The Tomes Of Magic (25 page)

“No, but he will be pleased when we present him with land. Xander is on board and that is good enough for me.”

“Then it is good enough for me as well.”

*

Septimus and Thanos stood on the docks as the ships rolled in. Leoth called out to them as they came into view. He was relieved to see that the Warlock was keeping up his end of the bargain. Cassandra and Talia volunteered to oversee the unloading of the ships while Leoth joined the two magicians. The buildings around the harbor looked strange to him. They were made of completely different material than what he was used to. He wondered what Cassandra would think of the styles. Septimus and Thanos called him over as they headed away from the docks. He had seen the looks on their faces before and he knew it meant that they were prepared to execute some plan. His worry was that the plan they wanted to hatch was different from his plan.

“That is the castle town Alamor. Talia and I have good standing with them, we should be able to use the castle as a staging ground for our assault. Our first order of business is to gather our things and find a place to stay,” Septimus said.

“This is a sound plan. I will tell Cassandra that we are heading for the castle. This better be worth the trouble,” Leoth said.

The other two waited as he went back and left the message for his wife. If Septimus’ plan worked, they would already have a fortress to start their campaign. It looked as though the Emperor would indeed have an empire when everything was through. He was stunned by the size of the castle. Seeing it in the distance did not do it justice. His former hall of the warlord had been one of the largest buildings he had ever seen. Now, he was looking at a building so large that it had a city inside of it. Even to those who had seen castles like the one in Galimdor or the Fortress of Light, the castle at Alamor was a magnificent sight. This applied to Leoth even more. He was fascinated with the entire city, which forced Thanos and Septimus to push him along on multiple occasions.

“This is absolutely wonderful. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life,” Leoth said as he looked out over the city.

“I don’t suppose you have. On Canai, they build castles like this in almost every kingdom. They are both symbols of power and near indestructible defenses. It is a deadly combination.” Thanos replied.

“How are we going to take them?”

“You can leave that to Septimus and I. We have a few tricks up our sleeves.”

*

Paul yanked on the chain again, but it was no use. His legs and his arms were chained to a pillar. Even his magic had been unable to break or open the shackles. Rolin, James, and Janessa were all chained to the pillars like him. They were atop the dragon’s tower. Their dragons were chained down as well. Argos attempted to move on several occasions, but the restraints were too much for him. Every time one of the prisoners tried to escape, the dragon King laughed.
There must be a way to break free
, Paul thought. They had devastated a large portion the King’s army, but they hadn’t even come close to killing the dragon King. The only positive that Paul could think of was that their actions had slowed the dragon King’s plans. He didn’t know if it was true or not, but he hoped so. There was still a chance that the two armies had defeated the King’s thralls.

“What happened?” Thanos asked as he appeared atop the tower.

“We were desperately overpowered. He is far stronger than we realized,” Paul replied.

“What is this worm doing here?” The dragon King bellowed.

“Your time will come, dragon. We will throw your carcass of this tower in triumph,” Thanos replied.

The dragon King tried to claw the Archwizard, but his claws went through the apparition. He attacked again, becoming increasingly frustrated. Paul and the others began to laugh, sending the dragon King into a rage. He let out a massive roar and then engulfed Thanos’ apparition in fire. The Archwizard disappeared, making the King think he was victorious. He puffed up his chest and let out a small wisp of smoke. His presence alone was enough to cause the captives to go silent. They were unsure what Thanos would do next, but it didn’t matter to them. The dragon King had captured all of them at once, showing his supreme dominance. Their defeat had not yet sunk in, but seeing the King’s display of rage made them realize how futile it would be to attempt an escape. Even if they could free themselves from the shackles, they would still have to defeat an opponent that had defeated them as if they were children.

“That the best you’ve got?” Thanos asked as his apparition appeared once again.

“Face me, you coward!” The dragon King shouted as he turned back to the Archwizard.

“I will come for you and you will wish your ancestors never spawned offspring,”

*

Serith rose to an unexpected sight. At the edge of the Old Forest, across the plains to the south, was a massive army. Her Captains were running through camp in a panic. They were ordering their men to arise and take arms. She looked out at the other army and tried to gauge its size. There was too much distance between the two camps to get a solid grasp on what they were up against. She had hoped to parley with the people of Alamor that day, but her plans had to change. An army was a direct threat to her plans as well as the Holy Order itself.
The dragons cannot have fielded that large an army this fast
, she thought as she went back to her tent. There was no use in staying at the edge of camp. She would not garner any more information at that distance. A small breakfast was laid out on the table inside of her tent. She sat down and began to eat.

“This poses a large problem,”
Xander said as he entered her tent.

“This is my personal tent, I do not remember giving you permission to enter,” she replied.

“We have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“I am quite aware of the army across the plains. We will discuss the battle plan after breakfast.”

“What army?” The Grand Crusader asked.

“The army at the edge of the Old Forest. If that isn’t why you are here, then why are you here?”

“This letter arrived in the night. It comes from the Emperor of Alamor.”

“Emperor of Alamor? When did they get themselves and Emperor?”

“I do not know, but he demands that we leave his lands or face the consequences.”

“Call together the war council, we need to make a decision on this,” she said.

He nodded before leaving her tent. Her appetite had quickly left her. First the army across the way and now an Emperor making demands. It occurred to her that the two could be related.
If it is a war that they want, it is a war they will get,
she thought as she stood up. She looked in the mirror that she had requested. Her outfit was more appropriate for a scout than a General. She opened the trunk at the foot of the bed and pulled out her plate armor. It had gone unused since she helped defeat the ogres. She donned her armor and exited her tent. Xander and the others were entering the command tent and she followed them inside. They joined Zeltos at the table. Serith pushed aside several maps until she found the one that showed Alamor.

“There are some things we need to address,” she said.

“Xander filled me in on the message that we received. He also said that you had more to add to the discussion.” Zeltos said.

“There is an army across the plains. We have no reason to believe they are on the side of this so-called Emperor. It is entirely possible that we can convince them to join us.”

“Regardless, we need to treat this like they are both our enemies. If it is at all possible, we need to draw the troops out of Alamor and force them to fight both armies. We don’t know if our forces are strong enough to fight back-to-back battles.”

“It is settled then, we won’t engage the enemy until we can get both of them into the battle.”

*

Gareth crumpled up the letter and threw it into the fire.
If it is a war they want, it is a war they will get,
he thought. He grabbed his sword and exited his tent. Leniya was waiting outside for him. He knew that she would try to talk him out of fighting. She began to talk, but was interrupted when Kervos and Ellesar showed up. The Druid was arguing with the elf General about the coming battle. Only Gareth knew about Alamor threatening to attack, but the others were discussing what to do about the army across the field. The former Grand Crusader had immediately recognized the Holy Order camp. Their camps were always laid out in the same manner. He called over Sev, Ector, Ilyania, Solin, Miriel, and the others.

“There has been a development,” he said.

“What kind of a development?” Ector asked.

“Someone calling himself the Emperor of Alamor has demanded that we leave the area. We can only assume that they will act upon this threat.”

“We certainly can’t fight two separate armies. Our only chance is that we somehow draw out the Alamor army and fight a two-front battle,” Sev added.

“That won’t be easy, but we can try,” Gareth replied.

Gareth watched as the other dispersed. They each had their role in the coming battle and none of them needed to be told what to do. The former Grand Crusader was the commander of the entire force. He had already laid out his plan to the others. They divided their army into four sections. The elves took the center, the dwarves had the left side, and the fairies were on the right. Each of the three groups split a section of their soldiers off and combined them in a fourth squadron. This battalion’s function was to reinforce whichever of the other squads was faring worst. Gareth took to the front of the last battalion with Kervos, Ilyania, and King Orlin. Borfin was in charge of the main dwarf army, Quaroth took command of the main fairy army, and Sev led the elves. Ector and several dryads formed a moving pack of magicians whose job was to support and heal any injured.

The army broke camp and formed up into their battalions. They moved out into the plains to the west of Alamor, making sure they didn’t get too close to the Holy Order army. Gareth mounted his horse and took to the front of the special squadron. His role in moving between the other battalions would allow him to keep the other comma
nders in check. He trusted his Generals, but needed to ensure that they worked together in unison. It fell upon his shoulders to make sure that the fragile alliance held tight in the coming battle. The army settled into their position. Gareth looked out over the field and saw that the Holy Order had positioned themselves in a similar manner to his army. The main difference being that they had two front battalions and one roaming squad.
They must not have as many Generals as we do
, he thought as he watched them settle in to their positions. A loud trumpet sounded and the third army began to make its way onto the battlefield. The Alamorians lined up in such a way so that the three armies made a triangle.

“Now we wait for it to begin,” Gareth muttered.

Leoth stood at the front of the army, ready to order his troops into battle. Cassandra tried to calm him down, but he was too riled up for it to have any effect. Septimus paced back and forth, worried about Thanos’ disappearance. The Warlock was unsure what they were up against and wanted to consult the Archwizard on how to best approach the issue. He and Leoth had already gotten into an argument about the fight in the first place. The Emperor wanted to establish dominance with a swift assault, but Septimus preferred to gather information before making a move. Leoth’s actions had forced the Warlock’s hand and now they were preparing for a fight with two armies at once. The only silver lining that Septimus could see was that the two armies would be fighting each other as well. He took his place next to the Emperor and waited for the command to march.

“I think we should wait for Thanos,” Septimus said.

“We don’t have time,” Leoth replied.

“Fine, but that doesn’t mean we should rush into this without thinking about our strategy.”

“We will split the force in two. I will command one army and Cassandra shall lead the other. Kaylin will assist her in that.”

Septimus nodded as he looked out over the battlefield. The other two armies were already in position, but neither of them dared to strike first. It would require a delicate balance to win the day. A keen tactician would be able to lead the other two armies straight into each other, but Leoth’s approach was different. The Emperor could tell that Septimus disapproved of his style of battle, but old habits die hard.
We will show him the glory of battle
, Leoth thought as he looked at the Warlock. He knew that a good battle cry could help to demoralize the enemy. Cassandra was a much better General. The two of them together were nearly unstoppable. Unfortunately, they had to split up in this situation. Leoth had been looking forward to fighting alongside his wife, but it would have to wait until their next battle.

“I hope you weren’t counting on my presence for this battle. The others have been captured by the dragon King and need my assistance,” Thanos appeared to the others in the form of an apparition.

“We don’t know if they have any magicians, Thanos. I may need your help,” Septimus replied.

“Four of the most powerful Wizards are in captivity, I doubt you will face anything you can’t handle.”

“The time for talking is over. Move out!” Leoth yelled.

*

“They are on the move,” Zeltos said as he drew his sword.

The assassin led the main force toward the Alamor soldiers while
Xander took his troops toward the other army. Serith maintained an equal distance between the two battalions, ready to reinforce either as necessary. Zeltos watched as the battle split into three possible showdowns. A massive warrior led half the forces of Alamor toward the assassin’s battalion. His own forces quickened their pace to meet the oncoming charge. The two leaders outpaced their men and clashed before any of the other fighting began. Leoth whipped his sword around with inhuman speed. Zeltos matched his speed and blocked the blow with relative ease. He counterattacked with a thrust. The Emperor parried the blow and attacked two more times. His opponent blocked the first blow and dodged the second. Their troops joined them on the field of battle. The Holy Order used their spear and shield combination to push back the Emperor’s swordsman. They began to falter as Leoth’s axemen surged to the front lines.

Zeltos pulled out a second sword and pressed his attack. Leoth blocked two attacks before getting sliced on the leg. He dropped to one knee, but was able to block the subsequent attacks. The Emperor rammed his shoulder into the assassin, knocking the man to the floor. He followed up with a stab to his downed opponent’s shoulder. The assassin grimaced and rolled to the side. By the time he got to his knees, his opponent was already attacking again. They battled back and forth for several more minutes. Their soldiers fought just as fiercely as their leaders. Leoth knocked one of the swords out of Zeltos hand and brought his sword around for another strike. The assassin ducked the attack and stabbed his opponent in the stomach. He pulled the sword out and then rammed the hilt against Leoth’s forehead. The Emperor collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.

“One never makes demands of the Holy Order,” Zeltos said as he delivered the final blow.

The Emperor’s troops fought bravely as they tried to avenge their commander. Zeltos felled several opponents before taking a blow to the side. His men rushed to his side and pulled him back. He tried to stop them, but Serith ordered him to the back of the line. She took his place at the head of the troops. Her soldiers filled in the gaps left by the injured Holy Order troops and quickly turned the tide of the battle. Leoth’s troops began to panic as their enemies pushed them back toward Alamor. Their morale failed them and they sounded the retreat. Serith called for the troops to form back up and assist the other portion of the army. She was met with protest until she turned her sword on Zeltos’ second-in-command. The assassin caught up to her and apologized for the man’s actions. She shrugged him off and ordered him to step in line.

*

Sev held his soldiers to a slow march as the Holy Order troops came charging toward them. Tyric and Wyric stood at his side, ready to heal any injured. He ordered the troops to a stop and then had the archers prepare a volley. As soon as the enemy was within range, the archers let loose their arrows. The first barrage took down several soldiers and the Ranger ordered another round. Their enemies quickened the pace as a second and then a third volley of arrows rained down on them. Sev ordered the archers to halt their fire as the spearmen took to the frontlines. The Holy Order soldiers clashed with the elves and were driven back by Sev’s spearmen. He joined the swordsmen in rushing forward at the enemy.
Xander pushed to the front and engaged the elves. The Ranger spotted the enemy commander almost immediately. Gareth had told him that the higher the rank, the nicer the armor. Sev downed two opponents before going after the Grand Crusader. He landed a hit on Xander’s arm before more Holy Order soldiers swarmed him.

The Ranger parried blows faster than the enemy could attack. They quickly began to fall as the Grand Crusader tried to order a retreat. The elves surged forward and joined their commander in pushing back the enemy. Their enemy was on the brink of retreat when Serith arrived with reinforcements. She pushed to the frontlines, forcing
Xander to follow. The half-elf engaged the two enemy commanders. He knocked aside the Grand Crusader’s clumsy attack, but was forced back by several Holy Order soldiers. Serith jumped forward, swinging her sword in a powerful overhead strike. Sev dodged to the side and slammed his hilt against the side of her head. She crashed to the ground and the Grand Crusader rushed to help her. He swung wildly at Sev, giving the Ranger an opening. His sword shot forward and took Xander in the chest. The elves gathered around him as the enemy made a surge to avenge their fallen commander. Tyric took a sword to the thigh as he was patching up one of the elves near the front. Sev, slowed by his near exhaustion, dispatched the man who injured the Druid. His Rangers stood their ground as the last of the enemy’s will was drained. They let out a cheer as the Holy Order troops retreated. Sev ordered his men to regroup and reinforce the other battalions. Borfin and Sauroth were in desperate need of assistance. The Ranger had to hold back so that he didn’t leave his troops behind. He still arrived before the rest of his army. Ector and the Dryads were doing their best to deflect spells that were coming from a hill near the rear of the enemy army. The elves engaged the Emperor’s men while Sev used his speed to maneuver around their army. He slowed down when he recognized the magician who was causing so much trouble.

“You!” He yelled as he approached Septimus.

“This is not what I expected,” the Warlock said.

“I’ll give you one chance to surrender.”

Septimus replied by shooting a black sphere at the half-elf. Sev dodged to the side and then lunged forward. The Warlock created a wall off earth to stop his opponent. He grimaced as the Ranger broke through the wall. Talia joined him to provide support, but he waved her off. The two faced off against each other: a master magician versus a master combatant with the ability to move at incredible speeds. The Warlock shot streams of water at the ground, hoping to slow his opponent. Sev sped through the mud, jumping through the air as Septimus froze the water. He slammed his hilt into the Warlock’s chest, knocking him backward. The Ranger slashed at his opponent with insane speed. Septimus brought his staff around in time to block the blow, but wasn’t fast enough to stop the punch that came after it. Sev knocked out the Warlock and turned to face the army. He dropped down to one knee, heavily fatigued from his actions.

His Rangers joined together with Borfin’s battalion and began pushing back the enemy. Cassandra was shouting orders from near the center of the army, but none of the elven soldiers or their allies had been able to break through. Kaylin was at the front lines battling against Sauroth and his troops. Sev watched as they pushed through and took out the satyr’s personal troops. He fought valiantly, but Kaylin was able to land a blow on his right shoulder. Miriel and Selena flanked him and tried to heal his wounds, but the enemy commander surged forward and stabbed the human Druid in the stomach. Sev looked across the battlefield and saw that Ellesar had abandoned his healers and was
rushing to his wife’s side. Borfin saw the Druid charging forth and rushed to stop him. Selena darted back into the midst of the fairies as Kaylin finished off Sauroth. Ellesar arrived before anyone could stop him and thrust his staff at the enemy commander. She knocked it aside and ran him through. Borfin arrived moments later and knocked aside her attack. His axe whipped through the air and crashed against her sword. She blocked several more blows, but it was quickly becoming apparent that the dwarf was the greater combatant. Kaylin tried to call for reinforcements, but the dwarf was too fast. His axe caught her in the stomach, tearing through armor and flesh alike. As she collapsed to the ground, Cassandra ordered the surrender.

“Gather everyone together, we need to assist the wounded and bury the dead. I don’t care which army they are from, all wounded will get the aid they need,” the Ranger said as he rejoined the army.

“Let us hope the price for victory was not too heavy,” Ector replied.

“It always is, my friend, it always is. Make sure the prisoners are treated well, I need to see to it that the army is back in fighting condition.”

“We already won, take the time to rest while you still can.”

“A portion of the Holy Order was able to escape us, we can’t be caught unaware if they decide to come back and attack us.”

*

Serith sighed as she watched her troops hobbling back toward their fortress. Her mood was sour, but not as much as Zeltos.
This isn’t possible
, she thought. Things had started off so well. The assassin had led his army to victory and defeated the enemy’s leader in battle. Everything took a turn for the worse when Xander engaged the enemy. Not only did he manage to get himself killed, but he also forced Serith to bring in reinforcements. His incompetence sealed the fate of his men as well as her reinforcements. The Holy Order had been dealt a devastating loss. Xander’s death brought about opportunity as well as a dilemma. Now, she was one of the candidates for the position of Grand Crusader. Unfortunately, she still needed a way to get rid of Bartholomew. A victory would have given her a lot more maneuverability in doing so, but now she had very few bargaining chips. Zeltos slowed down and walked beside her.

“How did we lose so easily?” He asked.

“The half-elf proved to be more than a match for Xander. With their commander dead, the men’s spirits were too low to recover,” She answered.

“I’ve never known him to fight one on one with an enemy, it is strange that he would do so.”

“The survivors say that he didn’t fight one on one. They had the half-elf outnumbered seven to one and still lost. I don’t doubt them, he managed to knock me out with little trouble.”

“Must I kill all the dangerous ones myself?” Zeltos asked, half joking.

“You will have plenty of time to kill him later. We need to get back to Bartholomew.”

“The Grand Cleric will not be happy. I hope he doesn’t expect me to actually listen to his tirade.”

“What if I told you that you would never have to listen to him again?” Serith asked.

“I’m listening.”

*

“Anyone who is willing to denounce the Emperor of Alamor is free to leave,” Kervos announced to the crowd of prisoners.

“Where are you holding him?” Cassandra asked.

“Those who you see before you are all the prisoners we captured. It is possible he was taken by the Holy Order.”

“Nonsense, bring him to me.”

“You will not be making any requests,” Kervos snapped at her.

“He is my husband, I would like to see him before you torture and kill him.”

“The Emperor is dead, he was killed by the Holy Order’s champion,” Sev said.

“Lies! My husband is alive and well. You will see, he is going to come rescue me. Nothing can stop him!” Cassandra screamed.

“Tell me, was he able to move at speeds impossible for a mere human?” Sev asked.