“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.