Marta walked into the tent from outside, snorting before sitting on his trunk. “You're not our leader. You're the young boy who shows promise. We're here to make sure you reach that promise, even if we have to beat it out of you.” She glared at her chief, defying him with her body language. “After the war, we'll talk about whether or not you're ready to be a man.”
“Either way, you can't continue to beat me for running my army the way I see fit!” He roared, as Nord ducked into the tent. “Step back outside, Uncle. I'll be with you in a moment.” Nord retreated quickly as Lov turned back to Marta. “I do what I have to do to keep this army moving.”
“What does saving that bear man have to do with hitting Heart?” She asked, glaring at him from across the tent. “What can that batty, ripe smelling hermit of a woman do to help our cause?” She demanded, all but stomping her feet with emphasis.
“She's one of the people that live here, one of the few truly sympathetic to our cause. The farmers? They don't care what happens amongst their leaders, as long as they're allowed to live their lives in peace.” Lov stood from his cot, crossing the tent and thrusting his fingers hard into Marta's chest. “You are not my mother! I understand you think I need guidance, and you're right. I do. But I survived in the orc lands with no one but The'oak at my side.” Lov stood, his voice becoming more mellow, “I wasn't tortured, I wasn't beaten, but I survived. You lot with your bullshit, leaving me on the sand to bake in the desert sun? I'm a dragon, I live off of heat. All you did was fill me with energy, and waste my time by keeping me cooped up. I was looking forward to my first hours of actual comfortable sleep in days last night, and you denied it to me by shoving me in that box.” Lov went back to his cot and sat back down. “Stay out of my sight until you're ready to talk to me about this honor of protecting me. While you're at it, consider that these old time punishments are exactly the kind of thing I'm attempting to change in your society. It's barbaric and serves no purpose. And you tell Charlot, if she doesn't like it, she can go home.” With a wave of his hands, Lov dismissed all the women, and they felt themselves propelled from his tent. An invisible hand pushed them twenty feet away, and no matter how hard they tried to get closer, they just couldn't. A wall stood between them and their young chief now.
“Surround it.” Marta said coldly, marching off in search of Charlot.
Nord ducked into the tent, “Is it safe to come in yet?” He asked, looking to his nephew.
Lov was lying back on his cot, an arm draped over his eyes. “Yes, Uncle, come in. I was thinking last night, how are we going to breach the walls of Heart? They stand fifty feet tall, and I don't think ladders are really going to work. They'll be too easy for the Titans to destroy.”
The tall elf considered his nephew before taking a seat on Lov's trunk and crossing his legs. “How insistent are you on the city remaining pristine?” Nord asked with a grave voice, he clarified further, “What I mean is, if I had a way to clear entire chunks of the wall with no deaths, no explosions, nothing but ruining the wall, what would you say?”
“I'd ask what kind of sorcery it was, and what you had to give up to get it.” Lov said gravelly, he'd never considered his uncle to be the magic type.
Nord laughed before saying, “You know, Jaxon is going to be the whole reason we win this war. You have to have something nice planned for him by the time we're done.” Lov sat up, considering his uncle. “Don't worry, I'll have the little twerp and Fiksu set up a demonstration. It is something to behold.”
The day had passed uneventfully, with the army not moving a single step. Nord had the orcs began setting up permanent fortifications, taking logs from the forests and setting up a palisade just off of the road. There were a lot of stumps left over from the tree clearing, and that night Nord led Lov deep into the trunk filled field. Fiksu sat on a log with a blue bulb glowing brightly in his hands.
“So, where is this demonstration?” Lov asked not seeing anything that could be used as a weapon.
Fiksu tossed the bulb up and down in his hand saying, “Right here,” before casually tossing it over his shoulder. A bright light lit the field momentarily, but no sound issued from it. The light shrank down to a small point of brilliance before disappearing. Lov could see roots and trunks cut smooth where the edge of the light had been.
“That's amazing!” He said, touching the smooth marble like feel of the wood on a cut trunk. “And it works on stone?” He asked Fiksu.
The orc shrugged, “Yeah, we found out about it when we were bored. Jaxon tossed one off the side of a building, and it shattered, taking a chunk of the outer wall with it.”
Lov turned to Nord, the light returning to his eyes. “How many of these do we have?”
“More than enough to cause havoc at the walls. I offered some to Sanche, but he refused.”
“And I'm glad he did.” Lov said coldly. “If his mission fails, I don't want our enemies knowing what's coming for them.” The young man walked back to the palisade, a considering look on his face with Fiksu trailing behind.
Nord could see the calculation in his nephew's eyes. He knew that Lov was considering new ways to attack Heart. “Do I want to know what you're thinking?”
“Probably not. But I'm going to need your help, Fiksu.” They could see Lov's teeth flash brightly in the moonlight as he smiled. “You're going to give this dragon wings.”
A week later, Lov was watching Jaxon and Fiksu sanding pieces of wood down, preparing to piece together his glider. Lov was looking forward to flying in the sky. He had ridden with his grandfather before, but to be under his own power and go where he wished. True freedom! Soon it would be reality.
Nord wanted to continue pushing on to Heart with the bulk of their forces, and Lov agreed. The tall elf left his nephew with a decent sized force to keep him safe, taking the majority of their forces to the north. His Talons stayed with Nord, leaving Lov since he denied them the honor of protecting him. They weren't happy, but they had carried his punishments on too far.
One week to get his flier up and running. Nord needed to keep pushing hard for the city to arrive before Lov did.
Chapter Thirty Four
Annika lay in the snow, feeling the coolness of it below her as she stared up at the stars. They were sparkling bright diamonds littering the inky blackness of the sky above. She admired the shapes of the constellations, though they appeared different than the ones in her homeland. She couldn't spot the Huntress, aiming her bow at the Prancing Gazelle. Instead, here they had Orion, pointing to the Gander.
The sky was beautiful, and as she stared up at it, she felt small. Looking overhead filled her with a sense of awe and wonder at her place in the universe. She found herself feeling at peace.
She jumped a little in startlement when her old teacher plopped down in the snow next to her. The old woman dropped her stick so that it fell with a thwack right next to Annika's head. Annika growled at the act. The old woman knew that it drove her young pupil to rages, but she also knew the young woman needed someone to help master her temper. “What are you doing?” Annika's teacher asked, playing with the snow.
“I'm comparing your constellations with the ones in my homeland.” Annika shook her head as she sat up grabbing a handful of snow and munching on it as she talked. “I can't understand why they're so different, but they are amazing to behold. For instance, your Orion looks quite a bit like our Huntress. And your Gander, if turned a little to the side, looks exactly like the Prancing Gazelle. But they appear in the wrong parts of the sky. It's truly fascinating.”
“Yes, it is amazing, the way the world changes as you travel it. Wait until your return home and see the way you view your childhood home has changed.” The old woman reached out a hand, touching Annika's shoulder. “You shouldn't stay out here in the cold too long. You've finally begun to get in touch with the abilities you'll need as the wife to a dragon. A sickness could set you back for days.” After the old woman stood, using her walking stick to help lift herself
up, she draped her shawl around Annika's shoulders. “Don't stay up too long, child. We have a busy day tomorrow.”
Annika thanked her before turning her gaze back up to the stars. As she stared at Orion the Hunter, she saw that one of his eyes was glowing brighter than normal. And where as most of the stars were bluish or reddish, this one was a bright emerald green. As she watched it, Annika shuddered. She felt a horrible sense of foreboding wash over her as she observed that star.
She shook her head to clear it, then climbed to her feet and headed inside the ice palace. She made her way to her quarters, collapsing onto her frozen bed before falling asleep.
Annika stretched out her hands to accept the mantle of the Greatmother of her tribe from her mother. The Eye of Gruumnsh glared down on the masses gathered around them. They cheered for her, happy to see her mother stepping down. The people were calling her name, the sound reverberating through her entire body. The ground trembled with the rumble of it.
She raised her hand to wave at her people, and a green flash blinded her for an instant. She found herself in a different place. An impossibly long hallway stretched before her, doors lining both sides into the distance. Annika reached out a hand to touch the one to her left, feeling intense heat emanating from the knob before she grabbed it. She pulled her hand back, looking to see any outward sign of the heat, but the bronze knob looked the same as any of the others.
This door made her feel uncomfortable, so Annika backed away from it. She turned to find herself looking at another plain door, this one had a feel of deep coldness. She began walking down the hallway, reaching out to touch the doorknobs, but keeping her hands free of them. Some gave itching burning sensations, others hinted at more physical consequences, but all of them filled her with a sense of wrongness. She started to run down the hallway, hands reaching, searching for a place where things felt right.
In the distance, she saw a door with light flashing from beneath it. As she drew closer, she saw that this door was different than the others. It was carved and intricate, where as the others were plain. She reached out her hand, feeling safety and love emanating from it, and was blinded by another bright green flash.
She held hands with Lov, an old shaman she recognized as The'oak performed the ceremony. The sun shone brightly off of her lover's scales, lightening them enough to appear a sky blue. The cloudy pattern of his scales really stood out, and the smile on his face showed his happiness. The'oak was just finishing the ceremony, and Lov leaned in to kiss Annika.
Flash, and she found herself standing next to a fireplace. No building or walls were connected to it, just a freestanding chimney aiming up into the sky. It was made of smooth river stones, and though a fire blazed in it, no heat came forth. Annika reached out a hand to touch it, and though the flames licked her hands and wrists, she felt no damage. A deep rumbling voice from behind her said, “Hey!”
And she turned, finding herself holding a little baby close to her. He was smooth skinned and dark, with the pointy ears of an elf. She smiled down at him as he gripped her finger. She turned to hand the bouncing baby to his father and-
Flash. A river trickled by as she walked its banks. She became tired as she walked, deciding to rest her feet in the river. She removed her boots and leaned back upon the bank, while the water helped to relax her muscles. Annika closed her eyes, luxuriating in the feeling of the river running over her feet.
She felt herself relaxing more and more before a sharp pain shot through her foot and up her leg. She looked down to see small lizards swarming in the river. They worked their tiny jaws, chomping and biting at her feet and legs. As she was pulling her feet from the water, Annika fell to the ground.
Two children jumped on her, the boy, hairy as an orc boy should be, the girl smooth skinned with the pointy ears of her peoples. “Come on, Nana!” They said, pulling her to her feet and dragging her towards a set table.
Annika recognized her three grown children coming to join them at the table. She was beginning to relax, enjoying the good feelings of close family. It was comfortable and she felt filled with all of these peoples' love.
Annika reached out to take a piece of fresh fruit, reaching for an orange. She took a bite from the juicy flesh of it, closing her eyes in ecstasy. She worked the fruit around in her mouth, filling it with the sweet sticky juices. She went to take another bite from the orange, opening her eyes at the putrid smell that wafted over her as she brought it closer.
A lizard-like face appeared in front of her vision. She had nothing to compare it to size wise, but it filled her eyes blotting out any other sights. His skin was a deep emerald green, and his eyes flashed with fire. A voice issued from the face, full of hate and disdain. “All you have seen is your possible future.” The lizard sighed, then snapped its jaws in her face before continuing. “It's a tasty future. Full of life and vitality. So delicious, especially the young children.” Annika felt fear course through her, fear the likes of which she had never felt before. It competed with her rage for prominence in her flight or fight reactions. “I've seen the wonderful life you and everyone else on your world could enjoy. Now I come to make sure that never happens.”
Annika sat up in her bed with a shout, her bed sheets soaked from her sweat. She started to shiver, as the water froze to her icy bed. She took calm steadying breaths as she looked at the room around her and relaxed as the familiar environment washed over her.
She looked outside, seeing the sky start to brighten with the dawn. The other stars had been chased away, and the moon had set hours ago. Yet still, the green star glowed bright in the wide open blue.
Tyrosh could feel a presence approaching. She knew that this presence was the one her mother and father had been waiting for. Soon the battle would truly start, and the fate of this world would begin to be decided.
Chapter Thirty Five
The wind whistled through Lov's scales as he flew over his army. He had seen his mother in the distance, but she was able to keep her speed high enough that Lov couldn't catch up to her. That's how he had started his journey. He saw tantalizing flashes of her scales as he chased after his army. But all signs of his mother disappeared as he neared Heart.
He looked down on the orcs and Anuunaki below, admiring their neat and ordered lines as they charged down the road towards the city. They marched on towards Heart unimpeded. Not a single construct could be found outside of the city. The young half-dragon could see that the city itself was full of Titans. They lined the streets and buildings, waiting silently and patiently for their enemy to breach the gates. He affectionately patted the box of blue bulb bombs next to him, a new invention of Fiksu's.
Lov watched as Nord began to stage his army before the walls, before he flew out over the city. Some Titans below reacted, chasing after him. They were just as organized as the Anuunaki, not a single construct stumbled into another one. Lov worked his way deeper into the city, drawing the Titans as far from the wall as possible, before doing a circuit around the temple and flying back towards the main gates. He pulled a blue bulb from his pouch, taking aim carefully before tossing it towards the ground below. While Lov was a marksman with a bow, with the bulbs he didn't have the same effect. Though he had aimed for the gate, he only hit the square that led to it. A fountain disappeared in the flash of the bomb, and a few Titans were taken out. Ultimately the blue bulb did nothing to open a hole for his army. He watched as Jaxon flew past him, sending Titans scattering through the city again, while Lov swung around over his army, looking for another shot.
He tried for two throws this time, and managed to hit the top of one section of the wall, but didn't do enough damage to take it down. The other bulb smashed into a building, cutting an entire room from it. Lov hoped that no one was inside, as it appeared to be a home.
Jaxon laughed at him as the halfling swung back around. “You better work on your aim, boy!” He yelled, tossing one of his own bulbs. His nailed the base of the wall perfectly, opening a large semi circular hole
in the wall.
Lov whooped in joy, as he turned back hoping to make the hole wider. Titans swarmed towards the opening, preparing to defend against an onslaught that didn't come. He and Nord had worked out passes to drop a total of twenty four bombs. The young general managed to hit the wall with a total of three more bombs. Lov's others fell into the waiting titan army, doing more damage to the city than the walls. He shook his head in disappointment as he watched Jaxon finishing his run.
The halfling was precise with his drops, widening his first hole with the first half of his bombs, then opening many different small openings. Lov watched as Jaxon went in for a landing, the Anuunaki and orc army below him opening a path for the glider. Lov was supposed to land below with his uncle and everyone else, but he felt something pull him towards the temple. He turned the glider in the direction of the brown and lifeless tree covered structure, watching as pieces, long decayed and dead, fell from it before his very eyes.
Lov flew past the crumbling vegetation of the tower, landing on the side of the city that was flooded with food plants. He more crashed than landed, as the different fruits and vegetables wrapped their vines and stalks around the wings and frame of the glider. They caught Lov as if he had fallen into a field of tall grass. The vines and twisting vegetation gripped his wrists tightly, and he had to struggle for a moment to free a hand. He reached into his pouch, pulling out the sword that would fight with its own mind. He refused to let it go as he cut the vines, and the blade struggled against him, trying to jerk free of his grasp. Lov dealt with its attitude as he worked his way through the vegetation, cutting himself a path towards the temple of Heart.
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