Culling Sun

[Viola Conda]

The fan overhead spun lazily around in a circle, not helping the heat to circulate outwards, but instead recycled it in the steel walled room. About a dozen people were standing around the center of the room, looking down and reading papers while ordering servants and subordinates with curt nods and crude language for drinks, more reports, and status updates upon various things.

In the center of the room was a slender woman, her black hair tied tightly into a ponytail as her bangs were spread to the side of her face, as if it was afraid to cross her site. She wore a long blue sleeved shirt that was covered by a black leather kheitan. She wore military vlince pants that were tucked into black leather boots with a pointed heel, the laces tied up extra taught.

"I do believe gentlemen that this gives us the distinct advantage over Black Isle and the armada they have." Viola said sternly, pointing towards a blue area of a map laid out upon a cluttered oaken desk. Some murmurs of agreement rose to support her bold plan, and she was pleased to have the support.

"It's a bit of a risk, Chief Adviser." an older voice responded as a puff of pipe smoke rose into the air. Viola shrugged at his comment, making a few of the other men and women in the room chuckle.

"The Admiral of the Black Archipelago Armada is relying on the Machiavelli to do all the work. And so far it's been doing a wonderful job of sinking four of war ships and even blasting apart the Flagship Jade Crown with that devastating World Cannon. Naturally something that large can't survive punishment for long without some form of patrol guard with it, and considering the boat is the size of five war galleons the escorts are not to be any smaller than any of our elite war ships." a tame woman's tone spoke over the ruckus, adding weight to the general flaws of the proposed plan. "You are proposing suicide." her tone became heavy with intent, which silenced the room, but Viola only shook her head, clucking her tongue in protest.

She reached down to grab a glass of water, thanking the servant quickly while bringing the refreshing liquid to her lips, and took a quick swig. "Not at all," she said in a hastened pace, clearing her throat. "I am merely proposing boldness and daring that which Emprea has always been known for." She took a few of the wooden ship models tot he side and placed them along a coastal region. She pointed to another general, Xena Yorger, who moved forward the pieces of to theorized position of the Black Armada. Viola took another sip and began to talk again in her commanding tone.

"You see if we move forward with only one patrol boat, and disembark in the night with five row boats of our saboteurs we can approach virtually unseen. If we take our night hawk troopers, two aboard a row boat, we can shoot down any guards in the crows nest. By the time the alarm is called we will be boarding the Machiavelli. We only need to simply cripple the beast, not kill it to break their backs in the morning flanking action as proposed by Admiral Gunnerson."

A younger man, about the age of thirty nodded his head as he removed his cap, taking larger war models and pushing them down a narrow cannal. "It will take all night to navigate one war ship down this strait at a time. With the distraction of these sabetours we can not only cripple their biggest weapon, but buy the much needed time to sail forward and blind side them. General Tabitha?" He said motioning towards a younger woman with a long scar down the right side of her face. She approached the head of the table, moving smaller war ships forward to the front of the enemy positions. She cleared her throat and began talking.

"Our faster frigates and battle barges can swiftly move in at first sign of the attack. By the time they turn to face the threat of the war ships we will have them stuck in a cross fire." The other general's nodded in agreement. The plan had merit. It was just the plan needed to completely wipe out the enemy and destroy any hierarchy to allow Emprea the victory. Daring, but not without risks.

"It's not fail proof," the nay-saying woman from before said sternly, drawing the entire room's eyes upon her as she lifted a pointer. "The Machiavelli may have the impressive World Cannon, but it also hosts a tirade of cannons and mortars. You would have time to only take out that weapon, but the entire deck of war machines? And should you somehow get this plan to work, but sinking the ship with our own cannons is a task we are not ready for. The beast is a metallic titan! We have never before seen this type of ship and I am grateful it's only in a war game! I just see no opportunities or chances of destroying it." She let her hand tremble as she spoke of the the biggest war ship ever to sail the world of Althanas. She could see the frigates getting torn apart in a matter of moments, and the war ships wouldn't be forgotten soon after.

Viola however slammed her fist on the table, a devilish grin on face as her fist destroyed the model of the Machiavelli. "What better chance than in a war game to see and try ways to defeat the enemy? This is our opportunity, Chancellor Freya. We won't get the luxury of seeing the Machiavelli in action in a war game again for a long time. The amount of resources alone to get it to the citadel was insane as is! But it shows how the Black Archipelago war committee is tired of losing to us! We haven't lost a war game yet to any empire, and I don't plan on starting a new tradition of losing."

Chancellor Freya took in a deep breath, looking at Viola with an accusing eye. "And who would lead such a daring attack, to guarantee our victory? It's death, guaranteed suicide. I don't care if it's a war game or not, this kind of move is bound to upset the enemy to retaliate in ways against the civil code of conduct." The other generals and admirals looked around, eyeing each other. But a soft chuckle escaped Viola's lips.

"How silly of you to ask," she giggled again. "Naturally I will lead the attack."

[Viola Conda]

The wind blew over the heavy cloak Viola wore, her vest tied tightly around her chest as the camaraderie of the men and women around her went on with a light joviality. She wasn't impressed with the lot she was given, turning to see the worst possible candidates for the job she was about to embark on. Yet beggars can't be choosers, and if she wasn't so sure of herself she wouldn't have volunteered for the mission.

She had explained to her men that the mission was to board the enemy flag ship, set everything they could on fire, and no matter what destroy the World Cannon. She shuddered in dread as she remembered watching the cannon for the first time ever. It was the first large battle in the war game, and her tactics had proven to save the day as she trapped every last enemy ship in a complicated web. As the cannons were pounding into the enemy hulls, she looked off to the north and saw large sails, sails far larger than any normal ship would carry. On top of that, she saw a few other war galleon's sails floating towards the battle.

At first she thought they were a flanking force, led by the most brutal hammer imaginable, but it was only her years of training and experience that she realized the ships the Emprean Armada was decimating was a carefully considered plan to lure them all into a trap. She made the orders to open an escape route, but before the orders could be carried there was a crack of thunder so loud her heart jumped in alarm. A giant cannonball easily the size of a large cannon whirled in the air, whistling loudly as it descended back towards the sea, and with a mighty crash the Flagship of the Emprean Empire, the Jade Crown, was shattered right down the middle. The ship was sunk in a solitary hit, not a single piece of the boat salvageable.

That wasn't even the start of the decimation that soon followed when the mammoth sea ship was within gun range. It opened up with hundreds of cannons, ripping sails asunder and sinking frigates within mere moments. The mortars lobbed explosive globes that set the wooden war ships aflame, and in total fourteen ships were sunk in that battle. That left five frigates, four war ships, and twelve patrol boats. Not a promising total remaining.

Her volunteers were all new recruits, all trying their luck at fame. She was fairly disappointed none of her crew offered to join this mission, far to afraid of dying. But Emprea was the land of heroes, and she wouldn't let the Black Archipelago Armada defeat them.

Th captain of the patrol boat called for lights out, and the entire boat became a dark silent shade lurking in the sea near the coastal line. As it reached a certain part the vessel stopped and drew anchor, and immediately the rag tag group of volunteers made way for the rowboats. Viola went into the first, silencing the soldiers hushed whispers with a darkened glare and felt her stomach lurch as the boat was lowered to sea level.

She heard the gentle splashing of four other row boats and soon felt the boat bob and dive as it began to move forward silently into the night. "Crossbow." Viola ordered holding her hand flat out. She felt the wooden weight of the weapon in hand and she checked the mechanisms to make sure it was ready to go. She heard the cocking of the other crossbowmen behind her, and she smiled in pride as the other boats all silently obeyed. Maybe this group isn't full of fools.

It was silent except for the sounds of the sea, about an hour into the journey when the first sail was seen in the slowly building fog. Her breath was taken in as she saw the metallic glint of the hull of the Machiavelli. It was like seeing the scales of a sleeping dragon when you know your stealing its treasure. A small fluid lighter erupted to the left of her, and her eyes instantly re-focused as she looked to the right. One of the war galleons was sailing closer, though probably by the drift of the current than by patrolling. "They are growing lax..."

Viola lifted a single hand up, cautioning the archer on the other boat to keep his nerves. The row boats kept moving forward and they passed into the path of the war ship, rowing faster and faster. A twang went off to her left, and a soldier immediately began reloading as a body fell out and splashed into the ocean. "Forget it!" Viola ordered to the boats. "All hands to rowing! That splash was all they needed to hear!"

Sure enough search lights began to glow as they hit the water, looking for the sound of the flash. Viola reached for an oar and joined, pumping her muscles into the effort to make the boat move faster. He other row boats all moved ahead, and she saw they were only a few minutes from the Machiavelli. A large twang went off, and one of the row boats exploded in a storm of splinters and chunks as a large bolt from the war ship blasted it apart. "ALL HANDS TO ROWING!" Viola shouted.

"Sound the alarm! We got intruders!" she barely heard the order from the war ship, but the clarity of a war horn blazed into the air, a sharp warning note that was soon joined by others. The Machiavelli rumbled loudly, as if the roar of a dragon and it made her heart sink for a moment to hear such a primal shout of warning come from the titanic beast. Bolts began to splash into the water as each rower moved as a separate part. Viola lost her nerve immediately and lifted her sword arm up wards pointing to the left half. "Stop!" she ordered. She pointed her blade to the right side. "Row!" A chorus of 'Yes M'am' rose upwards to her ears as they began to row as one, and when they were about to finish the motion of rowing she turned back to the left half. "Row!" she ordered hearing words of consent from the left half as they rowed. The quick change in pace made the boat start to move swifter in the sea as they made headway. The lead of the right side started shouting the rhythm of sailing, "Heave!" and the left side finished shouting "Ho!" and Viola turned her attentions to the fast approaching boat.

Twang! Another rowboat was sundered into nothingness as cries of pain and surprise filled her ears. She hadn't expected the alarm to be sounded so soon. She looked to see she had only three of the five boats remaining. Twelve men and women just died under her command. She took in a deep sigh, but pushed those feelings of regret away as she knew deep down her failure would cost more.

She bent down and grabbed the crossbow and tied the grappling hook to the bolt, and then placed it down on the ground doing so with the other four crossbows. Shouts of pain filled her ears as another boat was sunk, her hand shielding her eyes from the splinters. She could feel deep chunks in her arms, and two of her men cried out in agony as large chunks were lodged deep into their chests and arms. "Row with all your might, and prepare to board!" Viola shouted lifting her sword arm again.

This time a large explosion filled her ears, and she felt the wave of destruction coming near. She turned in time to see another boat explode into thousands of pieces, a few limbs flying upwards into the night sky. She grabbed a crossbow and tossed it to one of the stunned men. She tossed another to the other rowers. "We leave this boat now. Everyone prepare to go now!"

She lifted the last crossbow upwards and fired, feeling the bolt fly forwards as the grappling hooks line unraveled quickly. The other bolts loosed into the air, and she felt her line grow tight. She pulled tightly, testing it, and felt resistance to her suiting. "FOR GLORY AND FOR EMPREA!" Viola shouted jumping out into the sea and pulling herself with the rope up to the metal beasts hull.

"FOR GLORY AND THE EMPEROR!" The other warriors shouted. Splashes of water hit her back and splashed her and she felt the weight of her leather harness weighing her down. The salty water stung her wounds, but she let the pain fuel her as she felt her feet hit the metal hull. She reached up and began to climb her rope rapidly, relieved to see the other members of her boat starting to do the same.

"Front rank fire!" Volleys of crossbows slammed into the side of the metal ship, jumping and shattering against the hull. Two soldiers died and fell to the water, not a scream upon their lips. "Second rank, fire!" the discipline of the Black Archipelago made no time for reprieve as the bolts shattered against the hull, falling another three of her number. At last she reached the top, and she hoisted herself over pulling with all her might. She turned to back and lifted her hands out, feeling one hand grip her left. She pulled a body over the railing and he immediately turned and helped out the next to follow. A woman edged over the clearing, her teeth chattering in the cold as she pulled another man up, while the previous man grabbed another soldier up. The final two soldiers were lifting when another volley flew upwards. One of the bodies took the hits hard, but the second managed to land on the deck, covering his head as he screamed curses to the gods.

"Hate the gods later, but we move now!" Viola ordered as she ushered her warriors into the shadows of a side room. After the last finished entering she shut the door, letting out a loud sigh of relief as she took a few deep breaths.

"Now, as you were saying," Viola panted pointing to the soldier who cursed the gods before.

"Fucking worthless...." he went on not missing a beat.

[Viola Conda]

The room was cramped as the bodies had just enough room to be evenly spaced, except for one pair that held each other for comfort as a single towel was passed amongst the room. They were locked in a large supply closet, which easily could fit three people, but doubling it was pushing the space to the limits. A single light shone above, and the bodies hid most of the light as they all remained quiet, bodies shivering in the cold.

Viola looked at each of the five remaining soldiers she had left. One woman and four men, making a total of six operators for this mission. She despised those odds. But she had to make do with what was available. She lifted her hands to the soldier who was cursing the gods earlier. He was a large man, average height with a sword and two axes strapped to his axe. He had a beard that was untrimmed along the sides and a look of exhaustion and eagerness in his eyes.

"Your name, soldier, than the next one to your left until I get all of your names." The soldier stood to attention, but Viola waved him back to ease for sake of space. "Formalities and military discipline be damned at this point. You are to respect my orders and follow them unquestionably, but as of now you are free to speak your minds without permission and for the love of god be at ease. Tense situations are going to get you killed and we lost enough good soldiers earlier."

The soldier relaxed, looking towards his comrades before he sighed deeply, "Paul," the soldier said tiredly. Viola pointed to his master of war pin, and cocked her head in question. "I am the front line officer, second class. I'm kinda your...well," He chuckled as he shuffled his hands together, getting used to being at ease and talking plainly with the active chief counselor to the Emprean army. "I'm the retard bash expert." he blurted loudly, getting a few chuckles from the people surrounding him. Viola rolled her eyes in disappointment. "I received my Master of War Pin before the war games, getting my promotion with it."

The next man in line was the row master who started the rhythm to the rowing on the boat earlier, and the man she first helped over the boat. He had a sharp angle to his face, with black hair that despite the ordeals still stood perfectly slicked back. He had a slight grin upon his face as he stood up. "David," the soldier said with a cool calm. "I'm the Front line officer, first class." She looked at his calmness and found a sense of hurt pride behind his eyes.

"Your men will not have died in vain." Viola said in a low tone for him. He nodded once, leaning against the wall in a cocky, sure way. She turned to the third man. "You soldier?" The man stood up, showing off a height a bit taller than Paul's, with medium length hair that bushed out in a flaring, flashy way. His eyes were full of determination that Viola was pleased to see.

"Brian," he lifted his satchel of bags and dropped them to the ground, revealing a sneaking suit, repeater hand bow, and a few extra clips and grappling hooks. "I'm the Night Hawk specialist assigned to this mission." He moved to the side, kicking his bag away as the two embracing each other left the hold, the woman nodding once.

"Rachel," she said in a polite tone. "I'm the front line captain, archers division second class." she reported. She was a stalky thing, with not much meat to her bones, but she did have a certain grace about her that hid much of the agility she possessed. Viola nodded as she looked to their meager supplies. She had another hand bow and she took it out and handed it to the woman. She took it, and thanked Viola inspecting it with a nod of approval, flipping the brown hair from her face.

The last man was standing behind her, the tallest of the group by an inch. His arms were toned a cable like and he carried a master of War pin as well. Where Paul had an unpredictable air of certainty to him, this man had an air of authority and calmness. He easily looked like the man with the brains and strategic thinking.

"Jon," he said. "Fifth Captain of the house knights; Third order of Gorlab the black beast." Viola looked at him a few extra takes just to make sure his claim was true. He was easily the superior of everyone assembled minus Viola. Her mind looked to each warrior with a certain tactical appreciation and suddenly it dawned on her exactly how this plan was soon going to take shape.

"I think we have more than we need to accomplish our mission." Viola said with a sly smile, beginning to talk of her plans.

[Viola Conda]

Viola led Jon, Rachel, and David upwards a flight of stairs, their feet moving silently against the steel steps as they moved upwards on the decks. While the war galleons of the enemy still searched for more intruders the Machiavelli seemed a little to lax for Viola's taste. There were no guards running a top deck and doing inspections, checking corridors and walkways and gangplanks and shadows. Nothing. It was as if they were confident they were secure from enemy harm.

"Ouch, that's my foot!" Rachel whispered loudly, breaking the silence. Jon stepped back, a look of mild irritation on his face. Rachel hoped up the steps, stopping before the rest of the group, looking over the ledge and eying the area. she lowered herself and had a look of annoyance etched into her features. "I guess we found out why they are so lax." She mumbled to the group. "They got the World Cannon under heavy surveillance. Not a chance in hell we're going to get near it." David let out a deep sigh.

"Tch, makes sense. Guard the obvious targets on the boat. There's only one we're going after." Viola nodded looking around the area. "I suggest we pull back and try to disarm as many side cannons as we can. If we can't take out the world cannon, maybe we can take out the rest of its teeth." There was merit to the idea, and Jon nodded as well. Viola glanced to Rachel who looked like she didn't care at all about the course of action.

"If that world cannon is able to fire we're not going to survive the next battle. We don't have much time left to make it count, so lets do this already." Viola said moving into position.

~*~*~

"You don't have to poke me so hard, you fucking asshole!" Paul shouted as he was shoved into a tiny corridor. Several men looked up to see him, and one officer stepped forward.

"What's the meaning of this?" He ordered, looking to the man behind Paul.

"I caught this intruder collaborating with another down the hall about destroying all our armories. He was carrying this hand bow on him wearing a sneaking suit. We were able to detain this one, but the other one had to be executed." Paul looked down to the side in disbelief as he sighed heavily. "My guess is there are more than the two, but this idiot won't speak."

"Curious," the officer said stroking his beard "Good job ensign, leave this one to me. Your relieved." The capture did a quick military bow and left the room, leaving the hand bow a satchel of items on the table. The officer opened the bag and pulled out the twin axes and unsheathed the sword. "What are you, a one man army?" he asked pointing the blade to Paul's chest.

"Yep. I got more fight in me than the entire crew on this shit hole." The officer smiled slyly.

"Well If Emprean arrogance is like yours than we should have no problem finding the rest of your friends." he sheathed the sword and pulled a chair forward for Paul to sit on. Two soldiers moved forward and pushed Paul downwards so he sat, and the officer leaned in forward. "So let's start with who you are, and why you're here." he said pulling out a beating stick.

~*~*~

Viola watched the darkness for any sign of her troops movements, and suddenly she saw the symbol she was looking for. A small fire light lit up in the corner, and she lit her own match quickly to let it out. She turned her gaze over to the nest of soldiers guarding the world cannon and soon enough a volley of arrows began to fly into their ranks. Soldier's died in droves, six arrows out of nine killing or incapacitating a foe. The enemy scrambled to their feet and another volley of arrows flew into them, felling five more of their number. They ran towards where the arrows came from, shouts of alarm on their lips. As they were approaching the hiding spot another salvo of missiles took out seven more men, tripping up and delaying handfuls of men. This precious moment allowed David and Jon to strike from the shadows, revealing themselves and their swords as they methodically butchered into the soldiers.

Reinforcements opened the door to the world cannon, pouring out into the area and about to come overwhelm David and Jon. Just as battle was about to be met another volley of arrows flew forward, taking down six of their number and tripping the back rows up. This in turn allowed Viola to dart forward, her sword glittering in the night air as the short blade crashed down upon exposed backs of the foe.

The slaughter took about two minutes in all, but in the end they had come out with only a few minor scrapes or wounds. Rachel ran forward, loading the final clip of repeater ammo into her hand bow. Viola gave them all a nod of congratulations and they were off as they ran into the door where the reinforcements came from.

~*~*~

"Let's try this another time, Paul." A loud thwapping sound echoed int he tiny room, as the officer hit Paul across the back with the beating stick. Paul grunted lightly, more in challenge than in pain. The officer took the stick and slammed it again into Paul's back, square between the shoulders. Again Paul grunted, but this time he began to laugh.

"This is just a massage old man!" Paul joked. This time his grunt wasn't in mirth, but in pain as the stick flew across his face knocking him out of the chair he was seated upon. His body fell to the floor, and he immediately got to his knees about to charge when two soldiers held him back. "You sonovabitch! Come on, hit me again! Hit me again!" Paul shouted.

The officer let out a small laugh as he patted the weapon in his hands, laughing at his rage and wondering how easy it was to knock the rage into him. "You're quite the hot head aren't you?" he taunted, slapping Paul in the face again. Again he tried to charge forward, his face full of righteous fury as he tried to rip free from his bonds. "I don't think you're going to get out of this unless you cooperate, now who are your friends, and where are they?"

"My friend is your mother, and she's waiting in my room." Paul felt the wooden stick hit him in the face again, but this time the officer was the one losing his cool. He leapt upon Paul, knocking him down as he lifted the stick and began to wail into him, creating welts upon his flesh and cutting into his skin. The other soldiers in the room had to pull the officer off.

~*~*~

Viola entered the room first, looking around for enemy units before motioning for the rest to join. They ran forward and into the room, and Viola closed the door behind them as they ran towards the central area, looking for door that led to the room of the world cannon. Stairs led downwards into the bowels of the ship, and the cries of frustration and pain echoed in the din of the silence.

"That sounds like Paul." David said neutrally as he slowed his pace, his eyes flashing in concern. Viola pushed David onward with a shove.

"We don't have time to worry about him. If he's distracting the enemy long enough for us to get our job done than so be it. He's serving his country well in doing so."

"No offense, but your kind of a heartless bitch, mam." Rachel said full of annoyance, her eyes narrowing on Viola's head. Viola turned back to her with a challenging glance.

"Victory can't be had unless everyone does their part. I'm not saying I don't feel for your little friend, but right now this will all mean nothing unless we succeed. So let's move it." The group doubled their pace as they ran forward, and David stopped the travelling party as he turned a corner, pointing to a door.

"Jackpot! Looks like lady luck is on our side today!"

"Ya, if she was agaisnt us than Paul would be here." Rachel added.

"Heh, ya. Knowing his luck we'd get this far and then just before we enter the door the bridge gives out." there was a nervous chuckle at the joke, but also starting to wonder if their friend's luck traveled with them.

"Only one way to know!" Viola said breaking the chatter as she darted forward, reaching the handle and opening it. David ran in first, followed by Rachel and then Jon and Viola. As soon as they entered Viola felt a wave of dread wash over her.

Before them was an entire room of soldiers, all with crossbows aimed right at them. A single man walked forward, clapping his hands together as he appraoched them.

"And with one foul move I capture the Chief Adviser of Emprea. Checkmate, Viola Conda. Black Isle shall be the victors this time!"

[Viola Conda]

Viola looked around the room and felt the pains of failure stab at her heart. This part of the plan, wasn't supposed to happen.

"I congratulate you on making it thus far, but alas, your poor subordinate Paul was captured by one of our men, and whatever friend he was traveling with was killed." a wave of illness swept Viola as she felt her heart sink. David and the others all looked down in sadness, their wills crumbling as they realized they lost a friend. "Soon I suspect a sudden attack from your forces, but I think the plan so far will not happen as you wish it. I commemorate you for your efforts, but in all honesty I had a feeling you would do this."

"Fleet Admiral Gustav, you sound like your a little sore about something. Could it be last years decimation by my hands in the first round of the war games?" Viola shot back, her eyes full of hatred. "I'd suspect you were demoted back to kitchen cook after such a failure, but I see now that Black Isle is far to merciful and forgiving of failures."

"Watch your tongue, bitch. Upon this deck the silly rules of the war games are not one hundred percent enforced." Viola heard a door open behind her, and an ensign walked in holding a clipboard before his chest.

"Captain, I am here to report that we found demolition charges around each of the cannonball armories where the black powder is stored. Each one is set exactly to cause maximum damage to the hull, but more importantly, explode our ammunition. We'll have no spare shots after our first few volleys sir." The commadning offircer Gustav stroled his oily beard as he walked forward to Viola.

"Good work, ensign, go ahead and disarm them all." He smiled triumphantly in Viola's face as he let his words ooze out like a fine poison for her to drink in.

"I wasn't talking to you, old fart!" the ensign said in a harsh tone. "I was talking to my captain, Viola Conda." he lowered the clipboard, and a small hand bow was loaded and released as it shot Gustav in the chest. He took the hit and staggered backwards, but Viola grabbed him in a tight hug as arrows began to fly into his skin. The ensign jumped out the door, shooting blind into the room hitting Black Isle soldiers making them cry in pain and suffering. Jon, David, and Rachel all took cover, beating and killing a few guards near them as they took the crossbows and returned fire, felling a soldier with each shot. Viola fell back holding the dead body of Gustav as a shield as she moved quickly towards the door.

"I'm happy to see your as good as your arrogance told me you would be, Brian. Now go detonate those bombs!" Brian returned fire, pulling Viola out of the death trap and onto the bridge.

"No need to worry, I got that taken care of. We need to escape off the boat now, however. I'm sure Paul's about to finish his part of the plan." David stood up and began to move towards the door, his crossbow felling another man as Rachel and Job bolted out the door. David ran, barely dodging an incoming missile as he escaped. Brian slammed the door shut and they all ran towards the exit.

~*~*~

"Where are they!" Another vicious beating came at Paul, and he felt his rage soar to new heights. He was hit in the back of the head, causing him to stumble forwards and onto the table. He felt his hand graze the hilt of an axe, and with a sudden surge of fury he roared a battle cry, slipping his hands out of the ropes with ease as he reached for the axes. With each in hand he rotated inwards, disemboweling the officer who beat him. Another axe cleaved into the foe to his right, the other axe crashing down upon the chest of another foe. Blood sprayed into the air as he laughed wildly at the massacre before him. Freed at last he grabbed the bag and ran down the hall where he heard footsteps above him. Thinking quickly he pulled out his lighter and looked for the sign. Upon the floor he found a star shaped mound of black powder and he bent low lighting the center. Sure enough the flame spread to the powder and it sizzled along the ground going in different directions.

With that out of the way Paul roared in challenge again as he skipped three steps at a time back to the main deck.

~*~*~

Bolts and arrows whizzed by the party as Viola shouted to keep them moving. Brian's hand bow shot bolt after bolt behind him, but it wasn't doing a thing to thin the numbers. A loud explosion rumbled down the inner halls of the ship, and a soft trembling reverberated the surface making the group pause in their run. "Nice work!" Viola praised to Brian, who gave off a laugh of amusement. David lifted a fist of triumph up into the air as the explosions hit top deck, exploding out of the stairs and falling several enemy soldiers.

"Let's go guys, no time to waist!" Rachel shouted. Jon grabbed Viola and moved her along with the others as they ran towards the life boats. As they ran another portal into the depths of the ships rumbled with fire and a spout of flame breathed upon them as it burped into the air. The ship groaned as it slowly began to turn, and the sound of several trumpets filled the air.

"Emprea makes the attack!" Jon shouted. "Shit they came early!" David looked to the sky and shook his head. The sun was just about to rise over the hills.

"I think we're the ones running late!" The sky roared with the sound of thunder as cannons began to fire upon the ships, and alarms went off in the sky as trumpeters blew with all they had. As they ran they heard the wails of soldeirs screaming in pain, along with a primal cry of hatred as another soul charged out of a portal, fire scorching all around him. Twin axes held a loft in his hands he rounded upon the group with a stupid grin on his face, blood covering his chest and blades.

"I'm going to kill you Brian!" Paul chastised him in a mocking way. "That fuse was way too short!" Brian let out a snort of laughter.

"Whatever, it was the perfect timing!" Viola felt a twinge of joy fill her as she heard the group laugh and make fun of each other. It was awkward, but this rag tag group of survivors had done the impossible, and she couldn't help but feel the happiness of a job well done.

"Idiots!" Rachel shouted getting Viola out of her daze. "We can fight later, now come on and let's get out of this place!" They ran towards the lifeboats with all haste, but as they rounded a corner a group of Soldiers ran to cut them off.

"ASIDE!" Paul shouted, charging forward, twin axes held high as he rushed recklessly forward, making them stall in their advance long enough for him to slam into them, tackling them all to the ground as his axe dove up and down in brutal butchering arcs. Viola and the others passed by Paul as he slaughtered the groups, a cold methodical look on his face as he finsihed his deadly dance chasing after them again.

Rachel was the first in boat, followed by Viola, then Brian and Jon along with David. Paul slid into the lowering wheel and began to crank the wheel down to lower the boat to the water surface.

"Just cut it and jump in!" Jon shouted, but Paul kept lowering them down lower and lower.

"Retard, just cut it and let's move!" Rachel shouted up to Paul, but he was in a frenzy of motion, lowering them down lower and lower.

"Come on, Paul!" David shouted angrily. "Hurry it up and let's go!" At last Paul took up an axe and he slammed it into the lowering rope, cutting it making the small ship splash as it landed in the ocean. A wail of terror came from above, as Paul jumped the ledge flailing around in fear as he splashed into the water near them. He rose to the surface, splashing his body around as Brian and Jon both lifted him and out.

"Row!" Viola shouted grabbing an oar. David immediately began to count of Heave and Ho as the group rowed for all they were worth. Explosions rang on the hull of the ship, and Viola turned to Brian.

"Did you get all the holds of weaponry?" Brian shook his head.

"Just enough near the world cannon to make it so nobody can go near it to operate it. We crippled the cannon, but the beast still has teeth." Viola nodded.

"It'll do!" She said as they paddled as far away from the battle as they could. She looked back to the giant beast of a boat, and despite the damage they did from the sea level it looked minorly insignificant to the great beast. She looked back to the sea ahead of her, and whispered. "It has to be enough..."

[Viola Conda]

The lifeboat was picked up by the closest frigate, and Viola and her group ran towards the captain's deck. She moved in and looked to General Tabitha and nodded once looking out the window to the battle before them.

"Rachel and Brain, I want you to go man the Bolt throwers. I want you guys to shoot out as many of the cannon hatches as you can. David and Paul, start loading the grappling lines. Jon take the orb of communication with Tabitha and order all frigates to load as many cannons with piercing tow cables as fast as possible." A chorus of 'Yes Mam' filled the air as they all got to work, Tabitha leaning over to Viola lowering her voice.

"What is the plan, mi'lady?" Viola gave her a look of uncertainty, but her eyes still held their determination.

"If luck is on our side we can rake into the front of the Machiavelli and pull the damned thing away from our war ships. Without it's added weight the Black Armada has no teeth to sink our ships." Tabitha nodded once, getting to work relaying the commands. "Phase two." Viola whispered.

~*~*~

"Dude," David said annoyed as Paul dropped the cable line for the third time. "I told you if you need help just to ask, we don't have time to waste."

"Did you calibrate the cannon's fuse and set the torch to fire?" Paul asked hurriedly as the two pulled the cable over and linked it to the grappling hook. David smacked Paul against the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"For asking a stupid question, knuckle head." He said jovially. The two worked in silence as Paul threaded the cables, linking them and clamping them shut while David tightened the chords to the limits. "So how big of a kill count did you get?" he asked off offhandedly.

"Twelve or fourteen. Not really counting a lot of them because of Brian's pyro show." Paul replied wincing in pain as a clamp thrashed his thumb. He placed the appendage in his mouth as he shook the pain away. David moved over to Paul and bent over to aid him with the final preparations when the back wall panel exploded inwards, a huge ball of iron flying through the frigate hull. Splinters and debris showered David as he covered Paul's exposed front with his back, grunting in pain as a sliver of wood lodged into his shoulder right beneath his left rib.

"You okay man!?" Paul shouted as the sounds of battle ripped into the air where the hole was made. David nodded once, grimacing in pain as he sat down. He leaned forward far enough to let Paul pull out the wooden shard and he discarded it removing his shirt ripping it down the middle and tying it around David's chest.

"I'll be fine, but I'll need you to load the weapon. Can you do it?" Paul nodded once as he quickly began to load the grappling hook into the cannon.

~*~*~

"Holy shit!" Rachel shouted as the cannonball flew over the bolt thrower.

"How fucking weird is that?" Brian said incredulously. "I mean, seriously, how often does a bolt get blasted apart mid flight by a cannon ball?" Rachel gave Brian a wide eyed stare as the two began to load the next bolt into the thrower. Jon appeared at the decks below, looking up at Rachel.

"You guys okay?" He shouted. Rachel replied as Brian looked down upon the weapon cranking the wheels preparing it to fire. Rachel turned back to her duty and inspected the cables and looked down upon the trigger aiming the weapon. She lowered her tongue to the side, getting the angle just right before she pulled the lever, launching the bolt into the air with a loud twang. It soared through the air into the midst of chaos as it slammed into the metal pole holding the cannon's door open. It was a perfectly timed shot, as the cannon unloaded blasting the flap open and propelling the cannon back into the metal beasts hull, causing a massive backfire.

"All hands, prepare for grappling maneuvers. Adjust to full spread on all weapons." Came Viola's harsh command. The ships of the line sailed forward around the frigate as Paul grunted in frustration loading the grappling hook. Rachel looked up to him and he gave her a curt nod as she returned it looking back to the weapon. Brian had already placed the smaller rapid firing mechanism onto the bolt thrower, preparing it for rapid fire. She ran towards a small crate, grabbing a clip of shots as she placed it firmly into the harness, loading the weapon with a loud click sound before she placed her hand on the right lever. Brian placed his hand on the right and with a three count the two began to crank the lever with all their might.

Bolts flew outwards in a swarm of teal and brown, their metal tips shooting deep into the metal behemoth's cannon walkways. There was a moment of pause before cannons began to fire on the backwards quadrant, sinking three patrol boats in the salvo. "All hands on my mark, prepare to fire the tow lines!"

The frigate made a sharp turn as Paul swung the cannon on the swivel, aiming it at the deck of the Machiavelli with fierce determination. "INCOMING!" A deck hand shouted. The whistling sound came a moment to late for Rachel, and the upper deck was shattered as a cannon bombarded through. Paul lifted upwards into the air like a puppet, his cloak littered with shards of wood as he free fell down to the deck at Rachel's level. Paul howled in anguish as he rolled onto his side, a large shattered piece of wood stuck through his gut.

"Fucking worthless tools of the heavens be damned..." He shouted in coherently as he seethed in hate and pain. Rachel ran over to him as Brian reloaded the weapon, looking back and seeing Paul upon the ground.

"All hands, fire tow cables!" The sounds of retaliation fire echoed like thunder across the sea as the tow cables launched outwards, slamming through the hull of the Machiavelli or ripping past the cannon holes. The sound of metal groaned in the open sea, like a dragon irritated as nets tore it from the sky. Brian turned to Rachel, shouting over the sound of battle.

"Who is firing ours?" Rachel shrugged looking up, but her unease was put to rest as David stood up, aiming the weapon and lighting the torch as the cannon exploded knocking him off his feet. The grappling hook hit the top portion of the deck, sailing into one of the giant smoke stacks ripping into it.

The metal titan roared as its engines did what it could to pull free, but the weight of all the frigates was just enough to pull it off course away from the Emprean war ships. Paul woozily lifted his head to see the plan working in motion, before he sighed deeply laying back.

"Well, I think I did my job for the day," he said lightly. "I swear Dave and I should get R&R for this."

[Viola Conda]

With the metal behemoth no longer able to add its weight to the sea brawl, it was short working order for the Emprean warships to blow apart the unprepared Black Armada. After the Machiavelli was able to release the hooks and regain control of their ship they rotated to starboard to launch a final volley of defiance into the Emprean lines. It's cannons ripped and shattered all but three frigates, and the last port side salvo sunk two of the war ships with relative ease. Emprean mortar cannons lobbed smoldering cannon shots into the air, which hit the metal deck smashing aside smoke stacks and some even rolling down the steps into the walkways below. The last salvo came from the war catapult, which lobbed huge rocks onto the ship, easily felling the smoke stacks and crushing the upper decks. Beaten, bruised, and with most of its teeth missing the Machiavelli rose the white sails of surrender, and a chorus of cheers erupted into the sky.

Viola Conda looked to her deck with sadness, seeing hundreds of shattered pieces of wood and debris, bodies bleeding badly and torn asunder as the boat limped back to harbor. As was customary in the Emprean Army, the Machiavelli was boarded by her soldiers, and crewed to man the ship while the Black Archipelago sailors were to wait in their own brig for ransom and trades. Viola had ordered Jon and Tabitha to captain the metal titan, while she had Brian return on board and study the schematics and resources to learn more about the metal beast. It had cost Emprea a great deal of rescources, but in the end they were victorious.

The final ceremony of the war games concluded, with Emprea getting the lions share of glory and praise overall. Of the eight nations that participated, it was them that stood tall and proud again. The Chancellor of Emprea called in Viola and the other general's, and presented them with medals of accomplishment. It was a good day for Emprea, and Viola was most proud.

As the festivities began to wind down in the citadels feasting hall however, the large oak doors were slammed open as a large contingent of soldiers and adjutants entered. They all walked with a grace that was legendary of the elven race, and as they filed in with strict military precision they opened the way for four heavily armored retainers that hid behind them a final fifth member of the interuption.

Cries of hatred and racial slurs came from the tables of Black Archipeligo, only to be met with sneers and jibes from the newcomers, and as Viola tried to make sense of it all she was at last given a little insight as the lord stepped out of his protected circle of body guards.

"Congratulations are in order, mighty Emprea. You have done well to win these war games." the man was tall for an elf, his slender frame missing the muscle of a well tuned warrior, but he held a very noble grace with his features. "It must have been so hard to bully around children and defeat them for fame..." he said slyly, his words coated in venom.

Immediate cries of anger rose from the generals of the other nations, most loudly from the Black Armada as they spat and cursed these new warriors. Viola felt her pride stung, her choler rising at the insult to her own tactics and determination to win, and she felt a violent surge of retorts rise to her lips, but one glance at the chancellor calmed her nerves, for she didn't seem in the least perturbed by this sudden stain on Emprean honor.

"These words you speak are mighty big for the nation that has yet to come to a single war game. If memory serves me right you are from Alerar, near the Strait of Malice, correct?" The noble nodded his head once, a vile grin cocking his lips. "The cesspool of degenerates." she added.

This in turn caused the elves to stir in anger, some cursing her in their native tongue and one or two swearing blood feuds. The lord simply laughed at the insult, letting it hit his robes and wash off him with a mild smirk.

"Maybe if your pitiful nation proved to us you were worthy of our attentions, we would have arrived sooner to take that title of Champion from you." Viola was hitting her limit again, and this time even the normally stoic Chancellor was starting to lose her nerve. "But of course, this dance can go on for eternity, so instead I propose this to you. I have come all this way with an army at my back, to challenge the winners of this years war games. Since Black Archipelago embarrassed our part of the world we want the opportunity to avenge that stain."

"Ah, so crawl like a snake into this challenge, and slither your way around the rest of the competition? So like you high king." an admiral of the Black Armada spat in a dark tone. The high king ignored the outburst, lifting up a piece of parchment wrapped in an iron wire binding.

"We have brought all that we need fight, according to the rules. The question is does the famous Emprean army back down from a challenge?" he said with a sinister grin, his tone a honey poison. Viola stood up, lifting her glass of wine and pointing to the high king.

"Emprea has never done such an act so cowardly as you imply. Unlike you we earn our right to fight, but we can take the time to educate you on the field of battle if you desire a whipping lesson." The king smiled showing all his filed teeth to her.

"Than it shall start within the weak, allow my retainer Chandra Dawnspear to smooth the details with your Active Chief Counselor." with that said he turned on his heel, three of the four guards moving with him as the warriors parted out of the hall. The lone warrior of the retainers crew looked to Viola with hateful eyes, and Viola met them with a fierce determination.

"The move is yours." Viola taunted.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

I could take her. Chandra thought as she looked to Viola Conda, the Active Chief Counselor of Emprea.

The two woman were in a small lit room, with monks moving about them muttering how it was very inconsiderate of both parties to arrange a battle of two armies in the citadel with such short notice. But the coins were in the right pockets, and it was arranged for them to fight in the largest arena they had in a weeks time. During that time both armies camped and rested, Emprean soldiers arriving to replace the wounded or pardoned warriors from the war game.

It wasn't until the morning of the game that Chandra was able to meet with Viola to discuss the final details, and arrange the battle about to take place. She sat at the small metal table, folding her legs over each other in her full plate armor, showing her graceful legs with a look of seduction.

"What are you, some cheap whore?" Viola spat, sitting across form her with her own armor on. She looked like an old war horse compared to Chandra, and her comment had to be out of spite.

"Do not be jealous, Chief Counselor," Chandra warned. "It is a show of weakness, and you wouldn't want to start letting me know that you are a weak nation now do you? The counselor is the face of their nation in this beginning meetings, so it is only natural I demonstrate the lethal beauty of my people. Compared to your looks my army seems more civilized, disciplined,"

Viola cut her off with a curt hand motion. "Do you ever plan on shutting up?" Chandra lowered her gaze to a simmering glare, leaning back in her chair as she watched a monk approach the table.

"The mission dossiers are all assembled, each nation is to choose one of the following five, and then the citadel will pick from the two chosen which battle it will be." He said in a low, droll tone as if he had done this speech thousands of times. "As the challenger, the nation of...uh..." Chandra lifted her gaze in insult.

"You don't know my empires name? What loathsome bottom feeding pile of gutter trash gave birth to a whore child like you?" Chandra snided, moving forward in her seat. "I should have your head for the insult upon my people. Your arrogance will not go unpunished you filthy worm." She seethed.

"Tsk tsk," Viola clucked her tongue. "Remember, we are the face of our nations, and we must not show weakness." Chandra fumed at the insult, grunting in frustration as she snatched the portfolios out of the monks hand with blinding speed. She observed each one in kind, and rested her hand upon the fourth mission, pushing it forward onto the table before scooping up the rest and tossing them across the table so they landed in front of Viola.

The human looked to each with a trained eye, looking at the different missions before she lifted up the first mission document and politely handed it to the monk who grabbed the folder Chandra picked. He turned back to his colleagues who in turn read each one before they voted. As they finished their votes the monk returned, dropping the folder that Chandra picked.

"The mission is as follows: The Emprean army is to defend a fortress for a total of one hundred days from siege from the enemy armies. You will be stockpiled with enough supplies to last you for a year, but they will not be replenished once used. Food and water are available with enough supply to last the duration of the battle. However, it will not be replenished either. Apothecaries will not be provided by the citadel. All rescources must be harvested and gained to replenish any loses after the mission begins.

"The winner of the war game is determined by wether or not the Emprean flag still stands in the main chambers. If the flag is fallen, and thus replaced by the enemies colors for one whole day, the Emprean army is declared the losers. Are there any questions?"

Viola cleared her throat. "Fort defenses?" The monk opened to a design sketch of the castle walls. "They are to be set to your own specifications." Viola nodded once motioning for a man in the shadows to appear. He walked forward, keeping a wary eye on Chandra. "Brian, do me a favor and go over these walls and prepare them for siege." Brian nodded once and walked back to the shadows with a monk in tow ready to write down the exact specifications he was about to give him.

"I am to assume that any extra weapons or national treasures will be allowed, similar to Black Armadas prized toy ship?" Chandra asked thinking of her nations secret weapons they arranged to have brought over. The monk nodded once.

"As in accordance you are allowed to bring additional weaponry or national resources to this war game. The game shall begin at seven o'clock in the evening." Viola nodded once standing up and offering her hand. Chandra looked at the hand with disgust before spitting upon it.

"What do you think I am, some weak willed human?" Chandra rose from her chair walking away. "I would no sooner shake your hand than hug a native of Black Archipelago." Viola muttered choice words as Chandra left, her face lifting in a smirk.

[Viola Conda]

“Interesting choice of mission,” Paul mused loudly as Brian dropped of a dossier in front of him. “Interesting circumstances as well.” Brian moved around the circular table placing a file in front of Jon, Rachel, David, and one for himself where he took his seat.

“Study the designs of the castle,” Viola said with all her authority as she paced behind David and Paul slowly. “I want you all to be familiar with the layout. The captain’s are all instructing the soldiers as we speak.” She stopped when she heard the door open as a citadel sanctioned servant entered the room holding a metal tray with cups and two tea pots with vapor coming out the spout. “Ah thank you!” Viola said happily clapping her hands together. The servant smiled and walked away shutting the door behind her.

“So the matter at hand is clearly decide which of us guard which section.” Jon said lightly. Viola nodded pouring herself some tea. Rachel and David reached for cups of their own and followed suit.

“I think our newly appointed Captain of the Guard, David King, should be the one to handle this assignment.” David let out a sigh of mirth as he adjusted himself looking into the papers.

“No worries. I already have a few ideas in mind. This upper section on the right quadrant will be defended with the ballista’s, the other left quadrant by our more accurate Bolt Throwers. The cannon on the top of the redoubt in the center will also make a fine place to command them. Archers can line these upper walls as well for a brilliant advantage point with the best defense they can be given. As such I would recommend Rachel for duty in the redoubt as she is the new Captain of the Archers.”

Viola nodded looking over the designs of the castle. “This won’t be easy, Captain Leona. You’ll need to do a lot of running around and keep the men level headed. Will you be up for the task?” Rachel sipped her tea and nodded with pride. Viola smiled back to her and nodded her head. “Okay then, go on Captain King.”

David cleared his throat lowering his drink. “The left wall and the right wall will be divided in half. As we have such a huge mountain at our backs the main brunt of any assaults will thankfully be full frontal. If they were to try to sneak into the back we would easily gain the upper hand using the redoubts to reposition the troops. As such I only recommend two men to hold the wall. Myself and the Line Officer, 1st class.” Paul’s cheeks turned a little red. He replaced David’s old position when he was promoted and Viola simply laughed pushing Paul.

“Your shyness is unbecoming of you,” she joked. “However this is a very serious job he recommended for you. Do not let him down.” Paul nodded once, the color fading fast as he got serious. “Very well, David, but I have to warn you as Chief Advisor that your placing an immense amount of pressure on only two men. The walls are huge and there is a lot of land the two of you will need to cover. Delegation will only get you so far and half the battle you both will be up to ears in blood. Can you both convince me that you can handle this?” She looked more to Paul than to David.

“With all due respect m’am, as long as there is a weapon in my hand and breath in my lungs and a beat in my heart I will not let the wall fall.” Paul said defiantly. Viola gave Paul a coy smile.

“Very well, Line Officer Donovan. Do not make me regret this.”

“I’ll hold it!” Paul whined. They all gave him a few jibes before Viola lifted her hand to continue the strategy meeting. David took another sip of tea beginning to fix himself another glass.

“This plan allows both Master of the Nighthawks and Captain of the House Knights to be free. I would be ill judged to try and make a plan for them as I am unfamiliar with the way they work. Therefore I leave them in your command, Chief Counselor.” Viola nodded in agreement.

“For the most part, gentlemen, I will have you just help with the defenses of the walls. However be on standby for when the situation calls. We may be able to take a thunderous charge and turn it against them.” Jonothan and Brian both nodded.

“Okay, we have our positions. Now please give me any lists of supplies you need by the night. Tomorrow we begin the wargames at seven at night and I want to make sure we are prepared.”

“Were we able to bring in some of our more advanced armor and weapons?” Rachel said curiously. Paul turned to Viola with excitement. She turned to him with a stern gaze and he melted a bit in his seat. She nodded lifting the corner of her mouth into a small grin.

“Yes, Emperor Horus has deemed this war game the trial run for our advanced suits of armor. Jonothan Andrews, your first and second company of house knights are to granted the honor of trying them out. Captain Leona, the Emprean Bolt Throwers are at your disposal to place along the wall as you see fit. And yes, Paul, your package did come in.”

“About time!” He said happily slapping his hand on the table. “I had asked my parents for it when I left for the war games. I was hoping it wouldn’t get lost in the mail.”

“What is it?” Brian asked.

“My new axes. The old ones were getting dull.” He said indifferently. Viola just rolled her eyes as she looked at her newly appointed officers.

Despite their crude behaivors, or their youth, or their arrogance, they all had proven themselves to her. It was up to her as Chief Counselor to use them to fulfill Emprea’s goals.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

Chandra felt the coldness of the night wind behind her leather armor. She took a sniff at it and recoiled wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Ugh, filthy humans.” she muttered. The ground shook lightly and she turned back her head lifting her hand up palm open. A reptilian snout nuzzled into it before lifting up and licking the air. A soft rumbling escaped from it’s belly and Chandra nodded in agreement.

“I know, Shredder,” Chandra said softly. “It’s a horrid stench, but we just have to endure.” She turned to the men next to her and lifted her hand up in battle sign, signaling for the march to commence. She turned and mounted her heavy weighted beast, patting it on the neck before kicking it’s flanks softly with the heel of her boot. The beast lumbered forward and the earth shook as she approached the other giant war mounts.

“Captain Dawnspear,” a snarl came from her left. She lifted her hand to the side pulling a small hand bow out and released the bolt into the neck of the elf who talked to her. He collapsed off his mount, and the beast backed away. A few murmurs began to fill the air before she silenced it with a glare.

“I am General of this army.” Chandra said loudly. “You will address me and give me the proper respect of my title. Do I make myself clear?” A loud chorus of replies filled her ears and she softly put the weapon back and grinned. “Very good,” she cooed as the mount stomped forward towards the scent of human flesh. “Now that the sun has set we will begin the nightmare. Where are my sorceresses?” A foul wind blew against her back and she turned in her seat to see a small group of woman walk forward.

“We are at your disposal, General.” the leader snarled her filed teeth to her. Chandra just ignored her thinking of a good time to kill her in the heat of battle.

“Make us a fog. Emprea is unaware we have such massive beasts to ride to war on. Their pathetic cavalry will not be able to withstand us. Send in a quarter of the spearmen first, the bowmen can all stand on the hill and fire volleys at the walls. I want you all to make as much noise and cause as much of a distraction as you can.”

“What about breaking in?” a dark elf spoke loudly. “We do not have any battering rams.”

“Idiot!” she shouted. “What do you think you ride? A pony? Each of these beasts weigh near a ton! The combined weight of them should be able to knock down their gates.” She rode her beasts forward and turned to her mages.

“I want you to create us a vortex or a fog or something to make our approach unseen for as long as possible.” The leader bowed low as did the other magi before they turned and left, preparing their spells. Chandra looked back to the empty barren land ahead. “Get the first seven banners ready. If any soldier sees a ladder that has fallen order them to pick it up and keep charging forward. Once we break inside we will need to hit the outer walls to make the panic widespread. We can end this stupid siege in a single battle.”

“Only a quarter of the spearmen are deployed, what of the rest?” another commanding officer asked. Chandra rubbed her chin in thought. She came up with an idea.

“Hags!” She ordered. The sorceresses turned to her with venom in their eyes. “I want you to send off small detachments to the remaining banners. Let’s confuse them. I want them to create some way of black out around the spearmen. Make them think we are hiding something. They will not be able to know which way we come from.” The leader growled a retort, but turned nodding.

“It shall be done.” Chandra kicked her mount forward.

“Then I don’t see any reason to delay this battle further. Sound the warhorns and send the banners forward. With any luck they will make it pass three hundred yards before being obliterated.” she mused riding with her other heavy war beasts.

[Viola Conda]

“HERE THEY COME!” Horns blared in the night sky as the last of the torches were lit. Paul, David and Rachel all broke off from their conversation as the scrambled to their posts. Paul hit the top of the ladder leading down to his section of the wall and slid down with one gloved hand. He landed abruptly and nearly fell as he touched the floor with two fingers and pushing himself forward as he skidded along the top of the wall to the front line.

David stood atop of the ladder for a moment, looking at the scene before him and analyzing what was happening before he slid down the side of a ladder like it was a pole. Soldiers ran to meet up with him as he began to shout out orders.

Rachel was in the main redoubt blasting orders into several communication orbs as she kept her eyes leveled on the mass of troops marching forwards. She lifted up one to her face and shouted a few more commands before running down the right ramp towards the ballista. She pointed as she ordered her men around and soon volleys of bolt thrower fire and arrows flew through the air. The approaching dark elves took a shuddering step before breaking into a frenzied charge with horns blaring and war cries on their lips. The sound of a loud ancient groan echoed in the air as a large boulder flew upwards and slammed down into the mass block of troops scattering their army to the sides where they were picked apart by bow fire and bolt throwers.

After the elves crossed an invisible line Rachel lifted her right and opened her fingers wide. The larger bolts were replaced by stacks of smaller ammunition and the ballista’s began to open fire into the ranks of the enemy troops. The volley wiped out a company of soldiers tripping up the reverse lines as they landed in a heap on the ground with arrows protruding from them.

Another wave of catapult fire lurched heavy boulders into the air and the rear ranks were obliterated in moments trapping in the middle ranks. Panic soon spread wide as the dark elves lost heart in their charge, which made the archer’s next volley all the more deadly as bodies began to tumble upon the ground. Some of the warriors lost their stomachs for the fight trying to retreat making those that wanted to shed blood get caught in the middle of them. Some warriors turned on their own to escape or break through and the confusion it caused made the next volley all the more devastating as it ripped apart the lines.

More trumpets blared as to the east and west large blocks of soldiers began to march forward, and reinforcements marched from the center as well. Rachel cursed ordering the men around her to continue fire on the center line. She ran up to the redoubt shouting into the orbs for changes in the battle plan. The bolt throwers changed targets and the catapults lifted up a large rock into the air that landed upon another rock smashing it to pieces sending shards of granite into the lightly armored warriors killing them just as effectively as if it had landed on them.

A warning horn blared to the right wall and Paul ran over to the edge to see that the enemy was within two hundred yards of approaching. He unsheathed his new blades, each glittering in the night as he ordered his men to their stations. Archers upon his line of the wall fired volley after volley until another warning horn blared behind them. “Cover!” Paul shouted jumping against the wall with other soldiers. Return shots reigned down upon their heads and a few soldiers met their end as black fletched arrows stuck out of them. Paul peaked over the wall and cursed. The dark elf army was only an a hundred warriors.

“Stations!” Paul shouted lifting the soldier near him up and helping another. Those soldiers and other standing soldiers quickly helped everyone to their feet as they scrambled into position. “Prepare for the ladders! Knock them over or break them apart, I don’t care! Not a single dark elf touches this wall, do you hear me?” Paul ordered. A chorus of replies ran along the wall as the elves began their ascension slamming heavy wooden ladders upon the wall. Paul gripped his axes tightly in anticipation.

The battle was only just beginning.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

The horns blared into the night sky as Chandra watched the spearmen before her fall. The Emprean ranged division was reaping heavy tolls upon her footmen, but she expected such casualties. It wasn’t like she needed them to succeed in her plan. She looked towards the Sorceress next to her, watching her cast her spells upon her war horse with the utmost concentration.

“Can you call upon some eldritch energy to rack into their wall mounts?” Chandra asked. The sorceress at first ignored her, her lips moving with un readable words. After a moment her gaze towards her, red energy engulfing her vision.

“I do not presume to tell you how to sacrifice your soldiers in vain. Do not ask me how to use my powers.” she warned. Chandra gave her a nasty look before looking forward. “I’d lift your shields up…” the sorceress said off handedly.

Chandra narrowed her eyes in confusion but it all became clear as a large volley of arrows fell upon them. Dozens of foot soldiers fell on the spot dead, and one of her house knights fell off his mount. He stumbled trying to get back onto his mount, but Chandra urged Shredder forwards stepping on his chest encasing the metal with ease underneath the weight of her mount.

“Prepare to charge on my mark.” Chandra ordered. “We are almost at the gates. Well slam every last one of these terrible beasts into the gate and smash it apart.” she looked up towards the wall.

“What have our spies told of us of their defenses?” Chandra asked to a squire next to her. The lithe woman looked up to her grabbing a small parchment and handing it to her. Chandra looked down upon her with a curious eye, than with a bit of effort offered her hand down to her to mount up. The dark elf looked to her confusedly, but took the hand and mounted up on the beast. If it noticed the change in weight, it gave no notice.

“Your name?” Chandra ordered. The female elf snapped a quick salute.

“Nagaira Eldire.” she replied. Chandra commited the name to memory.

“As of this moment I am making you my chief retainer. Your responsible for keeping me informed, and above all else, to keep me alive. Should you fail in this duty not just you, but your whole house will owe the king a blood debt that will take generations to repay. Do you understand?”

“All too clearly, my lord.” she gave Chandra a small curt look. “But I must ask, why the sudden honor?” Chandra chuckled.

“Because if I am going to have a knife at my back I may as well higher someone to take it for me.” Nagaira nodded once understanding. Many an officer wanted Chandra Dawnspear dead for a number of reasons. Insurance was never a bad thing.

“Two newly appointed officers man the walls. One is named David King, the Captain of the Guard. The other is named Paul Donavon, the line officer of Emprea.” Nagaira lifted her hand around Chandra’s waist seductively as she opened the parchment and running her finger down towards the bottom. “The captain of the archers is some female named Rachel Leona, and her damned expertise rivals that of our own archers. She loves the general of the House Knights, Jonothan Andrews. I suggest full heartedly trying to take one out to upset the other.”

“That goes without saying.” Chandra added off handedly. A wave of arrows nearly impaled them, but Chandra lifted a shield just in time to block one shot from hitting Nagaira in the face. The dark elf leaned close into Chandra’s armor, holding her tightly. “Your first battle, Naga?”

“I regret to say it is.”

“Regret later. When your on the field of battle you only have so much time to make a decision. Looking back on bad ones is not the correct choice.” Nagaira nodded once bringing her chin up to Chandra’s shoulder.

“They have one wild card we can’t account for. Brian McCorvan. He’s the newly appointed master of their assassin corps. We do not know anything about it, but I can only assume it functions like any other human assassin guild. Sloppy, and meant only to get the job done with expendable troops.” Chandra nodded as she looked to her sorceress.

“Very good, Naga,” she whispered. “Now I know of the enemy, tell me of our inner threats.” Naga gave her a confused look. “Whisper it into my ear if you are fearful of rebuke. You are my personal retainer, no harm can come to you if you act in secrecy.” Nagaira took a deep breath and began to nuzzle Chandra’s neck. She was a friendly one, Chandra concluded.

“Our sorceress is assigned to murder you at the earliest convenience. Two lords were also hired to make you disappear. You shot one of them in the face, and trampled the second.”

“I knew of the first one,” Chandra said offhandedly. “but the second was news to me. The sorceress will have to just go.”

“May I suggest something, my lord?” Nagaira looked forward and squeaked loudly hiding behind Chandra’s armor again as a spear from the wall nearly took her head off. It bounded off the pauldron harmlessly and Chandra paid it no heed.

“Speak quickly, Naga, we are a few scant paces from the enemy gate.” Nagaira slithered back to Chandra’s ear. Her hands moved across her stomach in a loving way. “May I ask why you are feeling your commanding officer and personal lord up?” Chandra chastised her giving her a death glare.

“It’s how I deal with stress,” she whispered. Chandra rolled her eyes. “And…Another time for other talks. The sorceress’ convent is currently in a bad standing with one of the noble houses. They killed one of their daughters in a freak accident and it was all the king could do to prevent them from holding a just blood feud on their order. This same house happens to have just lost a blood feud with you.”

“Me?” Chandra blurted incredulously. “What the hell could I have done?”

“Well, it goes back to the whole failure at Black Archipeligo…One of the Lords of the fleet was their son…you sank his ship first.” Chandra rolled her eyes.

“If I only had the proper information…” Chandra seethed as she looked to the Sorceress. She began to feel the gears in her head twirl. “I see…They hired the convent to take me out since the King brought me in as his personal retainer. The convent wouldn’t have a choice but accept the mission to clear their debt, and the house gets to avenge the death of their son in the blood feud that was forced to end by the King’s protection. Yet I still don’t see how this could be an advantage.”

Nagaira nuzzled Chandra’s cheek. “One of the lords back at the main base happens to be the master of the house. He’s here, in person. Should he…dissapear,” she implied. Chandra nodded with a sly grin on her face.

“I like you, Naga. You think quickly of solutions to solve my problems.” Nagaira smiled.

“Anything for my lord and master.” she whispered softly into her ear. Chandra elbowed her back away from her.

“The battle is about to be met, prepare yourself and do not die. I don’t have the money to repay your loss to your family.” Chandra said as she lifted her horn and sounded the charge.

[Viola Conda]

“Enemy ladders!” A soldier cried. Paul and a few other squad members ran forward holding up their weapons a loft. As they hit the wall they began to push with all their might to knock the enemy boarding planks over. It was hard to shift it with so many warriors scampering up, and soon they would breach the wall.

Paul looked to his warriors with an expectant eye. Most looked back confused as to what to expect, and thinking quickly he took his axes and slammed them into the ground. He jumped to the side and slammed the axe again marking the stone. He repeated this a few more times. Then with a bellow he pointed out to the enemy horde.

“NOT A SINGLE FILTHY ELF CROSSES THIS LINE, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?” The soldiers all shouted their reply, and the spearmen ran forward to the ladders preparing to knock who ever popped over back down. Paul ran forward shoulder tackling an elf back down into the abyss of blackness, his screams echoing as his fall.

A spear nearly took his right eye out, but he managed to roll away and pull back preparing his axes. When the head crowned the top he slammed his weapon down biting deep into his helmet creating a sickly thunk sound. It collapsed upon the ground, taking one surprised dark elf with him. They managed to keep the elves from driving past the top of the wall and Paul smiled as his soldiers began a rhythm of defense.

A warning horn blared as arrows fell down upon them and a few of his men were hit hard and collapsed to the ground drawing up their last breaths. A few of them had arrows sticking out from them, but they stood up and continued to fight. Paul lifted his head up and slammed into a dark elf knocking it back out of the inner wall area. Two elves tried their best to pull him out over the wall, but four Emprean soldiers grabbed their commanding officer and pulled him back over.

Thanking them each in turn he looked to the other half of the wall. “Wonder how David’s doing.” Paul wondered.

~*~*~

“I’m not doing to well here, Rachel. I need more archer support. I can’t see where the hell they are coming from!” David shouted into his communication orb. So far no elf had manage to cross over the top of the wall, but they were getting larger and larger in number and bringing more and more ladders.

“I can’t spare any archers for at least five more minutes. There is a strange grey fog heading towards the main gate and I want to concentrate on that.” David cursed but kept his cool.

“Very well Rach, just send them when you can.” He moved forward with blade in hand helping out along the wall here and there, but for the most part his men were doing their jobs with remarkable ease. The only problem was he wasn’t sure they could keep it up. More and more spearmen kept appearing, and as more appeared, more would bring in ladders and grappling hooks. The ladders were easy to spot, the hooks were harder in the confusion.

“Captain King, give me a status report on Captain Donovan.” Viola’s voice sounded over his communication orb. David lifted the orb thumbing Paul’s rune on the handle and held it up to his ear and listened. It sounded like Rachel’s voice in the distance. He thumbed Viola’s rune.

“As far as I can see he’s holding his side of the wall. He forgot his communication orb in the redoubt it sounds like.” David replied.

“That idiot.” Viola breathed. “How the hell can he hold the wall without knowing what everyone else is doing?” David cleared his throat.

“With all due respect mam, we are holding a wall. He has enough on his plate that the extra chatter will only confuse him.”

“And you recommended him for this position for what reason?” Viola said tersely. David just grinned.

“Because the knuckle head is too damned stubborn to let it fall.” Viola’s sigh was heard clear as day. “Do not worry, Commander. I’m keeping an eye on him, and it’s not like Rachel isn’t right there to inform me if there is trouble.”

“I suppose,” Viola sighed unconvinced. “Keep up the work, Captain King.” Viola’s orb seemed to loose light signaling she was no longer talking to it. David lowered his orb and looked to the wall.

“COME ON GUYS!” He shouted running and chopping a grappling hook off the stonework. “Look for anything!” His men responded as one as they continued their work. He looked to the redoubt. “Come on Rachel…I need some support.”

~*~*~

“For the love of god, what is in that stupid fog!” Rachel shouted as her bolt throwers released another wave of arrows into the darkness. “No other part of the field has such dense fog, so this has to be a trick on the elves part.” She looked towards the other sections of the walls. David was running back and forth helping his men hold off an increasing number of warriors. She turned to Paul and noticed his side was starting to get overwhelmed as well.

“Commander?” Rachel asked picking up an orb.

“What is it, Captain Leona?” Viola responded quickly.

“The enemy is about to overwhelm the wall. To many numbers of warriors. I need to pull back the middle and support the sides.” Viola remained quiet for a moment.

“Understood.” she said at last. “Thanks for the support. Hopefully whatever the hell is under that curtain of darkness is thinned out.”

“Rachel, this is David again. I don’t mean to be a nuisance, but those archers are already two minutes late!” David said assuredly. Something began to slam on the door to the redoubt. One of her archers opened the observation hole. A lone Emprean solider from Paul’s portion of the wall stood at attention.

“Commander Donovan requests archer support anytime you can spare it.” Rachel growled her frustration picking up Paul’s communication orb.

“Tell that idiot not to leave his shit lying around!” She tossed it to the archer, who handed it the soldier. “And also tell him he’s going to get support soon.” She looked at the formation charts in front of her.

“Dagger and Sword, both of you pull back towards the left quadrant. Tiger and Lion, pull back into the right. Support the wall, that is your new orders.” She shouted to the squad captains. They saluted once and ran back down a set of stairs to give off their orders. Rachel lifted her orb of communication to Paul and David.

“Both of you shut up about reinforcements! They are already on the way. And in case your wondering it’s all I have to spare so don’t ask for more!”

Silence filled the room.

“Right, Captain Leona.” Viola’s voice said half amused. “Although next time you wish to shout at someone make sure it’s not your chief counselor, okay Captain?” Rachel’s face turned bright red.

~*~*~

Viola lowered the orb and looked to Jonothan with a soft smile. He was just laughing to himself after the exchange.

“Fire cracker, isn’t she?” she mused. Jonothan nodded. “Alright, well now is the time to prepare our main defenses.” Before Jonothan could respond a loud sound of thunder echoed in the hall and the gate shook violently.

“A battering ram?” Jonothan asked in a shakey tone, unsure if that was the cause.

“No…that was too…sporadic…” Viola looked to the gate and her heart jumped as another thundering crash hit the gate. This time the wood began to splinter. “All men, to battle stations! House Knights, form up on your captain! Move, move, move!” Viola shouted.

The battle was now beginning in earnest.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

Chandra felt Nagaira’s breath on her neck as the retainer trembled in fear. Shredder was running at full trot and it leapt into the air slamming into the wall with its huge bulk. The wood splintered some more and the beast woozily tumbled out of the way as the other house Knights followed suit.

“It’s nearly broken, are you sure you’ll be okay?” Chandra whispered to Nagaira. The woman nodded once as her hand met with the inside of Chandra’s thigh.

“Can…can I stay by you?” she asked fearfully. Chandra rolled her eyes. Had she not just been so helpful in solving a major problem she would have killed the girl herself. But her usefulness far outweighed her cowardice and the woman was now a retainer. If she died in service to her master, Chandra would be bound by blood to repay her loss to her family. She was short of coins, and she didn’t feel like giving up blood to repay the debt. Dark elf society was so damned inconvenient at times.

“Just stay out of my way,” she reached for her side satchel and nuzzled Nagaira back. The woman had very soft skin. “Inside this satchel is the scent of this beast. Wear it, or he’ll hunt you when the blood starts to loose.” Nagaira grabbed the vial and popped the cork with her teeth. She dabbed a bit on her wrists and on her neck like a perfume and then corked the vial dropping it back into her pack.

“Ready when you are.” Nagaira said holding her master tightly around the waist. Chandra’s nose flinched at the hideous smell of her beast on Nagaira’s flesh. Before she could comment on it the gate made a large crashing sound as it was nearly thrashed open.

“Hold tightly, Naga.” she said kicking the flanks of her beast into an earth quaking run. All the house knights seemed to converge as one and with a last final desperate jump the beasts knocked the gate down. In the process some flopped onto the ground as Knights fell out of their saddles, beasts tripping over each other.

Chandra fought with the reins on Shredder to keep the beast at bay. A human war shout came from ahead of them, and with a kick to her beast it was off again. The two armies met and the thunderous charge of the lizard beasts easily swept the armored bulk of the Emprean warriors aside. Lances shattered and tore into the Emprean knights knocking them aside or killing them on the spot as the war beasts continued to charge forwards.

Nagaira gripped Chandra tightly, her head tucked deeply into between her lord’s shoulder blades as she fearfully hid from battle. Chandra lifted up from the side a giant double headed axe and let loose a war cry rearing up to her full seated height. Nagaira masterfully knew when to release her grip to allow Chandra her full motion of fighting. Shredder leapt up and pounced one soldier to the ground, his jaws ripping and rending the face mask apart with ease in his titanic mouth. The human screamed in agony as Chandra laughed wildly thrusting her weapon to the side in a double handed swing hitting a warrior in the neck plate. The weapon dug deep and though it never broke the sin the impact was able to snap the neck.

She looked upwards to the upper portions of the wall, looking around at the inner workings of the fort. Directly above her and a few steps to the right was a spiral stone stair case that would lead them up to redoubt. If she broke in there the walls would fall within moments. Like a tide of ants the fort would be overrun and the entire battle would be over. She wet her lips in anticipation.

She urged her mount forwards and onwards as a few other house knights managed to keep up her pace. Nagaira softly lifted her head and looked behind her. “My lord, the bulk of forces are back there. Should we not charge with all of them?” Chandra shook her head.

“Time is our master now,” she said getting closer to the stair case. “The more we hesitate, the more time we give to the enemy.” She pointed with her huge axe at the staircase, and her surrounding men all nodded in agreement. As one they all turned to the stair case and the beast roared a challenge as Shredder’s jaws snapped in agitation. It began to skid to a stop, despite Chandra’s urges to keep it moving, and confused she looked to the staircase.

Upon the stonework stairs were five heavily armored men, each the size of a small tree in girth. Their metal plates were made of seemingly fine polished titanium and each held a halberd in their hand blocking passage. She looked to her right and found ten more of the heavily armored warriors moving forwards as one with weapons held ready. Behind them were heavy war horses with mounted cavalry waiting to charge. Chandra pulled back on her reigns to mount a retreat only to find the chief counselor herself sitting upon a warhorse with crossbow trained. Two metal warriors stood before her to block Chandra’s passage to reaching her.

“So, Emprea has new suits of armor.” she looked to them before leaning back in her seat against Nagaira. The frail elf held her tightly. “Hunt, Shredder.” she said casually.

With a massive war cry the beast lurched into life. Her fellow dark elves all ordered their beasts to hunt as well and they roared in challenge smelling the fresh horse meat in the air. They moved like pack wolves, Shredder and another lizard beast running side by side. The metal warriors prepared themselves, but no amount of Emprean training could prepare them for the hidden agility the beasts had. They leapt up and onto the shoulders of the armored bulks, snapping at the their visors and trying to rip their throats out. Annoyingly the armor wasn’t affected by the bulk of the beasts.

Chandra lifted her axe up and swung for Viola’s head, hoping to take it in one swoop of her blade. A fallen knight lifted his weapon in time to throw the blade off course allowing her to fire back in retaliation. Chandra’s eyes widened in horror and she flinched lifting a hand up to shield her face. Shredder made a lurching movement and reared his head up getting hit in the side of the shoulder by the bolt. It didn’t seem to notice. All it cared about was the food the armor was preventing it from having.

Chandra kicked her mount forwards, and the beast stubbornly refused. “Shredder, up. Up Shredder!” she challenged pulling with all her might. The Emprean cavalry charged forward with weapons held at the ready. “SHREDDER MOVE YOUR FAT ASS NOW!” the beast lazily looked up, saw the charge coming, and panicked scampering away like a frightened dog. The other lizard beasts looked to the cowardice and snarled, before being hit from behind by spears and horse bulk. It took several horses just to knock one beast down, but the Emprean army was doing it.

Chandra’s war mount moved swiftly down the corridors as more and more house knights entered the fray from both sides. She regrettably pulled up her horn, and tooted it twice with short sharp blasts. Her house knights reared back on the reigns of their mounts and began to make for the exit. As she looked around she began to notice the Emprean archers joined in the slaughter as arrows with red and blue fletching hounded into the Dark Elf army. Shredder received multiple hits, but the beasts thick hide made it nothing more than an annoying bee sting if it even felt anything at all.

The sound of thundering hooves echoed behind her and she cursed as she watched the Emprean House knights charge forward with all the bravado of legend. More of her house knights were taken down with their mounts, one soldier being impaled off his mount and dragged onto the ground. In death the elf pulled the rider with him and tried to stab a short dagger into the human’s eye.

After she reached the outside she heard the general sound of retreat. She turned to the walls and noticed that one side was un able to even mount an effective offense. The other side still had soldiers nearly crossing over the wall, and only by some stubborn human’s lunatic ranting did his warriors keep them moving in. Under the cloak of the fog of darkness again the enemy shots became less accurate. Chandra looked around and found the sorceress looking to her. She urged her beast forward.

“Whatever I say, play along.” Chandra whispered to her retainer. She nuzzled her neck in response. when the two met the sorceress looked to her with amused eyes.

“Running away, commander? Sound strategy.” she chided. Chandra ignored the implied insult.

“Your life is in danger sorceress.” Chandra said darkly. “House Malus has looked to try and kill you and me in this battle.” The sorceress’ eyes widened.

“But…why would any house try to kill a sorceress.” the woman asked curiously.

“Because this certain sorceress killed one of their daughters.” the woman gulped deeply. “They tried to have someone assassinate me as well inside those walls. Make it seem like an accident. We have been had by the traitor in our midst. Tonight could have been a brilliant victory for our nation had not the petty squabbling of House Malus interfered.”

“You are so clever,” Nagaira said in barely half a whisper into her lord’s ear, breathing ever so softly as she gently rubbed Chandra’s thigh. The dark elf suppressed a smile.

“What proof do you have of all this?” the sorceress asked.

“I have the proof. I overheard him talking in his tent. He wanted both you and my lord, Chandra, dead.” The sorceress thought it over. “Okay, let us go together then. We’ll need to both be on guard until we can reach summons with the king.” Chandra nodded as she spurred her mount onwards. The war horse of the sorceress whinnied loudly as it galloped next to the beast to keep up.

“Okay,” Chandra said smoothly. “That didn’t go according to plan, but…” she looked to the wall that was nearly overrun one last time. “I think I have a new one to use.” she leaned back into Nagaira thinking it over in her head. Nagaira only lifted her hand up to run her fingers through her lord’s hair.

[Viola Conda]

Viola’s breath let out as one sigh as she heard the door shut behind the servant. She looked to each of her captains and then sat at the table pouring herself some tea. Rachel and David were both next as Paul and Jonothan poured a glass of hot water and preparing to insert chocolate into it.

The sunrays were a dimmed grey as the morning was rather overcast and cold. The previous nights battle left them only six hours to sleep before getting up to attend the rest of the days duties. She wiped her eyes before sitting back in her chair.

“I’m not happy.” Viola said darkly. Nobody made a move as they looked to their glasses. “Last night we were almost single-handedly defeated in one foul swoop. Had we not been given the Cyclop armor from home we most assuredly would have been defeated.” she looked down upon her notes.

“Captain Donovan,” Viola said with all the authority she could muster. “Why the hell did you think it necessary to forget your communication orb in the middle of a battle?” she looked to her captain of the first line, who only looked into his glass of hot coco. “Staring into the cup is not going to give you mysterious answers. You will look at your commanding officer when she addresses you.” she said more sternly.

Paul looked to her with a small bit of fear, but he let out a long sigh washing it all away. “No excuse commander. I forgot it.” Paul said in a defeated tone.

“David has placed a great deal of trust in you, captain. I had thought that warranted a bit more professionalism in you considering how every other Emprean officer has advised against such an action.” Paul looked up to her with shock. “Yes, that is correct captain Donovan, nobody thinks you can hold the wall. Congratulations on making me look bad and discrediting your friend David.” Paul clenched his fists tightly.

“No offense, Captain, but the wall still stands. No Dark Elves crossed the line, and we didn’t cross over the expected casualty rate. I think despite that one mistake, I upheld my duty to you and my promise to David.”

“And that is probably the only reason I’m not pulling you off the wall. It’s no secret, however, that if the enemy hadn’t retreated you would have been overrun. So don’t take your victory lightly.”

“I never presumed to have.” Paul muttered. Viola slammed her drink on the table.

“Do you ever learn when to shut you mouth, Captain?” Viola said in a challenging tone. “In case you missed this part of officer academy when I speak YOU SHUT UP!” Paul flinched at her tone and gave her a nasty look. Viola sighed looking to the rest in the room. Nobody seemed to challenge her point, but all their faces held the same concern.

“I’m sorry,” Viola said lightly regaining her composure. “Captain Donovan I never assumed you took your position lightly. Please in the future refrain from making costly mistakes like forgetting your communication orb. Do you understand?”

Paul nodded to her. “Understood Chief Counselor.” he relaxed a bit in his chair.

“As further punishment for your mistake, you will be the officer’s kitchen cook tonight. I hope you make a good pot of pasta, cause that’s what I am in the mood for.” a soft chuckle escaped some of there lips as Paul just looked to her with a blank expression.

“Very well, counselor. Thank you.” Paul said in a half hearted tone. Kitchen duty was not the most exciting thing in the world for an officer.

With a long sigh Viola sipped her drink and yawned. “Excuse me,” she said dismissively. “Aside from the blunder I am pleased to report for the most part everyone did their job, but we have to be more careful. The gate was breached and while we have engineers repairing it as well as reinforcing it we now have a new threat to assess. Those war mounts are huge and it takes several knights to take one down.”

“I found it easy to bring a beast down if you can land your weapon just underneath the throat. The flesh is rather soft there and it seems to hit the beasts lung or heart. Either way it doesn’t live much after that.” Jonothan said in a casual manner. “Problem is, you’ll lose your weapon that way.”

“Well, good to know if that situation arises. We don’t have any way to counter their magi, so I’m now open to ideas.” Brian looked at a few notes he had on the battle, and flipping quickly he pulled one up to the front.

“The enemy spell casters are lightly armored. I suggest we set up night hawk sharp shooters in the fort windows and along the wall. They will have the primary objective of scoping out and searching for the enemy spell casters or other lightly armored command units. We have a stock of poison tipped light arrows for distance. Should one even graze their flesh it should be enough. Worthless against armor though…” he added.

“Hmm, Captain Leona, do you happen to have any spare archers to assist in this?” Viola asked. Rachel shrugged.

“I got a few I think I can spare.” Brian looked to her from down the table.

“That’s really all we need.” Rachel nodded.

“I’ll send them to you today for drilling and training.” Rachel took a sip of her tea. “Yum.” she breathed. Viola looked at the rest of her notes.

“Okay then. We’ll implement that strategy and in the meantime we carry on as normal.” She looked to each warrior at the table. She stopped at David. “Do you have anything to add?”

“Not to much,” he said calmly. “I just noticed that the enemy is capable to swiftly climbing those ladders. Paul wasn’t the only officer feeling their breath down our necks. What we need is someway to easily knock their ladders aside.”

“Use a stick.” Paul said looking to Jonothan. The two gave each other one look before he nodded understanding what he meant.

“Oh yeah, just go to the wood smith and have him cut out a four foot or so pole with a Y shape at the end. When a ladder surfaces you can place the Y end on the rung and use the leverage to push aside. Get four or so soldiers and shouldn’t take long. It’s not fool proof, but it will at least keep the amount of climbing soldiers at a more manageable size.” David looked to Paul.

“A stick?” he said a little confused.

“Yeah…I got the idea from you.” Paul said sheepishly. David thought about it for a moment.

“That’s right,” he said with a smirk. “I used a stick to push you away from me so I could win that silly carnival game.” he said remembering the memories with fondness. Viola looked to her commanding officers.

“Sticks.” she said as if this was obvious. “Emprea’s best line of defense will be a stick.” she shook her head. “You guys are insane.”

“Yeah, but you know you love us!” Paul said slyly. Viola gave him a dark look. He quickly went back to being more serious.

“Dismissed.” she said lightly. They all shuffled out in order. She looked as the last of them shut the door before she began her next strategy meeting with her more senior staff. “I guess it is a little endearing.” she admitted smiling to herself.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

The inner chamber tent to the royal king of the Dark Elves was about the size of a large circus big top. Inside were many sub tents with guards posted at checkpoints to prevent anyone from getting close to their liege. Any society based on so must mistrust and backstabbing had eventually given call to the king to demand that every noble house give up their first child to him. The castle would teach and train this cretin to love their king first and anything else second. Being stripped from birth so young the child had no political ties to their family. And so that problem was solved.

Chandra had one glaring problem. She had just arrived within the camp when six large war lizards rode up to meet her and escort her immediately to the king. He was not happy with her and demanded an explanation. Her retainer kept a firm hand on the bow at the side of the saddle, one hand mixing in with Chandra’s hand as the two locked fingers.

“You still need to explain to me my why you are so forward with me.” Chandra whispered leaning against her.

“When I’m nervous or scared I find it comforting to fondle another being. It helps take my mind off the anxiety and focus more on the…sensual touch.” Nagaira whispered back. “That and I am enthralled with you as well.”

“Oh?” Chandra lifted one eyebrow.

“Yes, my lord. I am very much a follower of your works. I alone seem to be the only elf who understands the folly that became of you failure at Black Isle. You were not given the proper information, for had you such information you would have easily countered the threat of the pirates.”

“Great, I have my own personal cult follower.” Nagaira giggled nuzzling her lord’s neck.

“Just take comfort in knowing I serve you whole heartedly.” Chandra lifted a single hand and rubbed her gauntlet gently across her retainer’s cheek.

“Very well,” she mused. “I have a bit of web weaving to perform in the king’s court. No matter what play your part and do not fail me. I will only have one way to reward you, but I feel It should be adequate to your tastes…” she implied winking to her. Nagaira looked to her confused, before she caught on.

“Yes my lord!” she said sharply sitting up. “Anything my lord desires.” Chandra nodded in satisfaction.

They approached the tent and Chandra felt a chill wind breeze behind her. She cocked her head back to see the sorceress step in line next to her. The two exchanged hostile glances, but with a soft nod Chandra motioned her forward. The woman approached the guards and they looked to her nervously.

“The king has not asked a meeting with you, my lady.” one said sheepishly. The sorceress let her teeth flare.

“There was something that happened on the field of battle that our king must be privy to. Don’t be the only imbecile to prevent my path to alert him of something important.” The guards looked to each other and took a step back. Chandra stepped forward dropping off all her weapons and removing her armor. It was customary that if anyone were to be allowed an audience with the king they must be in plain clothing. If any treachery was detected nearby archers would not have to worry about not piercing the flesh.

Nagaira was next and she lowered several daggers before removing her leather armor and placing it gently on the table. Chandra held one hand out to the side and her retainer gripped it tightly moving in line behind her. They approached the second barrier of the tent and they waited patiently for the warlocks to perform some magical binding spells on the sorceress so she would not be able to use her magic in the kings presence.

After they finished they passed into the third and final barrier. There they were looked upon by the eyes of an ebony statue. It was the dark eleven god of deceit. The statue is said to look upon a persons soul and if any deceit was found in them her eyes would flare red and the guards were to kill them. This posed the very natural problem of the fact that all dark elves were full of deceit. Chandra later learned that the dark mother only judged to see if the elf in question was deceitful to their lords life.

She grinned bowing to the statue. She was planning on being deceitful, but not to her king…at the moment she figured anyway.

They entered the royal chamber and his entire group of personal hand picked retainers. Amongst them was the captain of the guard, the lord of the assassins clan, the high mistress of the convent, and a few guild members of the trade houses. Chandra was the only retainer to the king that didn’t pick from a powerful noble house. No, he picked her for different reasons that had been a result of her failure at the Black Archipelago.

Nagaira gripped her lord’s fingers tightly retreating behind her trying desperately to stay in her shadow. The sorceress stood fully erect in front of her king not showing any signs of weakness despite she had her magic suppressed. Chandra looked to the other members of the war hosts council. Many men and women she had worked with before, and their scowls weren’t lost to her. She returned every dirty look before bowing low to her king. It was a tad bit difficult with Nagaira standing behind her, but she managed it anyway.

“Failure.” The king said in a deep voice. “That makes…what? Twice now?” he lifted two fingers just to be sure.

“I can explain.” Chandra said softly. The king knocked his wine glass off his wooden throne in rage.

“YOU CAN ALWAYS EXPLAIN YOUR FAILURES, WHORE CHILD!” he took in a deep breath. Nagaira’s hand gripped Chandra’s tightly. “What I have yet to hear is you explain your victories.” he said far calmer than before. He looked around him and then to the sorceress. “What is your excuse?” he spat.

Chandra bowed low to her lord and master stepping forward. “I have brought with me the high sorceress of the magi sent with us. The plan, my lord, went off without any failures. We breached their main gate and nearly took one of their walls. Victory was in our grasps.”

“Yet it all slid away like water through your fingertips.” the king interrupted holding his hand out for another glass of wine. “Get to the point, Dawnspear.”

“Thank you, my lord. You see when I was storming up to the redoubt to disrupt their ranged support when I had learned a knife or elven design nearly clip my shoulder. If not for my personal retainer, Nagaira Eldire, I would have most assuredly been killed.”

“That fearful wretch of cowardice?” the king spat. “She looks no better to serve you than to serve as a chamber pot!” Nagaira gripped Chandra’s hand even tighter.

“Yes, fear motivates her actions my lord, and trust me, she knows as a personal retainer that should I die, her family would be the ones to repay the debt to you. That fear far outweighed any other fear battle could bring her.” The king thought it over. He nodded motioning for her to continue. “We had found the hidden agent in the house knights, retreating towards the main gate. I had noticed we were broken off from the main army, most of the house knights were fighting the Emprean Knights behind us, when the Emprean Chief Counselor looked upon us with such disdain. She had mentioned that one of our own had tipped her off and offered my head to her in exchange for a retreat back with the forces. I barely escaped with my life.” Chandra lied.

“You naturally escaped that narrow noose.” The king said. “So why does the sorceress need be here?”

The sorceress cleared her throat placing her arms under her breasts. “Because there is another part to this story. In this courtroom of the king, I am not going to hide the fact that one member of this council has reasons to hate the Chandra Dawnspear more than any one else.” Her eyes turned to Lord Malus with disdain. “If not for your merciful intervention, my king, he would have had his way.”

“I object to any tarnish on my houses name!” the lord shouted standing up.

“Selhir, sit down!” The king shouted. Lord Malus glared at the two and Chandra only snarled her teeth back.

“What she claims is true, my lord.” The sorceress continued. “A lone house knight rode out on his war mount blaring the retreat horn. The confusion it created broke apart all discipline as the house knights fought to turn about and retreat. As the horns blared their retreat Chandra Dawnspears carefully laid plan was falling apart. Of course, without me she wouldn’t be able to have any creditable sources to alert you your majesty that one of the houses was bringing ignorance and petty grudges to the field of battle. A crime we all know is punishable by death and the destruction of a houses name and status.”

“A serious accusation.” The king agreed.

“So naturally the House would have to dispose of anyone else who happened to be witness to her claims. Again, it is no secret in this court that the house Malus has reasons to despise the council. My lord, once again only your generosity and wisdom possessed the foresight to not allow Lord Selhir Malus his due. So how would he be able to get back his revenge unless he were to literally kill two birds with one stone. Then he avenged both his blood feuds to his son and daughter’s deaths. Of course, he would also in the process scoff your authority…”

“And make you a fool…” Chandra finished. The king glared at Lord Malus.

“An attempt on my life shortly followed and if not for Chandra’s intervention a sorceress of the convent would have been slain.” She lifted her skirt and pulled out a long silken deep purple sash. “I pulled this from his waist before we rode off. This is the same house color of Lord Malus, is it not?”

All eyes turned to Selhir as he turned ghost white. His black eyes trembled in fear as his fists bawled tightly before he pointed an accusing finger at Chandra.

“This is all a trick! Chandra Dawnspear must have organized this! There is no way that this sorceress’ life was in danger! That would have been foolish!” The high mistress of the convent looked to Lord Malus with murderous eyes.

“No, not if you maid a pact with the convent. But it sounds like you not only wanted to make a fool of the king, but the convent as well.” She turned to her king. “My lord, I was personally assigned to oversee a deal between the convent and Lord Malus. He wanted one person assassinated without your knowledge, and that was to be left with the high sorceress to know. As we have learned, that was Chandra Dawnspear.”

“YOU BITCH!” Selhir cried out. “You were not to tell a soul of the deal!” he pointed to her with a quaking finger.

“The deal was over when you sent an assassin to kill the sorceress.” The lord of the assassin clan stated with a calm manner. “Though you chose to make a deal with the convent, the rules of assassination still apply. No noble may assassinate the kings personal retainers. You knew the convent owed you for the death of your daughter Selhir, so you had them perform the action instead. Then, to cover any traces you were going to kill the sorceress as well. This contract was nullified when it was revealed you were trying to assassinate Chandra Dawnspear, the King’s retainer.”

Malus looked to the sorceress than to Chandra. Overcome with rage he leapt out of his seat and dashed towards her screaming wildly. Before he even made it half way to her the high mistress immolated the man on the spot with a powerful bolt of magic. Everyone froze before the wrath of the high mistress.

Eventually the king stood up.

“Very well then. Due to house Malus’ meddling a very important operation of this war was thwarted. For enacting assassination in a warzone House Malus will be disbanded, all their possession given to the king and his retainers and the nobles all stripped of titles and made into servants as per the laws of war. Any who oppose?” The council remained silent. “I didn’t think so.”

He looked up to Chandra with a fatherly smile. “Very well. You performed a very important deed for me, Chandra. You saved my honor from being stained as well as the life of a sorceress of the convent. You may ask one thing of me in my gratitude to you.”

“My thanks your lordship, but all I ask is one request of the convent.” Both lords of the court glanced to each other before the king turned to back to Chandra. The high mistress stepped forward looking Chandra square in the eyes.

“What did you want, little one?” she asked carefully.

“I wish to make this sorceress my personal retainer.” A few cries of outrage filled the air and the sorceress turned to Chandra with a baleful eye. “She has proven to not just save my life, but above all else your honor as well my lord.”

The high mistress thought this over before turning to her king and nodding. “I see no harm in that. Yasami, you are now Chandra Dawnspears. Serve her as you would serve me in all things.” There was soft yelp of frustration before Yasami bowed low holding it as she breathed heavily.

“And now to the next port of call. What do we do next?” the king asked turning and sitting back in his chair motioning for a servant to grab three more for Chandra and her retainers.

“You are so clever…” Nagaira whispered to her lord’s ear running a hand down her back. Chandra just smiled vilely.

[Viola Conda]

Three weeks have elapsed. Nine weeks remain

“Ah shit, grab the pole arm and push that ladder over!” Paul ordered as his section of the wall was hit again.

“Again?” Viola’s voice shouted over the communication orb. Paul had learned to leave it clipped to him at all times.

“Yes, again Counselor! I need back up once more, this host is bigger than the last!” Paul moved forward taking his axe and beheading a dark elf and watching him fall to the ground below.

“I’ve already ordered David to send you four squads.” Paul took another look over the wall before hiding a from a volley of arrows.

“I’ll need at least two more.” Paul said looking to his men and making battle signs with his free hand to give them orders.

“You get four,” Viola repeated sternly. “Make due, Captain Donovan.” the light went out. He thumbed the rune of general communication. He heard many officers making orders as well as Rachel’s voice calling out to the knight hawk snipers. So far the enemy sorceress had stopped revealing themselves and hid in their fog, making it impossible for anyone to guess how many were coming until it was too late. Not to mention there magic was seeming to focus on Paul’s portion of the wall. Casualties were appalling and Viola was getting more and more short tempered with his command.

His only saving grace lately was the fact that his section of the wall was being hit harder and harder. It felt like someone knew that he was the weak link in the army. This revelation only redoubled his efforts and he began to take more double shifts to watch the wall. His few times spent off the wall was inside the crook of his arms in mess hall or in the officers club. He even fell asleep on a chess board right in the middle of an intense game of chess between Jonothan and David. They weren’t to happy with him about that.

This eventually led to him becoming too exhausted and the enemy actually crossed his fading line he made with his axes on the eve of the first night. Fourteen soldiers actually made it to the redoubt doors. Though they were swiftly slaughtered by bow fire the principle remained the same. Viola gave him an ear full for that. He was getting more and more fed up with her, and the two butted heads only once. His temper toed a dangerous line and he was stuck in solitary confinement for twenty four hours with nothing but a book on officers conduct to read.

Despite all that Viola insisted to keep Paul upon the wall. She continued to ask David his feelings, and each time he honestly told her Paul could hold the wall. It was a war game after all, in the end this would be a chance to really let Paul prove his worth. Lately he slept in the redoubt on a cot so that if the enemy made a move he would be on his section of the wall within minutes. Rachel had twice yelled at him to sleep somewhere else, but each time he just took his cot and slept outside the door. He would be damned if he couldn’t prove his worth.

“Paul?” David called out on the orb. “Did you look out to the other side of your wall, dude?” Paul groaned as he ran to the front facing portion of the wall. Another fog of darkness hid a massed unit of warriors coming, but a large weapon that no fog could hide was being towed forward. It was shaped like a giant battering ram.

“AW FUCK! WALL SMASHERS!” Paul thumbed his orb on Rachel’s rune. “I need incendiary bolts! They are tugging a battering ram over the size of a dragon!”

“WHAT?” Rachel shouted.

“Battering ram, big one, must have broken down some trees in the forest for it! Come on, I need fiery death!” Rachel confirmed the request and began to shout orders as Paul thumbed the rune to Viola.

“Hey, is Jon near you?” Paul asked. Viola took a moment before she responded.

“I heard, I head. I got the house knights forming up to charge if they get within a hundred yards. Do your best up there!” Paul thumbed back over to David.

“Hey, can you send me some more help? They are fucking hammering my side!” Paul shouted. A gentle hand brushed his shoulder. Paul turned startled thinking it to be an enemy warrior, but he lowered his axe as he saw David’s calm expression.

“I figured that already. Don’t worry, I got your back.” Paul and David marched along the back lines as the soldiers continued to stop the elves from spilling over.

“Won’t you get in trouble for this?” Paul asked.

“I got one of my men on stand by to shout the second things get even a hair worse.” David and Paul both piled in as the elves began to slaughter some of the Emprean soldiers making their way up. With a bit of effort they managed to grab the pole arm and push the ladder over sending many of the elves to their deaths.

“Fucking bastards are wearing heavier armor.” Paul breathed tiredly. “They are learning and they are getting better. They broke the top few rungs so its harder for us to push their ladders over. The grappling hooks are tethered with thicker rope. The archer fire is more concentrated on one side of the wall…god damn these bastards, they keep getting smarter!”

“Did you honestly expect them to get stupider?” David offered.

“Well I was kinda hoping.” Paul muttered seeing the wisdom in those words.

“Look dude, it sucks really hard right now, but just remember, we’re all getting attacked. I know your frustrations just as much as anyone else, but the mark of a good leader is not letting it frustrate you, rather let it empower you.”

“Well…not everyone is so easily calm.”

“Grow up.” David said smartly smacking Paul in the back of his head. “Remember when we played that one card game as kids? You had the obnoxious Iron Tiger Deck, and I had the Freezing Djinn deck? We spent hours every night playing that game and I beat the shit out of you.”

“Yeah, I remember. I stopped playing because I couldn’t beat that deck with my deck. The more I improved it, the more steps backwards I took.” Paul said angrily. They stopped talking for a moment as they slammed their bodies into the elves pushing them over the edge of the wall.

“Francis, fucking do your job and call them out as they pop over!” Paul yelled looking to the soldier sheepishly observe the wall.

When things calmed down David looked back to Paul. “Look, the point of why I mentioned the cards is this. There was one solitary reason you stopped winning at that game. Care to guess?”

“I got stubborn and gave up? Is this some lesson in never giving up?”

“No,” David said assuredly. “I placed you on this wall because I knew you would never give up. The reason why you lost dude was because you stopped having fun. You tried to become better and soon became obsessed with defeating me. I swear the games were far closer when we both were having fun. Yet the more you tried to master the game, the more you stopped having fun with it, the worse of a player you became.”

Paul stood on the wall for a moment next to David. His eyes scanned the area as we watched for any signs of the wall being breached. “So what does this have to do with this battle? Should I be having more fun?”

“No. But you need to learn to relax and take a step back. You immersed yourself in trying to defeat the enemy and prove yourself that your once again taking steps backwards. You may feel and act like your doing steps to be a better captain, but your only exhausting yourself and making poor choices. Think on that.”

“You know, I hate it when you have that sage like wisdom…” Paul said in a calmer tone.

“I know,” David said lifting his orb and patting Paul on the back with his other hand. “What is it?” he said to the orb.

“Sir, we got a battering ram on our side!” the soldier said into the orb. David broke into a sprint back towards his section of the wall. Paul ran to his front of the wall and looked out. Another large battering ram was ominously moving towards David’s section of the wall at a far faster pace. He thumbed his orb on Viola’s rune.

“Counselor,” Paul said ordering more of his men around the wall. “Send the house nights to David’s portion of the wall. They are going to be the ones hit first and David’s side has less forces prepared to take it on.”

“Understood, Captain Donovan.” Viola said over the orb. “Hold the wall as long as you humanly can.”

“So long as I can draw breath…” Paul whispered running back with some of his soldiers as he ordered them around the wall.

~*~*~

“I can’t say I exactly support this idea.” Brian said mounting up on a war horse. Jonothan just rolled his eyes as he mounted up next to him. “No, really! Sending me in to do the saboteur work is like…I dunno…not my job?”

“Shut up and just do it.” Jonothan muttered. “You were the only one available so man up and do it.”

“Okay, light armored warrior here,” he pointed to himself. “Heavily armored war hound over there…” he pointed to Jonothan. “So, who do you think that makes the more likely to die?”

“I got four nights to attend to you, that’s four more than I have. Quit belly aching and prepare to ride.” Jonothan looked up to the redoubt seeing Rachel cross quickly from one side of the wall’s defenses to the other.

“She know about the ring yet?” Brian said in a caring tone. Jonothan nodded.

“Yep, she’s already wearing it.” Brain let a whoop of excitement.

“Hot damn!” he rode closer to Jonothan. “I’ll have to throw you the biggest bachelor party ever.” the house knight laughed scratching the back of his head. There was a large shout as soldiers ran towards Paul’s section of the wall.

“By the gods, they just keep hammering his side.” Brian pondered loudly. They heard the sound of footsteps as the rest of the house knights approached their mounts. Viola walked up to Jonothan and Brian.

“The enemy has brought a second battering ram over to David’s side of the wall. I’ve ordered Rachel to cover Paul’s section with all ranged weapons. You are to make sure that war engine doesn’t break down the walls. You have your orders, go.” Viola turned and ran back to her command redoubt.

“Emprea!” Jonothan shouted raising his lance up high. “We ride!”

Thunder clapped against the ground as the horses took to battle charging out the main gate.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

“My lord, it is time to get up.” Yasami said loudly from the front of the tent flap. She entered into the small space and lifted a hand up saying a word of power lighting up all the torches. Chandra grumbled loudly as she shuffled under her bear skin pelt, feeling the naked body of Nagaira adjust to allow her room to move. A slender hand ran down her chest resting just above her right breast.

“Has the battle begun?” Chandra yawned leaning upwards. Nagaira grumbled loudly as she turned her back and hid under the sheets. It was rather cold and she held one hand out for her retainer to give her clothing. Yasami only gave her a sneer of contempt.

“Yes, the main gate is opened again. They committed the house knights.” The sheet flew up in a tornado of movement as Chandra ran to her dresser pulling a robe out and placing it around her naked body. She moved to her tent flap and peeked outside.

“You fool!” She seethed. “I told you to wake me before the main gate was opened!” Nagaira appeared behind her lord with clothing in hand. Chandra held her arms out as she allowed her retainer to dress her. “Take these orders! Move the third battering ram to the idiots side of the wall. Place all the pressure on his section of the wall. Mount up the house knights and tell them to prepare to intercept in the middle if Emprea wishes to re divert their attentions from the ground.”

“Have they destroyed any of our battering rams?” Nagaira asked in a serious tone to Yasami. The sorceress shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

“Who knows. Probably the house knights are nearly done, but it will take them to long to return to the other side of the wall if we intercept them. What are we going to do in the mean time?”

Chandra felt her lips curl in a sinister smile. “We ride out to scale the wall and destroy Rachel Leona and her archers, naturally.”

~*~*~

“Must we ride so fast?” Nagaira whispered holding Chandra tightly as Shredder tore down the forest trees at a ground eating trot. The lithe woman was terrified a branch may jump out and snatch her away from her lord.

“I just tuck my head and let the beast do whatever it wants. It’s a cave hunter. I am sure it’s use to moving in tight spaces at fast speeds.” She patted her beast on the neck. It growled hungrily as it approached the back of the vanguard force.

“Why hasn’t that battering ram been moved forward!” Chandra shouted to the men.

“One of the wheels broke!” a soldier replied snapping a salute. She instinctively reached for her crossbow, but Nagaira’s hand grabbed hers and held it tight. She sighed heavily.

“Then get more soldiers to push it! It’s only one hundred and fifty yards away, I only need it to scare them, not function!” The soldier saluted her and ran to his men, screaming orders. Two dozen or so men ran forwards and the team assigned to the ram began to lurch it forward gently. She looked to her mounted division. Only two banners of horsemen; sixty soldiers.

She ushered her heavy mount forward as she motioned for the riders to join her. Looking back she found Yasami behind her riding upon a horse. “Do it.” she ordered. Yasami nodded once and softly began to chant as a swirling mist broke out over the formation. Nagaira’s hands began to rub her side gently as she nuzzled the back of her neck.

“When we climb the wall stay at my side at all times, do you understand?” Chandra whispered to her Retainer. The woman nodded into her back. When they were within ninety yards the Emprean horns blared signaling the sight of another war engine. Arrows lobbed down upon them and wrought devastating damage to her spearmen. Hundreds died in the volley and she felt her heart wrench as she reared Shredder back.

“That was way to accurate.” Chandra breathed looking back to Yasami. The sorceress looked back at her with her witch lit eyes, confused as well. Another volley pounded down hitting into her horsemen. A handful dropped dead as another ten or so horses became confused and frightened. It took minutes for them to regain control. In that amount of time another volley of heavy bolt throwers let loose destroying an axle on the battering ram. It came to a crashing holt, squashing several soldiers in the process.

“What is going on?” Chandra muttered. Nagaira looked to the devastation. Her hand began to rake into Chandra’s sides.

“Every ranged unit is on this side of the wall…they split their forces! It seems the house knights were to handle the battering ram on their own and the archers were assigned to defend the weakened wall!” Chandra cursed, but lifted her axe upwards and thrust it forwards.

“CHARGE!” She shouted. “FOR GLORY AND PLUNDER!” Her elves rallied to the cause of bloodshed and they ran out of the fog with scaling equipment at the ready. Elven horn blowers blasted into the air as the warriors broke into a dead sprint. Three weeks of pounding the enemy walls have taught them how to be swift.

Shredder kicked dirt up with each movement of its massive feet. As it neared the wall dozens of arrows rained down, scoring a few hits upon the beast and bouncing upon Chandra. One particularly thick arrow nearly hit her in a vulnerable spot had it not been for Nagaira’s watchful eye. The elf pulled her lord back, squealing in fear.

“Dismount!” Chandra ordered. The two leapt off Shredder and Chandra whispered an order for the beast to rest in the forest. It ran off without any fuss. She turned to the ladders and looked seeing a large detachment of Emprean soldiers guarding one section. She looked to her warriors.

“You four!” She shouted. “Gather as many men as you can and climb those ladders!” They ran off obeying her whim, gathering several other dark elven warriors.

As she expected, when the larger mob appeared climbing the soldiers of Emprea ran over to meet the threat. She climbed the weakened side with all haste, Nagaira at her heels the entire time. As she hit the top of the wall she dodged a spear thrust and pulled the warrior over the wall using all her might. Several warriors of Emprea ran towards her, but the noose was set. Elves poured onto the wall like a dam breaking water, and with a tidal wave of war cries they two armies met on the field of battle.

Chandra felt the stone beneath her feet and she pulled out her enormous battleaxe feeling the weight in her hands. A heavily armored human male met her a few paces back, several dead dark elven bodies surrounding his feet. Nagaira pulled back holding two bloody daggers in her hand pointing to the human.

“Paul Donovan, Line officer of this wall!” she spoke as if his name was curse and Chandra drew her lips back into a snarl. She would have fun breaking him.

“One of the heroes of the Machiavelli raid?” she praised him in perfect trade speak. He gave her only a disgusting glare. “You are not as ugly as the stories said you would be.” he looked to her shaking his head softly.

“I’ve dated enough women to know who are bad for me. Sorry lady, but I’m not falling for your charming good looks.” She gave him a confused look.

“Enough to know when you meet a bad girl? Am I a bad girl? Are you going to spank me and tell me I’ve been naughty…I’d very much like that…” She teased biting her thumb. Nagaira chuckled behind her.

Paul only kept his cool. “Sorry, but the more slutty you become, the more you turn me off.”

“Than you clearly must be into the male male sort of thing, perhaps you and the other captain?” Paul charged her in an instant with two battle axes held up in a murderous pattern. Nagaira tossed one dagger forward, and the weapon lodged between the plates where his shoulder and arm met. He ignored it completely.

Chandra’s axe lifted up and swung to the side and he brought both blades up blocking the attack. He closed the gap quickly and Chandra brought up one leg. His body collided with hers and she felt herself begin to tip backwards. Placing a solitary hand up she cart wheeled back to her feet as Paul fell onto his back.

Her weapon drew back and she rotated with a full one hundred and eighty degree swing bringing it down in a two handed slam. Her hands vibrated as the twin axes bit back. He held them in an X pattern over his face where her blade would have cleaved. One of them was heavily notched. She pulled back and and took one step to the left before thrusting forward like a spear. He blocked the blow with the notched axe and tossed his good one at Nagaira preventing her from charging forward.

Emprean Spearmen ran forward to support their Captain, more dark elves spilling over the wall to support their general. Chandra growled in frustration as she looked to Nagaira. The frail elf was terrified as she looked to Chandra for support.

“Where do we go from here to reach the redoubt?” Chandra shouted. Nagaira ran over to her and slammed her body into hers, running her hand up and down her body.

“Four paces and then a sharp right. A long corridor. The idiot human blocks the path.” She said quickly pointing to Paul. The human warrior stood back up, his one axe cleaving deeply into the neck of one of Chandra’s soldiers. She growled low and waited for her opportunity. When a dark elf slammed into him from one side her axe roared from the other side hitting him in his side and contorting him in the rubber band like state. His body flopped to the ground and he howled in agony as dark elves began to pile over his body.

“Run with me!” She shouted to seven or so soldiers behind her. They followed suit as she ran, one hand gripping Nagaira’s as she ran towards the redoubt. The passageway to the door was narrow and archers began to fire down the hallway. Several soldiers went down but more took their place as they began to flood the stonework. She slammed into the door trying to break it down, only to be repulsed by the metal frame.

“Come out, come out!” Chandra rhymed as she took her weapon and slammed it on the hinges of the door. It bent to her blow and she reared back as her soldiers made a protective wall around her. She swung up again and the first hinge popped off. She looked to the last hinge and placed all her weight behind her battleaxe forcing it down upon the metal wedge. It popped off and the door groaned as it bent awkwardly inwards. Dozens of Emprean soldiers slammed their body into the door and held it shut as a tide of dark elves pushed back.

“Not a single dark elf gets in!” A female voices shouted, her tone clearly wavering in fear. Chandra looked to Nagaira, who nodded.

“Come out!” Chandra shouted. “Come out and play Rachel Leona!”

The door was beginning to turn when another metal groan sounded in her ears, the shouts of human soldiers running forward. A soldier with a calm air of authority ordered his men to hold the door shut.

“We got company in the back!” a spearmen cried.

“PUSH WITH ALL YOUR DAMN MIGHT!” Chandra shouted. Her warriors pushed with one last heave, and the door nearly opened if not for one raving lunatic with two bloody axes hacking his way forward.

“BUTCHER THEM ALL!” Chandra looked to see Paul Donovan shouting litanies of hate as his weapon felled spearman after spearman. His soldiers butchered those outside of his grasp and her warriors lost heart as they panicked for their lives. Chandra howled her frustrations as she banged on the wall.

“You are luck this day, Rachel Leona!” Chandra cursed. “Pray to your god for your salvation!” and she began to retreat with her men.

“Where is she?” the human shouted in a blind rage. His weapon took two more dark elven lives. Chandra met him and used her battle axe to keep her distance from his weapons. He broke through warriors from both armies to reach her and the two’s weapons collided in a battle of hate.

“Your so foolish!” Chandra spat. “So useless!” their blades clashed loudly. “So stupid and childish! If it weren’t for your stupid persistence I would have been done with this by now!”

“SHOVE IT, BITCH!” Paul shouted dodging her blade and running at her with teeth barred. She pulled back and tripped him up, running towards the wall. Nagaira began to climb down, but waited for her master. Paul looked to her and scrambled to his feet to chase her. “GET BACK HERE!” he ordered.

“I promise you will die for this day.” She swatted his weapons aside. “Do not forget my promise!” Chandra slid down the ladder quickly, giving a shrill whistle as she did so. Shredder galloped through the woods, knocking retreating dark elves aside and even scooping one up in his mouth ripping him apart to get to his owner. She helped Nagaira up first before mounting looking back up at the wall.

Paul glared down upon her and lifted his weapons up tossing them at her like a throwing knife. They spun wildly off to the side harmlessly and he pounded the walls in frustration as he cursed her name. She turned away from him, looking ahead.

“Gather the war council. It’s time we used our secret weapons.” Chandra said irritably.

[Viola Conda]

Jonothan’s horse slammed into a fallen Dark Elf knight pinning it to the ground where it was trampled. He took a quick look at the surrounding area and gave off a few battle signs to his men moving them out in a search and destroy net. The lizard cavalry of the enemy trotted away with the sound of the war horns, a few arrows falling in line to them.

Brian took aim with his bow, taking out soldiers as they fled. He was covered in sweat, but he seemed to be handling the situation with all professionalism. Jonothan turned to his friend and motioned to head back into the main gates. The blare of the enemy horns grew fainter, replaced by the shouts of victory by the Emprean Soldiers.

“Brian, David, Rachel, Jonothan and Paul, all of you get into the chambers for conference immediately.” Viola’s voice rang out over the communication orb. Brian galloped his horse next to Jonothan’s.

“She didn’t sound very excited for someone who just pushed back a major offensive.” Brain looked to the walls. “Ouu…” Jonothan turned his attentions upwards. The Emprean soldiers were pushing dead elven bodies over the edge of the wall to the ground below.

“That’s a lot of bodies…” he looked to David’s side. They were pursuing the same job, but at a much calmer rate. “Captain David, this is Jonothan, mind switching to my rune?” David obliged as Jonothan switched the rune on his to David’s. “What’s the status.”

“He nearly let the wall fall.” David said coolly. “They were beating on the redoubt doors.”

“Is Rachel okay?” Jonothan blurted. David took in a sigh.

“She’s shaken. Very shaken actually. But she’s pulling through like a champ. May be wise to let her know your alive. Couldn’t hurt at least.” Jonothan nodded.

“Thanks, maybe I’ll do that.” he switched over to Rachel’s rune. “Hey cutie, you there?” there was a ruckus of back ground noise, but eventually she picked up.

“Yes I am.” she said tiredly.

“Are you okay?” Jonothan looked at his men. They gave an all clear signal and he motioned them back in with his free hand. Brian moved forwards to give them time.

“Yes I’m fine. The enemy was banging on the door and shouting my name. Just rattled me a bit.”

“They shouted your name?” he looked back to the enemy location. “How did they get that?”

“I don’t know really,” she sighed deeply. “It doesn’t really matter either. Are you okay?” her tone had become much calmer.

“Yeah, nothing but a few scratches and bruises.” he looked back up to the redoubt. “I’ll see you in the meeting.” He lowered his orb.

“I love you.” Rachel’s voice was barely above a whisper. Jonothan picked up his orb quickly.

“I love you too.” he said back.

“AWWWW!” Brain joked mocking his friend. Jonothan just chuckled as he galloped to catch up. “So cute!” he teased. Jonothan shook his head.

“Whatever,” he dismissed the conversation entirely. “Let’s go see what our chief counselor wants.” he muttered. The two galloped off quickly.

~*~*~

David looked to the surrounding wall and nodded to a few soldiers as they gave him a casualty report. They were becoming much more efficient as of late to bring him reports. He would need to make a note to commend them for their efforts.

Turning on the spot he walked back down the passageway to the redoubt and thought about his current defense. Overall the battering ram didn’t make it within fifty yards of the castle wall before the house knights intercepted the engine. Then, in quick order they were able to rally to Jonothan and turn the tables on a surprise attack by the enemy lizard cavalry. Overall on his side, things went relatively smoothly.

He paused before knocking on the door. Not more than ten minutes earlier he ran in with two squads of soldiers to bolster the defenses. The enemy had literally broken down the door and it was only the tide of flesh that kept the enemy from encroaching inwards. Rachel’s face was full of emotions, but she kept her cool and was able to communicate with the rest of her archers. Thankfully Paul managed to rout them and send them in a full retreat.

He sighed running a hand through his hair before knocking on the door. An archer looked to him, saluted, then opened the door letting the Captain of the Guard in. He strode up to Rachel and waited patiently as she gave out orders for patrols. She turned to David and gave him a frustrated expression as she balled her fists looking for something to hit.

“I’m just waiting for the engineers to come and fix the door, than I’ll be going to the meeting.” She said sitting in her chair resting one hand on her forehead. She looked up to David with the saddest expression. “Viola’s going to have his head for this.”

“It’s only fair, considering everything.” he replied sitting next to her. Though he spoke truthfully, his won face couldn’t hide the slight concern for their friend. “He did nearly let this place be overrun.”

“Ya but it’s Paul.” She said forcefully as if that was the answer to everything. “He’s like my little brother. He knew he couldn’t let me down and he fought all the harder in the end.”

“Rachel, he never should of put you in that situation.” David said more sternly. “Look, he’s my friend too, but just for that reason we can’ sugar coat and defend him every time he makes a huge mistake. When does Paul learn?” David asked looking her dead in the eyes.

It took a moment, but she nodded her head sighing. “When he falls flat on his ass.” she admitted.

“I think today he fell pretty hard.” David said lightly. “But as his friends we will be there to help pick up and dust him off.” Four soldiers came into the room with a large iron door and began working on the redoubt’s entrance to the left side. David stood up helping Rachel up in the process.

The two walked out to Paul’s section of the wall and they weren’t surprised to see that the Emprean soldiers were still removing the casualties. David found Paul along the front of the wall ordering where to place sandbags and barrels full of extra spears. He turned to them and his face was full of stress as he saluted his fellow officers.

“Ready to escort me to the gallows?” he joked. David grinned patting him on the back.

“It can’t be that bad, you only…failed everybody.” Paul snorted his frustrations.

“Fucking elves.” Paul stated flatly. “I’ll catch up to you guys, I just want to make sure everything is in place for the next attack.” Rachel and David both nodded and turned leaving him on his own.

~*~*~

Viola looked up as David and Rachel entered and she took note on their moods. Both seemed to be rather stressed out, but otherwise fit and safe. She turned to Jonothan, who looked to Rachel with concern, but even his face seemed to calm after seeing her safe and sound. She sat next to him and the two held hands despite being in a formal meeting. Viola had far more pressing matters at hand than to reprimand them for being affectionate in a war council. She tapped her nails across the table as she waited letting the others talk freely amongst themselves.

The serving girl entered the room and looked upon the group with a soft smile before dropping off two pots of hot water and bags for tea and cocoa. Viola thanked the woman and poured herself a glass as she watched the servant leave. Just before the door closed the woman screamed in alarm pushing herself back as Paul charged into the room panting heavily.

Viola just stirred the honey into her cup lazily as she watched Paul sit down and begin to look at his reports for what must have been the first time. She sighed heavily dropping her spoon onto the table getting everyone’s attention.

“Welcome back, everyone.” she said sarcastically. “I’m impressed nobody died as of late.” Paul just shook his head remaining quiet. She eyed him up before she took a sip of her tea. “Please everyone, drink up. We have much to discuss.” Hesitantly, everyone began to prepare their drinks. After everyone was ready to proceed Viola looked down upon her own notes before looking back at Paul.

“Should we start with the obvious?” she looked Paul dead in the eyes. He flinched, but kept his gaze on hers. “Captain Donovan, I’d like to hear anything you’d like to say about how today’s battle went. Skip nothing.”

Paul cleared his throat before he began looking to his notes. “Well the enemy has of late been attacking in more and more heavy waves on the left side of the wall…my side.” he added weakly. “Bombarded by enemy archers and enemy spell casters my men have been hard pressed to defend the wall. Today, after seeing one battering ram my men began to grow a little frantic. Archer support alleviated their nerves but the showing of a second war engine as well as a full fresh wave of troops hit the wall off guard.”

“Off guard you say?” Viola looked to him intently as she fingered the rim of her cup before sipping. “So, a piece of stonework that never moves, never changes, and has only two viable sides to attack from has been…caught off guard?” she left the lingering hint of hostility in her challenging tone.

“From your position I can see how that must be baffling to you.” Paul said more curtly as he looked back to his notes. “Yes, commander, we were caught off guard. We didn’t expect such a fresh wave of over two hundred footmen storming the wall with the enemy counselor amongst them.”

“Go on.” Viola said lightly as she leaned back in her chair. Her muscles ached to relax as she sipped more tea.

“I’m, not sure what else you want me to say at this point.” Paul said bluntly. “You are trying to lure me into my own noose and I will not be led by the nose that easily.” Viola sighed sitting up again. She looked to Paul sympathetically before she placed the cup down and crossed her legs getting ready for business.

“You have nothing more to say Captain Donovan. Thank you for your blunt honesty. Now allow me to be blunt. You are removed from the wall effective immediately.” The rooms tension rose dramatically.

“I figured as much.” Paul muttered.

“If you figured this would happen, why did you let it?” Viola said more aggressively. “You know your actions have consequences and your too damn smart to know what happens when you fail to fulfill those actions.” She attempted to sip her tea but just lowered her cup pushing it to the side in annoyance.

“With all due respect, mam, you’re not on the wall. You do not have any idea what it is like up there.”

“So my many years serving in the Emprean army mean jack shit to you then?” the two were almost shouting.

“I never said that, nor implied that!” Paul responded sitting forward in his chair.

“Then explain to me why you think your wall has fallen on almost two occasions and David’s has not been threatened once?”

“I’m not David.” Paul replied heatedly.

“Clearly.” Viola muttered.

“Fuck you.” Paul blurted out. Viola snapped her head glaring at Paul. The entire room gasped as they all looked to Paul in shock. His eyes never backed down from Viola’s, but eventually he sagged his shoulders in defeat.

“That’s enough, Paul.” Viola said forcing her calmness. “You will serve in the kitchen for the remainder of the day, then when your done you will be sent to solitary confinement to rest and think about your actions. After that I’ll put you back on the wall as a soldier.”

“Whatever.” Paul muttered standing up quickly shoving his chair back. The wood screeched against the stonework making everyone’s ears flinch.

“Get out of my sight.” Viola ordered. Paul turned to her and then inhaled deeply before spitting in front of her. A wad of mucus was inches from her tea cup.

“I didn’t want to waste good food.” Paul sassed as he turned leaving.

The room remained quiet for a long time as Viola just looked to her paper work. After five minutes she sighed deeply shoving the papers aside. She looked to her remaining commanders and gauged each one’s reactions to the proceedings. She was pleased to note none of them were too terribly upset with her decision.

“You understand that I had to do this, correct?” she looked to David. “I value your opinion very highly captain King, but that was far to close and I would by remiss in my duties to allow him to remain in command.” David nodded once.

“I know, just a little…well not to thrilled with his attitude.” David admitted. “But time marches on.”

“Truer words were never spoken. In exchange for Paul’s leave of absence I will assign lieutenant Felman. Any objections?”

“You took him off the wall…” Brian whispered. Everyone looked to him confusedly. “You took Paul off the wall, he didn’t give a leave of absence.” Viola sipped her tea.

“I have no intentions of ruining Paul’s military record over a silly war game. These games are meant to test our skills and while we take them as seriously as any real engagement I will not ruin the reputations of soldiers who perform there jobs. Any more pesky meddling by you four and I’ll demote you all as one big happy family.” Viola said flashing a toothy smile.

“Just when I thought you were a heartless bitch…” Rachel whispered a tad louder than she meant too. Viola only shook her head in a joking manner. “Come, let’s finish the rest of this meeting.” Viola ordered returning to her papers.

~*~*~

Four hours had passed when Viola dismissed her command group. She looked up to Brian and gave him a stern look motioning with her hand for him to wait. As everyone else filed out Brian shut the door and sat on the table looking towards her.

“What’s on your mind, chief counselor.” Viola rubbed her temples.

“Two things…one I’ll share with you, the other I’ll keep to myself.” she looked to him exhausted. “We have no momentum right now. You have all done a marvelous job keeping moral high, and the people look to you all as heroes. I regret nothing, but pulling Paul will damage their moral when he no longer commands them. But I kept him on the wall with his soldiers for a reason. Rachel’s archers are still sharp as ever and David’s soldiers will all make fine house knights. His determination to out due Captain Andrews is becoming sort of a fan service at this point.”

“They’ve both really gone at it lately in chess. It’s funny that they both are three and three, which as you know bothers the hell out of David.” Viola smiled.

“But the problem is, Brian, that this can’t carry us for ever. We’re tapping the well and it’s about to run dry. I think it’s time we put into motion our plan we discussed.” Brian looked to her with stern eyes, waiting for the punch line. When she didn’t show any sign he sighed running a hand through his hair.

“Okay,” he said happily. “Consider it done.” he stood up saluting her. She saluted him back.

“I don’t do this hastily, and you know I only trust you.” Brian nodded. “I am not so naive to think that we will meet again. In fact, I’m positive it won’t be until the end of the war game. But regardless, do me one favor.”

“Of course I’ll look after myself and be careful.” Brain said calmly before he turned to leave. “Heh, cool. I’m a hero.” he muttered. “Wonder what the doll of me will look like?”

Viola only laughed to herself as she watched the man go, probably for the last time.

[Chandra Dawnspear]

Five weeks into the siege

Chandra looked to her king while sipping her wine. He hadn't spoke in the last two weeks after the last defeat. during his silence Chandra ordered regular hit and run attacks, but the majority of the army was at a stand still. Only now, two weeks later, did the king make audience with his retainers and council, and it seemed he was not in a pleasant mood.

"Thwarted again." was his first words. He looked to his captain of the house knights. "Your explanation as to why some silly heavy cavalry turned your surprise assault?"

The captain of the house knights was old even by elven standards. He had a short trimmed beard and long wavy black hair. One eye was covered with a patch, the other looked his king down. He still wore full plate mail, the only officer allowed to in the king's presence.

"My lord, we didn't know that Jonothan Andrews was such a skilled warrior."

"Oh." The king mumbled loudly rubbing his temple. "So you are saying he's a better warrior than you?"

"Not at all my lord, my words meant only that we were caught off guard."

The king picked up his glass of wine and threw it at the warrior's head. It shattered against his gauntlet he lifted to block the blow and the shards danced upon the circular table.

"IT WAS YOUR SURPRISE ATTACK, NOT THEIRS!" he screamed. "How the hell does our war beasts get thwarted by surprise in their own DAMNED SNEAK ATTACK?"

The older warrior just took in a large breath bowing low to his king. "I have nothing to add my lord. We failed you." The king took in a deep shuddering breath.

"All to often now." he rubbed his temple again. "Twice we have had major offenses thwarted. I'm beginning to think we are not set up to defeat these humans. I think that we are failing miserably. I think Emprea is relaxing now as we speak. What the hell do they have to fear from us anyway?"

Not a soul spoke in the kings rage. Chandra looked behind her to see Nagira cower from him, sitting on the floor out of his sight as her hand reached up and grabbed Chandra's. Effortlessly Chandra lifted her hand and began to pet her retainer.

"My lord, they do have things to fear." Chandra said darkly. "They have no clue about our secret weapons. I think we should employ them, now." the council remained quiet.

"I will not commit dragons at this stage. We have only four as it is." Chandra shook her head.

"Then what course would you advise my lord?" she spoke dangerously close to treachery in her challenging tone. The king rubbed his chin.

"High Mistress what do you think of this?" he asked turning to the scantly clad woman. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Fate is want to do whatever it pleases. To read the lines of fate is not an exacting thing." she looked to the fires next to her. "I do not see any gain in the future if we employ our dragons."

The king nodded. "I agree. I think it is to early."

"My lord," the high mistress interrupted him. "I don't see any gain with any other coarse of action involving you." the tension in the room lifted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" the king said darkly. The high mistress shrugged her shoulders again ignoring the hidden threat.

"I mean just that. Any course of action involving you has no future gain. I don't see any paths leading us anywhere but where we are now. It's a dark omen and I am trying my best to decipher its meaning." she spoke irritably.

Chandra leaned back in her chair as did everyone else in the room. The king looked to each warrior before his eyes fell upon something in the back of the room.

"Are we blind..." he breathed in controlled anger. "Is not one of you fit for any of the titles you hold?" he seethed, his pitch getting higher. "There is a damned spy amongst us! There's your omen woman!"

Chandra felt a hundred eyes fall upon her. The king furiously lifted upwards and pointed his finger forward to the darkness. "Can none of you spot a human?" he shouted.

A heavy muscled human jumped forward onto the table, a small dagger flying outwards at the apex of his roll. Instantly the master of assassins jumped up to dodge the dagger, hitting it away with his own bare hand. The blade curved off and nicked the king in the left shoulder.

Within two movements the assassin was pinned on the table by magical cables as thick as a viper as the high mistress held him down. The master of assassins moved quickly to mount him bringing a dagger to the human's throat.

"What shall I do with him, my lord?" he whispered darkly. The king didn't respond. Chandra looked her lord and saw him foaming at the mouth, his right hand clutching his wound as he choked to death on the poison forming in his body. A shriek of terror rose from the high mistress' lips as Nagira was shoved aside. Chandra ran to the king and attempted to resuscitate him.

"DON'T!" the master shouted. "The poison will infect you too!" Chandra pulled her body back as if the king was diseased. She turned to the human spy and found his own mouth foaming as well. In minutes both poisoned men were dead.

Silence filled the air as guards ran into the building, all shocked that their king was dead. After a few moments Chandra lifted her axe up and pointed to the human's body.

"Naga, who is that?" she whispered. Sheepishly the elf lifted her face over the edge of the table looking intently at the face.

"Brian McCorvan, leader of the nighthawks assassin core." she said in wonder. "How the hell he got past all the guards is a miracle..."

The master of assassins snorted. "Yeah, right. He probably slit a throat, took his position, and hid in the shadows this entire time." The house knight pointed an accusing finger to the master.

"It was your job to detect these things!" he cried outraged. "You are the reason he died."

"Me? Where was our seeres to read the lines of fate and predict this before it happened?"

"My fault!" she cried out. "If it's anybodies fault blame Dawnspear!"

"What?" Chandra cried out.

"Well if you had crushed Emprea in the first engagement, like you promised, the king would be alive!" Chandra rolled her eyes.

"There is no point in squabbling with each other." Chandra said. "Read the lines of fate, High Mistress." she ordered. "What would victory look like with the army under my command."

"Now see here you whelp!" the house captain shouted. "I am next in military rank to succeed the king. I will not have your negligence soil the work we began. So far twice you have blown major operations, time to sit out and let me rule."

"No." the High Mistress said sagely. "Fate blows a strange wind towards her. The only path to victory lies with Chandra, not with anyone else in this room." she looked to Chandra. "In the king's name, we must avenge him first before moving forward. Such is our ways." she looked to Chandra like she were a disgusting toad, but bowed her head to her.

"The assassins guild is ready at your beck and call then, only to avenge the king." the master bowed his head as well. "However, when this war game is over and he is returned we will be the ones who remember every detail of your short reign."

"Well you will not have the house knights! This is insane!" he huffed. "We are in a war game, not a real life predicament. The king doesn't need to be avenged since he never will technically die!"

Chandra lifted one hand up, Nagira placing a handbow in it, then leveled it at the captain of the house knights. Withut preamble she fired it, killed him, then reloaded it looking to the others in the room casually.

"Anyone else?" she asked lightly. Nobody was stupid to answer that. "Good, now we have work to be done." she said organizing herself and those around her.