She whistled to the others and took up position on her horse. The Sanctuary raiding party was already disguised on either side of the road before the gulch; half a hundred rangers hiding in the brush with bows and arrows, and helping to conceal three wizards and four druids. Vara watched from the ridge above, some fifty warriors behind her ready to ride on her command. A neat pincer maneuver if ever there was one. With their escort wearing little in the way of armor, the arrows will do their bit while the wagons are contained by the fire. We sweep down and mop up their resistance, and leave them mourning the disappearance of their ill-gotten gains. She let her hand drift to her sword hilt then stopped herself. I am not Cyrus Davidon, and I need not adopt his more obvious mannerisms. She pondered for a moment, then wondered idly: Does he touch the hilt of his sword not only out of nervous habit but to enjoy the faster reflex it offers? If so, that might explain a choice riposte or two he managed to get out when verbally cornered a aShall we go?a Vaste asked, now back on his horse.

aToo soon and we risk being seen, thus spoiling the ambush,a Vara said, holding up her hand to keep the raiding party halted. There were another fifty or more horses with them, those belonging to the rangers and spellcasters below, and the smell of horse was strong here. aToo late and weare of little usea"though I suspect weall be of little enough use anyhow, given how well set-up this ambush is.a aWell set-up is not well executed,a Vaste said, and there was a rumble of disquiet from the troll.

aWhat is your difficulty?a Vara asked under her breath, moving her horse close enough to him that only he could hear her whisper.

aHard to explain,a Vaste said, quieter still. aI recognize that weare in a bit of box here, and that what weare doing is necessary to draw pressure away from the siege, but there is something about using strategies that were first employed by Goliath while trying to sully our honor that I find damned disquieting in general.a aSo itas a silly moral issue, is it?a she asked, and found she had drawn a frown from him.

aI have no moral objection to what weare doing here,a he said. aWeare attacking convoys of dark elves who are blockading us and stealing the goods that theyave plundered from the farmers of the plains. If I have any objection, itas that I wish we had thought of the idea ourselves instead of having to steal it from the most loathsome sacks of treacherous flesh that are still strolling the land of Arkaria.a He blinked, and looked pensive. aSpeaking of which, where is Goliath strolling nowadays? You canat tell me thereas a war consuming the land without them trying to get a piece of it.a aI bloody well wish they were strolling into the Realm of Death, enjoying the lovely taste of those fiends that our army is facing on the other side of the world,a Vara said, no longer bothering to constrain her loathing. aI suspect theyare still where they were when last we heard about thema"hiding under the Sovereignas considerable skirt, doing whatever bidding he has for them.a aDoes it not disturb you to think about what he might be bidding them do?a Vasteas angular face was filled with curiosity. aTheyare amoral, desperate, and quite powerful. Hardly one of the big three, but still strong enough to cause enormous problems for whoever crosses their path. And if theyare in the service of the Sovereign, and his eye is fixed upon usa"a aNo time to discuss that now,a Vara said, and started her horse along the ridge. aThe ambush is about to begin.a aI understand,a Vaste said, aof course youare incapable of discussing something like this when youare riding a horse toward battle. You probably have to mentally prepare to eviscerate a dark elf or something. Donat let me interrupt that level of deep thought with something as frighteningly trifling as one of the largest and most powerful guilds in the land being deployed by our enemies to aid in our destruction. Itas really not worth giving much consideration to, come to think of it.a She rolled her eyes, though he could not see it. aI donat see much that weare able to do about it at present,a she said, allowing her steed to take her at a gallop toward the gulch far ahead as the first wagon in the convoy disappeared into it. aPerhaps if youad care to raise it in Council later aa aIad really rather annoy you with the thought,a Vaste said. aI suspect the others will find it just as disquieting, but itas much more fun to watch you squirm and pretend you want to think about killing people rather than consider it.a aYouare an arse,a she said simply. But after a moment, she conceded, aAnd quite correct.a aThank you.a The last wagon of the caravan rolled into the gulch and a wall of flame leapt up under the belly of the officers of the escort force, causing their horses to throw them. Vara could hear the sound of the armored lieutenants hitting the ground even from a few hundred feet away and over the first exclamations of the soldiers lined up in ranks. The sound of their cries took a turn for the more desperate and pained only minutes later, however, as the first arrows found their targets. She estimated something approaching a third of the soldiers fell with the first volley; half again as many fell with the second, leaving the escort in disarray, the back ranks breaking and even causing a few of them to run back down the road.

As if that would save you, she thought as she swept into the first of the runners. Her sword came down on him, hard; he had been looking back, not even seeing her until she was upon him. Blood spattered her horseas hair and was joined by more as she rained down death upon the second runner. She did not stop, riding her horse into the dark elven soldiers who still maintained their lines, after the third volley of arrows had landed. She cut a bloody swath through them as the rangers emerged from hiding at either side of the road and joined the melee.

Is this how you would have done it, General? She cut loose on another unsuspecting dark elf from horseback. He had been distracted by the rangers coming out of hiding, uncertain of where to turn. He lost his head for his transgressiona"not that he would have kept it had he been paying full attention, but still. Is this how you would do it, Cyrus, were you here? Would you run our enemies to ground, ambush them, and drag them in different directions the way I am? Or would you have a different strategy, something so brilliant that it would take my breath away at the knowledge you came up with it yourself?

She let out an audible curse, an elvish one that came from no particular setback in the battle but from a very deep place of dissatisfaction within her. Her blade came down on another dark elf, this one prepared with his sword waiting to block it. Her blade broke his weapon, went through his skull, and well into his torso before she pulled it back. Damn you, Cyrus. Damn you for leaving me to do these things, to become what you were supposed to be. Damn you fora"

She stopped before she brought down her sword again, this time almost striking another dark elf, but this one not wearing the leather and seal of the Sovereign, but a hood and cloak that denoted a ranger, one dressed like a member of Sanctuary. aSorry,a she muttered in apology upon seeing his face. aI didnat mean to a sorry.a She looked around from the Sanctuary rangers on foot, their knives and short blades glistening with the dark blood of their enemies, then back to the warriors who had ridden into their enemies ranks on horseback; there was no sign of injury, though plenty enough of them had blood on their horses and selves. There was no crying left, no sobbing of the wounded or wailing of the dying. She looked to Vaste, but he merely shrugged, as if to say, Weare done.

aSecure the convoy,a she said loudly to one of the warriors nearest her, a capable human named Jet Tindar. aDonat kill them unless you have to.a With a nod, Jet rode on, the warriors on horseback following him as the flames that blocked the gulch diminished at their approach. aThe rest of youa"let us try to clear the signs of our attack as best we can, and take the bodies with us so as to not give away our tactics.a She felt the dull clack of her jaw. aPerhaps we can do this very same maneuver again in a week or two, to the same effect.a She pulled the reins and guided her horse away as the rangers moved into action, pulling the bodies together for transport. She didnat watch, unworried that the job would be done correctly, the blood would be covered over by a second group after the first had teleported out with the wagons, the corpses and the majority of their force. Would you have done it this way, Cyrus? How would it have been different if you were here, instead of fighting over there? She felt an involuntary twinge in her cheek; as small as even it was, it was more emotion than she would have preferred to be displayed on her face. a and how would it be different for me a if you were here a?

Chapter 64.

Cyrus Nightfall came upon the steppesa"as Cyrus had heard the locals call the plains they fought upona"and still, the enemy came. The scourge filled the horizon as far as Cyrus could see, but as the light drained out of the day and the crescent moon cast its luminescence, there was no end in sight to the enemies that came upon them, filling the battlefield with their dead. His line of sight diminished to only thirty feet or so in front of him, Cyrus watched for the flashes of spells to give him guidance. The sounds of battle still rang around him, and the height of war was taking place on three sides. The smells that filled the air were all of the scourge, the decaying scent of dead flesh and nothing else.

They were overwhelming, so much so that Cyrus knew the army had been falling back all day, not out of a genuine pressure put upon them by the enemy but from a general weight of numbers pressing against the armies. The bodies piled up, too, and while it didnat seem to bother their enemy, as the creatures merely crawled over and avoided their own dead, for Cyrus they became a hazard after a short time, stacking three and four deep and providing an excellent ambush point for a live enemy to jump from behind their own dead and attack. He had seen a few of his guildmates attacked that way.

aItas nice to know weare at least running free of casualties,a Odellan said between the clashes of weapons cutting into flesh.

A bellow sounded to Cyrusas right and another shockwave burst forth from Partus, blasting aside a line of the scourge, sending bodies into the air once more. aWeare taking them out in great numbers, no doubt,a Cyrus said. aBut weave been swapping out people along the line all day as though this was some sort of sporting event where you can bow out any time you please. Our people are exhausted and thereas still no sign that the enemy is coming close to running low on more bodies to throw at us. It makes me wonder just how many souls Mortus kept in his lands, if itas all of them, all the way back to the beginning of time, or if somewhere weall eventually reach the end.

A cry and hue came from farther down the line, to the right. aNot a good sound,a Cyrus said under his breath. aDo you think that means a?a There was no need for him to finish, as Martaina appeared out of the darkness to his right, firing two arrows in rapid succession, both hitting one of their foes in the face and causing them to cease all motion. She slid to a stop in front of Cyrus, slung her bow over her shoulder and drew blades, slipping into the formation next to him. aBad news from the Sylorean lines, sir.a aLet me guess,a Cyrus said, cleaving another head as one of their enemy slid past him in a foiled attack, athe Syloreans broke in the middle.a aSolid guess.a She buried a dagger in a grey face and another in a stout, four-legged body. aOur healers did their best, but they ran short of magical energy about ten minutes ago. Mendicant is about to try something to drive them back, but weare running low on things we can throw into the breach.a aWhat about the cavalry reserve?a Cyrus asked. aLongwell was waiting for the right moment to turn them loose, and this sounds like it.a aHe moved into action to shore up the left flank and give some relief to the army of Actaluere about two hours ago,a she said, and her smooth motions with the blade prompted him to wonder how long she had been using them, she did it with such fluid grace. aTheyare still committed over there; I guess the enemy moved fast and doggedly, because from what I can see from here, it looks like theyare barely holding, even with the cavalry reinforcement.a aOkay,a Cyrus said, and motioned for two warriors in the line behind him to move up. aLetas you and I head over there, see if we can help. Whatas Mendicant planning toa"a There was a blast of fire that lit the night sky, a circle of flame that turned the whole field of battle orange with fury then red with its intensity as it burned brighter still. Cyrus watched as it slid around a widening hole in the line that he hadnat even been able to see without the fire. It pushed back, back toward the scourge, and Cyrus watched the four-legged creatures run from it in a way they hadnat run from anything head seen thus far.

aIt would appear theyare afraid of fire,a Cyrus said, pushing through the line and making for the place where the flame glowed. aNice to know; kinda wonder why we havenat figured that out before.a aYouare the one who wanted the spellcasters kept in reserve in case we had to fall back,a she said, leading him. Her bow was unslung now, and she fired it three times as she ran, picking off targets as she brushed by Sanctuary members locked in combat along the front. aNot such a bad strategy, actually, because wead been doing well enough before now that they didnat need to intervene.a aWe may yet need them to cover our retreat,a Cyrus said as they reached the end of the Sanctuary line; he passed a few men of Syloreas who were in battle with the scourge, and Cyrus aided them with a few well-placed slashes as he did so. aI donat know if youave noticed, but weave easily killed ten thousand of these things and theyave yet to blink at throwing another ten thousand at us.a aBeing not quite as blind as you in the dark, I have noticed,a she said. aI have also noticed that their number continues to extend beyond the horizon, which is a mite worrisome seeing as weare supposed to kill them all and then continue north to destroy the portal. I believe we may have the order wrong on that; we may need to destroy the portal before we can go north.a aA fine contradiction, isnat it?a Cyrus brought his sword around and slashed a foe that charged hard at him, killing it with one well-placed stroke. aI, for one, wish there were another way to do it, but as I donat possess a single flying mount with which to carry myself over these enemies, let alone a bevy of them to carry an entire army to the portal without fighting them, Iam afraid we may just have to do it the hard way.a aI donat know that you could define this as the hard way, sir,a Martaina said, and her short blade was out again, working in a flash of metal against two of the scourge at once, aI believe this may in fact be the impossible way.a aI donat believe in the impossible,a Cyrus said, greeting a jumping enemy with a kick that knocked it back to its fellows.

aThen Iad like to see you try and give birth to a child yourself, sir.a Cyrus shot her a sideways look and got one in return, only a hint of a smile as Martaina stabbed into another one of the beasts as it jumped at her. The fire of Mendicantas spell had died out, finally, and Cyrus wondered idly if the goblin had sacrificed any life energy to make it last as long as it did. The two of them were now firmly in the middle of the sagging Sylorean line, and they had, as predicted, failed squarely in the middle of the amateurs who were carrying hand-me-down weapons and wore no armor. Itas not from lack of courage that theyare breaking, because none of them are running; theyare literally being killed here in the center at too high of a rate to keep the line solid. He looked back and saw holes that stretched clear through the middle, no reinforcement to seal them; the Syloreans had run out of men to throw at the problem.

aI believe that if you were looking in a dictionary,a Martaina said through gritted teeth as she dropped to her back and let two of the enemy run headlong into each other while she executed a backward to roll to get to her feet again, athis might fall under the word auntenable.aa Cyrus gave her a blank look for only a moment before he was forced back to attention on the battle as a foe went for his knee with glistening teeth. aIt meansa"a aI know what it means,a he snapped, driving the tip of his blade through a skull and then whipping it out sideways to intercept another running foeas forehead. A slap of black blood hit his armor, where it blended with the metal and the night and a thousand other splotches that had already landed there in the day-long battle. aI donat like to retreat.a aPerhaps you should think of it as an opportunity to find some reinforcements and re-commence the battle on more favorable ground, then,a she said. aBecause weare only about five more minutes from ending up in the middle of that village, Filsharron, if we keep having to fall back like we are.a Cyrus cast a backwards glance and realized she was right, that the village was just behind them now, only a few hundred feet away. There were torches burning, and he could see motion in the streets; the back rank of the Sanctuary reserve of spellcasters were already standing in the outskirts. aDammit.a He turned to say something to her and watched as she landed two blades in a rampaging enemyas shoulder and neck, keeping it from attacking him, and he shook off his surprise. aSorry. Didnat mean to get distracted.a aIam here to watch your back,a she said, the slight tension evident in her voice as she threw the body back at its fellows, bowling over another one of them.

aAnd what a fantastic view that must be,a Cyrus said as he waded back into the fight.

aIave seen considerably better, even lately,a she said, fending off three of the scourge at the same time.

aIall try not to be insulted by that.a aNothing personal, sir.a Cyrus waved at the Sanctuary line, motioning for several of the warriors toward the back to move to them, which they began to do, filtering in. aHow long do you think we can keep this up?a aWhen we hit the village, weall fold,a she said. aWe donat possess the ability to continue falling back the way we are, especially not with that stream and all those houses providing obstacles.a He didnat say anything, and she continued after a pause in which she dispatched three enemies with her blades. aThe obstacles donat work to our advantage because we have to dodge around them, but it makes holes in our lines that they can exploit, because I think they can jump onto the roof of the houses in town and use it to leap over our lines. We of Sanctuary might be able to pull that sort of a retreat off, but the Syloreans are going to break. When they do, itas going to be near-impossible for us to form a survivable order of battle with all the enemies crushing in on us from our right.a Cyrus gave it a momentas thought. aFair assessment.a He let that seep over him as he dealt the deathblow to three enemies in rapid succession. aSo, itas time to retreat, is it?a He caught the motion of a shrug from her. aYou could try and reform south of Filsharron, but I doubt the men of Actaluere are going to go for that, and I even more seriously doubt you could get the Syloreans to pull it off.a She puffed as she struck again and again. aWeave been fighting for a day; the Syloreans have lost half their number. We need more men to be able to beat them.a There was skepticism from her now. aIf we can.a aWe retreat, theyall come after us,a Cyrus said. aTheyall keep coming, too, unless we can outrun them. Any suggestions on that?a aPlan for it ahead of the battle next time?a Martaina asked, still fighting. aFalconas Essence. If you can get a couple of the druids to spread it around the entire army, we can not only fly high enough to avoid them but it also gives you the ability to run faster. Couple it with a few wizards dropping some flame spells as we go, and you can pull off an orderly retreat.a aNot bad,a Cyrus said. He looked back at the village. aNow seems the moment.a He raised his voice, loud enough to overcome the battle and the crashing of the fight. aRETREAT! RETREAT!a He heard others take up the call, but he knew his own voice was heard in the back of the Sanctuary line, and that was all that mattered.

Like a flame moving across spilled kerosene, the fire spread across the ground in front of them. It stitched a line before the front rank of the army, a wall as tall as two men, and it lit the night with a flickering orange glow that reminded him of a night spent around a campfire. There was no smoke, only the smell of the fire at work on the grasses, and then on flesh as a few howls cut through the night, the bellows of their enemy as the flames licked at the grey rot. Cyrus watched a pair of black eyes through the wall of fire; they stared back at him, glaring, leering, jagged teeth held at bay by the flame.

The gentle sweep of magic ran across him, and he felt himself float off the ground. He turned to look at Martaina, and saw the Syloreans already moving behind her, well into the retreat, each of them floating, flying, and moving faster at a run than would normally be possible.

aYou already had it planned, didnat you?a she asked, watching him warily.

aOf course,a Cyrus said, and nodded his head as he sheathed Praelior and ran for the back of the lines, where he saw the horses all saddled and waiting. aDo you think me so arrogant that I wouldnat consider the possibility of retreat?a She raised an eyebrow at him, and he caught it out of the corner of his eye as he ran. aNormally, no. In your current state, however, I have seen you make one or two errors of judgment, in my estimation.a aTouche.a He climbed onto Windrider, who ran out to meet him at his approach. The flames were burning behind him, a steady wall of fire that kept the enemy at bay. aOur wizards will give us about a five-minute head start,a Cyrus said. aAfter that, Iave got them riding in groups to cover the retreat, taking turns protecting us and burning them back.a aThat may keep them off of us,a Martaina said with a tight jaw as she brought her horse alongside, abut you know that wonat stop them. There are villages along the way, and if weare not going to fight, and weare going to retreat, theyall be caught in the path ofa"a aI know,a Cyrus said. aWeall warn them, get them to flee, but aa He shook his head. aYou know they wonat all listen. They wonat all be able to run.a He felt the tightness in his own jaw, the slight swell of emotion. aTheyall be overrun. Just like Termina.a aWe wonat stand and fight for them?a Odellan rode up and joined them, now, then Curatio and Jaanda. aYou know what these things will do to the land, what theyall do to the people as they come down across the plains.a aI do,a Cyrus said. aBut we just threw everything we presently have at them and they chewed it up and spat it back at us.a The Sanctuary army was already in formation and moving, Cyrus saw. Actaluereas was in motion also, even faster than Sanctuaryas, and they were on the march south. It was the Syloreans who were the slowest to move, some of them still looking back through the fire at the demons on the other side that were pacing there, waiting to get through. aWe could make a stand like this on every bit of open ground between here and Enrant Monge and wead only succeed in slowly bleeding ourselves dry. We need to stage a slow retreat. We need to trade land for time.a aTime for what?a Odellan asked; Cyrus could see the ripple of emotions on the elfas young-looking face. aYou just said thereas no hope to beat them with what we have, and I canat see where youare far wrong about that. What could we possibly do with more time other than throw more of these menas lives down their jaws?a He gestured at the armies of Actaluere and Syloreas in turn, a sliding wave of the hand that came down in disgust.

aSimple enough,a Cyrus said, grimly, as he urged Windrider forward, following the last rank of the Sanctuary army. The wizards and druids were riding at the rear, ready to hold the retreat against the overwhelming numbers of the scourge that waited just beyond the wall of fire, their black eyes shining with orange firelight as they paced, their number growing, crawling and scrabbling over each other now, waiting for the fire to subside. Cyrus watched them, stared back at them, at death, at fear itself, so overwhelming in its scope that it could eat whole armies and never even taste them, ready to devour them whole. The maw of death, he thought. aThereas only one thing we can do, now.

aWe get a bigger army.a

Chapter 65.

Vara Day 35 of the Siege of Sanctuary The dark elven wizard had appeared in a flash, in the middle of the night and had brought with him over a hundred dark elves, right into the foyer. The sounds of blades clanging against one another made for dreadful noise, but the fighting had spilled out onto the front steps this time, bodies fallen here, there and everywhere as battle raged on. Vara was in the midst of it, on the threshold of the entrance to Sanctuary, and there was war all about. There was no noise from beyond the wall, at leasta"not this time, thankfully. Her weapon was at a high guard, and it landed squarely between the eyes of a dark elf with all the armor one might expect from a well-trained and equipped warrior.

The smell of smoke was in the air, smoke and sweat, as she moved her sword in a defensive position. They had come in fast and the stairs were packed, the guard force that had been stationed in the foyer was there, prepared to attack and catch them as they teleported in, but the dark elves were too many to dispatch in a quick moment of frenzied attack.

aHow are there this many?a Vara whispered under her breath as she parried the attack of another dark elf, capturing his blade under her arm and twisting to yank it free of his hand as she kicked his legs from beneath him. She plunged her sword into the weak spot where his armor met his gorget, heard the satisfying gurgling that ensued, and turned to attack the next.

She felt the dozen cuts she had picked up dispersed as the healing spell ran over her, a light glowing on her flesh. aTheyare elites,a Erith said from behind her. aThe Sovereign has sent his best in an effort to get that portcullis up so his troops can come running in.a aA clever strategem.a Ryin fired off a blast of ice that frosted three dark elves who were at a dead run across the yard, having broken free of the melee at the door and were trying for the wall. aBut he canat possibly believe that a mere hundred or so could break our defenses.a Vara frowned and ran through another soldier with her blade. aNo, he surely wouldnat think that after the last time.a She raised her weapon to take on the next comer, but a sound filled the air, a rushing of energy and magic, and she could feel the tingle of power on her skin as the light formed in the foyer, filling the gaps between the combatants with bursts of energy coalescing into figures who flashed into being, another wave of dark elven enemies. aSECOND WAVE!a she cried out and launched herself into a flying leap, coming down with her metal boots on the back of one dark elf while slashing her sword across two more, sending them spinning to the ground in a wash of blood.

The foyer was packed, flooding into the lounge, out the doors, as more shoving was taking place than blades being swung. She saw the wizard, the one who had brought this flood of enemies, and she leapt for him, dodging a half-dozen strikes from enemies as she passed overhead, but he winked out existence into a blotting of light as she landed, accidentally downing a Sanctuary ranger who had been standing almost on top of the wizard.

aOne more cycle of this and heall be delivering the next wave to stand on our shoulders,a Andren said as he stepped out of the shadows under the stairs to the balcony, catching a dark elf by surprise with a dagger, dragging it across the warrioras throat as he spoke. The dark elf looked immensely shocked, hands clawing at his own neck. Andren, for his part, shoved his foe to the ground where the man bled and twitched.

Vara kept a wary eye on the healer as she swiped hard, using the space created by the wizardas escape to bring her sword around. She killed and maimed five dark elves in five seconds and then yanked a Sanctuary warrior out of the way to spear a sixth with her blade. aThere wonat be another cycle,a she said, ahe knows heas being targeted now. If he comes back, heall be the first to die. The element of surprise is lost, and only a fool would continue to pack bodies into this room, knowing that we have reinforcements flooding down even now that will break them before they have a chance to open our gates.a aTo hear you tell it, thereas nothing but fools in this world, so I find it hard to believe you write off the assumption they wouldnat do something foolish without giving it a momentas pause.a Andren stayed behind her, well back as she began to work her way through the mess of dark elves in front of her. Theyad begun to pivot to her now that there was space to move again.

aYou make a surprisingly cogent point for a drunkard,a she said.

aIam just going to pretend I only heard the complimentary part of that,a Andren said, and she saw him tip his flask up to his lips as she pirouetted to strike another foe. aIt could take a while, clearing this room.a She didnat have to labor to hear him over the sounds of battle. aWeare surrounded on all sides by our enemies. We have nothing but time to filla"no expeditions, no operations, no tourisma"and speaking only for myself, I rather enjoy turning aside every attempt by the Sovereign to break us down.a She gritted her teeth as a dark elf with an axe rained down a blow that rattled her arm and she replied with a spell that sent the man flying across the room and into the fireplace, where he screamed and struggled to get out.

aI can see that,a Andren said. aWorking out a little of that unstated tension youave been feeling for the last few months?a aI have no reason to be tense,a she said, gritting her teeth again and burying her sword into another dark elfas shoulder. The man screamed and she promptly finished him off by grasping his hair, whirling him around, and running her blade in a sawing motion over his neck. aUnless youare referring to our present situation.a aOh, yeah,a Andren said, and she heard the click of the flask opening again. aThatas what I was referring to, certainly.a aI can almost hear your eyes rolling.a aWould you like to try and convince me that what Iam thinking isnat true?a He leaned against the wall now, safely under the stairs, using her still as protection from the dark elves bearing down on her in twos and threes. aThat youare not a little out of sorts because of Cya"a aI wouldnat presume to believe youare actually doing any thinking,a she said and her sword took on a life of its own, cutting through a rank of dark elves with maddening speed. aAfter all, your wine-sodden assumptions are worth less than the rotgut you fill your mouth and your days with.a She raised an elbow as a dark elf closed on her. She rammed her armored joint into the side of his head, twice; the first blow knocked his helm asunder and the second caved the side of his head in. He fell to the ground, bleeding from the ear and skull and she went on, impaling the next one to cross her weapon.

aThatad be denial I hear,a Andren said.

aYouad know the sound of that better than I, I rather suspect.a aWhy would I deny what I am?a She caught a flash of him again out of the corner of her eye; two dark elves had stormed her and she was pressed against them, they were pushing her back and one was raising his mace to bring it down on her. aIam a drunk, true enough, but that doesnat mean I let a good drink get in the way of what I do. You, on the other handa"a The mace descended and she batted it aside, freeing her arm from where her armor had locked against one of the dark elves. The ball of the weapon landed on her shoulder, unspeakable pain followed as the force of the blow ran through the metal, then the padding, and she felt her shoulder break. Her sword fell from her hand and the other dark elf pushed her back.

The mace came up again and she tried to raise her hand to block it but her arm would not respond. She dove low, at the legs of the two dark elves assaulting her, and felt their knees buckle even as she cried out in pain from the resulting blow to her shoulder as it struck an armored thigh. The dark elves were knocked off their feet and she felt them land heavily on her back. She rolled, already kicking them off her and got to her feet, reaching under her armor and sliding loose the extra blade she kept under her backplate.

aSee, now that right there,a Andren said, now in front of her after her move to counter the two dark elves, athat weapon youare carrying looks very familiar and the place youare carrying it looks familiar as wella"Iam fair certain that Cyrus does just that exact thing, keeping an extra blade in just such a place in case he gets his sword stripped away from him.a She lunged at the first dark elf and buried the curved blade up to the hilt in his throat. She ignored his surprise and spun it loose, plunging it into the second oneas gullet, up through the jaw. She followed him to the floor and grasped the blade of her sword and picked it up, turning back to the melee ongoing in the foyer. aPerhaps he acquired the idea from me, did you ever consider that?a Andrenas hand reached out, and she felt the soothing balm of his healing spell as the bones in her shoulder knitted together. aPerhaps, but I think it would be nothing but small recompense compared to that broken heart he acquired from you.a She stood, frozen, watching the fight going on for a few seconds as the tide shifted in favor of the Sanctuary forces and no one seemed to pay her any mind. She let out a howl of fury and leapt forward at the nearest dark elf, using both blades in tandem to hack the startled warrior to death with swift, sure strokes, then the next, then the next.

To finish the battle took less than thirty minutes, and when it was done she was soaked, disgusting, her own sweat and dark elven blood dripping all over her, the smell of steel and gore heavy in the air. She wiped her face and found it wet, slick from the work shead done.

aI believe there are some that would say you look like a bride of Bellarum right now, drenched as you are in the blood of your enemies.a Andrenas voice held a sarcastic edge and she turned on him to find him still there, malingering beneath the staircase, shadowed in the gloom with his beard and flask, the lecherousa"

aWho would say that, exactly?a she asked, taking steps toward him in a raw fury. aWho would say that to my face right now, would think it of interest, would dare to mention it to me?a She cast aside her secondary blade to the floor with a throw that caused it to lodge in a body. She watched Andrenas eyes widen as she reached out a bloody hand and grasped his white healeras robes, leaving red on them, and dragged him forward and down to look her in the eye. aAre you a follower of Bellarum yourself?a aNope,a Andren said, and took a long pull from his flask, even though his face was only inches from hers. He did not fight her grip, and the smell of strong gin came off him in waves. aBut, you see, I know a fella who is. And he had this a all-consuming love for a girl much like yourself. Scary love, really, too scary to even admit to anyone, maybe even himself for the longest time, but it was there. It kept him away from others who might have wanted him, kept him isolated, alone a for years. When he finally went for her and got cut down a I think it hit him harder than anything, harder than losing his wife,a she blanched as he said it, athan losing his best friend. Yeah, I think that pretty much did it for him. But hey,a he took another swig, awhat do I know?a Her grip on him slackened, and he pulled gradually away from her. aItas been a few months now. Heas probably right as rain at this point. Moved along.a Andred shrugged, and uncrumpled the stained cloth of his robe where her hands had clutched him. aAfter all, itas not like he spent years pining after that lady.a With a last shrug, the healer pulled loose of her, and she stood there, sword in her hand as the sound of horns blew in the distance, somewhere far over the wall, and she did everything she could to keep her face straight.

Chapter 66.

Cyrus The retreat was long, aided by the wizards and druids. Fires burned through the night behind them, giving them a rear guard as they retreated, long flaming rows that stretched out along the plain in an infinite line, with only a gap for the river, as the flames burned in a curve to follow the bank. Cyrus didnat feel the heat, not at the distance he was at; he watched a haggard Nyad keeping her eyes on the fire as they rode into the distance, trying for escape. After a few hours, the dim, distant noises of the scourge army faded, not to reoccur when the fire line came down. By morning, they were not even in sight as the sun came up.

aWhere do you reckon they are?a Partus asked Cyrus, atop a small horse that Cyrus believed had been Ryin Ayendas.

aSpread out along the plains,a Cyrus said, numb. The wind came from the north today, and it was all rot and death, cold and chill. The end of summer is most assuredly at hand and winter is well on its way. aGiving up on us to hit all the ripe, tender villages that are east and west of here. Gone to give some other poor bastards hell.a aThose things aa Partus said, shaking his craggy, bearded head, athose things are the legends of torment come to life. They truly are Mortusas works. Iave been in his Realm, many times, but these a these are staggering, those things. Monstrous works. They look likea"a aWendigos, a little bit,a Cyrus said. aBut four legged, no arms. No hair. Iave met wendigos that could talk, that seemed like they had a soul. None of that here, just a raw, feral savagery you donat even see in wild wolves.a aAye,a Partus said. aSo many, they cover the whole ground and could cover the land like locusts in the harvest. Theyall eat Luukessia whole and everything on it.a aNo,a Cyrus said with a fierce shake of the head. aNo, they wonat.a He urged Windrider forward, toward the front of the column, and they rode on until midday.

At midday they stopped by a stream; the armies of Actaluere and Syloreas had marched with them, their darker armor and distinctive flourishes marking them clearlya"the Actaluereans had livery and surcoats, like Longwellas, though they almost all were dirty and stained with the black blood of the scourge. The Syloreans, on the other hand, wore no such livery but their armors carried fur padding that stuck out of the neck and at the shoulders, to give it a different appearance than most kinds of armor Cyrus had seen, and a distinct look that fit the northmen well. There was no tent pitched, and Cyrus knew it was because this was to be a fast convocation. Somewhere to the north, he knew, somewhere below the mountains that stared down from the horizon, was an army that was as relentless as it was unmerciful.

Cyrus took the cloth seat that was offered him again, his officers at his back. Tiernan was quiet, fingers caressing his unshaven chin, the first time Cyrus had seen a hint the man could grow whiskers. In Tiernanas hangdog look, Cyrus caught just a hint of Cattrine, but he brushed that thought away with all the ease of scouring the remains of baking from a pan. Unger, on the other hand, stared straight ahead, his eyes flicking to and fro from the small, quiet circle to the horizon, as though at any moment the enemy would burst over it and he might have his revenge.

aTheyare going to keep coming,a Cyrus said after a moment of silence. Tiernan looked up at him as though Cyrus had drawn a sword; the King of Actaluereas eyes were wide yet vacant, watching as though he were a child, bereft of understanding for what was transpiring. aWe lack the numbers to stop them. We lack the punch.a aWe killed at least ten thousand of them last night,a Briyce Unger said. The King of Syloreas appeared to have no desire to exit his seat, the usual twitch of his left leg muted, exhaustion heavy on the Kingas frame. aAnd more still came. More than could be imagined, I think, though it would be hard to tell in the dark.a aYes,a Cyrus said. aMy elves tell me that they still filled the ground to the horizon, even after all we did. But there cannot be an endless supply of them.a aWhether there is an endless supply of them or not is wholly irrelevant,a Tiernan said with an exasperated chuckle that lacked any humor at all, awhat matters is whether there are enough to block us from sealing that damnable gate through which they invade our land. There seems no way to be able to pull that one off, as they donat break or back off even when confronted with overwhelming losses. As he said,a Tiernan raised a hand and gestured to Unger, awe killed numbers of them so staggering it would make any of our armies break and scatter from the loss. We lost few enough ourselves, and yet we were the ones who broke. Still they came on and would have kept pressing on us until we were finished had it not been for the western magic that saved us. Ancestors!a Tiernan said it as though it were a curse. aHow do you fight an enemy that will stand before you and let you pound on his face and not even blanch whilst you do so?a aYou pound away at him until he does blanch,a Cyrus said.

aThat might hearten me, if we were by some chance facing a human adversary with a human reaction,a Tiernan said. Unger watched, silent, while the King of Actaluere spoke. aThese things show no sign that we may ever push them back, that we might ever reach the end of their will.a Tiernan threw up his hands. aTheyare purest evil. There is no soul, no essence in these things, just an all-consuming hunger to take life.a aAye,a Briyce Unger said at last, aand that is why we must face them again. Why we must hit them until we find their breaking point. You say yourself, you knowa"they are evil. They are consuming my Kingdom, eating it whole. Yours will be next, and Longwellas, until there is nothing left of Luukessia.a Unger shook his head. aAt this point, even if we went into the teeth of these beasts again, we stand only the chance to hold them back, not to win. We need more, Tiernan. We need more men. We need every man in the land with an able body. We need every army, every soldier, every farmboy who can wield a pitchfork and stand in a line.a Unger waved a hand toward the mountains. aThis isnat a fight to save Syloreas anymore, not that you were here for that anyway, but I say it because Syloreas is lost. Itas gone. Iam sending my soldiers right now, today, to the corners of my Kingdom and Iam telling them to let everyone knowa"Get out. Go south. Come to Enrant Monge, flee to Galbadien or Actaluere. Buy time because anyone who stays in the north is lost. Theyall all die, every last one.a aYou paint a grim picture,a Tiernan said, his complexion ashen. aYet you speak the whole truth, no exaggeration. So you would leave your lands behind, have your people flee into the south. What then? Not that theyall be greeted unkindly by mine own or Aron Longwellasa"a aTheyall not be greeted at all by Aron Longwellas armies,a came the voice of Samwen Longwell, and Cyrus turned to see him standing just at his shoulder. Longwell was tall enough already, but he seemed to have gained a solid five inches of height. aI am riding today for Vernadam.a His jaw was squared, straightened, and he spoke from a well deep within. Cyrus could feel the emotion crackling off the man he had known for over two years now but never in this way. aI will ride to Vernadam, right now, today, and I will bring back all the army I can to oppose these beasts. I will turn out every man who is able, and I will come back at the head of them to stand with you in beating back this threat to our land.a Unger traded a look with Tiernan then cautiously looked back to Longwell. aAnd if a when a your father opposes you?a Cyrus watched Longwellas face carefully, saw the slight trace that came and went before the younger Longwell let slip a slight smile, a false one, to be sure. aThen he will be the King of Galbadien no longer. I will see to it.a There was a quiet that settled over the convocation. aWell,a Milos Tiernan said, breaking the silence that had settled on them as surely as the first snow, athis shall certainly be a winter for the ages.a aAye,a Briyce Unger said, aand perhaps the last one the men of Luukessia will ever see.a

Chapter 67.

After the meeting broke a few minutes later, Cyrus found himself walking beside Longwell back to the Sanctuary army. The lines of march had dissolved and men and women were lying about, scattered, some asleep and some not, all of them grizzled veterans now. How unlike they were when we left out the Sanctuary gates a when was that? Nine months ago? Ten? He shook his head in disbelief. How different were they when we left? Like newborns. Now theyare not new anymore, and theyave seen more of war in this time than even most guilds have.

aSir.a Longwell spoke, jarring Cyrus out of his meditation. aIall need to be leaving soon, as soon as possible.a aI wonat have you go alone,a Cyrus said. aYouare talking about deposing your father. Youall need some help.a aAnd Iall have it,a Longwell said, tense, abut it must be from within Galbadien, not without. If I come to Vernadam at the head of the Sanctuary army, it wonat have the proper effect. Itall be seen as an invasion. It will be an invasion, the west to the east, the conquering lord of Arkaria come to destroy the peaceful traditions of Luukessia. Of power over peace, of domination and control rather than what this is supposed to bea"me taking my birthright to save the land that I love.a aYou cannot possibly expect me to let you do this alone,a Cyrus said. aTo go into the heart of the Kingdom of Galbadien as you are, without a single person to aid you? Youall take an escorta"not an army, an escort, so that youall at least have a healer and a wizard in case things become truly sticky. An enchanter seems useless against the scourge, so weall bring Jaanda with us.a Cyrus gave it a momentas thought. aNyad, Martaina, Aisling and I will accompany you also, along with a healer and a couple warriors and rangers. Less than ten, total. That could hardly be mistaken for an army by most eyes.a aYet to the eyes who know,a Longwell said, narrowing his, athat is more army than most of Luukessia could put together.a aYeah, well, not everyone has to know that,a Cyrus said. aItas a war of perception, not of force. Coming to Vernadam at the head of a foreign army doesnat sit well with me, either. Itas when you come out that you need to be at the head of an army.a aAye,a Longwell said. aWhat are your intentions for the Sanctuary army, then, while weare away?a aOdellan will lead them,a Cyrus said, aand Curatio will take overall command. Theyall move with the armies of Actaluere and Syloreas as they continue a fighting retreat across the steppes trying to winnow down the scourgeas numbers while weare absent. Perhaps theyall get lucky and strike the great victory weare looking for.a aSir,a Longwell stopped his walk and laid a gauntleted hand on Cyrusas shoulder. aYou need not come with me. You are an army unto yourself, and more valuable here at the front than as an escort to me.a aI doubt it,a Cyrus said and felt a sharp pain within. aThe army will fight here to hold back the tide, but they wonat actually be able to do it, not without more men. Actaluere is sending more, but having me at the center of the line is useful insofar as I can hold it better than perhaps anyone else, can kill more than any other soldier, but I canat win the battle by myself, and I canat make up for the weakness inherent in this army. We lack men. We lack mobility. We needed ten thousand of your dragoons in that last fight, and a wider front to press up against without the weak men that Syloreas stretched to shore up our formation. We need soldiers, real soldiers, not farmers and field hands. We need men who can swing a blade and throw an axe, and the men who canat, who donat have the experience, are nothing but chaff.a aWhy, then, do you come to Vernadam?a Longwell asked. aEven if it is as you say, and you believe that there is no hope to beat them here, only to delay them, what possible greater good could you do at Vernadam that you could not do more effectively here?a Cyrus let out a long breath, and with it felt the emotions ground up within pass, as if he could expunge a plague of doubt all at once. aYour father is obtuse, we both know that. He wonat come around, he wonat listen to reason. But there is one man in that castle that will, one man who could command the legions of Galbadien with or without your fatheras blessing.a aCount Ranson,a Longwell said with cool acknowledgment.

aEwen Ranson is no fool,a Cyrus said. aIf both of us come to tell him what he already knows, then I think we can convince him to move the army. No coup necessary, because your fatheras will is irrelevant without an army to back it. Let him have Vernadam because weall have the army, and that is what we need to beat these enemies back.a Cyrus took another breath, and this one felt as though all his doubts and fears came back unto him, like he inhaled a lungful of death. aIf we can beat these enemies back.a aI thank you,a Longwell said, and bowed his head. aThis was never your fight, not when we came here to battle the Syloreans, not when we ran afoul of Baron Hoygraf, not when we had to adjust and face the possibility of war with Actaluere. You have never once tried to bow out when things became more difficult than we had anticipated, and I think that would have been the first thought of most men, to run from such an unstoppable and implacable a foe as we now face.a aImplacable foes are the only kind Iave ever known,a Cyrus said without mirth.

Longwell nodded, but there was confusion hinted at on his young face, the lines that had just started to show expressing those emotions. aI thank you, regardless. I owe you more than I can possibly repay, yet still I shall endeavor to square the debt at some point.a aI wouldnat consider you too indebted to me,a Cyrus said, aafter all, we did unleash this scourge by our own actionsa"by my own actions.a aNo one could have predicted that,a Longwell said quickly. Too quickly. aWe need to leave soon. Perhaps after a short rest?a aEarly evening, I think,a Cyrus said. aA few hours of sleep if possible, and then weall be on our way. Tell the others, will you? Iall speak with Curatio and gather us a healer.a He looked around. aTheyare pitching tents,a he pointed to a few of Actaluereas men, already hammering the first stakes into the ground, and the Syloreans across the camp were doing the same, aWeall rest, then weall leave. Iall need to send a wizard to Sanctuary to request aid again, if they havenat already sent it. If they have, Iall still request more.a aAye, sir,a Longwell said. aIall inform the others.a aDonat worry about Aisling,a Cyrus said carefully, drawing Longwell to turn back to him, just as a cool gust blew through. aIall tell her myself.a aAye,a Longwell said with care of his own, not revealing anything he might be thinking, masklike.

Cyrus watched the dragoon walk away. Does he know? Everyone knew about Cattrine, at least everyone in the castle. I wonder if my soldiers knew? Rumors spread faster than wildfire, faster than the scourge. Even if the others didnat care, itas still a unseemly. Isnat it? He felt the urge fill him, even as he thought about her. Two days of battle? Youad think that would have drained me a He walked across the campsite, the smell of weary and war all around him. He could hear faint snores from some of the men, light talking from others but in hushed voices, the quiet maintained, as though any sound above a whisper might bring the dread monsters down upon them again. He could feel the light touch of the north wind again that told him winter was coming, was not as far off as he wanted it to be, here at the end of summer. Autumn would surely come first but would be the only buffer between them and the snows that would likely bury these plains in only a few months. The taste of snowflakes on Cyrusas tongue was something he could almost sense now, and he longed for water to wash it off, as there were another taste he could remember, one from the last retreat head ordered, not quite a year ago, in Termina, where the ash fell from the burning city across the river.

Cyrusas feet carried him along, a short walk to a tree that rested in the middle of the plains. There were men all around, in every direction, and horses beyond them. Even in the quiet of the camp there was activity, though subtle, understated. He could see Windrider where head left him, working on conjured oats that a wizard had made for him and the rest of the animals. Cyrus looked over the small knot of Sanctuary officers nearby and then to Mendicant, who sat next to Terian, still bound in chains and watching him.

Cyrus edged closer to the dark knight and the goblin wizard; Mendicantas back was turned, paying him no mind, but Terian kept an eye on Cyrus, his mouth covered by a rag that was tied in a thick knot. Cyrus could see that there was a rock stuffed between his lips by the tilt of the dark elfas jaw. His eyes blazed as he watched Cyrus approach, and when the warrior was only steps away, Mendicant stirred and turned to see him there.

aLord Davidon, sir,a Mendicant said, rushing to his short legs. The goblin came only to mid-chest on Cyrus and seemed nervous in his presence.

aI need you to cast the cessation spell, Mendicant,a Cyrus said. aI need to talk to Terian.a aOf course, sir,a Mendicant said, and shut his eyes, letting his hand rise as though to cast the power of his spell in the direction he was pointed. His eyes rolled under the thick, scaly lids as Cyrus heard the faintest mumblings under the goblinas breath. When his eyes opened, Cyrus saw a faint movement around his hands, the barest hint of the air rippling like water, not with the strength of a paladinas spell but enough to create a disturbance around them, causing the nature of the world to blur within the bounds of the spell in a way Cyrus had never noticed before.

Cyrus squatted down to where Terian sat, legs in front of him. No one had bothered to strip the dark elf of his armor and so he still wore parts of it, dark-tinged metal protection from battle. Normally it was spiked in a way that Cyrus had never seen in armor. Terianas pauldrons were gone, though, the most lethal piece of pointed armor he possessed, as was the helm, and the jagged additions to his elbows and knees, as well as the dark elfas boots. He wore a motley assortment of armor and leather, his footcovers now worn, holes in them from all the walking.

Cyrus tugged the gag out of Terianas mouth, and the dark elf spat out the rock, though not with any particular violence. Cyrus had been ready for him to launch it, but he didnat. He stared at Cyrus, and Cyrus stared back, but the hostility was all one sided. aIam leaving,a Cyrus said at last, wondering if Terian would speak at all.

aHow nice.a Terianas tone was cold and flat, and he lifted his hands, still bound. aFinally decided to get out while you can?a aIam going to Vernadam to try and involve Galbadien in this war,a Cyrus said, and watched Terianas expression change not a whit. aIam taking Longwell and a few others, and Iam going to see if we can tip the scales, because if we donat itas going to end very badly. You saw the battle?a aI saw,a Terian said at last, almost reluctant. aLooks like youare overmatched.a aIndeed,a Cyrus said. aThis whole land is overmatched by those things.a Terian shrugged his shoulders; without the spiked pauldrons he was much less intimidating and shorter than Cyrus had noticed before. aTheyare all going to die, one town at a time, until this whole damned land is wiped clean. And you get to live with the knowledge that youare responsible, Cyrus.a Terian broke into a hollow smile. aHowas that feel?a aI donat know, Terian,a Cyrus said with more calm than he was feeling, ahow does it feel? Because I believe you were right there with me when we killed Mortus.a aI didnat make the choice,a Terian snarled back. aI didnat lunge in front of the God of Death as he was about to strike down a willing sacrifice. I damned sure didnat cut him or finish striking him down when it was all said and done. I didnat do it, you did. So, the consequences are yours. Just like my father. I know you didnat know what it was going to cause you, but the consequences for that are yours, too.a The dark knight let a bitter smile curl his lips. aAnd arenat they a real bitch, too?a aI didnat know he was your father, youare right,a Cyrus said, feeling the pressure on his knees as he squatted there next to Terian, abut I would have killed him even if I had.a He watched Terian stiffen. aHe was going to kill me, for sure. I know that doesnat bother you, but I donat just lie down and die when someone means to have at me.a aReally?a Terian asked, and it was a cold fury grimace that he wore. aBecause I heard you did just that, and Vara had to save you.a aMaybe she did,a Cyrus said, abut I wasnat going to let her fall, not at the hands of your father, not at the hands of the God of Death, not by anyone, not then.a aI dunno, Cyrus,a Terian said, still wearing his smile, ayour elf-bitch sounds like more trouble than sheas worth. She seems to have landed you in all manner of shit. Youare in deep now, old friend, near to over your head, if youare not already.a aSheas not mine,a Cyrus said. aNot anymore, if she ever was.a There was a silence for a beat, only the sound of Mendicantas continued incantation behind them. aYou realize, of course,a Terian said, athat if youad only let my father kill her, none of this would have happened. Not any of the deaths here in Luukessia, not you and Ia"a aSomehow, I think if youad been there on the bridge, you might have seen it differently,a Cyrus said. aYour father, a man you talk about when youare drunk as though heas the second coming of Yartraaka"a Cyrus watched Terian blanch, aa"and yet when heas dead you lionize him. Youare willing to throw away your entire life to for a man who you couldnat stand while he was alive. Would you have let Vara die, standing on that bridge? Do you have so little regard for your guildmates that you would have switched sides right there, shifted your allegiance to the Sovereignty without care for the words you swore to Alaric, to the loyalties you pledged to me, to our fellows?a Cyrus gave a wide sweep of the arm to take in all of the people around them. aOr would you have just a abandoned your duty? Let him hammer her down with a sword until she died, let him go through the rest of us one by one until head killed us all and taken Termina for the Sovereign?a Cyrus watched Terian with cool loathing, saw the doubt buried deep in the dark elf. aDid you love him? Was his path the one you envied, or did you have prickle of conscience somewhere inside that was as quiet as an ember snuffed out of a dead fire? Which was it, Terian? Did you leave him or did he cast you out? Was he the one you wanted to be? Or was he everything you hated about yourself?a Cyrus stood, and looked down on the dark elf, who kept his head low, his lips a thin, drawn line, near-purple. aIf youare the sort who would abandon your loyalties the moment any trouble came your way, then I will send you with Mendicant right now, today, when he goes to ask Alaric for more aid. He can decide whatas to be done with youa"but as far as Iam concerned, Iad rather see you exiled from Sanctuary if thatas the sort of loyalty you carry.a aIam a no a traitor,a Terian said, and he bent his face upward toward Cyrus, contorted in fury. aI would have had my revenge on you and been done with it and quietly, so no one would ever have to know.a aWell then, it seems youare in a state of dissonance, Terian,a Cyrus said, and stared down at him, abecause you want to maintain loyal ties to Sanctuary and all that entails, but you want to kill a man who upheld the ideals you at least pretend you hold to. Faithfulness, fidelity, loyaltya"these arenat just things we pay lip service toa"a aI a never a just paid lip service to what we do,a Terian said. aI was there in the Mountains of Nartanis, in Enterra, remember? Iave been there, in the places where weave spilled blood, and I never took the cravenas way out, not once. You can call me a lot of things, Cyrus, and I am a lot of things, but Iam not aa"a aCoward?a Cyrus said. aYouare not an a Orion, only in it for yourself?a A look of loathing came over the dark knightas features and he leaned forward. aSay that again a and give me another reason to want to kill you.a aWhy wouldnat I say it? You were there when he betrayed me, tried to kill mea"like you did.a Terian struggled against the bonds that held him as though he could break the chains. After a moment, the rattling stopped, the sound of him fighting against the inevitable. aBut I tell you what. Iall give you a chance to prove yourself a loyal guildmate and not a treacherous killer.a aOh, this should be good.a The rage broke over Terianas features and he shook his head. aWhat would you have of me? To run suicidally into the open jaws of those beasts?a aI would have you stand at the front of our army and help to lead them, help to hold the line, like you said you would when Alaric allowed you back to our guild,a Cyrus said. aIam leaving to summon help. We need more of it here. Make a choice, Terian. You can either go back to Sanctuary with Mendicant when he goes to request aid and go wherever the wind and your will takes you after that, or you can stay here, help the Sanctuary army, and try to prove that you still do have some honora"some loyaltya"left. That youare not just some shadow of your fatheras, trying to strike a last blow out of an empty sense of revenge that will cost you all that you have left.a There was a shuffle to Cyrusas left, and he saw Aisling not far away. She made just enough noise that he knew it was intentional, trying to gather his interest. aThink it over, Terian,a Cyrus said. aEither way, once Iam gone, youall be on your waya"either back to Sanctuary or turned loose here. Decide what you want to be, dark knight. A defender of those who need it or the avenger of someone who you loathed so much in life that you couldnat bring yourself to be anything like him or even serve the same master as he.a aAnd what are you?a Terian said, and Cyrus heard the clinking of chains as Terian willed himself up, dragged himself to his feet with perfect balance and hard effort. aSome champion of the downtrodden, ready to fight your way to the death to impress a woman who doesnat want you? Do you think sheall still be yours if you die here trying to save these people? Do you think itall undo all the damage you did, if you just fight for them a little harder? What do you believe in, Cyrus? Protecting people? Rushing headlong into things, hoping to do good? Because it seems like your best intentions are doing more harm than good of late. Maybe you should stop trying to help people.a aGo back to Sanctuary,a Cyrus said with a wave, and began to walk away. aGo back to them and listen while Mendicant tells them what a coward you were, if Ryin hasnat already. Be on your way, dark knight. For all your talk, you donat believe in anything but petty, shallow revengea"a aYou donat know a damned thing, Cyrus Davidon!a Terianas roar was loud, and he came at Cyrus in a charge, shoulder tucked low. Cyrus parried and kicked Terianas legs from underneath him, and the dark knight fell to his face in the dirt, the long grass sticking up all around him like towers hanging over him, the little lines of their shadows stretching across his dark armor as they waved in the breeze. aOf course you wouldnat, you donat even know what itas like to have a fathera"a Cyrus landed a kick on Terianas ribs without even realizing he was going to do it, the white-hot blinding flash of rage subsiding after he heard the grunt of pain from the dark elf. aNow whoas talking about something they know nothing of?a Cyrus asked, taking long, slow breaths. aMake your choice, Terian. I donat care which it is, but figure out who you want to be.a aIall stay,a Terian said, looking up from the dirt, cradling his arm against his side where Cyrus kicked him. aIall help. Iall help protect the people. But I want you to knowa"a aWeare not done,a Cyrus said. aIam well aware that youave still got your axe to grinda"though I suppose itas a sword, now.a He turned to face Mendicant. aPass the word that when Iam gone later tonight, he can be freed. Until then aa Cyrus knelt down and grabbed the stone off the ground along with the gag, aa back to blessed silence.a Terian glared at him but opened his mouth, accepting the stone, and then Cyrus tied off the gag behind him. The eyes watched Cyrus, though, the hatred burned, and he felt it, it coursed through his veins like a poison as he stared into the eyes of his frienda"and gagged him so tightly he couldnat make a sound.

Chapter 68.

aThat was awkward,a Aisling said as he slipped past her, not bothering to conceal his motions. The sun was creeping lower in the sky, now afternoon, and the wind was steady out of the north, not intermittent as it had been. aAre you sure letting him loose is the best of ideas? What if he follows you?a aYou know weare going, right?a He watched her, taking long steps over a sleeping body to stand beside her. She nodded, and he realized he was standing closer to her now than he had ever before in camp. aHeall be of use to them. Let him have his chance to redeem himself.a aAnd if he doesnat?a She played with her hair as he watched, twisting it around her finger, the white blending with the dark blue, a bright contrast, as though both were painted, so different from his own skin and hair. aIf he tracks you, and kills you?a aThatas why Iam taking you with me,a Cyrus said with an easy smile that he felt not at all. He was getting better at it, he realized with only a slight discomfort. aThis way, youall be there to watch my back. If youare not too busy with my front, that is aa He leaned toward her, let his armor rest against her, and then took a long, slow kiss, right there in front of the entire camp.

She pulled away from him leisurely, opening her eyes slowly after the kiss. aYou realize you just did that in front of aa aEveryone, yes,a Cyrus said and kissed her again. aI donat care who knows, who sees. Iave seen some of them do it as well, the soldiers. They crawl into their bedrolls together at night and everyone pretends to give them the illusion of privacy, like a silent law we all follow. Well, I want it too, to stop hiding, to stop worrying about it, to have you when I want you instead of always worrying Iall be found out.a His hand slipped around her hip and pulled her waist close to him. aI donat want to hide anymore. I just want to have you whenever I want.a She watched him cannily, with a slight smile. aThat might prove awkward in the midst of a battle.a aTry to pretend you wouldnat find it incredibly arousing.a She took a moment of slow inhale to pretend as though she were thinking about it. aPerhaps. But as we are not presently in a battle, thereas no need to consider it. If you want to have me as a soldier has his lover, you need only lay out a bedroll and crawl in it with me and let the rest take its course. Thereas no danger but the idea that others will see their General having an immensely good time.a He let himself smile again, fake but with a foundation in the grim reality that he wanted to unburden himself, to claim that relief she gave him. aWell, there is another danger,a he said, as he slid a hand around her waist to lead her off to where his pack lay, near his saddle, across the camp, aa after all, you do tend to bite when youare overly excited aa She slapped him in mock offense as he led her away, and they put down the bedroll on the ground and climbed into it. Everyone saw, but no one watched, and they remained beneath it until they were both well and truly sated.

Chapter 69.

Vara Day 47 of the Siege of Sanctuary The dark elven army held its distance, she knew, though she rarely went to the wall to see for herself. It was a quiet night, all things considered, after another long day of riding the Plains of Perdamun looking for caravans to raid. This morning they had caught a fat one, killing almost two hundred dark elven soldiers in the process. In the afternoon theyad managed to spring a trap on another, sending some hundred and fifty more soldiers to their deaths and securing almost twenty wagons laden with goods and riches. Vara stared at her hand, which clutched an inlaid silver bracelet with a soft clasp that snapped gently when she pushed it closed. There was a light circle of the precious metal that parted, a decent-sized ruby encrusted within. Not the possession of a noble, she knew, not locked up as it was in one of the caravans. It was something owned by a farmer, given to his wife after a particularly good harvest. It lacked polish, but the ruby still shone, and she wondered which poor sod had lost his valuables in addition to his crop. And likely his life as well and the life of his family, knowing how these dark elves operate.

The lounge was muted around her. Ever since the guard had taken up in the foyer every hour of every day, fewer and fewer people seemed to enjoy conversations, exchanges, and ale within the bounds of the lounge. I suppose itas rather difficult to make merry when thereas a visible reminder that weare under siege only a few feet away. Perhaps Iad be happier in my room as well, were I one of them. She had a book across her lap, but it lay unopened. The Champion and the Crusader, something shead read dozens of times, the words as familiar to her now as any expression her mother had ever used. It was usually a good distraction. Usually.

Without warning, or even a clear idea of what she was doing, she stood and let her feet carry her. In times of peace Iad wear cloth and leather. Now we live in times of war, and I go nowhere without my armor and my sword. She let her fingers touch the hilt and guard and then mentally slapped herself for again acting like Cyrus.

The front doors of Sanctuary swung wide from her effort; they were not nearly as heavy as they appeared, which prompted her to wonder for the thousandth time if they had an enchantment on them. She had always meant to ask Alaric, but whenever she came into his presence there were always more consequential matters to discuss. The crickets were chirping in the warm night air, and she took each step slowly, drawing her pace so slow that she could feel the resonance of her every step clacking on the stone of the Sanctuary steps, each sound ringing out like the noise of the catapultas firing through the glass window atop the foyer. She glanced back; it had been repaired, oddly enough, and quickly.

When she reached the dirt path, she stepped off it, letting her feet sink into the soft grass. Even though she couldnat feel it, she drew some odd reassurance from the green, springy vegetation. It was the nearest sort of affirmation she could find, something that harkened her back to her childhood lessons in the Temple of Life, where the Priestesses of Vidara spoke to her for hours about the Goddess and all Her wonders. She chooses the lengths of all the grasses, they said, and the seasons of their growth, and all that they become. She chooses the ones that live, and the ones that die as seedlings, and all the trees of the forest. She took one step after another, letting her feet settle in the grass, while overhead the stars gleamed down at her, an endless field of them.

Does he see them, where he is? Is he under the stars tonight? Or staying in some great castle, or a quiet wayside inn? Is he at peace or war right now? Did he find a way to best this scourge that plagues those lands or a She left that thought unfinished by the words in her mind; the unspoken unease that it reflected was not similarly dismissed so easily.

aWhat does an Ice Princess care for stars?a The quiet rumbling of the rock giant did not cause her to turn, even when she heard and felt his heavy footsteps behind her. aDo they remind her of the glisten of the light on the snow, where each bit shines as though it were fallen from the heavens?a aAs far as poets go,a Vara said, stifling much of her annoyance, ayou leave much to be desired, Fortin.a aI am not a poet,a Fortin said, stepping into place beside her and looking up, his towering frame almost double her height, amerely an observer. Here, I observe an Ice Princess, one who doesnat care for such things, and sheas seemingly transfixed. An odd occurrence, surely worthy of some note.a aHardly worthy of any note, I would think.a She gave him the barest turn. aYou are standing watch?a aBetween the wall and the foyer,a the rock giant said. aThough I am not of much use in a melee where others might be harmed by being in close combat around me, I do function well as a line of defense against any dark elves who decide to try and run for the wall, as though they could overwhelm our forces there and open the gates and portcullis in a hurry.a aSeems a foolish notion,a she said, awith you between them.a aI agree,a Fortin said in his hearty rumble. aBut what brings the Ice Princess out here on such a night, I wonder? And sheas trying to distract me from that question.a She rolled her eyes. aI hardly need to distract you from the simple fact that I decided to take a stroll under the summer sky.a aIt is almost autumn now,a Fortin said, aor so Iam told by those who keep track of such things.a aAh, yes,a Vara said. aMidsummeras eve passed with but a whisper, and now it is aa She blinked. aGoddess, that was quick. It seems only yesterday it was the beginning of spring.a aThe time does go quickly, does it not?a Fortinas low rumble was louder now, as he looked down at her, his eyes glistening red in the dark. aHow long has it been since he left now?a aTen months aa She said before she realized shead even done it. She blinked, and turned to favor the rock giant with a glare. aThat was craftier than I would have given you credit for.a The red eyes seemed to dance. aWhich was why I could manage it when no other could. You simply assume I wander around eating rocks and bashing my head into things, as though I were some peon, like a troll. I am not.a aYes, well, I shanat make that mistake again.a There was a movement of the rock giantas torso that was as expressive as one might expect from a creature who appeared to be made of living stone. aWhy is it a mistake? You confessed your feelings for him, and he plainly felt the same for you. To make all these tiresome games, to accept, then to deny, then to reject him when you obviously still care, itas all very disagreeable to the constitution.a Fortin clacked his jaw together and caused Vara to flinch from the noise of rock grinding on rock. aHe was plain with you, but you canat find it in yourself to be plain with him?a aI was very plain with him,a Vara said quietly. aPlain enough with my intent, with my reasons. But that was between him and me, not him and me and the entire guild, which is why I donat discuss it.a aOh, yes, I forgot,a Fortin said with a heavy nodding motion, afleshlings have their notions of privacy and decorum. Well, perhaps aforgota might be a strong word. aChose not to remember because your ideas are silly and irrelevanta better captures it, Iad say. If I were to act as coyly as you people do, I donat think I would ever find a partner to raise hatchlings with.a She blinked. aIs that how a?a There was a noise in the foyer, and Vara heard it, her ears perking up. aSomething is amiss.a aCome along,a Fortin said, but he was already running, the ground shaking under his feet with every shuddering step. When he hit the front steps, the sound became worse, the stone floor hitting against the rock giantas bare skin, reminding Vara of the noise of bricks being slapped together. Fortin flung open the door and there stood the guard contingent, weapons pointing into the middle of the foyer as Vara slipped around Fortinas leg when the rock giant stopped, giving her free view of the room.

The alarm was silent, no one speaking or calling out for any manner of assistance. Still, the swords remained down, the spears remained pointed. Standing at the middle of the room on the great seal was a goblin, Mendicant, his scaly skin reflecting in the torchlight and his bright robe catching her eye. Behind him was another figure, however, only a little taller than he, with a beard that was braided all the way down to his waist, and a hammer slung across his back.

aWell, damnation,a Belkan Stillhet said from his place beside a pillar, his sword held in his ancient hand.

aOr as near as one can get to seeing it from here,a came the voice of Alaric Garaunt, as a faint mist subsided in the corner next to Vara. She fell into step behind him as the Master of Sanctuary strode across the foyer toward the seal, gesturing to Mendicant, who was nervously looking around, to move away from the stranger in the middle of the room. aPartus,a Alaric said, staring down at the dwarf who remained indifferent, examining his surroundings as though they mattered little, ahow unpleasant it is to see you again.a