aWe canat hold them back!a The voice broke into her consciousness after several minutes and she seemed to come back to herself. It was darkening, the skies above them, and not with rain. The sun was nearly below the wall and the sky was dimming. How long have we been fighting? The lawn was strewn with bodies, countless dark elves and more than a few of her own. Healers are mitigating that. If they werenat, wead be matching them corpse for corpse. aWe need to retreat!a She looked to the source of the voice and realized it was Vaste, his staff in hand, at the top of the Sanctuary steps only feet away. The troll whipped his staff across the face of a dark elf that charged up at him then grabbed the man and flung him off the top of the stairs. aVara, do you hear me?a aJust a keep healing us!a she called back, at the base of the stairs herself. She blinked in surprise. Wasnat I at the left break in the wall just a moment ago?

aWeave been doing so for hours,a Vaste called back. aWeare nearly dry of magical energy. Call the retreat and barricade the doors while we recover, or every soldier you lose will be lost for good.a The world spun about her, filling her vision with cracks and a whirl, as though the sky had taken up its own rotation. We canat lose. We canat fall, not now. She looked to the front gate, where it had stood; even Fortin had moved back now, only thirty feet in front of her, and a solid wall of dark elves was pushing forward. The rock giant wobbled, and black liquid ran down the surface of his body as he battled with three trolls simulataneously. They were all of a height and looked like titans fighting in the middle of the battlefield.

aRetreat,a she whispered, so low only she could hear it at first, or so she thought. Aislingas head snapped around to gape at her in shock. aRETREAT!a she called again, louder this time, and heard other Sanctuary voices take up the call, weary ones, almost drowned out by the screams of victory by the dark elves around them, screams that echoed off the remains of the walls of Sanctuary and up and up, until she was certain that they could be heard the whole world over.

Chapter 114.

Cyrus It was nearing night now, and the end of the bridge was close, perhaps a quarter of a mile away. The sweat poured off him in gallons, he was certain, as though his whole skin were drenched with it and the blood of the scourge, that foul-black stuff that had smelled of death only this morning. The gasping of those fighting on the line beside him was strong but not overwhelming, and Cyrus could scarcely feel his arms but to know that they were there, and that Praelior was in a death-grip in his right hand, ready to deal out whatever destruction he saw fit to mete.

aRunning out of time,a Terianas call was calm, calmer than Cyrus thought it should be given the circumstances.

aAnd to think,a Longwell said, driving a lance through three of the scourge to the far right of Cyrus, aI could have been mouldering and dead on the shores of my homeland right now. Instead I get to watch us fail here and see these things delivered upon the shores of Arkaria.a He almost sounded mocking, but there was no joy in it. aI canat thank you enough for saving me so I could witness this day. Truly, it will haunt me for all the rest of my life, all six months of it, should the pattern of Luukessia hold.a aI donat wish to see these days, either,a Odellan said darkly. aTo think of what weave wrought on the people already dead is almost too much to bear. To add Arkaria to it is a frightful thing, not worthy of contemplation. I would rather die here than watch my land go slowly into the devouring mouths of these things the way we watched Luukessia go. Better to finish out swiftly than the slow slide, like ailing to death.a There was silence for only a moment before Alaric spoke from Cyrusas left, his blade always in motion and faster than even Cyrusas had been. aI find it dispiriting, your lack of faith that we can stop these beasts before they reach the shore.a Terian answered. aNo offense, Alaric, but theyave been pushing us back just as hard since you got here as they were before. Cyrus killed the King Daddy and theyare still coming like they didnat feel it. Their numbers make me think the bridge is filled clear back to Luukessia and likely beyond that.a The dark knight parried an attack and cast a spell that left a scourge choking on bile, green sludge pouring out of its mouth. aIf you have a solution to stop them, I think wead all be keen to hear it. If itas to continue what weare doing aa Terian looked around at the others on the line with him and met Cyrusas eyes; the warrior saw defeat in the dark knightas look, an utterly dispirited expression that head never seen from Terian before. aI believe weare about to be done. We failed.a Alaricas next blow sent a corpse ten feet into the air, and the paladin gritted his teeth as he leveled a swipe that killed four scourge and sent their bodies falling back into the charging ranks of the next run of them. aDo you truly believe that? All of you?a aIam afraid so,a Longwell answered.

aI donat see a victory here.a Odellan dodged a scourge coming at him and buried his sword up to the hilt in the beast then kicked another one free long enough to bring around his sword and stop it.

aAnd Scuddar Inashara?a Alaric asked the desert man, whose scimitar was still a blur of motion, hacking the enemy to pieces.

aI believe,a Scuddar said in his deep intonation, athat we are not on the shore yet, and there is still fight left within us.a aSpoken like a man whose village is first in the path of destruction for these things,a Terian said, driving his sword into one of them. aIt ainat gonna happen, Alaric. Theyare going to eat Arkaria whole. Thereas no stopping them now.a aDo you truly believe that?a Alaric said, not looking up from dispatching two more of the scourge in a row.

aYes,a Terian said quietly, casting a spell on the next beast to attack him. aThereas no path to victory from here.a Alaric was strangely quiet then, but his sword never stopped moving. aBack up, all of you.a He moved forward, his weapon dancing so fast he carved his way through the scourge that came forward in waves to attack him, making a pocket of death as he took another step forward, pushing into the enemy ranks, the bodies piling up around him.

Cyrus felt the weariness in his arms and pushed it aside, trying to command Praelior the way he saw Alaric wield Aterum; it almost worked, he was nearly as fast, fast enough to keep the enemy at bay, but barely. He looked back, just a glance, and saw the others behind him, the scourge surging between them all, creating a solid packed line between Cyrus and the others, and Alaric still ten feet in front of him.

aWhat are you doing, brother?a Alaric said, looking back at Cyrus as a thick burst of black blood spattered across his helm.

aIam coming with you,a Cyrus said. aI believe in you; we can do this.a There was silence between the screams, just for a beat. aThank you,a Alaric said. aBut you need not believe in me for my sake; it was I who believed in you when no one else did. I and others, some of whom you do not even know, who saw the seeds of that greatness in you. Your faith returned means more to me than you know, and I a apologize for speaking to you so brusquely when last we talked at Sanctuary.a The paladinas face fell, and he held out a hand. The concussive force blast jumped forward from his palm, scattering the scourge for twenty feet in front of him, sending countless number of them flying off the bridge, clawing as they went, others struggling to stay on. aOne tends to become attached to life the longer one lives it, you understand.a aSure,a Cyrus said, batting away the scourge that lingered behind them, pinned between them and the others. aNo one wants to die.a aTrue enough,a Alaric said, now still, the scourge before him regarding him carefully. aBut most fear to tread on its ground, fear to go into it.a He swept a hand to the horde of scourge around them. aAnd why should they not, when this appears to be their future? The worst of it, the worst fear, to become something you donat wish to be, to live in torment and agony for the rest of your days, to be reduced to less than yourself, a mindless thing with no purpose, no desire but to destroy.a He took a step toward Cyrus. aThank you for your faith in me, my friend, my brother. I have something for you.a Cyrus blinked. aIam sorry a what?a Alaric reached up. With his hand, he unfastened his gorget and removed it from his neck and grasped at a chain that lay across the back of it. He pulled it up, still keeping a wary eye on the scourge, cowed for the first time and staying at a distance, growling, waiting as their numbers reformed, their line gaining strength. Cyrus could see them preparing to charge, but he could not tear his eyes off Alaric, even as the Guildmaster removed the chain from his neck and brought with it a pendant, a small, circular object that was shadowed in the dark. He held it out to Cyrus, who looked at it for only a moment before glancing back to Alaricas eyes under the helm.

aTake it,a the Ghost said and used the hilt of his sword to push his helm up, then off the back of his head. It fell to the ground with a thunk and his face was exposed, long hair flapping behind him in the salt breeze. aPlease.a Cyrus reached out and grasped the pendant by the chain, holding it up to look at it in the light. aNow hold tight to it,a Alaric said.

Cyrus squinted past it, at Alaric. aWhat are you doing?a The Ghost looked at the enemy arrayed before them then back to the army of Sanctuary, which had moved back even a bit more, braced for the next attack of the scourgea"relentless, unceasing. aMy duty. You will see them to safety and protect Sanctuary.a Cyrus blinked. aWhat? Alarica"a The Ghostas hand closed across Cyrusas gauntleted arm. aDo as I ask. And one other thing.a Cyrus saw the warmth in Alaricas eyes now, the regard, and it stirred something within him, goosepimples across his flesh, across his scalp. aDonat be afraid.a With that, he pushed Cyrus back, causing the warrior to stumble and fall onto the hard stone of the bridge. Without looking back, Alaric took a step toward the scourge, letting his sword rest at his side behind him. The wind picked up, blowing across now from the west, from land, a hot breeze that whipped Alaricas long hair all around him. He held up his hand at the scourge, and now they were charging again, twenty across, four-legged beasts galloping across the bridge toward Alaric, their tongues out and hanging low, salivating at the unguarded man there for the taking.

The Ghostas hand dipped, and Cyrus tensed; it would not hit the scourge, would not throw them back, and Alaric was undefended. He pushed hard against the ground, started to get up, but before he could, Alaricas hand pulsed with a glow and the spell broke forth from it, slamming into the stone bridge.

The effect was immediate; Alaric disappeared as the bridge broke and crumbled all around. Cyrus felt the ground shift underneath him and he was falling, falling down. He felt the cold splash of the water only a moment later, heard chunks of rock and stone from the bridge falling around him and swam madly to the side, as fast as he could, the waters roiling around him. He felt something threaten to suck him down as it passed to his right, and then he swam toward the light above, the brightness of the sun.

His head broke the water and he gasped for breath, looking back to where he had come from. It was a spectacle of horror and amazement; the bridge had broken, and he could see the Sanctuary army still standing on the last segment of it remaining; the rest, stretching east toward Luukessia was gone, fallen into the sea, a white, churning foam and a few supports sticking out of the water the only sign that it had been there.

aYou all right down there?a Longwellas voice reached him, and he looked up at the dragoon standing a hundred feet above him. aCan you swim?a aIam fine,a Cyrus said and slid Praelior into its scabbard to use both hands to tread water. He felt oddly weightless, as though his head were swimming as well, floating in the water all on its own. aDo you see Alaric?a he called back to Longwell.

The dragoon hesitated, and Terianas head came over the side to look at him as well, followed by Odellan. aNo,a Longwell said. aHeas aa The dragoon didnat finish his thought, and he didnat need to. aYou need to start swimming, Cyrus. Itall be a miracle if you make it to shore already without drowning aa But Cyrus couldnat, wouldnat. He swam toward the bridge, toward the nearest support pillar, and when he reached it he threw his hand up to grasp hold, and something clinked in his palm. He held up his hand, and something dangled from it, on a length of chain that was twisted around his wrist. It was a round medallion, no bigger than a large coin, with a pattern carved into it that he could not see in the shaded light under the bridge. He hesitated for only a moment before placing it over his head and around his neck, then grabbed hold of the support pillar and waited. I could swim down, perhaps. He cursed. In full armor? Foolish.

The weight of the chain around his neck was almost insignificant, and yet it felt heavier than anything he had ever carried. Cyrus waited, watching the water where the bridge had stood, for minutes that turned into hours. He waited until past sundown for the Master of Sanctuary to rise from the depths, waited until his arms had begun to tire and his legs screamed they could hold him against the pillar no more. When there was no light to see by but the fires on the shore in the distance, he finally kicked loose of where he waited for the man they called the Ghost and began the long, slow swim toward home.

Chapter 115.

Vara Day 223 of the Siege of Sanctuary She could hear the dark elves as they battered away at the doors outside. It was nearly a miracle that the defenders of Sanctuary had managed to do what they had, fought back to within the halls of Sanctuary and barred them shut. Their enemies clattered at the big, heavy, wooden doors, but she knew when they retreated that it would take time to move the battering ram inside the walls, time to take it forward, to carry it up the stairs and position it to break them down. And it would appear that the time has comea"and ours has run out.

She closed her eyes and could feel the fear around her in the huddled masses. aNyad,a she said, and the elven princess came forth, startling her with her appearance. aCan you teleport us out of herea"all of us? Somewhere safe, like Fertiss.a Nyad was always pale; she was paler than usual, now. aNo,a she said simply. aThe dark elves have positioned wizards outside; this entire area is under the effect of cessation spells.

Vara looked at her in alarm, and held up her hand, casting the most elementary healing spell. There was no tingle, no power, nothing. aSo this is it,a she whispered.

aNowhere to run,a came the rumble of Fortin, standing just behind the door, arms folded, his chest a scarring of dark, oozing substance that was thick as magma. aI like it better that way.a aI always prefer to have somewhere to run,a Vaste said, clutching his staff. aOf course, Iam not quite the fighter that you are, and perhaps a bit squishier, so that might have something to do with it.a There was a scream as the battering ram hit the doors again and a crack appeared in the wood. Vara composed herself, closing her eyes for a moment, taking a breath. When she opened them again, she spoke. aThere is no escape,a she said, loudly, to all of them. aThey mean to have us dead, or worse, as prisoners.a aPrisoners is worse?a Vaste asked, sotto voce. She shot him a blazing look. aRight,a he said. aWorse.a aI mean to leave them with nothing,a she said. aI will fight for every inch of this place, and they will kill me before taking me prisoner. If you wish to surrender, go to the basement, lock yourself inside and await your fate there. If you truly believe that letting them score a painless victory here will do the world we leave behind one bit of good, then flee. I, for one, find the thought of letting them leave here without a gaping, bloody scar to be so unpalatable Iam willing to throw myself in the path of this meatgrinder, to put a stick in the eye of the Sovereignas war machine.a She bit down on her spite, choked on it. aI will make this bastard pay for every life he takes with ten of his own, and I will not yield until the last breath has fled my body. When they have hurt me so badly I can no longer walk, I will crawl, dagger in hand, in the direction of their boots and bury my blade in their ankles, pull them to my level and murder them unexpectedly.a There was a shocked silence before the battering ram hit the door again, and the door cracked slightly wider. aThatas the spirit,a Vaste said with false upbeatness. aGo for the ankles. Theyall need those for marching and stomping on our corpses. Thatall put a kink in the Sovereignas efforts.a aIf you want to leave,a Vara said, anowas your chance. None of us will look down on you because you donat want to die here, like this.a aSome of us actually will,a Vaste said, abut you should do it anyway, because embracing your inner coward in these last few moments will probably give you something to regret for the span of time it takes the dark elves to rape you to death. You know, like they do with all their prisoners.a There was a shocked silence as the battering ram hit home. aStop helping me!a Vara hissed at him.

The crowd grew quiet, no one daring to speak. Swords were drawn and clattered about against armor as people clutched them tight. Vara saw wizards pull daggers, druids grab logs from beside the fire to use as clubs, as her eyes slid over the crowd. Mendicant was nearby, clicking his claws together noiselessly as he shed his robes, joining a few of his fellow goblins nearby. They crouched low to the ground, skittering toward the doors, prepared to ambush the first enemies through. She felt a surge of pride in them. Andren was nearby, too, just behind them, a tankard in one hand and a knife in the other. Belkan and Thad, both bleeding profusely, stood just behind Fortin. There was a growling noise, a subtle one, and Vara noticed the wolves of Menlos Irontooth in the middle of the foyer, ready to spring. Alaric would be proud. Weall not go down without a fight. Larana stood next to Erith and Nyad; the wizard and the healer held weapons of their own, a small blade in both cases, but the druidas eyes were closed, a tear dripping down her cheek as she stood in utter silence, the very picture of despair.

Aisling slipped between them all, sliding into the shadows near the door, and all Vara could see of the dark elf was the glistening of her blades, ready to strike at an exposed back. Let her have at it. I need all the help I can get at this point.

She felt someone at her side and looked up to see Vaste, staring down at her, his staff in hand. aIf it had to end this way,a Vaste said, aIam glad it was you here to lead us. I canat imagine a better voice of inspiration and fortitude than yours, here at the end of all our days.a She stared at him briefly then blinked as her face dissolved into disbelief. aYou utter arse,a she said. aCan you not be serious for even one moment now, at the end?a His face stiffened in shock. aI know itas hard to believe, but I actually was being serious. Just this once. Donat tell anyone.a The battering ram hit home once more and the brace that held shut the great doors of Sanctuary broke loose along with the doors themselves. There was a cacophony from outside as the dark elves started in, around the fringes of the battering ram, streaming in at the sides, and were attacked by Fortin on one side and low-to-the-ground goblins on the other side. The first wave of the enemy fell quickly as the crew of the battering ram tried to remove the giant obstruction from the battle.

aWhy, Vaste,a she said, holding her sword high above her head, awhoever would I tell?a She let out a cry that was matched by a thousand more around her, and let her feet carry her forward, into what she knew beyond reason would be the last fight of her life.

Chapter 116.

Cyrus He pulled himself ashore, barely there, crawling on all fours onto the sand. He spat the salt water out. It had begun to fill his nose, his mouth, and all else. He coughed, bringing it up. The bridge was to his right, but there were fires in front of him, spread out all along the shore, but more to the north than south of the bridge, where he had come ashore. He looked toward the camp in front of him, but lay down on his back, studying the dancing flame from the top of his field of vision. He heard voices in that direction, but he cared little for who they might be or that they called out in alarm, met with voices from the bridge.

Alaric a aCyrus!a The sharp, clear voice was feminine and all too familiar. He looked up and saw figures running toward him across the sand, and he felt the tide come in again and wash over him. There was a strong whinny of a horse above him, and he dimly realized it was Windrider, standing above him with others. He blinked, and recognized Cattrine, who was now by his side, her face close to his. aAre you all right?a aIam still alive,a Cyrus managed to get out. aWhich is more than I can say for aa he almost choked on his words, aa some.a aWhat happened?a Cattrine asked. There were others, he could hear them, talking. aWe saw the bridge come down, and then Windrider went mad, stamping and snorting. He didnat stop until just a moment ago, when he went charging off down the shore and led us to you.a aAlaric came,a Cyrus said. aMy Guildmaster. He aa Cyrus felt a lump in his throat and swallowed. aHe destroyed the bridge, drowned the scourge. And he aa Cyrus let his voice trail off.

Cattrineas eyes flickered in the light of a torch someone was carrying nearby. aOh, Cyrus a Iam so sorry.a aHe saved us,a Cyrus said numbly, pushing himself to sit upright. aHe saved us all.a There was noise at the base of the bridge, commotion and shouting, and Cyrus grasped Windrideras reins, which dangled before him, and without warning the horse pulled him to standing then snorted at him. aOkay, then,a Cyrus said.

aWhere is he?a came the voice from the bridge. aHas anyone seen Cyrus?a aIam over here!a Cyrus called and felt his feet sink into the sand with every step forward. He kept his hand on Windrideras reins. aIam here.a There were torches atop the bridge, lighting the edges of it as it sloped toward the sands at the end where it met the ground. They followed off in a procession. The twilight turned dark now, night having fallen. He felt Cattrine next to him rather than saw her, sensed her presence as he moved through the night, and the water that drenched his underclothes sloshed in his boots and on his person as he walked. The water was beginning to cool on him, to chill him, like the winter at Enrant Monge.

The torches grew closer, and Cyrus could see the faces lit by them nowa"Terian, Longwell, Odellan. Martaina was there as well, and he saw the relief pass over her face as he appeared to them. Curatio broke into a smile at Cyrusas appearance. Cyrus blinked in surprise at the sight of Ryin Ayend, who stood next to Jaanda. aRyin,a he said in acknowledgment.

aCyrus,a Terian said, standing apart from the others. He had broken off from them and stood at an angle to the side. Cyrus stared closer at him, saw the faint red glow in the torchlight and felt a whisper of menace through him as he drew Praelior, causing the others to halt their advance toward him.

Cyrus walked slowly toward Terian, angling himself away from the others. aNow, Terian?a aNo,a Terian said, choked, as he raised his blade and pointed it at Cyrus. aNot now. I did what you asked. I fought to the end. Now a Iam not going back with you. Not to Sanctuary. Not so you can put me on trial like some kind of circus or example. Iam leaving.a aTerian,a Curatio said menacingly, ayou tried to murder a fellow officer. If you think you can simply walk away from thata"a aNo,a Cyrus said and pointed Praelior at the dark knightas shade, his blue face almost fading into the background of the jungle behind him. aHe can go.a aI wasnat asking your permission,a Terian snapped.

aI wasnat giving permission,a Cyrus said slowly. aI was releasing you from the charge of attempting to murder me. Go on. Be about your business, then; we have no more between us now to deal with, itas all settled on my end.a Terian gave him a slow, hard nod. aNot on mine. This isnat over between us. Not yet.a Cyrus gave a long sigh. aFine. But at least do me the courtesy of not coming at me like a sidewinder next time. Try it head-on, like a man. Iall give you the fight youare looking for.a Terian said nothing but started to back away, up the slope of the beach, until he finally turned, sheathed his sword and entered the jungle. Cyrus watched him go until he disappeared and felt a familiar chill he could not define as he watched the darkness of the space between the trees. He wondered if Terian had turned around, was watching him, was giving him that eerie feeling.

aCyrus,a Ryin said, jarring the warrior out of his reflection.

aRyin,a Cyrus said. aYou brought Alaric here?a aAye,a the druid said. aWhen we left, the dark elves were hitting Sanctuaryas walls with a strong attack, trying desperately to break through.a aGods,a Curatio said, sagging. aFirst Alaric, now this. How many of the enemy?a aAt least a hundred thousand,a Ryin said. aAnd no way for us to get back behind the walls. And no way to dislodge an army of that size, with only your thousand or so remaining.a Cyrusas head spun at the thought. A hundred thousand encamped around Sanctuary, hell-bent on breaking down that wall. aWhat kind of soldiers?a aInfantry, mostly,a Ryin said. aSome trolls, for variety. Theyave been launching staggered attacks at us, but they were warming up for the finale when we left two days ago. They kept coming, aiming for the gate, trying to break it down.a He ran a hand through his hair. aI donat know what weall do.a aA hundred thousand,a Jaanda said in quiet awe. aWe would need an army of our own of at least similar size in order to break them loose from around the wall a at least as many aa Cyrus felt his jaw set in determination, felt the fury flood his veins. Attack Sanctuary, will you? The words came back to him now, the ones Alaric had saida"

Protect Sanctuary.

There were hushed voices, raising discussion around him, unsure, starting to argue.

aEnough,a he said, and they ceased, every head turning toward him. aWe have no time for argument.a aCyrus,a Odellan said, aI appreciate your desire for harmony at this moment of all moments, but this is in serious need of discussion. Sanctuary under siege from such a superior army is cause for great concern. With the portal closed, it seems unlikely weall be able to relieve our beleaguered comrades; to get back insidea"a aSure we will,a Cyrus said, and began to walk past them all, his hands still on Windrideras reins, toward the bridge.

aUh, Cyrus?a Longwell said, speaking up. aMaybe you didnat hear Ryin. There are a hundred thousand foot infantry surrounding them, and we canat get back inside by teleportation.a aI heard,a Cyrus said. aI donat want to get back inside by teleportation. I want to ride through the front gate.a Curatio coughed, but still they all followed him, even as he picked up speed and curved around the bottom of the bridge, beginning to run. He stepped up onto the arc of it, the bottom, and ran up the slope of it ten feet, using the height to give him a higher perspective. Please let them have remained. Let them have stayed in the order we sent them in. He crested, reached a high enough height to see, under the moonlight a thousand fires scattered along the beach, saw what he needed to, heard the noise of thema"and he smiled.

aCyrus,a Curatio said, coughing politely. aA hundred thousand dark elven warriors stand between us and the front gate of Sanctuary, and with the portal shut down, about six monthsa ride for us, assuming we wanted to walk right up to their army of a hundred thousand and try to kill them with our thousand.a Cyrusas eyes surveyed the scene before him. aWe donat have an army of a thousand, Curatio. And it doesnat matter how many infantry they have.a He flicked a gaze back at them, then let their eyes wander where his had been only a moment earlier. Longwell and Odellan got it first, the elf letting an aAhhh aa in recognition. aThey have a hundred thousand men on foot, pinned against the walls of Sanctuary. And I mean to ride through the front gate.a He smiled and saw the slow dawning of understanding catch on Curatioas face as well. Martaina wore a subtle smile, and Ryin still looked around in confusion.

aI donat understand,a Cattrine said, from just behind him. aYouare outmatched, yes? A hundred thousand soldiers would seem to be a tremendous disadvantage to run up against.a aIf I were going to stand and fight them by myself, you are correct,a Cyrus said. aBut I donat mean to stand toe to toe with them; and I donat mean to give them an even chance.a He looked at the officers before him, surveying them quietly. aLongwell a you know what to doa"rally. Odellan, get our army together. Theyall be marching in behind. Ready the wizards; this will be a hell of a feat for them.a He looked back out over the edge of the bridge, to the sand and fires below, through the moonlit night, and the last hope of Sanctuary, and he knew deep within him what he was fighting for now, knew to the core. I believe.

aLetas go home.a

Chapter 117.

Vara Day 223 of the Siege of Sanctuary She wanted to weep but she killed another dark elf instead, striking his head from his body with enough force that it flew through the air and hit one of his fellows. The door had been open for less than thirty seconds, but already the dead were beginning to pile up, slippery on the floor where the blood was spilled. There was sound in the distance, too, trumpets heralding some sort of advance. She could barely hear it, but it both infuriated her and demoralized her, and not in equal measure. The fury won out, and another dark elf failed to survive his day of victory.

Aisling slipped out from behind one of her enemies and punched twin holes through a dark elfas back, then thrust one knife in the back of anotheras neck. The goblins were spitting and screeching in the corner in some sort of frenzy, joined by Irontoothas wolves, and blood was flying thick through the air and streaking the walls. Vara watched a gnome no more than three feet tall, charge forward, a cane in his knubby fists, slamming it down on a trollas foot, dashing between its legs and away as Belkan drove a sword through its belly while it was distracted.

She saw red armor fly through the air and Thad hit the wall near the hearth. He fell to the ground and did not move, and she knew he was dead. A troll bellowed, then slung a sword again and sent Menlos Irontooth smashing to the ground, guts opened to the air and grunting in agony.

Weall lose, she thought. This is it. Only a minute of battle in here, and weare already decided. The horn sounded in the distance again, and she bowed her head slightly. It was faint, but something about it prickled at her mind. Why would it be far off? Their army is here now. She felt a tingle and raised her sword again, cutting through the dark elf who appeared in front of her. She listened harder over the sounds of the battle, and faintly, near the edge of the walls, she could hear the worried cries of the enemy, looking out over the battlements. The horn sounded again as a ripple of uncertainty ran through the army that was outside but within the walls; she could barely hear it over the chaos in the foyer, but it was therea"a rumor of something approaching.

The horn sounded again, louder this time, loud enough for others to hear it faintly. The battle did not pause, but it slowed for a moment, even in the foyer, as everyone assessed. She looked out the door, straight down the path toward the open crater where the front gate used to be, and in the darkness she saw movement over the heads of the dark elves. Torches burned in procession, cutting a wide V through the middle of the dark elf army at the gate. The torches seemed to split, surging out into three prongs, riding through the heart of the dark elves, with the largest prong still coming forth.

It was just inside the walls now, and Vara slashed aside a dark elf who came at her, shoving his corpse out of the way to keep her eyes upon the disturbance. The horn blew again, louder this time, at the fore of the movement, somewhere at the front of the torches that were coming toward them now, coming for them a All motion seemed to come to a halt outside. She saw the armored dark elves who had queued up toward the steps to Sanctuary, waiting their turn to plunge inside and attack, begin to shuffle back and turn toward the approaching disturbance. The torches kept coming, moving erratically up and down but inexorably forward. Her eyes strained to make out what was behind them, what could be moving so fast to carry them forth. They were just inside the curtain wall now and had only slowed slightly; screams and cries from their wake were just now audible to her ears, along with the sound of battle, the clash of steel on steel.

There was a faint blue glow at the front, in the shape of a blade. She pushed a dark elf out of the way, shoved him roughly down, stabbed him in the back of the neck and then placed a boot atop him as she levered herself up to look over the crowd. The blue glow moved up and down with alarming speed, and it grew closer, more distinct. She watched as dark elves lined up on the lawn fell before it in waves, the momentum of the thing bringing it forward with the others, with the torches, as though it were being carrieda"

On horseback. By cavalry. She blinked at the sight of the destruction outside, stretching back past the walls, at the cries of anguish and agony and the swath of destruction cut whole through the dark elven army. It would take a thousands of cavalry to do that a who could manage such a thing a? Her eyes alighted on the blue glow, the sword, and she felt a rush as she killed another dark elf, shoving her way forward through the knot of them, recognition flooding her heart with relief.

The sword shape came at the head of the cavalry, riding down the dark elves on the lawn even as his army fanned out behind him. When he reached the broken doors she saw him in profile, rugged as always, Praelior at his side, and watched as he dismounted, killing three enemies on his drop to the ground. Her gasp of recognition was drowned out by the calls of others shouting his name, screaming it as he cut down a troll from behind, then another, blocking the door to the outside all by himself as those in the foyer turned on the limited number of enemies within their midst and began to slaughter them.

There was other noise, too, the sounds of aRETREAT! RETREAT!a being shouted from outside, but in the dark elven tongue, not human standard. The fighting in the foyer had begun to die down already, and the dark elves who tried to retreat were cut down in the doorway while attempting to flee by the same blue blade that he had carried for years as he took up the defense himself. The courtyard behind him was already emptying, she could see, corpses strewn across it all the way to the broken wall. There were still torches moving outside it, visible, fast horsemen riding down footmen without any challenge at all. Now the momentum had shifted, the dark elves were afraid and broken, running out the holes in the wall and pouring out onto the plains in all different directions.

He stood in silhouette, the moonlight glaring down from behind him, putting his face in shadow as he watched out the front doors at the last vestiges of the fight concluding outside. There was little enough battle on the lawn now, and the cavalry, which had struck through and driven the dark elves out, was streaming back through the wall now as well, following the retreating army of the Sovereign. Cyrus Davidon watched thema"and she watched him.

She started toward him but something stopped her, a notion that something was about to go wrong. His head was bowed as he looked out over the remains of the fight, and someone came up to him in that moment, before Vara could overcome her fear and move forward again; a dark elf, small, catlikea"Aisling with her white hair and leather armor slunk up to him and curled herself around him in a tight embrace. Vara recoiled at the sight as though something had burned her, and it only worsened when the dark elven ranger leaned up and kissed him, full and with feeling, deeply, and he returned her kiss, his hand upon her back.

Vara turned away, her legs carrying her unintended up the steps of the staircase, toward the Council Chambersa"and away, away from him.

Chapter 118.

Cyrus There were slaps on the back enough to satisfy the largest ego, but Cyrus felt them hardly at all and not because of his armor. He watched as the dark elves were broken in their advance, driven out of the wall, leaving their dead behind them. Aisling had kissed him, he dimly remembered, but his thoughts were not of her, not at that momenta"they were on the dead.

And Alaric.

aI need healers,a he said, taking the first strides down onto the lawn, caked so thickly with bodies it could scarcely be believed. aWe need to work starting at the gates and move inward, I need resurrection spellsa"a He paused, and noticed Andren at his side. aHey.a aOh, and a fine hello to you as well,a the healer said, glaring at him. aRemember when you said you would be back in a few months? You know, something on the order of a year ago?a aI got a bit sidetracked,a Cyrus said. aYou know, there are a lot of people here who could use your talentsa"a aFine,a the healer huffed. aBut donat be thinking that our conversation is done. We need to have a discussion, you and I.a aI look forward to it,a Cyrus said, exhausted, as the healer moved away, upturning bodies as the members of Sanctuary began to look among the dead for their own. Calls of finds filled his ears, but he filed them all away, not really taking anything in.

A horseman appeared in the dimness, under the light of the moon, dismounting as he reached Cyrus. Cyrus blinked then recognized was Odellan by the winged helm. He greeted the elf with a nod. aReport.a aTheyare broken and fleeing,a Odellan said. aYou were right; they were utterly unprepared to be flanked while they were trying to lay siege to the keep. We rode them down, took minimal losses, and our men are running them through the plains even now, making merry slaughter of them.a He sighed and looked at the gap in the wall where the gate had once stood. aThey wonat get away, you know. Our Luukessian cavalry friends seem to be relishing the opportunity to pay us back for their perceived debt. Theyare pursuing with an aggressiveness Iad find disquieting if not for the fact that the dark elves are completely in disarray. One of our thrusts hit their command tent and cut it to pieces. There are the bodies of at least four generals on the pile, along with more adjutants and colonels than Iad care to count. High-ups in their army, too, ones I read reports on when I was an Endrenshan.a He looked out over the chaos. aThey must have placed most of their force here in the Plains of Perdamun. Weave dealt the Sovereign a hell of a blow tonight, and itall be all the worse when weave finished. Heall be lucky to get a thousand of them back at the rate weare riding them down.a aGood,a Cyrus said numbly. aI need a Council meeting of a whoeveras left.a Odellan nodded at him. aIall see who I can rally together for you. A time?a Cyrus looked at the destruction around him. aGive it an hour. Thatall be enough time to bring back all the dead thatall be coming back.a He saw Erith Frostmoor casting a spell in the distance as members of Sanctuary dragged the bodies of their comrades over to her. aOdellana"make sure any of our Luukessian friends who might have died in the charge get brought back, will you?a aI already have soldiers bringing their bodies together,a the elf said and saluted with a tight smile. aIt was a great victory, you know. The scourge and the dark elves vanquished in a single day.a Cyrus nodded as the elf walked off into the Sanctuary foyer. Then why does it feel like a defeat? He recalled the bridge, Alaric disappearing as the stone broke apart around him and he fell a Right. Thatas why.

He looked up at the moon, staring at the pale disk hanging in the sky above. It almost seemed as though it were slightly red, tinged with blood. He stared at it for only a moment more before he began to pick his way through the bodies, moving aside the countless corpses of dead dark elves in hopes of finding a few familiar faces before it was too late.

Chapter 119.

The Council Chamber was quiet when he arrived. There was a stir as he entered, motion around the table as they stood to greet him. It was a somber silence, though, with a kiss on the cheek from Erith, her eyes filled with regret. Nyad gave him the same, and Cyrus saw the tears from her. Vaste stood before him, an imposing figure, and he stared up at the trollas impassive face for a moment, started to say something but was swept from his feet in a bear hug that pressed him against the healeras tattered and stained robe.

aI missed you, too, Vaste,a Cyrus said as the troll pulled him tight. aBut perhaps not that much.a Vaste turned him loose. aOh, sorry,a he said with aplomb. aI was just trying to burp you. You look like you could use a good burping.a aThanks,a Cyrus said with a nod as he took his seat. It squeaked when he eased himself into it. The smell of wood burning in the hearth was especially strong, and familiar, but still, something was off, something that kept it from feeling like a Home.

There was a quiet, and the darkness outside the windows was impenetrable, though Cyrus knew that out there the Luukessians were still running down the enemy and that druids and wizards were bringing more and more of the refugees into the Plains via the portal in Sanctuaryas foyer, newly reactivated, as well as the one a few minutes north of the gates. Sanctuary troops and scouts were spread out in a pattern around it, and the foyer was packed with guardians, all facing the seal in the center. The Sovereign wonat soon try that again, not without an army at the gates. It would be pointless now.

Curatio sat at his usual place next to Alaricas empty seat, which was a gaping thing, a missing piece that made the whole place seem strangely empty. Cyrusas eyes darted to Terianas seat as well, also empty. Terian. Niamh. Alaric. He bowed his head.

aI call this Council to order,a Curatio said quietly, somberly, ain my capacity as the Sanctuary Elder and acting Guildmaster.a The elfas mouth became a thin line. aAnd it grieves me so to do it, let it be known.a aSo noted,a Nyad said, with her parchment in front of her and an inkwell at her side.

aWe find ourselves in an unusual situation,a Curatio began. aHow goes the pursuit of the enemy?a aA hundred thousand or more killed,a Longwell said with a shrug. aVery few still alive. Hard to outrun men on horseback when you donat have any for yourself. We managed to hit their cavalry at the outset of the battle and caught them unhorsed, so they had no horses with which to flee or fight back. A few wizards took some of ours out but only in small groups. There are likely a few hiding here and there, but sunrise will essentially see the end of that campaign.a His eyes were half-lidded, as though he had lost any interest in it, though there was a little fire remaining. aWhat does that mean for the war?a Vara cleared her throat, and Cyrusas eyes were drawn to her for the first time since he had returned. She looked worn, scuffed, a healed gash left dried blood under her eye. Her ponytail was back as always, but a few strands were out of placea"well, more than a few. She leaned against the back of her chair, looking down her face at all of them as though she would fall asleep at any moment. She did not look at Cyrus. aThe Sovereign threw the bulk of his forces at us here, hoping to capture the plains to feed his armies as he marched them in conquest. To have lost a even ninety percent of them will cost him dearly and stall their progress on the other fronts.a She shrugged, lightly, as though it were a matter of no consequence. aI should find it hard to imagine he will be able to continue the war in its present form, not without some other source of troops. There are simply not enough remaining for him to be anything but defensive.a aYou donat know that for certain,a Erith said. aThis was a massive upset, true, but we donat know the disposition of the dark elven forces. And it would certainly be in our best interest to get the wall repaired as soon as possible.a aBecause it held so marvelously against whatever devilry he employed on it this time,a Vara muttered.

aWe captured some prisoners,a Longwell said, ahis intellectuals, if you will. They spoke of a kind of powder, black as the night itself, that when lit afire, explodes. It was no magic, according to them, but some form of alchemy.a aWhatever it was,a Vaste said, ait was a fearsome power to unleash. It blasted those holes in the wall; took some of our people with it, I suspect.a He glanced toward Erith, who nodded.

aAt least a couple hundred unaccounted for,a Erith said. aSome of their bodies might still be out there, but if any of them got caught in thata"alchemya"then thereas probably not enough left of them to resurrect.a aI hate to even speak of it at a time such as this,a Nyad said from her place at the table, holding the quill, abut it seems unlikely that even with the siege broken, weall be seeing much in the way of applicants at the moment. Who wants to be part of a guild thatas likely to be blockaded by dark elves at some point in the future?a There was a stark silence. aI hate that you spoke of it, too,a Vaste said. aBecause now Iam thinking about it, and I wish I werenat.a The troll leaned his face into his hands, elbows on the table. aCan we not have a can we not mourn for just a small amount of time? Think of how many weave lost, how much battle weave seen aa He scanned the table, eyes coming to a rest on Cyrus. aI mean a some of you just watched an entire landa"three whole Kingdomsa"go down in flames.a aAye,a Longwell said, aand some of us will never forget it, not for the rest of our lives.a No one spoke for a long time after that. When the silence was finally broken, it was Cyrus who did it. aWe have a lot of survivors of Luukessia who have no homes and no place to go. We can feed them here for a time, buta"a He shrugged. aI doubt theyad want to settle close by here. We seem to be a magnet for trouble of late. Especially of late.a aI had an idea about that,a Longwell said, looking up. aAs you may recall, in addition to being the King of a land now lost,a he said with a sharp taste of bitterness, aI am also a Lord of the Elven Kingdom with a very nice holding not far from a portal in a green, verdant, and unfarmed land.a He looked around the table. aI have spoken with some of the dragoon captains, and with a few leaders among the survivors. If I can secure King Danayas permission, I will settle the survivors there on my land.a He looked to Nyad.

aHeall likely consent, especially if you get them to pay taxes of some form,a Nyad said. aHeall agree to just about anything if it increases his coffers right now. The destruction of Termina and the war have left them quite dry, I suspect.a aI doubt your people have much in the way of money,a Cyrus said quietly.

aThey do not,a Longwell said, abut I think I know of a way they might earn their keep, might add some value in a place that could grant them incomes.a Cyrus watched the dragoon cannily. aGo on.a aIf you would care to have tens of thousands of new applicants to Sanctuary,a Longwell said, drawing the silence around him as surely as if he had slammed a sword into the table, aI believe we would be quite content to put our weapons to your service.a Vaste rubbed the bridge of his nose. aI can see weare going to move right past that mourning and on to the next conquest.a aAye,a Cyrus said. aWeall mourn. But we need to focus on something other than grief before it chokes us to death.a He scanned the table. aAlaric believed that we of Sanctuary had a greater purpose than merely acquiring wealth and fighting enemies to take from them. He believed we were supposed to protect the helpless and give aid to those who need it.a He looked each of them in the eye in turn. aHow might we give aid if we have no money to give it with?a He waited for an answer but found none. aWeall go to Purgatory again with the new applicants from Luukessia. Weall get them equipped, build our guild bank, get some coin dispersed among our people again to make up for this catastrophic year.a He held his head high when he spoke, though he didnat feel it. Iall protect Sanctuary, Alaric. Iall do it however I have to. aWeall rebuild, become what we were before but stronger. We just won an epic battle against the dark elves. That has to be worth something in the eyes of the people of Arkaria. That has to enhance our reputation at least some. We need to keep growing.a He felt his voice crack as he said the last. aItas what Alaric would have wanted.a