Well, it's Christmas Eve, and I'm at work with absolutely NOTHING to do. I don't think it's the end of the world, but I'm not sure yet.
Anyway, I thought I would take the time to write up Chapter 16.
Think of it as my little Christmas Present to the world. ;-)
Let me know what you think.
Cperez@gmotion.com
I find myself in a world full of strangers who have never even considered things that I take for granted.
It is true that necessity is the mother of invention. There has never been any NEED for the things that I have introduced to these people. For a thousand years, they have had their magic to do things for them, and though they have the knowledge to shape the world through science and technology that can be used by anyone, they restrict themselves to the power of the magi.
Magic has become a crutch on which the people rely, and while I cannot take the crutch away, I can try to help them learn to walk without it.
As I studied the ancient texts of Hurin the Shaper, I came to the conclusion that it had always been the intention of the gods to lead the people to the way of technology so that they could defeat the children of Kerlack. But with the Shaper's death, none of the other gods knew how to proceed. I think that may be why they brought me here, if they had anything to do with it at all.
I comfort myself with the knowledge that the power of magic can mitigate or reverse the worst of the environmental effects of technological development, but in the final analysis I've really just given them new and better ways to kill.
----- Journal of Andy Nickels.
It's amazing what inspiration can accomplish.
Andy was fairly sure that sometime or other in the past someone had been struck with similar ideas and had either been ignored by their peers or had dismissed the ideas out of hand.
Bloodstone, for example, was about to revolutionize communications. It was already used to send out Royal proclamations to the different Duchies and in an emergency it was used to mobilize the Host quickly, well quickly for this world anyway.
When Andy had asked why it was not more widely used, Earlon had explained that bloodstone was relatively scarce. He went on to explain the geological processes which formed the stone, and how rarely such things occurred.
After listening closely to the explanation, Andy asked why they hadn't been making it. After all, they had full awareness how it was formed naturally and Fire and Earth magic could easily replicate those conditions with reliability. Stones could be made of any size, and begin a set-up of all sorts of networks.
After trying the process out and discovering it worked by creating a massive boulder of Bloodstone, Andy ordered it formed into small, easily worn, bits of decoration or jewelry to be passed out to the troops.
Using these little bits of bloodstone, Andy managed to equip every soldier, human and elf, with an item that could be used to pass orders and reports. Most troops were only able to "receive", scouts and officers were taught how to "transmit" so that they could give orders to their soldiers, and report to their superiors. This information was directed to the command tent, where apprentice Magi maintained a magical map that showed the disposition of forces.
Where before, the map mostly showed unconfirmed, or estimated positions and movements, now it showed mostly hard data on troop movements and force sizes. As long as the scouts were near these forces, the map kept a fairly reliable track on them.
The General staff was virtually (and in some cases literally) drooling all over their selves over the almost godlike view of the strategic situation. The fog of war had suddenly thinned a great deal, and their fertile minds were already laying in plans for how to use this new coordination their forces had received.
Training began immediately on maneuver. From the troops point of view, little had changed other than the fact that they were guaranteed to be able to hear their orders (not an inconsiderable blessing to be sure), but for the officers there was a dramatic shift. Suddenly they were able to call for reinforcement, order unit maneuver and coordinate mass charges and arrow volleys with almost instantaneous results.
The higher up the chain of command you were, the more inundated with information you became. The command staff tripled in size to accommodate the new communications flow. The only saving grace to the situation was that junior staff officers were used to filtering out what needed to be brought to the Commander's immediate attention, and what could simply be updated on the map.
Moreover, it allowed Andy to address the troops directly while they were in the field. He understood the value of morale in an army, and knew it was important that the soldiers knew that he was with them.
In the days after they reached their new deployment area, the soldiers split their time between field maneuvers and preparing fixed defenses, and entrapping terrain for their enemies.
E'rin leaned back in his hammock and tried not to be sick. Elves did not deal much with the sea, and what vessels they did have were small, elegant vessels that moved smoothly through the water.
Most importantly, they did not HEAVE.
"You won't die Your Highness," U'thian said with a smile of sympathy "you'll just wish you would."
"I take it you have done this before?" E'rin groaned.
"A time or two Your Highness." The elf responded, his smile growing fond. "I had a... close friendship with this human captain."
E'rin cracked open an eye and looked over at his guard. "I thought you were married."
"Oh, not at that time I wasn't." He said grinning. "I was a wild young man that wanted to try everything... and everyone I possibly could." He sighed. "It was wandering around that I met E'lindil and discovered she was my belshatha. She had the same restless spirit, still does really."
"Who was this mysterious captain?" E'rin asked
"It was long before your time. Besides, a gentleman does not kiss and tell." U'thian sniffed in mock distain.
"Does that mean E'lindil doesn't know?"
The elvin guard laughed. "Well, he introduced me to her..."
E'rin winced. "That had to be terribly... awkward."
"Oh my yes." U'thian said laughing out loud. "One minute I'm on the Captain's arm being introduced to the daughter of his partner, and the next she and I are drooling all over ourselves and unable to tear ourselves away."
"Ouch. How did he take it?"
"Quite well actually. We were really just intimate friends, and we remained friends for the rest of his life." U'thian shrugged. "You look better. I guess I managed to take your mind off of feeling miserable."
E'rin laughed. "Yes, I think you did. Thank you."
"You are worried about him aren't you?" U'thian asked.
E'rin nodded. "That's what has me really upset I suppose, being apart from him." He sighed. "He's all alone in this world U'thian. He doesn't have anyone he knew, no family or friends."
"He has you E'rin." The elf said seriously. "And I know what it means to have found your belshatha. Not everyone does, so both of you are fortunate." He looked around. "Come, we are going on deck."
"Um, I think I'll pass on that." E'rin said, turning slightly green.
"I'm afraid that is not an option." U'thian said sternly. "A'rion instructed me to continue with your training, and I have no intention of getting that one angry at me."
"Are you sure this idea of yours wasn't just to come up with a way to spend all of your time talking to E'rin?" Earlon demanded irritably. "Every time I turn around I find you two chattering away."
Andy made a brushing off motion toward the elder mage. "You wouldn't understand old man." He said offhandedly. "We younger men have to keep a close connection to our lovers so that they don't drift away with out short attention spans."
Earlon snorted in amusement. "Well, at least you are taking the separation better than I hear E'rin is. He's worried sick about you."
Andy laughed. "I have an army around me!" He exclaimed. "E'rin is the one going with a tiny force, behind enemy lines to take back an already conquered city from an endless horde of slavering barbarians."
"Well, the aforementioned slavering barbarians are headed this way. But that's not why he's worried." Earlon responded. "He's concerned about you being alone."
Andy looked up at his mentor, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "That sounds suspiciously like you're saying he's worried I'd screw around on him."
"If that means what I think it does, then no." Earlon said, his young face set into a serious expression. "After all, you aren't married yet, though you are betrothed." A shrug. "He knows that you are in a strange land, surrounded by people you do not really know. You have been uprooted from your life and thrown here utterly unprepared for what has happened." He smiled at Andy. "You have done very well all things considered, but until now, you have always had E'rin with you."
Andy looked into Earlon's eyes. "I have been alone for my entire life." He said quietly. "Where I come from, it is considered a sin to love another man, an abomination." He nodded when Earlon scowled in disbelief. "Oh, I know you don't see how any reasonable people could think that way, but it's something they are not reasonable about." He shook his head.
"There are people who make a sport of hunting down people like us. In some lands we are imprisoned or killed simply for being what we are. Hell, even my best friend attacked me when I told him. Even my father hates me." He finished quietly.
"I see." Earlon said simply.
"No, no you don't." Andy said sadly. "You should be very grateful of that." He gestured to the Paladin that stood guard on the inside of the pavilion. "Even among perfect strangers here, I feel more comfortable because I don't have to hide a part of myself away. I'm less alone here than I have ever been in my life." He smiled.
Earlon nodded. "I can accept that, even if I do not exactly understand."
"My Lord, Your Highness, if I may?" The Chief Steward said from the entrance. "May I interrupt?"
Earlon nodded and the head of the Royal service entered. The middle-aged woman carried herself with the bearing of a queen as she entered the room and curtsied to Andy. He had been informed that Mistress Endala ran a tight ship, and ensured all of the people in Royal service did not talk out of school, as well as made sure that those they served did not abuse them. She was a formidable woman than few dared to cross.
"Your Highness, I have the volunteers who have requested to act as your attendants if you would care to inspect them." She said formally.
"That would be wonderful Ma'am." Andy said. Despite the fact that he technically outranked her, he automatically deferred to her and treated her with the utmost respect.
Mistress Endala clapped her hands sharply, and a half dozen people entered the room and bowed or curtsied as appropriate.
"This is Goodman Graham and Mistress Gena." She gestured to a tall gentleman garbed in white. "He is your personal chef. Mistress Gena is your body attendant, she will see to your hygiene and dressing requirements." She turned to a younger boy. "This is Nathan, who will act as your page and gofer."
The young Nathan looked to be a little younger than Andy, and had a small, mischievous smile on his face as he bowed.
Mistress Endala then proceeded to introduce his maid, scribe and armorer. Introductions complete, each went immediately to their duties. Nathan took his placed behind Andy, waiting for any little task as Mistress Gena moved immediately to inspect the condition of his clothing. Edward, his new scribe busied himself sorting through the various reports, organizing them for his perusal.
All the while, Earlon suppressed a grin. He noticed how stunned Andy was at the way these trained servants smoothly moved in to take over his life, and knew the boy was going to need some time to adjust.
"Just take it one step at a time Your Highness." He said. "And remember, they are here to do their jobs." He stood and bowed. "By your leave?"
The picture created by the scouts was not a pretty one.
As the Horde had begun its march to intercept the Host of Man, the elvin army had finally begun falling back on the Host in force. As they fell back, they were given over to Field Marshal O'meneri'Ossenta, supreme field commander for the elves. He saw to their issue of the new communications gear and sent many back out into the forest as scouts and skirmishers. The Field Marshal's innate magic was unique in many ways. He was gifted with a certain degree of prescience. Unlike most foretelling, that tended to be very vague and frustrating, his ability manifested itself as a form of intuition, which had proven itself useful on many occasions.
The Sky Knights filled in the recon information. Mounted on their griffin allies, the forces under the command of Sky Marshal Aram, Baron of Eagle's Reach. The primary aerie lay North of the fortress city of Hereon in the Hurin Mountains. It was at Eagle's Reach that the alliance with the griffins was maintained, and the griffin clans all sent hatchlings to be raised with the humans to act as their mounts and battle brothers.
The map table was awash with detail. Each of the ork units had been scouted out, and their size estimated with a margin of error of less than 5%. The fact that the orks still had not managed to bring out any dragons so far allowed the Sky Knights to keep a fairly close eye on the comings and goings of the Horde. The orks seemed to want the humans to know they were coming.
"Holy shit." Andy whispered as he looked at the estimated count of the approaching Horde. 220,000 orks were estimated to be in that seething mass. It rolled slowly, but inevitably forward.
"The force, Your Highness, is over 10 times what we have assembled so far." Marshal O'meneri responded.
"Normally, it would be a fairly even fight." General Anastona put in. "But with what you've told us about this Ter'Zhull, the equation changes drastically."
Engagements with the orks were usually at a significant disadvantage in quantity. Orks bred like rabbit, and fought in massive swarms. Though they were individually very skilled, they lacked coordination as the heat of battle tended to blot all sense out of them.
Human tactics for dealing with these mobs was fairly straightforward. The disciplined troops would seek to pin the orks in place with their infantry, while using War Wizards to shatter the horde with their combat spells. Heavy cavalry units would then crush each of the remnants in detail. All the while, small groups of junior wizards would focus on countering any magical attacks launched by the ork shamans.
Ter'Zhull changed things in more ways than one. Though his horde was far more disciplined than any ork force in history had ever been, it was not enough to overcome their berserk tendencies in battle. The biggest changes came in terms of magic. The shear number of shamans would virtually guarantee that the wizards would be devoted almost solely to countering the ork magics. Then there was the fact that Ter'Zhull knew arcane magic, proven by the connection that had been formed between the ork and Andy.
"We can't beat them can we?" Andy asked in a quiet voice.
"No Your Highness, we can't." General Anastona sighed. "Not with the need to deal with Ter'Zhull and his lesser shamans taking the full attention of our War Wizards."
"We shall be forced to withdraw before they arrive, or they will overrun our forces as we attempt to break contact." Marshal O'meneri mused. "We will have to slow the orks as much as possible while they are still in the forest, then once this encampment is well on its way to Hereon, we can break off and make for this spur of the Hurin Mountains, and make our way to the Fortress to join you, or attempt to make a break back to El'Analon."
"That's a long march to be taken on foot." Baron Aram said gravely. "Most especially when you have the orks at your back."
"Perhaps not." Andy said. "I know there is something I'm missing here. I have this feeling the answer is right in front of me." He ran his eyes over the table, looking for something to tickle his subconscious for the answer it held just out of reach.
"I think I know what you are referring to Your Highness." General Anastona said, a smile slowly creeping across his face. He tapped the image of the port from which E'rin's strike force had departed.
"Yes!" Andy said excitedly. "That's what it was. We can pull back into that little valley, and use the pass into the area as a natural barricade!"
"Yes, but if we leave now, the orks will simply move on Hereon." Marshal O'meneri pointed out. "And if we do not move now, we will be overrun."
"Not necessarily." Andy murmured. "What if we sent the craftsmen and most of the peasant levies ahead to the pass to prepare the fixed defenses?" He looked around. "We can send them off tonight to get the place prepared for us. We stay here with the elves still acting as skirmishers." He nodded to O'meneri. "What we are going to need to do, is catch the orks here, kick them in the teeth, and then make tracks to the prepared defenses." He ran his fingers toward the pass.
"What kind of force did you have in mind Your Highness?" Anastona asked.
"Well, " Andy started "first of all we can keep up with the spoiling tactics of the elves who can still break off and take this spur of mountains to the defense point. In the meantime we will retain all of the Sky Knights and cavalry. All of our War Wizards will be retained as well."
Andy gestured and wove a pattern of illusion. Beneath his hands formed and image of a small force lain out amongst the defenses that the Host had laboriously placed. "If we set ourselves up like this, we can hold the Horde in place, then hit them with a cavalry strike. If we pull all of the Bladedancers back here, I can lead them in a direct assault against Ter'Zhull and keep him out of the equation while the rest of the War Wizards use the standard magical tactics to keep the orks off balance. Once we've hit them like this, they are going to want to follow us."
General Anastona nodded. "That could work, but let's talk about the details."
The nights in El'Analon were always quiet. The silence was broken now by the orks who had taken the city. Their constant celebration had begun once Ter'Zhull had left and taken his iron discipline with him.
It was the perfect cover.
The sailors, many of who has been known to avoid customs officials from time to time, knew how to make a quiet, unnoticeable landing. Rather than use the docks, the ships came up near the beach inside the walls and began landing the troops with the cargo boats used to transship cargo at sea.
The soldiers quietly assembled and began to move out to their assigned attack routes. Formed units of pikes moved out to cut off the routes to the beaches from the city, while skirmishers began to move into the dock area, and clean out the partying orks to allow the ships to move into dock to allow for a quick loading in case the attack went to hell.
E'rin held the gently humming sword in his hand with loose ease. He used the blade to quietly direct his troops to their positions and signaled the advance.
"We cannot hold this city." Ner'Zhull said firmly. "With our warriors as drunk as they are we are not in a position to fight off this attack. We must take the hostages and get them to lord Ter'Zhull, while we leave the majority of our warriors here to hold the humans and elves of our backs."
Forner'Zhull gave the younger shaman a glance of pure contempt. "You would flee? Ter'Zhull would mount our manhoods on plaques to have as trophies if we abandoned this city. Bring the hostages here if you must but We. Will. FIGHT!"
The warrior behind him sighed and shook his head. He raised his eyes to look the young Ner'Zhull in the eye. The younger shaman was obviously not stupid. He had tried to keep the warriors in the city as focused as they were under the great warlord, but the incompetent senior shaman would not allow him to keep the warriors in check. Instead he allowed the bored tribesman to devolve into rabble claiming that there was no need to maintain any control. After all, this area was completely secure.
"Very well. How do you intend to do this thing?" Ner'Zhull asked. "Most of our warriors as completely unable to fight they are so inebriated."
"Throw them into the fray" the senior shaman said offhandedly "they will do what comes natural to them."
Ner'Zhull was about to reply, when the whole picture changed.
As the primarily human assault force began sweeping the city methodically, reducing the occupying orks to paste, E'rin and his small strike team began made their way through the secret passages under the city.
Accompanied by both U'thian and I'olias, the Prince led the 20 or so elvin warriors into the labyrinth that was designed to allow the royal family to lead small strike forces outside the city walls and attack besiegers. Only a member of the family could navigate the safe path through the death trap that was the labyrinth. It simply did not exist for anyone else.
His parents, according to the information his belshatha had gained, were being held in the prison under garrison barracks next to the palace. What the orks did not know was that the labyrinth led right into that prison.
U'thian swept into the cells ahead of his Prince. The two orks at the door failed to notice him as he glided silently forward. He fell into the thrumming pulse of the Song of Steel and picked up the pace. Sword leading the way, U'thian struck forward and up sliding the sword into the base of the first ork's skull. The high quality elvin steel slide through bone as if it were soft cheese.
Whipping around the pommel of his sword, the Bladedancer put his full body into a leaping pirouette that wrenched the blade out of the first ork's head, spilling his brains out onto the floor. Continuing his spin, U'thian guided the blade's keen edge into the neck of the second ork, who had barely begun to realize he was under attack. The force of his spin drove the sword cleanly through the ork, severing his head.
U'thian landed in a slight crouch, blade held behind him, as he scanned the corridor for further threats. His attack had taken less than 3 seconds.
I'olias stepped up beside his fellow guardsman. "That was graceful." He commented wryly. I'olias disapproved of overly fancy fighting styles.
U'thian shrugged. "It wasn't my idea."
I'olias nodded. When one gave over to the Song of Steel, it guided one's actions. While the general purpose was still guided by the Bladedancer, the actually fighting was almost unconscious.
The elves filed into the prison area and began to search for the King and Queen. Eventually, I'olias found a cell that showed signs of recent occupation, but it was empty. The elf leaned down and began to examine the signs of movement. They were all recent.
"They're gone." He called out. "They were taken out no more than 5 minutes ago."
E'rin nodded. "Then we should hurry to make sure that we catch them." Suiting actions to words, E'rin dashed off toward the surface.
Cursing the impatience of his charge, I'olias leapt after E'rin with U'thian close on his heels. The other elves of the strike force moved swiftly to follow their leader, eager to save the King and Queen.
E'rin burst out of the prison into the exercise yard to find it packed with Orks. In the midst of this mass of barbarians he spotted his parents being led away by a shaman. With a scream of rage, E'rin attacked.
The two guards hearts fell to the floor as they saw the Prince slam into the orks headlong. It was obvious to U'thian that E'rin was not paying the least attention to his training, and as soon as the orks recovered from the surprise of his assault, they young Prince was dead.
Without a word, the two Guardsmen leapt into the fight, with the other elves streaming in behind them. They were terribly outnumbered, and the orks had hostages. It was perhaps the most stupid thing that could have been done, but there was nothing for it now but to fight and try to win free.
E'rin's rage faded as he slowly realized what he had done. Taking a calming breath, E'rin let himself fall into the Song of Steel. As he did so, the sword began to hum and glow as E'rin began to dance.
He would never forget the feeling as the Song guided him deeper and deeper into the mass of orks. Ever moving, he leapt, ducked, and wove a complicated pattern of movement that took him closer and closer to his parents.
Asane'ta K'sha burned a bright arc as it slashed into the warriors surrounding E'rin. Where the blade's edge touched, flesh parted and burst into flame. The sword left a trailing arc of fire behind it.
Freed from the need to guide his body in the battle, U'thian focused on the Prince. His heart swelled with pride as E'rin began to follow the flow of the Song even as he felt a growing horror as it led him deeper into the press of the orkish warband. What he saw next almost shocked him out of his dance.
E'rin dance brought him around into a fast spin. When the blade hit the top of the arc, the sword Asane'ta K'sha flew from his hands straight at Queen J'el.
The Queen had slipped into the Song's embrace the instant the fight began, waiting for her chance. When her she saw her son cutting his way to her side she knew what was to come. As the sword flew toward her, the Queen held her bound hands out before her. The blade slid into the chains that held her hands together, and parted them like thread. As her bonds parted J'el tightened her hands around the swords hilt when it reached her grasp.
The bonds of marriage link the souls of two people, and in many ways they are considered the same. When Queen J'el took up the sword in her hands, it recognized the soul of the King and responded in epic fashion.
Among its many abilities, the sword can both enhance the natural power of its wielder and draw upon that power to enhance itself. The Queen's power was immense on its own. As a Bladedancer, she possessed power far beyond that of many elves, and the sword served only to supercharger her.
The wave of power that surged from J'el knocked every ork from his feet and set their blood on fire. In the hands of the Queen the power of the blade lashed out at every ork in sight, burning the corruption that filled them and leaving only ash behind.
As the Host broke camp, the various non-combatants began the short trek to the valley where a stand would be made. The Court and others who would be of little use in the siege would be evacuated by ships which would return with re-enforcements and supplies for the Host.
"You will do this task for me Nathan." The Baroness duPre' purred. "Once you have performed this task, I will see to it that your families debts are forgiven, and you will receive all the money you will need to live comfortable for the rest of your lives."
The young boy bowed to the noble lady who was giving his family a chance to survive.
All he had to do was seduce a cute older boy.
"It will be my pleasure to serve My Lady." He murmured.
Ner'Zhull saw the burst of power from the window as the elder shaman continued to rant about how they would be victorious. Having seen that burst of power before, Ner'Zhull knew what it meant. The elves had brought the royal sword with them, and had gotten it into the hands of the Queen. He had witnessed what the artifact was capable of when the royal couple had held off the Horde as their people escaped the fall of El'Analon.
Thousands had died to get that damn blade from her hands, and in the end it had taken the power of Ter'Zhull himself to accomplish the deed. Without the warlord, there was no chance now.
He turned to look Forner'Zhull in the face. "The Queen has the sword." He said. "We cannot win here."
The senior shaman spit at the Ner'Zhull's feet. "Coward!" He screamed. "We will kill them all, even if it must be done over your fresh corpse." He snapped his fingers. "Xerex, kill this worm!"
The silent ork smiled grimly as he raised his massive axe. He looked Ner'Zhull directly in the eye as he struck.
The axe entered Forner'Zhull's head just above the right ear, and passed entirely through his skull. Xerex spit on the shaman's still twitching corpse as he flicked the blood from his weapon.
Ner'Zhull looked at the dead shaman, and then at the bodyguard who had killed him. "It's a pity he chose to lead the counter attack personally." He said conversationally. "That will leave us to organize the evacuation. Lord Ter'Zhull needs to be made aware of what had happened here.
The knowledge that E'rin was safe, and that the capitol was secured lessened the burden on Andy more than the reports that the detached portions of the Host had made it to the valley and were beginning to dig in.
His servants had refused to leave with the rest of the noncombatants, determined to do their duties and see to it that their Prince was free to concentrate on the military situation without the distraction. Andy was grateful for their help and support.
All that remained now was to wait for the orks and hope the plan succeeded.
It was a hope that the Historian who watched him shared.
Ok, it took me a while to get this finished, but I got a surprise visit from my sister and grandmother for the holidays. It was a wonderful surprise, and kept me busy most of the week.
Hope you all enjoyed.
Corey.