by A. C. Cobble
Determination settled on Rakkash’s face, and he gave Ben a grim nod.
The next morning, Hadra arrived with several companions in tow. She strode into their inn like she owned it, and then almost immediately fell back in shock and terror. Jasper and his dozen followers all looked up from breakfast to stare at the Sanctuary mages.
“What… what is this?” stammered Hadra.
Towaal stepped in to rescue the woman. She grabbed her arm gently and directed the Sanctuary’s mages to a far corner of the room where she could explain a few things. Sincell left the group and sauntered over to Ben.
“I see you were able to make it back in good time,” Ben remarked. “Did you have any problems getting out of the City?”
The runaway mage grinned. “That place is still a confused mess after what you did to the tower. Guards, mages, they’re running around confused. You really kicked an anthill by taking that staff. The Veil is apoplectic.”
Ben grinned. “That’s one blow struck against her, then.”
Sincell nodded but then grew serious. “Is that staff safe, still? I don’t see it on you. You need to make sure it’s well protected in case the Veil attempts to take it back.”
“She’s going to have to run if she wants to get here before the demons,” remarked Amelie.
Sincell raised an eyebrow.
“We move out later today,” explained Ben. “There’s an old watchtower half a day north of here. Used to be a lookout for river bandits, I gather. It’s near the water, high on a hill. The perfect spot to make our stand.”
“Our stand?” asked Sincell. “You are planning to dig in to face the Sanctuary?”
“The demons,” said Amelie, frowning at the runaway mage.
“The Sanctuary will have to wait,” said Ben. “Nothing has changed with our plans, but we’ve learned that in two days, the demon swarm will be here.”
The sun hung on the horizon as if reluctant to put itself to bed. It framed the squat tower of the abandoned watch station in stark black.
“Looks ominous,” muttered Rakkash.
Ben frowned but didn’t dispute the man’s claim. He was right. The thing looked like it was out of a spooky story, a depressing back drop for facing an army of demons. Ben studied the toppled tower, wondering about it. True, river bandits were no longer as big a worry, but surely, it still made sense to maintain the thing. Instead, it looked as if it hadn’t been used in a century.
Yellow and orange from the sunset glowed behind the toppled stone walls. The lone tower rose up from the structure, standing straight and tall, despite the dilapidated appearance of the rest of the building.
“We won’t be sleeping under a roof tonight,” griped Rhys.
“That tower may make for a good scout’s nest,” offered Lloyd.
“If it’s stable enough,” responded Rhys. After a pause, he admitted, “It looks pretty stable.”
With no direction needed from Ben, the groups began to establish camps around the base of the watchtower. The Sanctuary mages and Jasper’s groups settled on opposite sides of the stone structure. The blademasters camped in the shadows of the fallen wall, and Rakkash’s rangers and the men the commander had helped collect from Kirksbane spread out on the gentle slope below.
Ben climbed over the waist-high pile of broken stone and mortar surrounding the abandoned watchtower and found an open courtyard inside. He looked back to his companions. “In here?”
“I’ve stayed in worse castles,” jested Amelie as she scrambled over the fallen wall to join Ben.
Prem climbed up and jumped inside, landing lightly next to him. She studied the walls around them and then strode up to one that was still relatively intact. She faced it and declared, “This will work.”
“For what?” wondered Ben.
The guardian pulled the silver amulet over her head, the one her father had given her before they had left, and she tossed it at the wall. The disc spun in the air, the image of a First Mage flashing in and out of sight. The back of the amulet struck the wall and stuck there. Lady Towaal let out a low whistle, and the stone below the amulet flashed with a pulse of green light and then fell quiet.
“Oh,” breathed Ben.
Prem turned to him. “Did you think I was going to send my father a letter and get him here in two days? Back at our nexus, a new gate will have flickered into life.”
“You can do that anywhere?” inquired Amelie.
“Once,” answered Prem. “Now that the gate is established, the First Mage’s energy is anchored to this place, creating a line between the nodes. It cannot be moved. The other guardians will see the new gate tonight, and tomorrow, they will arrive.”
“How many?” asked Ben.
Prem shrugged. “As many as my father thinks he can spare.”
Rhys jumped down into the courtyard. “That’s a good group of men and women out there. There aren’t many, but with the guardians, it’s got to be just about the deadliest force assembled since the Blood Bay War.”
“You think it’s enough?” asked Ben.
Rhys shrugged. “More swords wouldn’t hurt, but it’s what you have.”
They made a cold camp within the watchtower, and as darkness fell, they listened to the sounds of the men bustling about outside. Rakkash’s troops and the Kirksbane watch were professional, they weren’t drinking or carousing, but four hundred men outdoors trying to keep their minds off an impending battle made plenty of noise. It was nearly enough to cover the approach of Hadra.
The mage slipped into the watchtower and settled down in a shadow where the moonlight did not reach. From the darkness, she warned, “The Veil will come for you.”
“How?” asked Towaal.
“I don’t know,” admitted the Sanctuary mage, “but I know her. Sincell told me what happened with the burning tower. Even before, there were rumors that the Veil was somehow involved. Mages and Sanctuary guards died, and people are angry. Secrets are what we do in the Sanctuary, and everyone knows the Veil keeps hers. Everyone can look the other way when the darkness is happening somewhere else. When it happens in your city, when you can’t look away from the blood, death, and fire, that is a problem. That shows a lack of control. If the Veil, with all of the resources she commands, cannot keep the City safe or hunt down those accountable, then the rank and file mages will no longer support her.”
“They don’t all support her now, do they?” questioned Ben. “You are here.”
Hadra answered, “This is different.”
“What would it take to convert more of the mages away from the Veil?” asked Towaal.
“You know the answer to that, Karina,” replied Hadra grimly. “The women of the Sanctuary are powerful, important. They live in luxury behind the walls or roam the lands freely, guesting with lords, able to push around those who stand in their way with a simple thought. They’ve become accustomed to the privilege that being a mage of the Sanctuary grants them, and most will have no interest in changing. If the Veil fails to maintain that privilege, they will oppose her, but do not be so foolish as to think that means they will join you. No, they will oppose Coatney and put another in her place. Someone who will look out for their interests more carefully. Coatney knows that, just as well as you and I. She knows that she is allowed her diversions and her power in exchange for keeping the status quo. She will do anything to maintain that. Right now, your group is the single greatest threat to her power.”
“Not the demons?” questioned Amelie.
Hadra snorted. “The demons are evil. There can be no mistaking that. If we fail, then yes, Coatney will have to face them. The mages will be united behind her against that kind of threat, though, and if anything, they would resist replacing her in a time of true crisis. No, it is only internal strife and discontent that would worry her. The kind of trouble that happens when a handful of people destroy a prominent structure in the City, flee from under the mages’ noses, and start all sorts of rumors about the powerful weapon they used and p
ossibly stole from the Sanctuary.”
“You’re right. They’ll come for us,” Ben said with a sigh.
“They may have already,” remarked Hadra. “I’m not sure you could call this an army, but it is certainly a large group. I’m guessing you do not know them all?”
Ben frowned.
“The Veil may have agents amongst the ranks,” suggested Hadra.
“What about the mages who came with you?” questioned Towaal. “Can we trust them?”
Hadra was nearly invisible in the shadows, but Ben could hear her helpless shrug. “I believe so, but if the Veil had any inkling of where I was going when I left... I’ve known these women for decades, even centuries, and I do not trust them completely. That should be a lesson to you.”
“Why are you telling us this?” asked Ben.
“Because, young man, I believe you and your forces are the only organization making a serious attempt to thwart these demons. The Sanctuary and the Alliance are all sitting on their hands waiting for someone else to deal with the problem. By now, news of what happened at Northport is spreading. I still don’t see any armies being raised aside from this one. Whatever games of power the mages and the lords play are inconsequential if these creatures continue to sweep through cities and feast. There were half a million people in Northport, maybe twice that many on the way to the City. If the demons feed on that many souls, I’m not sure the full force of the mages in the Sanctuary will have the strength to stop them. I don’t think anyone will.” Hadra stood and stepped into the moonlight. A frown cut through her taut grimace. “That is why I am here and why I warn you to watch your backs. What you are doing is beyond necessary, and we cannot risk an assassin’s blade ending it. Trust no one.”
The mage turned and vanished into the night. Ben looked around the circle of his friends, grim expressions barely visible.
“Assassins,” muttered Ben. “One more thing to worry about.”
Rhys shifted in the moonlight, and Ben glanced at him.
“Why are you looking at me?” complained the rogue.
“I-I’m not,” Ben stammered. “Well, I was, but not like that.”
Rhys harrumphed loudly.
“You were an assassin working for the Veil, right?” chided Amelie. “Come on. You can’t act all offended now.”
“None of us are perfect,” grumbled Rhys.
“Rhys, what do you think about Hadra’s warning?” asked Towaal seriously.
Rhys shifted in the dark. “I think she’s right. The Veil won’t risk coming herself. By now, she must know about the demon army, and she knows about the staff. She won’t put herself at such a high risk of personal failure or death. Those outcomes are probably close to equal in her mind. But, there are only so many people she could trust with a job like recovering the staff. Despite what Hadra thinks, many of the mages would not go along with their leader secretly obtaining such a powerful device. The mages may not confront her publicly, but as every Veil knows, it’s the murmurs behind closed doors that will end them. The Sanctuary may be willing to bury its head in the sand when it suits them, but they will not countenance the Veil hiding that kind of information, particularly with what will soon be a very obvious threat to their lives. What does that leave for Coatney? A blade in the night or a spy concealed somewhere within our forces. She has to strike us, or someone will strike at her. Sooner or later, we should expect an attack.”
“Do you know any of the other assassins?” queried Ben.
“It doesn’t work like that,” responded Rhys. “There are guilds in other places, but in the Sanctuary, it is compartmentalized. Secrecy is paramount, and no one knows each other.”
“So, what do we do?” questioned Prem. She was perched on a rock near the node gate she’d established.
“We wait,” said Rhys. “Hadra’s correct to think it is a risk, but what can we do except remain vigilant?”
“We’ll set a watch schedule,” declared Ben. “Even with an army around us, a skilled blade could slip through their guard. We watch each other’s backs, and no one moves about alone. Rhys, anything else we should do?”
The rogue stood and began to circle their camp, looking at the walls around them. “This is a good spot. There is no way in except over the wall. With a watch, it will be difficult for anyone to sneak up on us. If it was me, I wouldn’t attempt it. I’d strike when we’re up and about, when we are distracted. They’ll come in the day, when our attention is elsewhere, and they’ll come from behind. They’ll wait for you to be walking between groups or doing the necessaries. That’s when you should be ready.”
“That makes sense,” responded Amelie.
“Bring your sword when you pee,” advised Rhys.
Ben snorted, shaking his head at his friend. He moved to shake out his bedroll. Vigilance was their only defense, and with nothing else they could do that night, they settled down to sleep. Lady Towaal took the first watch, and Ben watched her pace slowly around the courtyard as his eyes drifted shut.
14
Encroaching Darkness
Daybreak brought a bustle of activity. Ben had slept restlessly, his mind churning with ideas for defense. As soon as the sun had crested the horizon, he’d grabbed a hard loaf of bread and salted ham and started making the rounds with Lady Towaal by his side.
They stopped by the Sanctuary mage’s camp first and found the group of women sitting around a small fire. There was no wood, he saw, but he didn’t blame them for expending a little energy when he smelled the rich scent of tea brewing. He frowned and made a note to ask Towaal and Amelie if they could brew some tea the next morning, or even better, kaf.
Hadra met his eyes but didn’t mention her visit to their camp the previous night. Ben eyed the other mages suspiciously, and they ignored him. He wasn’t sure if that was a sign they were secretly agents of the Veil, or if they considered him to be beneath notice.
“Tomorrow?” asked Hadra.
Ben nodded tersely. “I’ll let you know if I hear differently, but yes, I believe we’ll see the first demons tomorrow.”
“Will we hear about a plan before then?” asked one of the other women without looking up.
Ben glared at her, but she couldn’t see him. “Yes, you will.”
Hadra smiled encouragingly, and Ben turned from the Sanctuary mage’s camp without further comment. Lady Towaal walked beside him as they circled to where Jasper’s contingent was situated.
“That’s a good lesson,” murmured Towaal. “Always get your information before going to see your troops. They will have questions, and as their leader, you should have answers.”
“Thanks for the warning,” muttered Ben.
Towaal shrugged. “Maybe it’s better you learn that way.”
They made it to Jasper’s camp, and the spindly mage looked up at them.
“Any updates?” asked Ben.
Jasper stood and shook his head. “No. As best we can tell, they should arrive tomorrow, midday. We’ll see some of the slimmer, faster ones at first. Larger, slower creatures may not show up until dusk.”
“And the demon-king?”
A grimace crossed the old mage’s face. “Our scans are quick so as to not draw its attention, but we haven’t seen it in three days.”
“Maybe it left,” suggested Ben.
Elle, the little girl, still swaddled in her brown robe, snorted.
“We can always hope,” said Ben.
“It didn’t leave,” responded Jasper. “It’s out there, lurking behind or ranging further and faster than its minions can. I expect its feasting, gaining power for what is to come.”
“It doesn’t know we’re here, does it?” worried Ben.
Jasper shrugged. “I have no idea what its abilities may be. Could it far-see like us? Maybe. Could it sense us? Maybe. It seemed to know we were looking when we first found it, remember? Is it intelligent enough to know that eventually it will meet resistance? I believe that’s likely.”
“We need to m
ake a plan today if they’ll arrive tomorrow. I’m going to speak with the troops. Do you want to accompany me?”
“Sure,” responded Jasper. He stooped, collected his thin sword, and strapped it around his waist. “So, what is the plan?”
“I was hoping you could help with that as well,” said Ben.
Jasper grinned. “I’m not a tactician, but I have seen a few battles.”
“What should we do?” asked Ben.
Jasper pursed his lips in concentration. He took a moment before responding. “Well, unlike a conventional battle, we cannot just worry about the bulk of their forces. There are thousands of demons. A threat unlike any other but it may not be the biggest threat we face. The demon-king could represent just as much danger as the bulk of its army.”
“You think the mages need to hold back?” queried Towaal.
“Yes,” agreed Jasper. “With my group and the Sanctuary’s mages, we could blow a sizable hole in the demon army. With ample preparation, we could mow down a thousand of them. With a bit of luck and a tight formation, we could eradicate almost all of them. Certainly, it’d be sufficient for the swordsmen to take over and clean up the rest.”
“But the demon-king,” said Ben. “If you pour everything into defeating his minions, then we’ll have no defense against the leader.”
“Right,” said Jasper. “That thing will be impervious to mundane weapons. Even if you managed to score a blow, it could fly away from you until it heals. Even if the mages hit it hard, it may fly away faster than we can follow. By its size, I can only imagine it could cover a couple of dozen leagues in a bell or two. It will move faster than we can warn towns or cities. If we just kill its minions, Alcott will still be subject to a reign of terror unlike anything in our history. It could make the dark ages feel like a pleasant utopia. You saw it. Can you imagine that thing descending on small towns? There’s nothing they could do to protect themselves. Nothing at all.”