“Another example of why making me king of Trellham was a mistake. I have to deal with insubordinate dwarves.” He pretended to be interested in the map. “I hope this ends the issue.”
“If it doesn’t, I’ll let your brothers deal with him.”
With Grohl and Takala making sure Corwin stayed in line, he felt better ignoring the dwarf. “Once I’m sure our enemy isn’t going to march through the night, I’ll consult with Miceral, Drendar, and Thrinton about the remaining dwarf companies. Whether they arrive tonight or tomorrow, they will have enough time to get acquainted with the city and its defenses before Vedric lays siege.”
“Siege?” Randgar questioned. “We don’t plan to allow them to surround our city. Our army will march out and meet them on the battlefield.”
Randgar’s generals, along with the dwarf officers, nodded. Master Lefliar caught Farrell’s eye. He shook his head slowly but kept his opposition to himself.
“No one in this room has fought Meglar’s forces more than I have.” He waited for someone to challenge his claim, but even Corwin remained silent. “Abandoning the walls is unwise.”
“Farrell is correct.” Penelope put a hand on the table and pointed to Agloth on the map. “I’ve spent the last couple of days studying the spells that guard the city. All around the walls for hundreds of feet, wizards have laid a field of death. Once activated, the defenses will not be able to distinguish friend from foe.”
“All the more reason not to activate them and to let us meet them here.” The Ze’arderian officer who spoke specified the area in front of the gates.
The foolishness of soldiers frayed his already thin nerves. “The purpose of magical defenses is to dissuade an enemy from attacking. You wouldn’t leave your sword in its sheath when you go to war. The same applies to activating these weapons.”
“The Chosen speaks the truth, Your Majesty,” Lefliar said. “Princess Penelope has been explaining the capabilities of our enemy. You must wait until we have dealt with their wizards before you attack. Every wizard is taught early in battle magic training that the hardest fight is capturing a well-fortified, well-guarded stronghold such as Agloth. We have a great advantage, and we should not waste it.”
“Interesting that battle strategy hasn’t changed in three millennia,” Nerti said.
Farrell didn’t notice anyone else react, so he assumed the comment had been made directly to him. Randgar focused on the parchment on the table. Farrell studied the amelt, and Nerti’s comment kept nagging at him. He shifted his gaze from Randgar to his guards, and his thoughts cleared.
“How many wizards did Markus send you?” Farrell’s question drew several confused looks.
“Twenty,” Penelope said. “Why are you asking that now?”
“That won’t be enough to defend the city.”
“Of course not, but we have more than ten times that number in Ze’arderian wizards. Together we should have more than enough.” She stared at him, looking more confused than before. “Did you see more than you let on before?”
“No, but the Children of Zeron have been away from the world for more than three thousand years. A lot has changed. They’ll be overmatched.”
“You underestimate us, Chosen.” Master Lefliar bristled, visibly unhappy. “My wizards are extremely proficient.”
“What’s a Source?” Farrell asked.
“Excuse me?” Lefliar looked around the room.
“A Source. What is it, and why is it important?” He glanced at Penelope and saw a flicker of understanding. Farrell tried to think of any number of new spells Heminaltose and others had developed. “What are the three ways to defend against a shield leech? What does Keltar Fire look like, and what must you do before it takes root?”
Before Lefliar could answer, he turned to Penelope and raised an eyebrow. She nodded once. “I see your point. I’ll speak to Markus.”
Lefliar tapped his staff hard on the floor. “This is an insult!”
“No, Master Lefliar, it is not.” Farrell brought his staff around and held it out. “Look at my staff. Do you see the magic that allows me to hold great stores of energy? Could you do half of these spells? Some are my own invention, but most have been developed over the centuries to improve power collection, storage, and easy utilization. That’s just a small example of what’s happened in thirty-five centuries. Kel changed many of the rules of magic as you know them.”
“There is no disrespect meant,” Penelope added. “But some of the more basic combat spells used to cull the weak will cut deep into your ranks. We don’t have time to teach you everything.”
“Will this also be a problem for the warriors?” Randgar glanced at the sword hanging on his belt.
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Meglar hasn’t been interested in mastering strategy other than bludgeon his enemy with superior force. His army is barely controlled chaos, but it is strong and determined and fearless. Their weapons are simple and their tactics even more so.”
“So what do you suggest?” Jolella asked. “We cannot abandon the city.”
“Perhaps you approach this the wrong way, Your Majesty,” General Corwin said, glancing up at Farrell. “If I may?”
Farrell nodded. “Please do.”
“Many times a novice will do something so stupid in training that he takes the weapons master by surprise. Sometimes it is enough to win the day; other times, it results in defeat. Similarly, an old tactic that has been abandoned for many years will not be expected. So while our enemy has new tricks, they also won’t be expecting some of the things Master Lefliar’s wizards will do because they are forgotten.”
“He has a good point,” Penelope said. “I wouldn’t risk Agloth’s safety on it, but it makes sense. My countrymen and I can go over what the Ze’arderians know and what they don’t and try to come up with a strategy that incorporates the information.”
“Very well. I’ll leave that to you.” He turned toward Corwin. “Thank you, General, for your wise counsel.”
Corwin placed his fist over his heart and bowed slightly.
“Getting back to why we won’t meet them outside the walls. As Master Lefliar said, we have the advantage here.” Farrell tapped the map to draw everyone’s attention back to the real issue. “We need to let the spells surrounding Agloth kill as many warriors and wizards as they can.”
Randgar shook his head. “The Children of Zeron do not hide behind walls. We face our enemy as warriors. If we die, so be it, but we will die like the fighters we were born to be.”
“Your Majesty.” Farrell closed his eyes and took a moment to compose his thoughts. “This is not a ‘one or the other’ option. Your warriors will still be needed to defend the city.”
“Doing what?” Randgar crossed his thickly muscled arms over his chest. “Dropping rocks on a helpless enemy?”
“Magic won’t kill them all, probably not even a majority.” Farrell waved his hand over the map. The walls of Agloth rose from the parchment, and an army of tiny figures stood in formation in front of the gates. “As you know, there are two components to the battle—the fighters and the wizards. Both are equally important. If we can weaken one of our enemy’s two forces, we stand a better chance of victory.
“Now I know that sounds obvious, but if we kill most of their wizards before the battle begins, our wizards can assist you in the battle.” His staff pulsed light blue, and the battle erupted on the table. Magical attacks flew from the walls as an army of Ze’arderians and dwarves raced toward the enemy. The fight moved in rapid motion, and in a few heartbeats, Vedric’s force was defeated.
“Or, if we destroy much of their army up front, their wizards will need to do more to defend the remaining soldiers or else find themselves fighting our entire force alone.” Another pulse and the field reset. This time the assaults targeted the Chamdon, and when Agloth’s army surged out, the enemy wizards tried to defend them. A magical offensive from the walls quickly targeted the forms that represented wizar
ds. Again, the battle ended quickly.
“Our goal is to thin both their army and their wizards so that when the real battle is joined, we have the upper hand on both fronts. Of course, they will be trying to do the same to us.”
Everyone looked at the model. Farrell hadn’t planned to demonstrate, but with all eyes watching, he obliged. After the pulse, a wizards’ firefight erupted. “Their wizards will have three jobs in addition to defending themselves: defend the army, fight our wizards, and fight off the city’s defense. If you stay behind the walls, our mages only have to fight them. It is a big advantage for our side.”
He added in magical attacks from the ground and let the demonstration go on a bit longer before he continued. “Once the fight swings in our direction, your warriors can attack. Their wizards will be too busy defending themselves to help their soldiers.”
“What happens if you don’t get the advantage?” Randgar asked, keeping his attention on the model.
Rather than answer, Farrell added an army with Ze’arderian and dwarf troops in front of the walls. The enemy launched several magical attacks that blew holes in the defenders’ formation. Soon the tattered remains were surrounded and destroyed by Vedric’s army.
“You’d better pray we have the better wizards, Amelt Randgar,” Penelope said.
No one spoke for a time until Farrell waved his hand over the table and the image disappeared. “Your soldiers are still going to have a difficult fight, but we hope to give you an edge before it starts.” He glanced at Jolella, who nodded in approval. “Keep in mind, however, our highest priority is to successfully defend Seritia’s city. Everything else is secondary to that— even your warrior code.”
“Let me add one more thing,” Penelope said. “Unless the two sides are completely mismatched, the wizards’ battle will not be over in a heartbeat. It can take as long or longer than the battle between the soldiers. Even if one side defeats the other’s wizards, those who survive are often too drained to offer much assistance to the soldiers.”
“It is still not our way. Wizards fight alongside the soldiers, and we fight together,” Randgar said. “They do not attack the enemy troops while our army stays behind shelter. Where is the honor in that?”
“Honor is the cornerstone of Khron’s code, but He did not object when wizards slew the vile creatures of Neblor,” Farrell said.
“Remember, Randgar.” Jolella moved closer to the amelt. “Chamdon were created using dark magic to give them an unfair advantage. There is no dishonor in our wizards doing what they can to even the battlefield.”
“What does the Holy Mother say?” the temple general asked.
Jolella shook her head. “She has not spoken to me directly on this issue, but it is my belief the Holy Mother agrees with Her Chosen. She commanded others to build the defenses around Agloth. Why expend all that effort only to abandon them? For what value my opinion has, I say we follow Penelope, Master Lefliar, and Farrell’s advice.”
Jolella’s word carried considerable weight, and the debate shifted to how best to deploy their forces. For the next several hours, Penelope explained the defenses she’d spent days studying. It took some discussion, but they finally agreed to a strategy.
When they had finished, Farrell gathered his friends and his guards so he could leave, but Jolella put a hand on his shoulder.
“Chosen, may I have a moment alone, please?”
The others indicated they’d wait, and Farrell accompanied the priestess to a quiet place in the room.
“I did all I could to find out more about the circle outside the walls. All Seritia would reveal is that it was put there for you. Why and for what purpose She would not—or perhaps could not—reveal. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more.”
“There is nothing to apologize for, Jolella. The Six will reveal only what They want—or can—and we take from it what we can. Whatever else it means, I know it is important to this fight and must consider it more closely. So for that, I thank you.”
“Of course.” She placed her hand over her heart. “The blessing of Seritia be with you.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Farrell’s escort led them to a side door closest to their quarters. As they exited the temple, they could hear dwarves singing in the distance. Farrell thought they were going to stop for the night while he’d been in the meeting.
“Miceral?”
“Farrell? Are you back in Colograd?”
“No, I’m still in Agloth. The Door allows me to send my thoughts through as well.”
“Right, I forgot about that.”
Farrell refrained from telling his partner there were a lot of things about magic he didn’t know. “Are you planning to keep sending troops through all night?”
“Actually, we sped things up as much as we could after your update.” The singing abruptly stopped. “Only the kings and their guards are left. Klissmor suggested we pause so you can let the amelt and high priestess know the dwarf kings are coming through.”
“Good thinking. I’ll see that word is sent.” Farrell searched the area for a temple guard.
“Thanks. Let us know when they’re ready.”
“I will.” He broke the contact and moved closer to Greigel.
“I’ve already alerted Amelt Randgar and Mother Jolella.” Nerti’s voice stopped him. “They’ll be here shortly.”
“Thank you, Nerti. As always, you are riding well ahead of me.” He felt her laugh, but she didn’t respond.
He explained to the others the new development. The guards turned back toward the temple and led the way to the western side.
Jolella had arrived before Farrell’s party. She finished speaking to her staff before she turned toward her guests. “Randgar will be along soon. He’s assembling an appropriate honor guard to welcome our new allies.” Soldiers soon began setting out torches and lanterns. Penelope watched them for a moment and shook her head. “What kind of welcome is that?”
Balls of wizard’s fire sprang from her palm and quickly grew in size. She sent ten globes on each side of the avenue. Once they were in place, she adjusted the intensity to ensure the way was properly lit.
Randgar arrived from the north, leading two long columns of soldiers. The troops to his right lined the north side of the parade ground, and the others moved to the southern edge. When they were in place, Randgar joined Farrell and Jolella.
“We should move to the reviewing area over there.” He pointed to a platform in front of the first building on the south side of the road. “It will be easier to meet the kings there than have them walk through the Door and need to spin around to find us.”
Farrell waited for them to reach their destination before contacting Miceral. “Everyone’s ready, Ral.”
“I’ll let the others know.” He “left” for an instant and “came back.” “See you soon.”
The sound of dwarves singing announced the imminent resumption of troops coming through the Door. When it sounded as though the voices were right at the wall of the temple, a row of guards, ten across, in Colograd’s livery emerged in perfect formation.
After six rows came through, a block of empty space appeared in the middle of the next line, as four of the ten dwarves were missing. Three more partial rows followed before Thrinton appeared in the center of the empty space. He carried a large war hammer in his left hand and marched in time with the troops. More soldiers followed until they formed a rectangular formation around their king.
The company stopped short of the viewing platform. The four guards in the center of the first six rows continued walking when the rest came to a halt. Thrinton followed behind them as they split off two to each side until none stood before their king and his hosts.
Thrinton walked up the stairs and saluted Farrell. “Your Majesty.”
“Welcome, brother.” Farrell extended his arm. Thrinton smiled and accepted. “High Priestess Jolella, Amelt Randgar of Ze’arder, may I present Thrinton, king of Colograd, who offers his dwarves
in defense of Agloth.”
Thrinton banged his gauntlet-covered right fist against his chest and bowed.
Randgar returned the salute.
Jolella bowed politely. “You honor us with your generosity, King Thrinton. Khron has ever looked after His Sister’s well-being. We’re humbled by your gift. The blessings of Seritia to you and all your brave warriors.”
Thrinton nodded to his captain, and his guards marched down the field.
“Interesting that Thrinton came first,” Farrell said to Nerti. “Since they arrived from Colograd, he ought to have been second, if not last.”
“Thrinton offered the honor to Drendar as the elder king. Thrinton is a wise dwarf. I like him quite a bit.”
Farrell tried not to laugh. “Drendar’s not so bad. He is an honorable and loyal dwarf, and we should not doubt his commitment. This has been a lot for him to take in at one time.”
“Agreed, but I still like Thrinton more.”
Drendar arrived in similar fashion to Thrinton. He looked stoic and resolute as he marched in the center of his guards. He strode amid his warriors until he arrived before Farrell, Randgar, and Jolella. Farrell made the introductions once Drendar joined them, and the group waited for Miceral.
A last chorus began from the other side of the Door, and they could see the final company begin its march. Unlike Thrinton and Drendar, Miceral did not appear in the center of his guards. The entire company cleared the portal before he appeared riding Klissmor.
Jagwin led the guards and brought them to a halt before the dais. The entire company turned in unison and saluted their other king before walking past the gathered dignitaries. With practiced ease, Miceral dismounted and took the stairs two at a time.
Randgar smiled broadly as Miceral walked over. “You left here an honored warrior and return a high king. As a new fellow monarch, I’m not sure I ought to offer condolences or congratulations.”
“Remarkable changes have happened in recent days. Let us hope they are good omens for the future.”
As Miceral exchanged greetings, Farrell reached out to Takala. “I’d like to see firsthand what Vedric is up to, brother. Would you be willing to merge when I go?”
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