War for Maicreol

by Dawn Chapman

  Noc stood straight and proud. “I am, my mother is—”

  “I know what line you’re from, do not worry. With your family’s help, and that of the people we have over here...” She looked at Macie. “I believe we might be able to move the portal and its connecting hub to a better location so that we can bring whoever we like between these two worlds.”

  Dahlia bounced again. “We have to get back to the main camp first thing in the morning.”

  I looked around. We’d come out the total opposite end of the caving systems, and I couldn’t see us on the map. “How far did those damned caves take us?”

  “About a half day from the camp.”

  “Can we move out now, in the dark? I need to get there as soon as possible.”

  Diogella moved to the campfire, and with the flash of one of her hands, she put the fire out. “Yes, we can. I’m feeling a little stronger thanks to Noc and Macie.”

  “Abel, how far out are the attacking hordes?”

  He thought about it for a moment. “Three days now.”

  Crap. We were on borrowed time. “Then let’s pick up the pace. We need to be at camp before the morning and well before half a day is over.”

  Macie looked to Noc. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “I’ll run with the rest of you, and we’ll pick up the pace.”

  “I think I can guide you so there are no mountain creatures,” Diogella said, moving to pick up something from the side of the fire. She then held up her hand, a ring glinting in the moonlight.

  “Storage ring?” I asked.

  “Smart, but yes, I have several items around my person that I’ve equipment stored in, as does Gestal.”

  “Wow. We need some more of those.” I literally had nothing on me but my weapons and one small type rucksack that Abel had given me earlier.

  I glanced to Dahlia. “Let’s go. Nothing like running through in the dark to get your blood and body pumping.”

  As much as I’d have loved to have a type of cheat and jump across the mountainside in seconds, it wasn’t what made gaming fun, and running wasn’t exactly my favourite thing in life, either. Actually, just being by my sister was.

  I moved in beside her and struck up a conversation about, well, anything I could. Learning more about her healing and powers was good. It gave me an insight into the person she was and who she really wanted to be in life. Someone who could help others and it resonated in her every move.

  The minutes turned to hours, and then, finally, we turned the corner and were in view of the main camp. I was sweating buckets, everything hurt, and my head was pounding, but I’d never felt more alive than I did now.

  Noc wasn’t fairing so well, and Diogella and Gestal shrank back as I was the one to move into the camp first. There were several guards who saw me, knew who I was, and then backed away because Abel was also by my side.

  “Thanks,” I said to him as he moved to talk to them while I went in search of Candice or anyone else left here.

  I knocked on one of the main cabin doors to where Candice came scooting out, her face a little flushed. “Oh man, you scared the shit out of me.”

  “Sorry,” I said. “We need the help of some of the mages here. Can you rouse them?”

  She looked to where Dahlia and the others were standing behind her.

  “The fuck!” Her hands instantly on her weapons. “You have demons with you?”

  “Diogella isn’t a demon, but yes, that’s Gestal.”

  “The one who imprisoned you? I don’t get it.”

  “I don’t understand everything either, but I’m now in charge of their army.”

  “An army?” She looked at me, and her face fell. “Did you just say a fucking army?”

  Chapter 23

  I nodded, feeling her excitement. “There’s a but…”

  Her eyes rolled. “Damn. There’s always a but…”

  “What I need is for you to get all the mages together. We’re going on a small trip.”

  “Where? I don’t know if all the mages will feel comfortable leaving here. Right now, there’s a lot of shit coming our way. You don’t know what’s been spotted.”

  I cringed. “Then you need to tell me. I need all the help I can get right now, and that means we need them, all of them. If you have to put everyone else on the line, then you need to do it. Do you understand?”

  She visibly swallowed before me, and I heard someone behind her. There was a guy in there. He came out beside her. “Candy?”

  “Go get the mage’s leader and ask the others to get up. We need to meet by the main fires as soon as possible.”

  He nodded in my direction and quickly pulled on his clothes as he hobbled away from us.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

  “Nar, don’t worry about that.” Waving her hand at the back of the man, “Bit of fun, you know.”

  “I can only imagine.” I let out a sigh. Thoughts drifting to Noc and what could or would be, maybe if I’d been older. I highly doubted that Mum would let me have any kind of friendship with anyone like that in a game… no matter how much I thought it was real. She wouldn’t let me believe it for too long, right? Even if she’d seen more of the feeds than anyone else. I really needed to talk to her, properly, away from the people watching… I was sure she knew.

  “So we’re pulling the mages to do what exactly?”

  “We need to move the portal,” I said simply. It didn’t seem simple, though. We had to get the one out of the ocean by Trofoth and to land, preferably as close to the port as possible, where it was easier and safer to use, where it was capable of getting that huge amount of people over here to where we could use them.

  “You’re really not kidding, are you?”

  I let out a sigh and shrugged. “I have the wackiest ideas, but it makes sense. I’ve been given the power to order an army. I intend to use it.”

  She swallowed. “We could really use that boost in numbers, that’s for sure. It seems the whole of Troli and his minions are coming out. They’ve got these huge machines we’ve never seen in any world, let alone this one, and I fear they’re going to be massive when it comes to their magical and tactical warfare.”

  “I know. I have this feeling too. There’s this mix of new and old, and I don’t know where they’re getting their ideas from, but it’s going to suck trying to work out what we can hit them with and how.”

  “We need Maddie back,” Candice said, and I felt my frown form. I knew we did, but I also didn’t want to be the one to need her. To feel that she would do the rescuing here. This was an event for the players, surely.

  “No,” I said. “We may need her in the whole fight, but we don’t need her for this. We’re gathering armies, and we’re doing what is right for the people of Maicreol because it’s right and because the world needs those Tromoal, right?”

  Her eyes lit up. “I like you, kid,” she said.

  I felt my hands go for my daggers before I knew it, and I had one out and to her throat in no time. She spluttered and almost pissed herself, I was sure of it.

  She lowered her eyes, and I felt the rage inside me change. I panicked. I wasn’t sure I could stop myself here. Could I actually kill her? It was a fair warning for her, though. She might see me as a kid, but, no, in here, I was much more than just a kid. I was a person, I was a killer. That above everything else needed to be respected. We were bringing my people over here, not just Gestal’s anymore. They were mine, and I was going to set them against the opposition. That needed to be owned, and I wasn’t going to let her see me as a kid any longer.

  I witnessed the fear cross over her eyes, not just a little fear. She was sure I was going to kill her.

  “Hey, hey,” she held her hands up, and I backed down. “I meant no disrespect.”

  “You lack control. Yet,” a voice behind me said. Then I saw Gestal as he managed to walk over to us, his head lowered. Since I was with one of the leaders of the group here, I knew he was making sure he had
them all right in his mind, using what skills he had to identify everyone.

  “Gestal,” I said, “I want you to meet Candice. She’s the leader of the Savage Angels.”

  “It is good to meet you.” He scowled around the camp.

  “Oh,” she looked at him like she could see through him. “You’ve got a problem with the camp?”

  He coughed. “Your security is a little lacking, yes.”

  I saw her anger change once more, but this time, it was directed at Gestal.

  “I mean no disrespect, Candice, but there are a few things you need to know about those you’re facing that I can already see from their signals.”

  “Signals?”

  “You don’t see it because you’re not of a dark nature, but Lila should be able to... if she concentrates a little harder.”

  I looked at him and frowned. “I can see things like that?”

  “Yes, you are at present equally balanced. You can see both sides. You’re not quite sure where your loyalties lie, and for that, I know you will struggle. Maybe it’s because of what I did to you, but I can see you’re not crossing either path just yet.”

  I smiled. I liked that. I didn’t know if I could totally embrace the killer inside me, but I kind of thought I was going to have to in this upcoming war. There were things I needed to do, things I grinned about on the inside.

  I wanted to see this war from the top position. I wanted to be the commander of the most forces, and it looked like I would get that wish. I wasn’t powerful by myself, but with those under me being generals and more, there was going to be some unique levels involved here. I didn’t even think Akillia would be able to match me there.

  This might get very interesting very quickly.

  There was a gathering of people ahead of us, and the longer we talked, the more people joined.

  Candice had quite a few here. That was good. But we really needed more.

  I approached the fire with the others in tow, and Diogella and my team moved to join us. Abel now stood talking with some of the others in the camp. I caught some of his conversations and wanted to ask who he meant, but then the person he spoke to ran off. Maybe they were going to get a few other mages.

  I moved to where there was a wagon, and Abel helped me up on it to look out into the crowd. I stood as straight as I could.

  “I’m asking for volunteers. I need two teams of people, one to come with me to Trofoth and the other to stay here where we can connect to them through the portal. What I’m asking for, you’ll think I’m crazy, but I know there’s some magic here that can move and direct objects. I already know the portal has been moved slightly. But we need to move it much, much farther.”

  There were some really loud moans and groans about the fire, and a few people openly voiced they weren’t going to be happy doing this.

  I tried to stem their worry. But I could also see this wasn’t going to come easily.

  “Candice, you’ve been getting things sorted from within the caves, the loot, the stuff buried in there for centuries. We need everything from there that can strengthen these people. Anything that can help in any way.”

  She smiled then. “I think there’s a lot that we have they can use, yes, but I’m not so sure that I should be handing out that amount of power without Maddie knowing.”

  “I don’t think Maddie would mind when you’re trying to save the people she loves.”

  Candice nodded, and Chip came in beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “There are more coming in from the outer sites. I think that’s every one of a decent power level.” He looked at me. “What are we doing?”

  “Moving a portal,” Candice said matter of factly.

  Chip choked on his own spit. “Fuck, I can’t wait to see that.”

  “We might need you here to stem the tide as the others come in to attack.”

  He stood up straighter, pulling down the hem of his jacket. “Abel. We got this, right?”

  Abel nodded. “Yes, we’ve got the deserts. You need to go on and do what you must.” A couple of guards with Abel came in closer. “They’re not going to like having no healing support. You know that, right?”

  “I will stand before them,” he said. “And say exactly what I’m going to say to you. We make our stand now. We take up arms, and we fight. We fight because we must, and we fight for all the right reasons.” There were a few hollers in appreciation of what Chip was saying, and I grinned with him. The war cry, rallying the troops, was, in fact, everything they needed to hear, both soldier and mage. I knew we had a lot to face, and the odds were, we might not be able to move that portal. We were damned well going to try.

  “I need two groups,” I said. “I don’t know how to gauge your power or your capabilities I need Macie and Diogella to help there, Noc can as well if there’s a need, but I would like to talk with him a little more on what’s on the other side.”

  I saw him raise an eyebrow at me, and I shuddered. His family might not like what I was going to do to their city. But I had to do it. There was no choice here. I hopped off the wagon and moved into the crowd as they started to sort themselves into groups moving where Macie was directing.

  “What did you want from me?” Noc said.

  “I need you to contact your mother. I need her side of the guild, her power, with us. Fighters can’t do this. Mages will.”

  “You want to use me as the bridge between you both because you’re now the leader of the opposition? Even if she had talked with Gestal, it would have led to wars and losses on both sides. Kamaal might have been able to hold us, but he wouldn’t have stopped the infighting, and you know that.”

  “Yes, I do, and yes, I am using you.” However, I did reach for his hand, and I tugged him to me. “I’m young. I’m not stupid. I felt what you feel. I know what you want from me. I’m not ready for it, but it doesn’t mean I’m not opposed.” When his eyes lit up, I also said, “I’m not going to lead you on. You’re too good for that.”

  He did smile at this. “No, you’re too good for everything. I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who didn’t know what side she wanted to be on, who fought for all the right reasons but loved all the wrong ones.”

  I laughed. “Then you met me, right. I’m really not what you expected to walk into your life, am I?”

  “No, but I’m glad you did.”

  He let me go, and I couldn’t help but flush. I found him and the power within him very attractive.

  “Then I will come with you to see my mother, and we will do what we will to unite all the clans and the people in Tridon.”

  I tried not to hide my glee. We might have even more people. I hoped Maddie and Akillia would be proud of us, of me. Then I wondered why I really wanted their approval.

  Noc reached for me, managed to snag my shirt, and pulled me into a hug once more. I stared into his eyes for a moment. Then his lips met mine, and he kissed me. It was light, gentle and then not so much. I tried not to feel as good as I did, and my hunger for him deepened our kiss. I almost giggled at the silliness I felt as our tongues danced. It felt sloppy. His eyes locked with mine, and I knew he wanted more. They seemed to twinkle at me as he breathlessly pulled away. “There was no way I was letting you get away from me without seeing how you’d respond.”

  I heard my sister giggling behind us, and I dared not glance up to see who else was around. I cringed on the inside, worrying about her. Then the feeling I had because of the kiss, the ecstatic first one I’d ever had in my life, vanished. He didn’t let me go. He just made sure that I felt his warmth before he squeezed and said, “I know she’s sick,” he whispered. “I see it.”

  “How, I….” I sighed and felt the tears brimming then burst free. He placed a finger to my cheek to wipe them away.

  Dahlia was then beside me. “I’ve plenty of time, for now, dear sister. I’m not at death’s door just yet.”

  “Good, because we need to see this out, inside Puatera.”

  “That we will.” She
took my arm in hers and then she pulled me from Noc. “Come. We need to get through that portal, and the only way we’re going to do that is on the back of a Tromoal.”

  “How can you get a Tromoal here?”

  “There’s still a couple of demon ones. They’re not the best ride, a little bony.” She laughed. “But they will get us through the portal first. Then we can work about moving it with the others.”

  Chapter 24

  We circled above. Entering the portal from this side should be much easier, but then again, I knew what was coming from leaving it. I don’t think there was any other way I could have prepared for the freezing cold which would strike me as we left warm, open space and into the depths of the ocean. There would have been no way we could get an army out here to the ocean and through the gates in any amount of time to be useful to Maicreol.

  I sucked in that last breath as Noc shouted to us all. “Hold!” And we did just that.

  The Tromoal we were sitting astride wasn’t something I would like to remember either. It was like Kamaal’s was—bony and rotten. I was glad I had control over some of them now. I had my own undead Tromoal at my beck and call. Asking Kyllan for just that had been easy. I just told them it was an order. They complied. I admit the power trip here was amazing. I felt totally in control. Yet, I also knew I wasn’t. Something pulled me… and pulled me further away from feeling ‘neutral’ anything. I had something stuck in in the back of my mind, and it didn’t seem that friendly at all.

  I held my breath and closed my eyes as the hurtling portal came our way.

  Then the water struck me, and the upward motion of the Tromoal and water around me was the only thing that kept my mind from blanking out. I had to hold on. I felt Noc’s arms tighten around me, and then we were surging once more into the air and up and out into freezing cold territories.

  The view below was dark, and then tiny lights flickered across the harbour guiding us in.