“I know that reinforcements will make a difference” replied the fallen guardian knowingly. She was beginning to regain her composure now that plans were hardening. “I also believe that we need to send one of the orc armies to the western cliffs. I already have some special friends crossing Lachlan Lake as we speak, so the eastern border is taken care of.” It was clear now that she had cooled down and was back in control of things. The oppressive feeling was still there, they had simply become accustomed to the negative influence.
“The devils from the north?” asked General Nero. His demeanor immediately darkened at the mention of the forces from the north. His breathing steadied as though he had had no issues breathing for the past few hours. It was clear that his distaste for the northern creatures had to do with a past he clearly did not like.
“Yes…many of the banished creatures of the north lands have consented to help us in taking over middle Tuwa. They were all too eager to help once I released them from their icy prison” Kana said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. She cared little for those who joined her cause as long as her ends were met. If they are not, she had ways of disposing of those who failed her.
“You have released the dark lord…haven’t you” Dukker stated darkly. He did not think this was a wise move on her part. He did not trust her from the start of their joint venture and now he knew that he needed to accelerate his own plans.
“Yes, I have. He will be joining the fight once he has finished securing something for me. He will lead the creatures from the north in crossing the eastern lake to Landen. We must box in our enemies and then our evenly dispersed numbers will grind them into oblivion!”
“I will take leave of you all…I must return to Mount Carrick to assist General Yuki. We have over stayed our welcome here” Lord Trahern said as he began to walk away. The ground shook violently as he strode quickly away. He did not see the value of tempting fate in such an enchanted place.
“I think we should all leave here at once…something does not feel quite right. You all know what to do. I expect regular reports on how things are proceeding. General Nero, have General Tomo take his troops to the north to assist Queen Kishi…he will be in charge until she has recovered. Also, inform General Synan that I want him to take his army to the west. He is to make camp in the eaves of the Black Forest so that he is out of range of those pestilential giants.” For the first time in the hours of being near the deserted location she felt the oppression that was all around them.
“I will pass along your orders” replied General Nero. He turned around and headed off in a southerly direction. His breathing was labored once more as he ran from the village.
The rest of the council slunk off to their respective charges. They were all glad to be leaving the little village. They all had a nagging feeling that something had changed in the meeting place while they were there. They also felt different than when they had entered the deserted dwellings of the woodland elves. Kana did not dwell on these feelings for long…Ryo would not respond to her until she made her way clear of Arlenael. The fell beast appeared out of the clouds over Landen and dove to where his mistress stood. I wonder why he keeps defying me. He may not agree with some of my decisions, but he has always remained loyal to me before. He has changed ever since I sent Rolon on that quest. He will understand my reasoning when I have that orb…he will not question me then…no one will!
Yukio’s Madness
Yukio had recovered slightly from the tragic loss of his valiant steed that had been slaughtered by the cursed white wolf Rolon. He still did not feel sated in his lust for revenge. He believed that he must kill his wicked sister-in-law Kishi and all of the high elves to avenge the perceived wrongs committed against the general and the people of Nairi. He had had a great deal of success in the first few days of the war as a result of his personal motivation, but he was still restless with what he believed to be limited progress. He had inspired unbelievable acts of heroics among the troops with his erratic but driven behavior. Some of the giants had even elevated their ferocity in light of the maniacal general’s tactics. However, not all were pleased with his blood lust and boastings.
“I believe that General Yukio has truly lost touch with reality…he acts with little regard for himself which is setting a dangerous example for our soldiers” General Lang said to the other giant leaders. He had heard the rumors of the general’s violent behavior and that it was beginning to have an adverse effect on his army. We need to get this situation under control before things get out of hand entirely. We have enough to deal with!
“I think that we should simply invite the good general to come and meet with us. He is an intelligent man after all and I believe that we could reason with him. His magical powers have been a most welcome asset in this conflict, so inviting him to discuss this matter seems to be the best course. Let us be honest, he has single handedly turned the tide of this siege in our favor through his efforts…regardless of how reckless they have been at times” said Lord Marcello smoothly. His face showed no emotion or gave any indication about how he truly felt about this matter. He always thought of every angle without allowing his feelings to dictate his logic. A little chaos is just what we need to gain an advantage in this conflict. I must say that it is nice to have his creative magic…I have learned a thing or two from watching him.
“I think that we should not attempt any action that would dissuade our valiant friend. We do need to speak to him so that he understands our concern for him. Commander Boaz, please send for General Yukio. Have him meet us here tomorrow morning. That is all” said King Angus dismissively. He was trying his best to act kingly, however, he was not all together used to it. It was much easier as a chief over his own people.
“So, what is the current status of our defenses? We should probably discuss this now since we cannot do anything more concerning Yukio until tomorrow” General Lang said after Boaz had departed. He did not want to dwell on the upcoming intervention and thought they should at least discuss something productive.
“Lord Marcello, please go ahead with your report of what is taking place in the north” ordered the king. It was clear that the monarch’s thoughts were elsewhere as he said this. He did have an air of concern about him, though it did not seem linked to what they were talking about. Why do I have this feeling that something horrible is going to happen back home? The war is in here in the central part of Tuwa, who would attack our barren lands?
“Very well my king…we have successfully driven the high elves back to their camp at the base of Mount Lamont. They sally forth from time to time, but they are never successful in making any inroads against our defenses. General Yukio has his army stationed on the plains now just outside North Gate. Our soldiers are still in charge of the northern defenses and they have made significant improvements to the weapons with the aid of several of the villages that are close to the gate” reported Marcello. He noted the king’s demeanor and was attempting to discern what was troubling him. Is he having the same sensation that something terrible is going to happen to our home? I am not sure how that is possible or who would even think to attack our lands. I know that the armies have left and that only families remain, so who would be dumb enough to think that those who remained behind could not easily defend themselves?
“So, how many soldiers do you think Queen Kishi has now?” asked General Lang gruffly. He too was started to have a bad feeling about home, however, he dismissed it in order to stay focused in the present.