“If you two could spare a moment, I have something for you.”
Ella and Rhia slowly made their way over to where Líann and I had been observing their battle, hesitating slightly at my amused tone.
“It’s long past time one of you followed my lead,” I gazed at Rhia as I spoke. “Unless the Commander objects, I’d like you to begin practicing with this,”
With that, I passed the Archer’s Recurve Bow to Rhia, bestowing the weapon on her casually, as if the enchanted bow was some mere bauble. She took it from me cautiously, but when the bow’s properties became known to her, Rhia’s eyes flashed in recognition of its power.
“You’ve earned it,” I headed off any objections before she could give voice to them.
Rhia had indeed earned the reward I’d given her, not only for her selfless sacrifice but also with her dedicated service since joining the Imperial Guards. Although she still had trouble keeping her mouth shut at times, her comments were most often more amusing than anything, and I typically enjoyed Rhia’s unrestrained commentaries.
“I have something for Karina as well if you know where she is,” I turned towards Ella, leaving Rhia to look over her new weapon.
“I’ll take you to her,” she replied.
Ella led the way around to the side of one of the large storehouses, and as she guided us, I felt compelled to explain myself.
“Nothing Aish had really suited either of you,” I addressed Líann and Ella. “But I’m hoping that between Thorgil and Jaide, we can find better equipment for both of you.”
The Deathless we’d defeated had been nice enough to furnish my Tári with a great deal of gear, and as a Warrior, Thorgil should have something for Ella while I hoped that Jaide’s Shadow gear would be suitable for Líann. Between her Sintári Maul and Thassa’s Armor of Light, not to mention the Mender’s Band, Venna already had far more than any of my other Tári, and Insleí’s corrupted blades served her better than anything I could ever have provided. All I had to do, it seemed, was wait for the Deathless to try and kill me yet again.
I wasn’t overly concerned about Thorgil; the Warrior may have been quite formidable, but I doubted that he presented any actual threat. My real concern was with Laerik and Jaide. The couple were the only Deathless who seemed to trust each other enough to actually combine their efforts, and their deadly talents had already proven to be quite devastating on the battlefield. The thought gave me pause to reconsider my previous orders, and I decided to alter the directives I’d given regarding the Deathless—one that I’d deliver to Evans later but relayed to Ella immediately.
“We’ve been lucky that the Deathless have been stupid enough to come at us one by one so far,” I remarked. “But after losing so many of their number that way, they may reconsider their tactics. I don’t think we can’t count on them being alone anymore, and we need to change our strategy accordingly.”
“Kill them on sight,” I continued. “While I’d still like to capture them if possible, that’s a secondary consideration from now on. It’s much more important to ensure your safety.”
Since I’d usually been their target, my guardians had faced the brunt of many of the attacks from our Deathless enemies; freeing my protectors from the shackles that may have restrained their actions was at the top of my priorities. Ella and Aiva had accompanied me all morning, and both nodded their understanding as we came to a halt, having found Karina along with several other Imperial Guards resting in the shade of the outpost’s high walls.
“I made a promise to you, and I’m here to keep it,” I let her know as I withdrew the Boots of Quickness from within the folds of my Forest Cloak.
Karina stood before me staring almost blankly at the Boots as I held them out to her, hesitating to take them from me for some reason. After waiting another moment, I finally took a step closer and shoved them into her hands. The abrupt movement seemed to rouse Karina from whatever state she’d been in, and when she took the Boots from me, she spoke in a hushed tone.
“Thank you, Empress,” Karina mumbled softly.
“Yes, well, I’m so glad you didn’t make too much of a big deal over it,” I replied, letting my sarcasm fairly drip from the words.
“I’m sorry, I… I just wasn’t expecting—”
“It’s alright, Karina,” I soothed. “I understand.”
Even with how often I’d done it, passing out magical items wasn’t exactly a daily occurrence for me, so I sympathized with her situation. Not only were the Boots one of the more powerful pieces of equipment I’d handed out, but among my guardians’ leadership, Karina had been waiting the longest to receive her boon from me. But now that she finally had, and Rhia as well, my protectors might be on a nearly even footing with the Deathless when they struck again. At least that was my hope.
With the two items delivered, I strode back towards the keep once more. It was close enough to the time we’d set aside for the daily conference with my advisors that there was little else I could do. Ella and Insleí joined Líann and me inside the keep’s small meeting room while we waited for the rest to arrive.
Before long, the room was full as my companions and the First Marshal filtered in, and we began our discussions with a quick review of the previous night’s attack. Aish had been able to sneak past not only our outer defenses but the keep’s guards as well, only being detected when she tripped one of my traps—a trap she’d quickly escaped as well.
Without posting a rather ludicrous number of sentries, there was little we could do to thwart someone of her ability, but with Jaide as the only Shadow left among the Deathless, taking such drastic precautions seemed unwarranted. The elven couple fought together by all accounts, and it was unlikely that she’d make such a risky attack alone. More probable, we surmised, was an ambush of our patrols or supply caravans, so we focused our attention on protecting those more vulnerable areas. The only concession we made was Ella’s insistence that two of those who’d been gifted with magical equipment always be on duty with me at all times, including the night watches. With all four lieutenants, Captain Aiva and Ella herself so equipped, it was not only a prudent precaution but also not an overly demanding requirement—especially after considering that Insleí, or Saibra as Ella still referred to her, was also my constant bodyguard during the day.
After that, we went over more mundane concerns; supply reports and other logistical matters for the most part, before addressing the issue that our meeting had been truly intended to resolve: timing.
While our troops had certainly earned some rest after their valiant fighting during the previous battle, we also could not afford to allow our enemy too much of a reprieve. The need to capitalize on our victory was too great, and we had to strike at the vulnerable strongholds of the Dark Lands before the evil Mistress of those foul territories could react.
We had already chosen a list of targets from the locations that Logan and the other prisoners had revealed to us, so we focused on which one we’d move against first. With any luck, we’d be able to take several of the undermanned outposts before they could be reinforced, further weakening the Dark Lands and limiting the ability of their Mistress to respond to our incursion.
Evans plotted an almost meandering course for our Army, leapfrogging several of the enemy fortresses and preventing our movements from becoming too predictable. Undoubtedly, the Dark Lands would be assembling another army to launch against us; although we doubted that our enemy would be able to gather their forces too quickly, we’d be taking no chances.
Once our track had been established, Khorim was able to assign his scouts to forge ahead of us. Not only would they make sure that our path was clear, but the resourceful reconnaissance teams were also tasked with investigating our targets, ensuring that there were no nasty surprises waiting for our Army when it arrived. Bane also had a role in this regard—investigating the strongholds we would be assaulting from high above and flying over many other potential targets, making our enemy unsure of exactly where we
intended to strike. Khorim departed as soon as he coordinated his assignments with the First Marshal—while we intended to allow the Army to rest for the remainder of the day as well as the one to follow, his people would need a good head start.
The meeting broke up soon after. There was very little business left after we’d coordinated our next moves, and the remaining talk mostly involved everyone ensuring that Ella was recovered from the previous night’s trauma, much to her obvious discomfort. When I noticed her unease, I immediately took my leave, allowing Ella to depart with me and escape the unwanted attention. While I was certain that she appreciated all the concern, being reminded of her own death clearly made her uneasy.
With our plans all attended to, the remainder of that day and the next were mostly spent taking advantage of the last real respite we were likely to have for the foreseeable future. I spent most of my time with Líann, reassuring her that the powers I’d gained had changed nothing between us. My efforts seemed to pay off in that regard, and the confident Queen reemerged once again… at least she did after a little persuasive coaxing from me that evening.
Although it forced me to stretch myself a little thin, I also spent a few precious moments with each of my Tári as well. Well… more than just a few mere moments. Considering not only the danger we were headed into but also the less than ideal circumstances, I wasn’t sure just how frequently I’d be able to see them once we ventured into the heart of our enemy’s territory.
Ella’s near-tragedy made me cherish the time I was able to set aside for her, while Insleí’s reemergence lent a certain sense of vibrancy and newness to our liaison. Although nothing quite so dramatic had occurred with Venna, I lingered with her the longest. The opportunity to share our love one last time before heading off into the treacherous lands provided a rather poignant reminder of how deeply I cared for her. Despite the many things that had transpired between us, and even though Líann was my Táriel, Venna was still my first love in this world—or any world for that matter.
Then, on the morning of the third day after Aish’s failed attack, we set off into the Dark Lands, beginning our offensive against the dark Mistress and her evil minions. Líann was by my side, and my Tári and companions walked step by step with us among our vast Army as we marched beyond the gates of the border fortress, leaving its relatively safe confines behind while we ventured forward into the perilous domain of our still unknown adversary.
13
Although we traveled at a much faster pace than the lumbering trade caravans, it would still take several days before we’d reach our first target. The stronghold was one of the more prominent fortifications within the Dark Lands, and we hoped to eliminate the threat it represented before any reinforcements could be sent to bolster its defenses. Khorim’s scouts would be in place long before we arrived, ensuring that no unpleasant surprises awaited us. Even though they’d investigated the trail ahead of us, our Army still sent out additional patrols as we advanced, constantly searching for any signs of danger.
Our vigilance continued during the nights we spent camped in the perilous and unfamiliar territory. Strong watches were set, and our sentries remained alert for any sign of both the Dark Land’s army and the Deathless that we knew were still lurking about, intent upon our destruction. I was certain that my unseen watcher was aware of our presence in her lands, but I still kept the protection of the Scryer’s Circle in place at all times. There was no reason to allow her to peer at us too closely—I’d make her work for every single scrap of information she managed to get.
Bane spent very little of the daylight hours with us; he mostly flew over the enemy’s many outposts, either scouting them from above for our assaults to come or serving to mislead the enemy by patrolling over locations we had no intentions of attacking. But he returned to me every evening, and we slept together beneath the canvas of the enormous tent that I’d had made just to accommodate him. Lying within his coils while the loud thrumming of his purr lulled Líann and me to sleep brought me the only peace I was able to find in those cursed lands.
Surprisingly, the Dark Lands themselves were nothing like I’d anticipated. Despite their evil reputation, the fields were verdant and fertile, with vegetation growing as far as the eye could see. Only the forests grew sparsely, a discrepancy that one of Khorim’s scouts clarified for me when he returned to make his report.
“Not many creatures in the Dark Lands eat greens, Empress,” the young human revealed. “They dine upon each other for the most part, while most of the trees have been harvested for both weapons and firewood.”
Well, that certainly explained things, I thought as a shiver went down my spine. I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me; I already knew that goblins, orcs, and kobolds feasted upon their defeated enemies, so obviously their menu included members of the other dark races.
Eventually, we reached our destination without encountering any opposition along the way. Whether that was due to our own diligence, or because our enemies had retreated after their stunning defeat, I did not know. Either way, I was grateful for the respite we’d been given.
The stone walls of the fortress were crude in comparison to the fortifications I’d seen before, but their thick foundations and sturdy construction still provided a formidable obstacle—or at least they would have if we hadn’t brought along the siege weapons Dellon had crafted for us. As soon as we arrived, the artillery troops from Ashton began assembling their engines of destruction, while our troops encircled the garrison, preventing anything from escaping our assault.
If we’d intended to capture the stronghold, we might have focused our attacks on a single area, but instead we arrayed our siege weapons against all four sides of the fortress. There would be no storming of the gates or breaching through its walls—this assault would end in utter destruction, nothing less. Our attack wouldn’t stop until there were no stones left standing, and no enemy troops remained alive. The old elf King had admonished me to burn down every last inch of the Dark Lands if that’s what it took to conquer them, and I intended to follow his advice.
Between Khorim’s scouts and Bane’s observations from above, we had a rough idea of the numbers we faced. Only 500 or so orcs manned the stronghold, far less than would be necessary to pose any real threat to us. With nearly 11,000 of our own soldiers hemming them in, our green-skinned adversaries never stood a chance.
The catapults’ first salvo slammed into the stone walls a little over an hour after we’d surrounded the fortress. Despite the fortification’s rough construction, they withstood the assault fairly well—until I made the rounds, stopping at each of our batteries to add darkness-enhanced projectiles into the mix.
After discovering the ability to infuse my shadows into the missiles, we’d included more metallic ammunition in our stores. The highly resonant material absorbed my darkness well, and my eyes flared with green fire when I summoned the rage inside me, charging the catapults’ heavy shot with my fury. The smooth metal spheres transformed into black orbs of destruction, leaching dark, angry tendrils as they sat waiting to be launched against our foes. When they sailed through the air, arcs of shadow trailed after them, leaving a haze of black vapor in their wakes. As impressive as the sight was, the effect of those darkness-infused rounds was nothing short of devastating.
A thunderous crash echoed through the air, and a flash of blackness erupted with every impact, blowing apart huge sections of the fortifications and scorching everything left behind. With the walls finally breached, the catapults quickly tore down everything left standing, and the once-mighty fortress was reduced to a mere pile of rubble a short while later. Only a few of the soldiers who’d been manning those defenses managed to escape the crumbling ruins, but they were quickly cut down by our archers and Evokers—not a single one even managed to reach our lines.
It was a total and complete victory, one in which we’d suffered no casualties, but there would need to be many more like it before the threat of the Dark
Lands could be eliminated, and I had no illusions that we’d escape so easily when we inevitably faced off against the true might of our hidden enemy again.
But for the next few weeks, the assault we feared never came, and we advanced across the breadth of the Dark Lands, destroying everything in our path. Thousands of our enemies perished in our attacks, but we seldom encountered more than a few hundred at a time. Despite the long string of victories, Evans grew suspicious of the circumstances, as did I, so we took a few captives for questioning after destroying yet another undermanned fortress. The goblins we took prisoner were rather unpleasant to deal with and gave me nothing without the power of Compel to force their answers from them, but what I learned was well worth the effort. Without a collar of dark links around their necks, nothing prevented them from revealing all they knew, a fact I should have considered earlier. Even so, the information was scant, as our unseen foe largely kept her minions uninformed of her plans.
She was known to them only as the Mistress of Shadows and had ruled over the Dark Lands for as long as their histories had recorded. Legend told of her leading them from their hiding places deep underground to reclaim the surface once the Gods had retreated from the world. Although we didn’t doubt that she’d reigned over these lands for some time, none of us believed such a patently absurd story. More than likely, she was the latest incarnation of some ruling dynasty, we surmised; one that bolstered their authority with claims of immortality.
More important than her dubious origin tale was what had happened after we defeated the Mistress’ army. She’d attempted to do exactly as we’d predicted: raise yet another army to oppose us. But she’d poured the greatest portion of her strength into that first force, including her most powerful enforcers, whom she’d used to ‘persuade’ the various factions in her land to contribute their troops. Once she’d lost the ability to strongarm the denizens of the Dark Lands into compliance, they’d refused to join her—some had even abandoned their depleted positions, as we’d already discovered for ourselves.
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