Lord Dukker called together the captains of the home guard in the council chambers. This was the only meeting hall that was completed, and it provided them with sufficient privacy for the topics they would discuss. Once they had gathered together, Dukker explained to them that he was taking the command of the home guard because General Jaali was going to the lands of Nairi while Commander Tenanden was leading a special assault team to retake the city of Alanderas. He wanted them to understand that he was taking over because their commander was the only person who could reclaim the birth city of the high elves. He lavished praise upon the captains as well, who then cheered their approval of Duk- ker's plans.
"I want to make it known to you that Mistress Kana has not left our side. She wants us to punish the wicked Nairians and to avenge the blood of her chosen people upon all the kingdoms of men!" Lord Aellenas said boldly. Cold furry and rage coursed through him. His eyes were full of malice and hatred. His fierce gaze inspired the desired reaction from the captains of the home guard. They all stood up and saluted their new leader. They stood at attention waiting for Dukker to dismiss them.
"I believe I speak for all of us Lord Aellenas when I say that we will crush the infidels. The city will not fall under your command, and we will reclaim the land that is rightfully ours," Commander Harley said stoically. He swelled with pride as he spoke while a wicked gleam flickered in his eyes. He was anxious to kill as many Nairians as possible once they had retaken Alanderas. He felt a burning desire to depart immediately to Mount Quang, but he knew he needed to be patient. He sensed that Lord Diikker had some special instructions for him.
"Commander, please stay for a moment. We need to decide who you will take with you and what you will need to do to be successful," Dukker said with a dark look.
After all the captains had left, Commander Harley took a seat next to Dukker. Lying on the table in front of Aellenas was a map of Mounts Quang and Konane. This was no ordinary map, however; there were little objects moving on the map. The commander looked at Aellenas in disbelief. He had witnessed many kinds of magic in his day, but he had not seen anything like this. There was a large group of people that were armed for battle with siege weapons, knights, archers, and swordsmen gathering together in the courtyard of Alanderas. On the edge of the map were a few giants that were camped near Mount Quang. The capital city of the high elves on Mount Konane was filled with so many people that it looked like a mass of ants moving about. He noticed a name appear that seemed to be the name of their capital city. It said Tiranidrol, named after the surname of their mighty Queen Kishi.
"I have never seen anything like this, my lord," said the commander. He was amazed at the detail and the accuracy of its depictions. He was simply impressed that it was a moving map.
"I show you this map because it will tell us exactly what we will need to do in order to retake Alanderas," Dukker explained with a sideways look at his commander.
"When do we attack?" asked Harley.
"Tomorrow morning; after our army has departed, we will look at this map again. I believe that Yukio will not stay put long, so the number you will need to take with you will be very small. However, we will not do anything until we see what moves they make first. I believe they have spies watching us, so they will know when our army leaves the mountain. I will instruct the home guard to be as invisible as possible while at their stations. Their spies do not have magic, so we may be able to trick them into thinking that we emptied the city. This should be the edge that we will need. As for who you should take, I recommend only those that you completely trust," Lord Aellenas explained confidently.
"It sounds like an excellent plan to me," the commander said with a bow. He turned about and left the council room so Aellenas could continue to formulate defensive strategies.
Dtikker stood in silence in the massive dome-shaped council room. The evening sun was setting, and the white clouds in the sky above turned red as the sun set in the west. He was waiting for the queen to arrive so that they could discuss their plans together and decide what would be the most prudent course of action. His apprentice had become more powerful as a result of recent events, and he knew that she would continue to grow stronger. She was his equal now and would be far superior to him very soon. He knew that she would take the Nairi Canyons and that by doing so she would spark a kind of war that had not been seen in the lands of Tuwa for nearly a thousand years. She would become the most powerful sorceress and would rival even the guardians in most respects. He had taught her well.
He was so consumed in his thoughts that he did not sense the approach of his pupil. Kishi entered through the front doors of the hall and bowed as she looked at her mentor. He smiled at her in a way that a proud father would, but his dark demeanor made his smile look sinister and wicked. She smiled back at him as she walked resolutely to his side at the head of the council table. She looked down at the moving map and was impressed by this use of magic. She still had much to learn from her master and she knew that she did not have any time left for further lessons. Her eyes scanned the portents of the moving map quickly. She noticed that there were giants very near Mount Quang, and this disturbed her.
"My queen, I have met with the captains of the home guard and with Commander Tenanden. I explained what the army was planning to do in the morning, and they were overjoyed at the prospect of retribution. I then informed our good friend Harley that he would be leading a special unit of troops tomorrow to recapture the city of Alanderas. I believe that General Yukio has spies watching us, so it is safe to assume that he will pursue our army as it leaves the mountain heading east. Retaking the city will be rather easy for Commander Harley. I do have one concern, however," he said, pointing to the giants camped out near Mount Quang. He had sensed the surprise Kishi had about the giants and their proximity to Alanderas.
"What in the name of all that's holy are they doing there?" asked Kishi in an uneven voice to her master. She hid nothing from him, including her emotions because he would be able to sense them anyway. She also knew that she could trust him and that he would share in her concern about the giants.
"They may be curious about what has been going on in the mountains. They do not ally themselves with anyone, so I do not believe that we need to worry about them siding with any of our enemies. I am more concerned about their innate curiosity," explained Dtikker with a sigh. He thought that the giants were rather dull creatures and that he could handle the whole lot of them by himself. They had no magic and no way to defend against his particular powers, so he could take them out with a rather small force without a second thought. However, he knew that the queen would not approve of such a course of action. She did not share the same idea of power quite yet, and she was not ready to embrace his position on the matter.
"How big of a force do you think we need to send as a result of this possible threat?" she asked patiently. She was thinking that the mad general had gone and allied himself to the giants somehow. This would not bode well for the high elves if that were the case. The giants could resist elemental magic and could take on all of her people and win with a considerably smaller force.
"I believe that Commander Harley will be able to retake the city without any losses or interference from these brutes. I will, of course, inform him that there are to be no prisoners taken when he sacks the city," he said darkly. "I think that if we send a fourth of our archers to defend the outer wall and a small number of cavalry to run down spies, we should be able to defend against an assault by the giants if they should try to surprise us." He knew that Kishi did not believe this, but she would trust his judgment in the matter. He had never led her astray.
"I think we should send spies of our own with Commander Harley. How about one or more of your steed's offspring? They should be able to find out what we need to know about the true intentions of these giants. Plus, they could set some pretty sticky traps for our intellectually challenged friends," said Kishi with a derisive snort. She thought that the giants were slow and would easily fall into a massive spider web. She knew that the easiest course of action to take with the giants would be to confuse and outsmart them. The later should not prove too difficult.
"I agree with your suggestion. We should send in spies of our own to learn all that we can. I do believe that Razi's spawn can do what is needed while providing the necessary effect we are looking for. I will have him send his spies into the camp of these giants first. We should have a report within a few days during which time we will have already retaken Alanderas. Kishi, we should not delay taking action any longer; time will be our most formidable ally or our greatest enemy. We must move swiftly," he said wisely.
"You are right … as usual. Have your spies set as many traps as possible while gathering intelligence from our unwanted guests. Instruct them to find out what they can and to send someone back to report right away. Also, prepare the defenses of Tiranidrol for surprise attacks. Make sure there are enough provisions to outlast a long siege if it should come to that," said the queen in anticipa tion of the worst. She did not want to be caught off guard like her sister. She knew that this meant being on guard at all times. Unlike her sister, however, she was not afraid to use her magic to protect herself. Her sister had always been very reluctant to use her powers, fearing that they would eventually control her.
"Do not worry yourself about the defense of the city or the reclaiming of Alanderas. I know that these ventures will be successful and without loss. My worry is for you, Kishi," he said kindly. He was so much like the father she had wished for all her life. He understood that it was bitter sweet to get revenge and that it would be a difficult feat. He knew that the Nairians would not be caught off guard and would fight like a wild beast backed into a corner. The queen needed to anticipate a long siege while attempting to capture the canyon lands. He had the feeling that she thought her task would be rather easy to manage.
"So, you think that my task is more difficult than I feel it is?" she asked without equivocation. "You are probably right; you always are. All I know is that this is where my course lay and that Kana is on our side. We will take the Nairi Canyons and repay our debt to those who died at the treacherous hands of General Yukio!" Cold furry rushed through her body, and she rose a little into the air as her anger built. The people ofNairi will learn what the true meaning ofrevenge.! Her eyes had turned red as if fire were about to burst out of them.
"I will leave you to your thoughts then, Milady," Lord Diikker said with a bow. As he stood to leave, he had a triumphant look on his face. She may not want power by any means necessary yet, but she is now on the right path.
Kishi walked out of the council chambers even more determined and resolute in the course of action she was about to undertake. As she looked around the square, she caught sight of her faithful general and good friend, Jaali Thrarias. When he noticed the queen, he immediately left the conversation he was having with one of the siege commanders and walked toward her. He smiled as he approached the beautiful, yet deadly, high elven queen. He bowed in greeting once he had reached Kishi, and she took hold of his chin to bring him out of his prostration. She smiled warmly at him once they were looking one another in the eye.
"General Jaali, we have much work to do. We need to make preparations for a long siege. We will need archers, swordsmen, siege weapons of every kind, scouts, spies, and anything else you can come up with. I do not want to leave anything to chance," explained the queen earnestly. Her resolve always gave her great strength, and she knew that the army needed to see that fierce determination from their leader at this critical juncture.
"We have provisions ready that will last us for a year, and we have devised a route that should be relatively easy to keep safe from attacks. No one knows about the north land, and that is where we will make our base. We will store our food and spare equipment there. From a secret base I have found, we will be able to outlast the Nairians," said General Jaali gruffly.
"You have done well. Do we have any cavalry to send with the army?" she asked.
"I have taken the liberty to round up some of the finest horses found in the north lands and have sent the knights ahead on their steeds to our northern home base. They should be finished with the defensive preparations by the time the army reaches them. We will be ready in the morning to head out," he said to his queen as if he knew the next question. He knew her all too well to not know what she would want done and what her expectations were.
"Thank you, Jaali. You always know what I am thinking and what I want. That is not typical of a male from any race … but especially for an elf," she chided. She loved him as if he were the brother she never had. He treated her as a little sister even though she was his leader. She liked this very much because it made her feel secure and cared for.
"The day is waning, and the army will need a good night's rest before the trek to the secret base. I will leave you now, Milady," he said with an edge of friendly sarcasm. He bowed slightly and took her hand in his and kissed it gently. He rose with a wry smile and turned about-face and marched back toward the barracks. The queen watched him leave, and the sky above burned red as the sun set in the west. She eventually turned around and walked to the partially finished castle. She, too, would need plenty of rest for the journey ahead. She would wake early so that she could set some special magical protections of her own on various places within the city. It never hurts to be prepared.
Kishi felt that she also needed to meditate in the morning to clear her mind of all thought so that she could use her magic with greater precision and without any distortion from her emotions. She had learned that when she used her power through her feelings or aided by them, she could not control its destructive or constructive power. She needed to keep everything in check because if she let her resentment gain control, her enemies would then have a weapon to use against her. She cared too much for her people to submit them to great danger because of her ill disposition. She would protect them at all costs.
The morning air was crisp and cold as the queen meditated on her balcony. She could sense her surroundings and could feel her anxiety ebbing away as she became at one with her environment. She always kept her cool when she took time to focus herself and to ponder on the beauty of the world in which she lived. She immediately felt the presence of a powerful being, but she could not tell where it was precisely. It had the feeling of being everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
As she opened her eyes and turned around to look into her bedchamber, she saw a shadowy figure glide toward her. She immediately knew who it was that stood or floated before her. It was the mighty Mistress Kana, one of the most powerful Elementals and who happened to also be the most temperamental guardian. She would need to be cautious in this surprise exchange. She bowed only slightly to recognize her but did not want her to think that she felt she was a lesser being. Kishi stood up straight and looked into the fiery eyes of her unbidden guest.
"Queen Kishi, you need to understand exactly what happened to your sister before you take action against Nairi," Kana explained plainly but with great power in her voice. "Kira was murdered by General Marek, but the good general was not right in his mind. General Yukio has the ability to control and manipulate minds, and he used this power to eliminate your sister and the Chairman. He then killed Marek to make the whole situation look like he was too late to save his wife and his friend from his best friend's madness. I arrived too late to stop the bloodshed, and he is even now preparing his army to hunt you down."
"Why would Yukio do such a thing?" Kishi asked quietly. She is not telling me everything.
"He is an ambitious man who wants power over others. His ability to control minds has given him a taste of something he wants more than anything which is limitless power. That is why he has done what he has. That is why you must not underestimate him or his abilities. He may be a mad man, but he is a very dangerous one. He is an enemy that could rally support to his side with relative ease. If he does this, then all out war would be brought upon the races ofTuwa," Kana explained with a great deal of emphasis on the insanity of the general.
"We may need help to take the canyons if Yukio rejoins Queen Daria and her people," she said, consumed in her own thoughts.
"I will work with your mentor to garner support from some of the other races. They will not be able to provide you with direct support, but they will cut off any support from elves, dwarves, or men," the powerful guardian declared.
"Why are you helping us?" Kishi asked impulsively. She did not entirely trust the temperamental goddess, and she knew that she was on thin ice questioning her the way she was. But she needed to be sure that she was not making a mistake by siding with her.
"You are a bold one; that is why I like you so much. I have been prompted by what I have foreseen to join with you and the high elves. You are the future, and I will help you usher in a new world order. I will provide you with an axis of powerful allies and with direct aid from me when possible. For instance, I will create a windstorm so violent that the army of Yukio will not be able to follow for a few days. This will allow you to get to your secret base and to make your first assault on the canyon lands. I will then assist Lord Dukker in retaking Alanderas. Finally, I will have him create the alliances that you will need to be victorious," the guardian explained coolly.
"Very well then, I will go to the army now and get everything ready so that we can depart at sunrise. It will probably take us until midday to get all the troops out of the city, so how can we make sure that Yukio does not follow right away?" she pressed Kana. She did not want to fight the first battle on their doorstep.
"Leave that detail to myself and Lord Dukker. We will kill any spy or pursuer from Yukio. I will inundate him with powerful winds from the mountaintop that he will be unable to gather his men for some time. He may be mad, but he would not expose his men to unnecessary injury from my gale force winds," Kana explained.
"All right then. I will go and get ready for our journey. I will leave you so you can meet with Lord Aellenas," the queen replied. She bowed slightly and went to her closet to gather what she would need for the battles ahead. She would take her staff with her because she felt that this would help her channel her power better while providing a measure of control over her magic. It would also enhance her destructive power while bolstering personal protective spells she had in place.
Kana said nothing in reply and simply vanished. Kishi was too consumed in her preparations to notice the guardian's departure. The sun was beginning to peak over the horizon, and she could already hear the sounds of the army making their own preparations. When she had gathered together her staff and other magical items, she left the bedchambers to begin her last task before leaving Tiranidrol. She quickened her pace so that she would be done by the time the army was ready to depart.
As she went about casting her protective spells, General Jaali was making his final preparations for departure. He divided up the men into a very specific formation that would help protect against ambush. The exterior had pike men to guard against horses, and behind them were a row of swordsmen. Behind the swordsmen were archers who could attack enemies at a distance while being protected by the first two rows. In the very center were the siege weapons. He was proud of this ideal formation and knew that they would not likely need to protect against much, but it is better to be safe than dead. That was his motto and everyone knew it. His desire to keep his troops from unnecessary harm made him the ideal leader. His army was fiercely loyal to him as a result.
As the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, the army was ready to move out. Queen Kishi appeared out of the shadows and walked slowly to stand at the side of General Jaali. He turned to her and smiled confidently at her. She smiled back briefly and then put on a determined look. Everything went still as she looked over the thousands of troops standing at attention before her. There were nearly five hundred thousand soldiers in the army, with five thousand knights waiting for them at the secret camp. She felt a surge of confidence rush through her body, and she began to glow an eerie red color as she began to lift off the ground slightly. Outside the walls of the city several plants wilted as their life force was stolen from them for her purposes.
As she stretched out her arms toward the heavens, she bellowed, "Let it begin!" As she said this, a series of twisters formed just outside the western wall and picked up strength as they headed toward Mount Quang. She continued to hover in the air, and her eyes were a milky white color. She then slowly began to float down toward the ground, and her arms lowered a bit. From out of nowhere, a staff flew into her right hand, and she shot straight up into the air some fifty feet. She pointed the staff directly at Alanderas and muttered something unintelligible while holding aloft her war staff. Bright blue light engulfed her momentarily and then seemed to consolidate into the staff. She then sent the built-up charge of magic into the sky over Mount Quang. Lightning began to strike the moun tainside repeatedly. Booms of thunder rang out, waking every living thing within miles of the sudden storm.
Kishi returned to the ground and looked herself once more. She eyed the soldiers as they looked at her in awe and wonder. She smiled wickedly and said, "Move out!" She motioned with her staff toward the front gate of the outer wall. The army acknowledged her command immediately and began to file out of the city. She walked at the very front as a sign that she would take the lead with General Jaali as they headed to war. The troops began to shout and chant as they marched. Within a few hours, they had emptied the city and left only the citizens and the home guard behind.
Kishi did not want to leave anything to chance, so she thought that her actions would work well with what Kana was planning to do. The exhilaration she felt from using such powerful magic stayed with her throughout their uncontested march to the secret base in the north lands. Magic had never lingered for so long after using it. She began to crave it even more with each passing moment. She felt like she could single-handedly take on the army of Yukio and the defenses of Queen Daria. She was so wrapped up in the moment that she did not recognize the warning signs of sacrificing other living things to use their life force to bolster your own magic. This was a slippery slope she would have normally known not to trifle with.
After marching for the space of three days, they reached the secret northern base and were greeted by the knights who had made all of the necessary preparations. Farms had been set up to provide a renewable food source, and the forests north of the base were full of wild animals and fruits. There was also a well from which water could be drawn, and a river ran through a part of the woodland nearest the base. They could survive indefinitely, if need be, off the land surrounding them. There was a natural mote around the massive fort, which required the knights to build a series of bridges that could be retracted when needed. The walls of the natural barrier went down into the depths of the earth endlessly. The breadth of the mote was equal to five giants laying head to toe.
The main bridge to the base had been made centuries ago and had a section in the middle that could retract slightly, which left a ten-foot gap that made it impossible for big equipment to move across. The other bridges made by the knights were considerably less stable and could only handle so much weight at a time. There was existing living quarters which had been prepared for the army's habitation. An ancient army must have built this impregnable fortress during one of the north land wars. Queen Kishi looked around appraisingly and smiled slyly at her good friend, General Jaali. She was very pleased with this outpost and knew that after only a day of rest that she would be able to begin her attack.
"General Jaali, have the troops find their rooms immediately so that they can get some rest. In the morning, we attack!" she said savagely.
"Yes, my queen," he said, with a rueful smile at Kishi's enthusiasm. He could see that she was full of purpose and that she actually cared for the troops and their well-being. It gladdened his heart to see such devotion in his best friend. She had been lost for so many years and had wasted a lot of time searching fruitlessly for meaning in her life. Now, she had found what she was looking for. It was rather tragic that she found it after losing her sister.
"After you have carried out my orders, please get some rest. I am going to put up some of my own protection around our new base. There is some innate magic already protecting this place, but it never hurts to put our own layer of magical protection," she said confidently. "I will see you just before dawn. We will attack as the sun rises, so make sure the soldiers get plenty of sleep and that they have a substantial breakfast for the long day ahead of them."
"I will. I would also like to say that it is good to see that you have found purpose in your life and that you care so much for the welfare of others. As your friend, I will do what is necessary to keep you from harm. As your general, I will keep you safe," he said with an appraising look at his oldest friend.
"Thank you, Jaali. I could ask for nothing more and would expect nothing less from you. Now, let us get on with our tasks so that we can get some good rest. Good night, my friend," she said warmly as she wrapped her arms around her massive friend. They held one another for a few minutes and then she kissed him lightly on his forehead before departing.
As the sun crested over the edge of the canyon walls outside the castle of Queen Daria, the home guard noticed an eerie glimmering along the northwestern rim. It was as if there was a long line of metal objects standing along the rim of the canyon. They had never seen anything like it before and could not understand exactly what they were seeing. Then they saw a dust ball heading toward them at a great pace. As they looked closer, they could tell that it was one of the guards from the outer defenses. As he neared them, a ball of fire came down out of the cliff and instantly incinerated the poor soldier. Then clouds began to form overhead, quickly blocking out the sun.
The shining objects along the cliff could no longer be seen as a huge dust storm seemed to have risen out of nowhere and was heading directly for the queen Daria's castle. Lightning began to strike randomly all about them, and the loud echoing thunder ripped through the canyons so violently that rocks began to fall to the canyon floors. Commander Zareh Hacus came out of the front gates at a dead run at the sudden disturbances. He knew almost at once that they were under attack. He had no idea who it was, but he could not mistake the fact that they were being assailed by a powerful sorcerer. He barked orders at the guards to alert the rest of the home guard and to have everyone get to their stations at once. He ran back into the castle to warn the queen about what was taking place.
Before the army of Queen Kishi reached the first real defenses of the canyon lands, the guards had been alerted. They were stationed in cavities of the rock walls and began to shoot at will when the army came into their line of sight. The battle for the Nairi Can yons had begun. The Nairians entrenched themselves and would prove to be very difficult to kill. The high elves were not detoured by the superior defenses. They had the most powerful sorceress in all of Tuwa on their side, and Mistress Kana would be sending aid to them. With a queen as powerful as a guardian and a goddess who was more powerful than most of the Elementals, they could simply not lose the battle.