we can offer our soldiers for your defenses at the two tunnels in Orebane.”
I ground my jaw while my brain argued at breakneck speed with the Elder’s terms, but Aurora spoke up before I worked out a civilized response.
“Elders, with all due respect, we can’t accept these terms,” the half-elf replied. “Without your full cooperation, we risk angering our other allies who have agreed to assist your kind in defending the north. If you cannot set aside your pride and offer the same as the other regions, then I’m afraid you’ll be fighting your own battle here, and I assure you, thousands will fall, including the five of you.”
The grave lines on the faces of the dwarves deepened into disgust as they considered Aurora, but the half-elf kept her jaw set firmly as she met the scornful gaze of each Elder.
“More importantly,” Cayla added in an icy tone, “Mason has proven his loyalty to yourselves as well as your people, and to disregard his terms entirely is to disparage his honor while sullying your own. Surely, you wouldn’t wish for the esteemed reputation of the Elders of Aurum to be poisoned for the centuries because you were the only leaders who went back on your word to Mason Flynt when it mattered most.”
The Elders looked even more appalled by this suggestion than they had at the mention of their deaths, and I tried not to smirk as I realized the princess had struck the right nerve.
“I’m not asking for your entire army to fight for Nalnora,” I clarified. “Only enough to ensure we all stand a chance of surviving. Your soldiers are well-armed, steadfast, and experienced, and with their help, we could end the Master’s reign in weeks. If Orebane falls, every beast in your mountains will be pitted against us, and everything your kind have accomplished for thousands of years will vanish in a matter of hours.”
Agrokea raised a papery hand when I finished speaking, and the other Elders turned to the blinded dwarf while he drew a raspy breath.
“Defender Flynt has always… acted for the good… of our kind,” the age-addled man wheezed. “Without his help… we will perish.”
“Agrokea, the Arms of Aurum will never stand for terms such as these,” Dogra countered with a stern frown. “They’d sooner throw down their swords.”
“Those who do,” Agrokea croaked, “will be exiled. They know… the law.”
Foreg furrowed his wiry white brows as he stroked at his beard in thought, and after a long moment, he met my gaze.
“I can offer twenty dwarves to the south.”
“That won’t be enough,” I told him. “I need no less than two hundred.”
“Out of the question,” Dogra growled.
“You said your army numbers five hundred dwarves,” Aurora countered. “What we ask is very little in comparison. The ogres alone have pledged two hundred to this fight, and half of them will be risking their lives to protect your people here in Orebane.”
“What?” Foreg roared as his stark blue eyes shot to me. “Defender Flynt, you would send one hundred ravenous brutes across our borders with not a word to the rulers of this land? Have you any idea of the dangers you expose us to? Your ogres will sooner devour our entire army than--”
“The ogres will obey my command,” I cut in as I raised my voice above Foreg’s. “Elders, I’m not blind to the risks of my actions, but I am more aware of what waits in these tunnels than any of you, and if you wish to survive this, the abilities of the dwarves alone won’t be enough. However, the ogres’ strength and brutality could ensure the survival of your race.”
The Elders’ fussed with their beards so furiously, long wiry hairs fell onto their robed laps, and I could barely see their eyes beneath their crumpled brows. Agrokea was the only one amongst them who didn’t appear concerned in the slightest, and when he spoke, a faint smile flickered across his thinning lips.
“Ogres fighting… for the dwarves,” he wheezed. “Never thought I would… live to see it.”
“You won’t be seeing it, ye’ blind coot,” Dogra growled, and Foreg sent him a sharp look.
Agrokea chuckled hoarsely, though. “What will you see? When this Master… kills us all? Send the dwarves… to the south. Mason Flynt is… a man of his word.”
“It is too great a risk,” Killick countered. “The ogres will maul our soldiers, the rest of our numbers will die in the jungle at the hands of the elves, and what would we have to show for it?”
“A deserted capital,” Dogra snorted.
I sighed as I rifled my hair, and I couldn’t help eyeing the sun outside the window as it continued to sink lower toward the horizon. I knew I was up against centuries of strife amongst the regions, and there was just no way I could take on all of that before nightfall. The Elders continued listing the many things they had to lose while my women glanced sidelong at me, and I could tell both of them were out of ideas.
Then Dogra referred to the death of his dwarves as a loss of assets, and my ears perked as I recalled how quick the dwarves were to adjust their priorities when there was something to be gained.
“I’ll make you a deal,” I said as I interrupted their grumbling. “If you send two hundred dwarves to the south, and allow my troops to cross your borders, then when this is all over, I’ll forge enough of my own weapons to arm every soldier in Orebane.”
Foreg’s wiry eyebrows fluttered a bit at the offer, and Dogra looked more than intrigued.
“Which weapons?” Killick clarified.
“The one the princess holds?” Dogra asked as he eagerly eyed the AR-15. “It is large and surely effective.”
The thought of this realm overflowing with semi-automatic rifles was terrifying to say the least, but Cayla looked more territorial about the rifle than she was concerned, and she pulled it tighter against herself.
“No, that weapon is exclusive to my family’s use,” I informed the dwarf, “but I can offer runed weapons of a similar nature, and they’re powerful enough to defend your citizens from any of the beasts who roam these mountains. Here, I’ll demonstrate. Aurora, could you help me out?”
The half-elf nodded as I stood up and walked to the center of the room, and I pulled out my 1911 to load a fireball magazine. Then I took aim at a large column along the wall while the Elders leaned forward in their thrones, and as the bullet struck its mark, enchanted flames burst across the surface and spread rapidly to consume the column.
When I gestured to Aurora, the Ignis Mage doused the fire, and once I repaired the scorched marble of the column, I returned to my place in front of the awestruck
Elders.
“Once the Master is destroyed, every dwarf who joined in the fight will have one of these weapons,” I assured the Elders. “This is my final offer. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to let Orebane fend for itself.”
“We accept,” Foreg said point blank. “Two hundred dwarves travel for Falmount at dawn, and your troops are free to cross our borders.”
“Excellent.” I grinned. “Do you have a map of your region I could see? We need to determine the fastest route for your army and mine to access the tunnels.”
Killick waved an arm to the servants in the wings, and a stout old dwarven woman hobbled over to one of the ornate cabinets at the back of the hall. Then she brought out a yellowed roll of parchment longer than she was tall, and the Elders gestured for us to follow them as they rose from their thrones.
Agrokea remained where he was with a pleasant smile on his weathered face while we gathered around a polished table below a window, and the servant woman unrolled the parchment to reveal an ancient map of Orebane.
“Where are these tunnels located?” Foreg asked as he pulled a pair of half-moon spectacles from his red robes.
“Give me a moment,” I replied, and I closed my eyes as I summoned my Terra powers.
Then I shuffled through hundreds of schematics of the structures I’d built since arriving in this realm, and I found the blazing red blueprint of the Master’s fortress. As I adjusted my perspective and zoomed out, I gauged the length of the two tunnels leading north into the mountains, and once I reached their end, I opened my eyes and considered the distance markers on the map.
“I’ll be searching for the precise locations within the day,” I told the Elders as I trailed my finger across the map, “but the general placement of one should be in this winding valley, and the other is just north of what appears to be a lake.”
“Rausch Loch,” Killick explained. “It’s frozen solid and surrounded by open tundra. The valley is called Vasdor, and if you follow it far enough north, it winds its way west and straight to Aurum.”
I nodded. “Then he’s chosen his placement well. Do any of your railways have access to these spots?”
“Several intersect near the peak that separates the two,” Foreg replied. “From there, it would be under an hour’s trek.”
“Perfect,” I sighed. “Then I’ll travel to Vasdor and Rausch Loch to verify the exact position of the portals, and I’ll confirm their locations with General Dorinick so he can lead the fight at one of them.”
“I’ll take the other,” Aurora said, and my gut clenched at the thought.
“All the way up here?” I asked as I turned to my blue-haired lover. “Maybe you should stay--”
“We’ll need strong Ignis Mages to counter the elements for the troops,” the half-elf pointed out, “and I’ve battled in Orebane against the Master’s forces before. I know what to expect, and I can lead a more successful attack than the generals could.”
“We would be honored to have you lead the Arms of Aurum,” Killick said as he bowed his head in respect. “Between yourself and General Dorinick, we stand a better chance at victory.”
“Then send your dwarves south, and expect your general to arrive by tomorrow with plans for the rest of your troops,” Aurora replied.
“We’ll be awaiting your instructions,” Dogra assured her, and we offered our deepest bows before I led my women from the throne room and down the marble steps.
“Aurora,” I muttered under my breath as we crossed the entrance hall, but the half-elf smirked at the anxious tone of my voice.
“Mason, you said you’ll be overseeing all attacks, yes?” Aurora asked.
“Yeah, but--”
“Do you expect to keep us tucked into your pocket while you do that, or should we help kick the Master’s ass?” the half-elf continued.
“I’m going with the second option,” Cayla chuckled, and both women looped their arms in mine. “With Deya flying you around, it won’t matter where each of us are. You’ll be able to get to us. The important part is our ample experience fending off the Master’s forces will give everyone a better chance at survival if we disperse to help lead them.”
“True,” I admitted as we exited the silver doors of the Elders’ fortress, and I whistled sharply for Deya while I scanned the sheer cliffs beyond the towers.
“So, it all works out,” Aurora decided. “I’ll lead the northern troops with Dorinick, and you’ll remember I’m a force to be reckoned with.”
“Deal,” I chuckled, and Aurora flashed a fiery grin my way as Deya swooped down into the courtyard. “Let’s get back to Falmount and see if Markus can help me with these portals, and then I’ll head to Nalnora.”
“Okay, but I’m not coming with you for that one,” Aurora muttered as I hoisted her and Cayla up onto the dragon’s back.
“I fully support the decision,” I snorted.
“I wonder if Qiran will be pleased to see you… ” Cayla mused.
“There’s actually a good chance he’ll set his army on me,” I sighed while I hitched my boot on Deya’s wing to climb up behind her, “but better me than you ladies.”
Deya growled at the thought before she lurched into the air, and the dwarves of the capital ran along the streets and waved while they watched us soar toward the southern mountains.
My chest felt pounds lighter now that I’d reached an agreement with the Elders we could all live with, and knowing I’d have two-hundred dwarven soldiers to assist our efforts in Nalnora and Illaria almost brought a smile to my face.
Almost.
After hearing how hostile the Elders had been at the idea of defending another region, my worries about approaching the elves had been heightened, but I knew Dragir would be the most likely of anyone to cooperate. With his army backing me, Rhys might be more willing to go against his more elven inclinations, and if he was, I’d still be on schedule by dawn tomorrow.
So, everything was looking up for the most part as we neared the oaken forests surrounding Falmount, but about a mile outside my town, I heard thundering roars and the screams of mages.
I alerted my women and cautioned Cayla to get her AR-15 ready in case the Master had sent out more of his minions, but when Deya slowed her wings and coasted over the marketplace, the battlements were deserted.
Instead, a wall of enchanted flames burned its way across four lanes to block about ninety ogres into a huddle, and Grot hurled his seven-foot club at the swarm of Defenders who had gathered around.
“What the fuck?” I growled. “Deya, bring us down in the lanes.”
The black dragon dove to come in for a hard landing right between the Defenders and their wall of fire, and when I saw my own generals standing their ground against my allies, I jumped down from the dragon and turned on the mages.
“What the hell is going on?” I demanded. “I made it clear the ogres are our allies, so there’s no reason for any of you to be using your powers against them.”
“They started it!” a Flumen Mage scoffed, and Grot let out a monstrous snarl as he kicked dirt through the flames.
“They shouldn’t be anywhere near the village!” another mage hollered, and the whole crowd began yelling their complaints at once while the ogres started testing the bounds of their fiery enclosure.
“Everyone pipe down!” I ordered, and the crowd fell silent as I rifled my hair. “Whatever this disagreement is about, it’s not worth risking our chances at surviving our next attack, and the ogres are our strongest allies, so--”
“They ate our fucking horses!” Kurna spat.
I turned around, and all the mages in the lane glowered at the ogres as they nodded in the affirmative.
“They… what?”
“Go on, check the stables,” Urn said as he threw his arms up. “They slaughtered them!”
“Not in the bounds of Falmount!” Grot roared, and his ogres beat their clubs against the dirt while arguments broke out all over the place.
Aurora and I exchang
ed a glance before we both headed to the tracks, and once we crossed over, I could already tell the stables were oddly quiet as we neared the doors.
“Holy shit!” I cried out and halted on the threshold.
Then I gaped in horror as I realized the walls, floor, and even parts of the ceiling were splattered with fresh blood, and only a few gnawed-on hooves remained of the nearly four dozen horses who used to occupy the stables.
Chapter 5
“Gods,” Aurora groaned, and she shielded her nose in the crook of her arm.
The stench of ogre sweat and blood permeated the stable so much that even the smell of horse shit was masked by it, but I was too shocked to bother covering my nose. I kept hoping a few survivors might come inching out of the shards of wood where the stable walls had been torn open, but only the sound of blood dripping from the ceiling came back to me.
“Okay.” I nodded. “This is okay. I’ll lay down a few more rules and uh… order some more horses.”
Aurora glanced sidelong at me. “Mason… ”
“I’ve got this,” I assured her. “Just another minor hiccup.”
I turned on my heels and headed back to the lanes, and my left eye twitched a bit along the way, but I ignored it. The mages were still joined in an angry mob near the fiery ring of ogres, and I could feel half their indignant eyes on me as I came to a stop beside Deya.
Cayla had her AR-15 clutched against her chest as she narrowed her icy gaze on the crowd, and while this seemed to send a wave of silence wherever she looked, the mages just started up again once the deadly princess looked away.
It took me several tries to get everyone to quiet down since the ogres’ growls and the battering of the flames drowned out most of my attempts, but eventually, Deya let out a thunderous roar that made everyone leap several feet back.
Then Grot ordered his soldiers to silence themselves so they wouldn’t upset my dragon, and the mages finally let up.
