“Either way,” says Garner, “the aim will just be to cause a distraction. We don’t want to engage the knight – just to get a group of us with some supplies into the city. When we are inside the walls, that’s when we can work with the rebels and prepare for the real war that is to come.”
“I see,” I respond, studying the map in the dirt.
“We can also await help from others who are sympathetic to the cause,” adds Coruff.
“Like the lizard folk, who could muster near from the lake here,” says Garner, drawing another line on his map, “or support from Nimroth via the mountain pass.”
Josa nods. “So for the time being, we are looking at a stealth mission, with some of us posing as merchants.”
“Won’t they stop us?” I ask.
“We hope that they will let wagons past, if we say that we are traders on the road toward Dathmir,” Garner explains. “Then we will find a way of sneaking some supplies away from the main caravan.”
“In this case,” says Maleki, stepping forward. “We need to identify who should lead that mission. It will be dangerous, and means getting inside Katresburg before we have the strength to counter the Imperial siege.”
“I’ll do it,” I say. “Even if it means getting stuck inside there myself. When the diversion comes, we will make for the city gates. We just need to make sure that there’s someone inside ready to let us in.”
Increase in skill level: Charm level 17 (Spirit +4)
Another increase in the charm skill? I think to myself…my declaration must have made an impression. And this has added to my recent increase in the spirit attribute. As time goes on, I am getting positively likeable.
I wonder if that will transfer to the real world.
The others pause, looking at me curiously, and then Coruff nods. “If you are happy to go inside the city, Daria, be our guest,” she says. “But we can’t assume that the city will be liberated any time soon. We are simply playing for time.”
“I will take my chances – and do what I can from the inside. Perhaps I can even distract the Empire’s forces somehow – keep them busy until P’oytox can secure some help from his clan, or other allies come into play…”
Already I am thinking to myself of how the action could be more than just a diversion.
To defeat the Knights of Dawn and their Imperials, the key will be building the revolution so that the city can fight for itself.
And my real-life communication with Zakira and Connor could give me an advantage that the others are not yet seeing.
Chapter 36: The Wagons
As the others disperse, Maleki comes closer to me. “I’d like to speak to you inside, Daria,” she says, and I nod. I follow her through the entrance to the inn, and finally she stops outside the doorway to a small side room and beckons to me. It is still quiet inside the bar area, and there is nobody nearby.
“How are you this morning?” she asks.
“I’m disappointed,” I say bluntly. “After last night, I though that everyone would be in favor of striking the Imperials directly. I guess I thought we would put an army together, take down the red knight, and demoralize his troops.”
She gives a half-smile, wrinkling up her eyes. “I like your enthusiasm, but that can’t be the plan. Not yet, anyway. Our aim is to get supplies inside, and someone needs to transport them. But yes – of course we want to stop Valizor and the rest of the knights. That’s why I wanted to speak to you.”
“What do you mean?”
She licks her lips, appearing to weigh her words. “You know that we had a plan, of sorts, to stop them. Before, I mean.”
“Trapping them in the Badlands?”
She shakes her head, looking at me impishly. “Come, sit with me through in a room at the back. Wine, please!” The last is shouted towards the half-orcish bar keep, who comes over with a jug. Maleki takes it, and pushes open the door beside us. As she does, I notice that the dark-haired warrior from Katresburg has come inside too, the soldier named Kora. As I follow Maleki into the room, she approaches, and Maleki waves her inside.
“Daria, you will have seen Kora at our meeting outside. She is a guardswoman of Katresburg, and is also a kinswoman of mine – my niece. Her mother was my sister.”
“Ah,” I say, looking at the soldier with renewed interest. “So, you are Garner’s cousin?”
She nods once, her dark eyes scrutinising my face.
The room we have entered is quite small and windowless, lit by a pair of lanterns on shelves at either side, and it contains a single square table just large enough to seat one person at each side.
“Come – sit,” says Maleki, placing the wine jug down on a table that already has several empty clay tumblers upon it. We both comply, and Kora regards me again. “You are right, stranger,” she says, “he is my cousin by blood. But as he has lived his life on the Islands of Dubasa, we have only met twice before, both times quite briefly.”
Maleki looks at me again. “I lived here once myself,” she says. As she speaks, she pours three cups of wine, and passes one to each of us. “I grew up here, and learned the arts of witchcraft in Katresburg before I was forced to move to Dubasa. But that is a story for another time.”
“As you wish.”
“Anyhow. As I was just reminding you, there was a plan regarding the Knights of Dawn. Or at least, a plan was taking shape. You remember the bracelet that P’oytox now carries?”
I nod, frowning.
“Before you first came to our house in Vel,” Maleki says, “there was a coven member by the name of Jullameti. She was a monitor.” She places a lot of emphasis on the last word, also lowering her voice. “We all know all too well that the Knights of Dawn carried out a murderous campaign upon the monitors of the Empire, killing almost all of them. And that they then continued that campaign by seeking the remaining ones out far and wide.”
“I think I remember you saying… that your coven member had gone missing. Is that right?”
“Sure.” Maleki looks to the door at this point, and is notably evasive. “Anyhow, we had worked together on a plan to tackle the knights, using knowledge that Jullameti had brought with her in texts from Dathmir itself. The idea was to get together certain artefacts from the era before the Varian Empire was even established. At that time, more than a century ago now, Varia was just a small kingdom, struggling against its neighboring realms Dathmir and Vyalia. When Varia finally conquered both of those kingdoms during the reign of Zoltan the Third…”
I can’t help but interrupt: “That’s the guy that the Knights of Dawn want to resurrect, right?”
“Yes. That is what P’oytox was told, anyhow.”
Kora speaks up: “Zoltan the Third was the King of Varia, and later became an Emperor. He was greatly feared and hated by the kingdoms that he subjugated at the time, and his name is still cursed by folks in these parts.”
Maleki nods. “Indeed. I remember my parents telling Kora’s mother and myself when we were young girls. But we were also told the legend of a great Dathmiri warrior by the name of Gaax van Genke, who lived at the same time. He was said to be the most skilful swordsman of his generation, and was a capable sorcerer as well. And as the Kingdom of Dathmir came under attack from Zoltan III, van Genke was the last hope of the people.”
“What happened?”
“He defeated their champion in single combat,” says Kora bitterly. “But he was betrayed by others on his own side, who had been secretly bought off by Zoltan.”
Maleki nods sadly. “van Genke won the single combat, but Zoltan refused to recognize the victory. van Genke then led a last heroic defense of the city, but spies among their army aided the Emperor, murdering the guards who were on duty in the dead of night, and opening the gates to the city. And so they failed, van Genke was killed, and Dathmir was absorbed into the Empire.”
“And…it was this warrior’s bracelet that the old knight Mac-Shinter had?”
“Indeed. But there was more. Genke had
several objects of power – a dagger, a greatsword, a necklace, a bronze chestplate, silvered gauntlets, and an orb. Our plan was to gather all of these objects together, and put them in the possession of a warrior who would then be able to stand against the knights. To begin with, we saw it as a way to protect Jullameti and the rest of the coven. But we also saw it as a means to defeat this ancient evil. For it was Zoltan the Third who founded the Knights of Dawn, and they have always hated magic users.”
“And…how far did you get?”
She takes a long drink of wine, nodding slightly as she does so, as if counting. I hope this is a good sign.
“The necklace was spotted on Dubasa, but we lost track of it. We had leads that we were working on until a couple of weeks ago, and even in our absence we have allies there who may be able to help. The greatsword and the chestplate we have already. They are in the possession of members of our coven, and well hidden.”
“Good.” I am listening intently.
“The bracelet you know about. I placed it in the trust of P’oytox after he agreed to join us.”
“That leaves the orb, the gauntlets and the dagger,” says Kora, looking curious.
“That’s right, my dear. And again, we have certain leads. One of the main reason for coming to this province is that we heard rumors of the location of these. The orb is in Sefindarg City, according to a couple of accounts, or possibly even in Katresburg itself. And an older source says that the dagger never left Dathmir’s city wall.”
I am thinking hard. “I have a magical belt, if that would help?”
Maleki smiles. “I know. And that is kind of you to offer it back. The Genke items are not just powerful, however, but they work together in harmony. The more of them that we have together, the stronger they become.”
“I see.”
“We will continue to work to unite these items as well as we can, but I feel that the time has come; three artefacts are not nearly as good as seven, but it is what we have, and time is running short.”
“What would you have us do?” asks Kora, and she takes the words out of my mouth.
Maleki leans back in her seat and raises her arms towards us. “I trust you both,” she says. “I see two women who are capable in a fight, are highly intelligent and resourceful, and above all, lucky.”
I smile slightly, a little embarrassed by her praise.
“Kora,” she continues, looking at the other woman. “I am now certain that the dwarves of Clan Ironrock have von Genke’s silvered gauntlets. I want you take a small handpicked group of people that you can trust and who are tough and resourceful, and travel to speak to Xavier, their clan chief. I will provide a map.”
Kora nods solemnly. “As you wish.”
Maleki now looks at me. “And Daria. I haven’t known you for long, but already the coven owes you so much. You can think on your feet like few people I know. I am sorry to have to ask for your aid again…”
“Just tell me, Maleki. I will do what I can.”
She pauses for a moment, and then continues: “I want to entrust to you and Josa the Genke artefacts that we already have. We need you to take them into the city, and there to deliver them to my fellow coven members, and in particular to Dakkir Mac-Shinter. Josa will show you the way.”
With this, she hands me the familiar bracelet which I last saw when it saved the life of P’oytox.
* * *
Soon everything is in place.
Five wagons with supplies sourced from Lorn and neighboring villages have come to a halt just inside the line of the trees, near where the road drops down towards the lake, before it curves northwards towards Katresburg. Each wagon is pulled by two reddish-grey oxen, and the first three are piled high with potatoes, beets, and corn, all clearly visible from the front.
A few of our troops and scouts are on the road behind, wearing cloaks to conceal their armor and weapons. A further group made up mainly of Lorn villagers with bows are currently making their way to take up a position near the cliffs at the north side of the city, from where they will advance when the time is right, and offer support with bow fire. For now, we wait until we hear from them, whereupon we will advance.
The bulk of our own forces – villagers and escaped city guards, mostly – are in the two rear-most wagons. These wagons are covered up with canvas to appear as if they are a normal part of the merchant convoy. We can only hope that our attempts are subterfuge are enough to avoid an immediate attack by the knights and their soldiers.
Garner and myself will sit upon the lead wagon of the convoy, posing as the merchant traders. My weapons and pack are stowed in the driver’s area in the frontmost cabin, concealed under some sacks which Josa put there. I feel vulnerable without my morning star particularly.
“Do you think this is going to work?” I ask Garner. He sits beside me, in the drivers’ area at the front of the lead wagon. Lugg and Josa will walk just ahead of us wearing short grey robes, taking on the role of servants. At least some of my closest friends are with me. But we are not here as warriors; both Garner and I are to use our bows when the moment comes, while Lugg and Josa will defend us as best they can as we try to get the goods into the city.
Josa has been running through the plan with us one last time, fidgeting as she stands alongside the front wagon, leaning on a quarterstaff. “We get as close as we can to them,” she says, nodding her head. All of us have been told to avoid pointing at the soldiers. “And when we are close enough, we charge towards the Imperials that are between the wagons and the city. In doing so, we split their company. Our warriors here will fight their way to the city gates. We will be outnumbered, but can hope to be relieved by the archers from the city. Meanwhile, a small group of lizard warriors will come from the lake, as a distraction. They will lead at least some of the Imperials away, and then flee to safety in the swamps.”
A sound rings out – a whistling bird call from the woods that doesn’t sound quite right – too human. It’s one of the village scouts, I am sure. And that’s our signal to move. Garner, who has more experience with livestock than me, shakes the reins on the wagon, and the vehicle trundles forward, picking up pace rapidly as it moves down the slightly curving slope of the road towards Katresburg.
We are a hundred yards from the city gates when a contingent of Imperials come towards us – six soldiers in all, each wearing ringmail armor, iron helmets with partial visors across their eye area, and tabards with a purple eagle that indicate their allegiance to the capital – to Varia.
“Ho, there,” shouts their leader. “Where are you going with those wagons?”
“To the city,” I say, trying my best to summon a winning smile. “Thank you for your protection – it makes a humble merchant feel safer to see the brave soldiers of the Emperor protecting our roads.”
He sniffs – it’s hard to say if my flattery has worked, but I do see a notification:
Increase in skill level: Deception level 14 (Spirit +1)
Taking his hand off his sword hilt, he takes a few steps closer, gesturing his men to remain behind. “I’m afraid there is no entering Katresburg today, citizen. You’ll need to turn back.”
“Back? It has taken me a week to get these fresh supplies from the mountain villages. I can’t sell them back to the villagers and the dwarves, my brave soldier.”
“Onward, then – you’ll need to press on to the next city. Five hours down the road you will reach Dathmir.”
I look at Garner, who, I see, is not doing a great job of acting as a disgruntled but loyal merchant, and is instead glaring with unbridled hostility towards the soldier, his teeth bared. Lugg and Josa are watching in silence, both of them having tucked in to the side of the wagon with their hoods low.
I turn back to the soldier. “We appreciate the important work you have to do to keep our great Empire secure, really we do. But my workers are very tired. Of course we will take our wares on to Dathmir if that is what you require. But will it be acceptable to overnight here a
t the city walls, at least? Perhaps we can supply your brave warriors with some of our fine produce?” With the last comment, I reach behind me and take hold of a corn cob, then step down towards the man, holding it out.
This time I am far less sure that my words have had the desired effect. The soldier takes the cob, then walks a little closer and peers closely at the pile of produce, brushing past me as he does so. He smells bad – the kind of body odor that suggests that he hasn’t washed for at least three days. With a slight nod, he then steps back towards the second wagon, picks up a potato, tosses it in his hand, and then puts it back again. Will he keep walking towards the wagons at the back, I wonder?
His five comrades have now come closer to me. I try not to focus too much on the rest of the Imperial force on the ridge, but a quick glance around confirms that the armored red knight is there, deep in conversation with Snagaras.
I then glance towards the bridge beyond, and see a small further contingent approaching. Approximately fifty more armed soldiers to swell the enemy’s ranks. The timing couldn’t have been worse.
I really wish I had my morning star in my hands.
Looking back over my shoulder, I see that the lead soldier has now walked back in my direction without checking any further wagons. And then, unprompted, everyone present looks to the south. For a great noise has arisen near the shore of the lake. Lugg steps over beside me and puts a hand on my shoulder, and I hear Garner curse.
What we all see is the following: a band of lizard warriors – at least fifty, but perhaps as many as a hundred – are marching around the edge of the lake. Rather than acting as a distraction, it appears as if they are ready for a full-scale attack.
“No, no…” I mutter, glancing from side to side.
The Call of the Coven: A LitRPG novel (Shadow Kingdoms Book 2) Page 25