November 2013 - Tales of the Aggronaut

NaNoWriMo 29 – New Beginnings

November 30, 2013 by Belghast

NaNoWriMo 29

Today was a significant day. Firstly it was the last day of my family thanksgivings for the year. Secondly I came home and wrote the final chapter to the novel. The other night when I wrote the last bit to get over the finish line, I simply was not in the right frame of mind to write the closing chapter. Today however after spending the day with family, I decided it was as good a time as any to write the “happy ending”. The novel has come to a conclusion, but the story is far from over.

If you are feeling like you want to catch up, here is the story that has gone before. I have edited nothing.

29 – New Beginnings

Bethilda stepped through the threshold of the waygate station deep below the streets of avalon. Stepping out into the platform she joined Pico and Berrol who were saying goodbye to Bemel. In the weeks after her rescue she had watched as Bemel took a shining to the young boy, much the same as Pico had apparently done not long beforehand. The boy was very special, and in him rested the hopes of better times. Bethilda had reached out to her connections in Brittagus but the news was not good at all. It seems as though shortly after her escape from the island city, Astanax was publicly beheaded as a warning to any other dissenters. With him died the access to the hidden waygate, as well as the hopes of the Order of Merlin.

Pico had confessed that she was the creator of the weapons that the humans used to attack the members of the Elfen court. There were a few shouts and harsh words back and forth, but they had all come to a point of understanding. Things were changing in the shadowlands and Bethilda felt that new and greater threats were on the rise from the forces of winter. As a result she had proposed the founding of the Summer Alliance, and with Pico representing humanity they worked through the details of a treaty. The Ward Watch, now would protect not only humanity but the forces of good in the shadowlands.

After the events leading to Pico’s rapid exit, no one was really certain where Brittagus stood on these matters. They remained as isolated and xenophobic as ever, and in the past weeks managed to close the borders to even the Valkore traders who freely entered and exited the ports before. Battle lines were being drawn, but Bethilda was not concerned. The combined forces of the Elfen, Valkore, Wildfae and Sasquatch came back from the fields of battle victorious. With the addition of the humans, she knew they were as strong as any standing alliance had ever been in the nightlands.

As Bethilda stepped forward towards the trio they turned to face her, stopping their conversation. “No need to stop on my accord.” She said with a smile on her face. “It is nothing, Bemel was just saying goodbye” Pico said reaching down and ruffling Berrol’s hair. “I do hate to see you leaving, I feel there is much we can learn from each other.” Bethilda responded reaching out her hand to the shorter human. “Commander Farragut will be wanting a debriefing, and I am sure he will scold me for entering into this agreement without his consent. I am sure after he has heard all the details, and especially after you provided me my sample of dragon bone…” she said while lifting up the metal case at her side “.. I am sure he will come to see it my way as well.”

“You are welcome in Avalon at any time, and I look forward to reading your reports.” Bethilda knelt down “You too are welcome anytime you wish to come back Berrol.” The little boy ran over and gave her a hug turning around to look at Pico “We can come back to visit Aunt Beth can’t we Pico?” Pico shook her head “I am sure we can, I will want to study their library for information about the original Order of Merlin and scour it for any information about the wards after all” she said winking at Bemel. Was it Bethilda’s imagination or were the two of them flirting? Bemel was afterall a handsome man, but had never really shown interest in a particular woman. She thought to herself that it was probably good for him after recent events.

Pico took Berrol in hands, and Bemel walked over to the wall, placing his palm on a cyan stone embedded there. There was a purple mist that formed in the center of the chamber and within seconds it had condensed into a crack. From the edges of the crack poured a bright purple light before it finally opened into a oval shape, showing the corresponding chamber in the other world. Standing there was a man who Bethilda assumed was Commander Farragut. Pico said her final goodbyes and together she stepped with Berrol through the opening. The fissure sparkled and then she was standing on the other side conversing with the man. Bemel removed his hand and the way began to close eventually sputtering out in a puff of purple mist.

“I never took you for the ambassador Bemel” she said as she winked at him. Bemel blushed brightly for a moment and then simply responded “I have no idea what you are talking about, I was just showing Pico around our fair city.” Beth nodded as she grabbed his arm and proceeded down the corridor, and back into the main palace complex. The walked through a long shaft with Elfen Pikemen posted in pairs every few feet. As they passed the pair would straighten up and bring their spear across their chest in a salute. Bethilda realized that it would be disrespectful for them to not do it, but she always found the pomp of being the Queen intolerable. She missed the times she would sneak away to visit Jace at the farm, but she realized that the danger it posed would no longer be allowed.

Similarly it was no longer safe for Jace to return to the world of the humans either. Now that it was known he was the prince, others would be trying to get to him as well… and that was something she simply could not allow. The events had brought more than a few harsh realities to bear. She was however thankful that Kayle had decided to stay with him here in Avalon. Over the weeks spent rescuing her, it seems as though their friendship had blossomed into something more. For as brutish and unrefined as Kale could be, the girl had a softness to her, especially when it came to Jace or Dimcy. As far as the firesprite was concerned they were not inseparable as Kale had a permanent resident of her shoulder.

As they walked together through the corridor she turned to look at Bemel. “I will not be joining you in the audience chamber, I am stopping off at the infirmary first.” Bemel looked at Bethilda and nodded. “I assumed you might, do you want me to come with you?” He said grasping his sisters arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “No I will be fine” Bemel shoot her a look of incredulity for a moment but Bethilda shook her head. “No really, I will be fine… I just need to see him.” Bemel nodded again letting go of her arm. They passed through an archway, and to the left the path split, and Bethilda turned down it. Bemel continued on towards the audience chamber hoping she would find some peace.

Bethilda walked down a dim corridor, there were no guards along this one, and she was actually thankful for the quiet. It seemed as though almost everyone was doing better after the events at Fort Kraken, but there was one glaring exception. While she had been rushed out of the Fort in an attempt to protect her and her son, the Summer Alliance crawled over the keep leaving no stone unturned. Deep within the basement they found a chamber filled with a myriad of cruel instruments, all designed to torture both the body and the mind. It was within this chamber that they found him, half dead, slumping against the chains that bound him to the wall. The best healers the court had to offer tried their best to bring him back. Even the Sasquatch shaman healer Torklah failed to improve his condition.

Bethilda had ordered a room for him here in the infirmary, and she tried to make it as comfortable as she could. As she stood at the doorway to the chamber she looked at the once proud man now laying broken on the bed. She felt a tear sliding down her cheek as walked through through the doorway. She took a seat on the bed beside him as he lie there perfectly still other than the slow labored breaths. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it tight. “Benj my love, I am here… can you hear me?” she pleaded as she peered down into his glassy stare. She began to weep softly as she waited as always for a response, only to hear nothing but his ragged breaths.

She laid down across his chest, wrapping her arms around him. “Please come back to me…” she said softly. She had always regretted their decision, and never did more than now. She wanted to protect her son, and she felt the only way to do this was to disguise who he was. While she would work to repair the relationship between them, she could never buy back the days she lost with her beloved. “You just have to come back… I need you” she wept into his chest. She laid there like this for a good amount of time sobbing when she felt something she did not expect. She looked down to her side to see Benj’s hand had moved up slightly to rest upon her, with his fingertips spread out grasping her.

She exclaimed “You are still in there aren’t you!” She reached down grasping the hand and slowly his fingers grasped around hers. He was recovering slowly, she was certain of it. Benj had always been resilient, and he was trying desperately to come back to her. She looked up at his face and his eyes were closed with his mouth fixed in an expression of determination. “I will wait however long it takes” she said softly as his expression relaxed a bit and his hand fell loose at his side. She lay there listening to his heart beat with renewed strength. She would wait for eternity for him to be back at her side. They could be a real family this time, like she had always wanted them to be. Even if it meant war, she would do anything to protect them and keep him safe.

NaNoWriMo 28 – The Puppeteer

November 29, 2013 by Belghast

NaNoWriMo 28

I am so thankful that I pushed on forward and finished up before yesterday. After coming home from the holiday madness I was not in any state to write. I still have one more chapter to finish, so hopefully today I will find some peace of mind to do just that. This is the next to last chapter and I still have yet to write the one that ties the pieces up and talks about what the folks are doing after the events. As always nothing has been edited, and I plan on sitting down to do that after the new year. Here is a rundown of the story so far.

28 – The Puppeteer

The night sky looked angry, it was as though it knew what was in his mind. He reached into the folds of his thick red and gold robe, retrieving a small circle. Numbers flashed across its surface swirling in and out of view. The hour was getting late and there was still no sign of the assassin. It was unlike Shandor to not be punctual, and this was a trait he had come to expect from him. The master would not tolerate such a delay, so why should he. As the indignant rage built up inside of him he heard a noise behind him. The assassin had slipped into the room without opening the door or breaching the window. Betweeners as their accursed sidestepping he thought as he turned to meet the man.

“Do you have it” the robed man asked impatiently looking at the pack on the back of the assassin. The other slowly took the pack down producing a pouch handing it to the robed man. Slowly he opened the pouch and the room was filled with the soft glow of orange abbreviated by brief flashes of blue. The stormfire crystal was complete and as he held it in his hands he could feel the power coursing from it. With such power came great temptation with a mere touch of his fingers and a short incantation… all of that power could be his. He quickly closed the bag, knowing the master would flay him for even thinking such thoughts.

He placed the pouch in a pocket buried within the folds of his robe. No that distinct honor would be that of the Master, and he would never know of the moment of weakness just felt. He slightly to face the assassin looking him directly in the eyes “Do you have the other?”. The assassin walked over to a table, placing down his pack and lifting out a great brass cylinder. The construction was delicate of ancient dwarven make. The assassin removed a clip from the top of the container pulling up on it, removing the brass shroud.

There within a glass tube filled with a slightly glowing greenish ichor sat the head of Baigan Derrow, traitor to the courts of Avalon. “Are you quite certain it is fresh?” the robed man asked looking over the face of the fallen shade. “Yes, I slipped it into the casing moments after removing it. The flesh was still quite warm as I flooded the chamber with the conductive liquid.” The assassin replied stepping back from the container. The master would be pleased, he knew that he would want to read the thoughts of the traitor to determine if there was anything he kept hidden away in that brain.

“Sir there is the matter of my payment.” The assassin spoke up making a gesture with his hands to indicate the expected currency. Shandor was a loyal contractor and could be trusted to execute all instructions to the letter. This was a hard thing to find, and of course was worth quite a lot. The robed man crossed to his desk pulling out a fat sack that jingled as he crossed the room again, placing it in the hands of the assassin. “I am certain you will find this more than you requested. Just think of it as a bonus for the length of time spent in the company of that fool.” The assassin took the coins placing it down in the bottom of his pack and slinging the satchel across his back once more.

“Just as you had said, the Elfen and the human showed up moments after I had taken the head.” Shandor remarked while walking towards the door. “If there is nothing else, I will be going.” The robed man shook his head slowly “No that will be all, you are as always a faithful and honorable assassin. Should we need your services again, I know how to reach you.” The other nodded as he disappeared from sight silently in a puff of purple smoke. No matter how many times he saw a betweener shift like that, he could never really get used to the sight. Things had gone according to the masters plan.

He moved to the table, picking the brass shroud up and sliding it back down over the glass chamber. Taking the pin he refastened it and lifted the entire apparatus from the table. Slowly and carefully he walked holding the container out beside him as though afraid it would somehow taint him through its mere presence. He moved down the carved stone hallway entering a small room on the left with a dim green glow. There were a series of containers just like the one he carried in his hand. Each one sat down on a shaft with a series of cables leading up from it into the ceiling. He sat down the container and it seated in the slot making a distinct click as it finally locked into place.

The robed man unfastened to pins on either side of the container and the front panel of the brass shroud slid away revealing the face of Baigan once more. Reaching up he took a bundle of cables down from the ceiling, fastening each clamp onto one of the bolts sticking out from the top of the brass tube. After each clamp had been fastened the liquid in the container began to churn making bubbling noises as he sloshed and swished about the head. Baigan took a permanent place in the machine as the heads eyes began to open and mouth move in slight motions. The master would not be able to access his every thought and desire.

He looked to the container to the left,. to the head of Astanax the traitor to the Order. The robed man was giddy thinking about the secrets he must have told the master. The Order of Merlin hiding right under their noses and the library of knowledge that was now theirs to plunder. There was still one thing that did not make sense to him. Why had the master bid for him to help the girl escape. Would it not have been better to dispose of her and the son of Astanax? “it is not my place to question the master. The master is all knowing, all seeing. The master will lead the way.” He chanted the mantra pushing away the thoughts from his head, letting the rhythm of the words purify him.

He turned away from the containers and the moving faces contained within them, to a desk set into the far wall. Sitting down at it he drew towards him a large crystal on a pedestal. Placing his hands on the base he closed his eyes reaching out through the crystal to someplace else, someplace dark and powerful. The crystal flickered to life and within its many facets there displayed was a shadow shrouded figure seated on on a throne. “Is it complete Karrek?” the voice in the crystal demanded. “Yes master, the traitor Baigan has been connected to your machine. The assassin has also delivered to me the stormfire crystal.” Karrek smiled broadly as he delivered the good news.

“You are as always my faithful servant Karrek. Keep the crystal safe until I come for it.” The crystal dimmed and with it vanished the image of the master. Karrek had pleased him, and this meant he would be rewarded. Still he could not shake the feeling that there was more to the plan of the master than he could ever understand. The human girl, Pico, had to play some key role in his greater symphony. There were so many questions running through his head, but as he pushed them away he convinced himself that the time of the master was near. The threads of fate were being stitched together one by one.

He left the small room and moved back out into the main chamber, crossing it to stand upon the balcony once again. Karrek looked out upon Brittagus, the colony trapped in time, exiled from humanity. The exile of the wizards was soon to end. The Wards would fall and with them the Master would claim his place as the ruler of the new world. Karrek his loyal servant would be rewarded at his right hand. All of the death and pain would be worth it when the new glorious world rose like a phoenix from the ashes of this hollow one. Karrek raised his hand to his cheek as a small tear of joy dripped down it and onto his hand.

NaNoWriMo 27 – Rising Light

November 28, 2013 by Belghast

NaNoWriMo 27

Happy Thanksgiving to you guys, and as you can tell by the banner I managed to get over the 1200 words to “finish” the novel last night and win NaNoWriMo. It has been a wild ride and at this point I am a mixture of happy and exhausted. I got used to writing every single day with my blog experiment, but there is just something different about changing from writing freeform blog style posts to trying to write prose. I am mostly just drained at this point. While I am “done” with the contest goals I still have one more chapter to write. Probably after the festivities of Thanksgiving I will sit down and knock it out. There are still a few more chapters to post on the blog so stay tuned over the coming days for the official end.

If you are wanting to catch up, here is the rundown of the chapters so far. Nothing at all has been edited.

27 – Rising Light

Bemel knocked an arrow drawing back his hand and aiming his bow carefully. He let loose a battle cry as the arrow flew from his hand rushing off over his bow and flying across the battlefield striking the Ort general beneath the chin. This sent the head of the arrow crushing up through his jaw and borrowing into his skull. The great oaf stumbled a bit as though he could not comprehend what had just happened. In the hundreds of years since the Winter War, the Orts had forgotten the precision of the elfen archers. As the struck general tried helplessly to claw free the arrow, the finality of the act finally caught up with him and he toppled over like a great tree crashing down upon the ground.

At the sight of their fallen leader the Orts began to route, fear getting the better of them. They charged off in all manner of directions, but the Valkore were quick on their tail hunting them down. They had taken the battlefield but not at an insignificant cost. Bemel looked to either side and there lay a few sasquatch and valkore who had felt the sting of death. But where lie a relative few, there lay hundreds upon hundreds of Orts. The enemy was unprepared for the resistance they posed, and their defenses crumbled under the three prong strike.

Looking across the field he saw that Morrow and Josah were advancing on the fort, and he decided to join them. The Valkore and Sasquatch could get their revenge and track down the straggling backbreakers. Bemel thought that it was time for them to rescue their queen. Prepared for a fight they rushed the open porculus only to find the halls of the keep relatively quiet. “This does not seem right. There should be Ort here as well protecting Baigan.” Bemel said looking over at Josah. The other nodded “I don’t like the feeling of this.”

Morrow held her hammer out in front of her slightly, as if ready to swing at a moments notice. She had a score to settle with Baigan and would not be denied her justice. She lead the pack as they wound through the hallways that echoed with the sounds of battle still raging outside. However oddly she heard no sounds emanating from within. The trio wound down the main corridor leading to the audience chamber, where they assumed Baigan would have set up his makeshift throne room. As they entered the chamber they heard the echo of footsteps coming down a hallway to the west of the chamber.

They paused preparing for battle, as a group of figures came into sight. She could not hardly believe her eyes as the group came into view. She screamed in joy “Merowyn! You’re alive!!” as she saw her sister. The big woman threw down her hammer and ran screaming across the room tackling her sister and wrapping her big arms around her. “Jace, Kale.. you guys are alive too?” She said when she noticed the rest of the group. “I was afraid you two did not make it out safely, that Baigan had maybe finished you off.” She let go of her sister letting her down to the ground.

Merowyn caught her breath panting slightly as she responded. “We are fine, it is good to see you too sis.” Jace ran over to Morrow giving her a big hug, and then noticed behind her standing with Josah as Bemel. Where was Benj, was he not with them? “It is good to see you guys too, where is Benj? Is he with you?” Jace said eagerly. Morrow shook her head slowly “We don’t know where he is, we were seperated at the farmhouse” From behind Jace there came a loud scream. It took them for a moment to realize it was Kale. She had her hands to her sides staring up at the throne, screaming madly.

The entire room turned to look at the throne as well and a few other shrieks happened. There in the throne slumped over to one side, was the headless corpse of a man. Josah dared to walk up to the chair and examine him, and upon further inspection it appears to be Baigan. The body looked drained, as though the life was sapped from it. Josah looked around on the ground and behind the throne, but there was no sign of the mans head. It was missing, but curiously his staff was just laying there topled to the floor.

“I am not sure what the meaning of this is. He attacked us outside and then escaped. We were pursuing him when we ran into you.” Merowyn said with a shocked look upon her face. “Who could have beheaded him in those few moments?” She looked around the chamber expecting to see the attacker still there, but there was nothing. The chamber was empty other than the group that had assembled at the same time. She picked up the staff noticing the orange crystal still intact and shimmering brightly. She carefully twisted the crystal and it slid out of the staff mooring easily. “I believe this is why you all came here?” Mero said holding the crystal carefully in her hands.

“In order to break the bond we need four” She said looking at Morrow, Josah and Bemel. “Lets free her before any more time has wasted.” She held the crystal out in front of her, and slowly the others moved to array themselves with the four cardinal directions. They each reached out holding onto the crystal. “Now concentrate.” She said as she reached out with her mind letting it flow through her body and out through her fingertips and into the crystal. She pictured Queen Bethilda in all her glory, standing there in front of them. Bethilda had a smile upon her face, like she was happy to see her.

Beth and her had always been friends, but she was afraid the other would judge her and her decision to leave the court of Avalon. Instead all she felt from Bethilda was warmthy and happiness. In her mind Bethilda ran over to Merowyn, wrapping her arms around her giving her a bright and warm hug. It was as if the sheer power of summer was radiating from her hug, warming every inch of Merowyn. As she opened her eyes she watched as the crystal pulsed violently. The warmth radiating from it was almost painful as she withdrew her hand.

The crystal hovered there in the air as the others backed away from it. It began to spin around on its axis. It twirled there like a top, as it began to enlarge in size slowly. They stepped back again as the heat coming off of it was almost too much to bear. As they moved away it began to expand rapidly quickly taking the size of a human twirling there on the stone floor. In a flash of light, the crystal cracked along its facets sending a rain of shards down. There in the center of this explosion stood Queen Bethilda with a warm smile upon her face.

“Mom!” cried Jace as he ran across the room wrapping his arms around the queen and squeezing her tight. She returned his embrace collapsing against him. She was weakened but he helped support her body keeping her upright. She said in a weak voice “I’ve waited your entire life for you to call me that” She closed her eyes for a moment, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. “I only tried to protect you from harm, I always loved you from a far.” Jace found himself crying as well. “I know, its okay, we are back together now”. He squeezed her tighter, and within moments they were joined by Josah, Bemel and Morrow in one giant embrace. It hurt not to have Benj here, but he had most of his family back. Things really were going to be okay.

“We have to get you to safety my Queen.” Josah finally said as they broke away from the embrace. “We have taken the field, but it is not safe here for you. We are on the far side of the Sunwall. There is time for us to catch up once you are safe in Avalon.” He said motioning to Bemel to begin preparing to leave the castle. He turned to Merowyn “Please come with us, you don’t have to stay… but please let us know you are safe.” Merowyn looked at Josah and then again at Morrow “I… I will come with you. But I am needed by my people” she said motioning to the sprites arrayed around her. “They can of course come too, we can talk about what happens next after the queen is safe.” She nodded exchanging glances with Dobin and the rest of the sprites.

The fort would need to be searched, and information gathered. But that would all wait for another day. The Valkore were owed this justice, after being driven from their homelands by the Trogjan. Fort Kraken had been a Valkore outpost, a remnant of the final battles of the Winter War. They should be the ones with the honor of securing the keep Josah thought as he made his way to the sunwall. He had summoned a Hearthship, a much larger versions of hte skimmers designed for transporting a large number of troops. He watched as Morrow and Jace helped Queen Belthilda on board. They had managed to take the field, but he feared this was the opening volley in a new Winter War. He would instead revel in the fact that he had both his sister and his wife back safe, and that would be good enough for today.

NaNoWriMo 26–Betrayed

November 27, 2013 by Belghast

NaNoWriMo 26

I had the grand goal of finishing up last night, but in the end I just did not quite have the steam to push across the finish line. However I did manage to get to 48,723 word count. This puts me roughly 1200 words away from 50,000 which I am certain I will make. At this point there are two chapters left that I planned to write. Even if I do make it over 50,000 I will go ahead and write the two chapters I feel need to be there to finish off the novel. I am shocked at just how well overall the pacing has worked. I honestly expected to be “done” and come up way short of the target goal.

Here is the story to date for those wanting to catch up. Found out last night I have a contingency that is waiting for me to finish before starting. Hopefully they all realize just how raw the novel is!

26 – Betrayed

The castle facade was hidden behind a wall of thick smoke streaming up from the strew carcasses of the metal machines that previously guarded it. The skyship payloads had found their targets and sent a scattered mess of gobbley mechanics trying to vain to repair them. Behind the black cloud Merowyn knew lay a portculus, and hopefully in the confusion they could slip into the castle proper relatively unnoticed. She raised her hand waving the gathered group of valkore and her sprites ahead into the dense hanging smoke. They moved along silently ajusting their course periodically to miss a frantic mechanic.

They could see the wall of the castle when the smoke began to break a bit. From directly ahead of them there came a bolt of fire streamed with little rivulets of lightning coursing up and down its length. The bolt missed Merowyn barely but she managed to react and raise a barrier spell moments before the next one would have struck her. Instead it bounced off the barrier sending it careening into a gobbley warmachine causing another fury of sparks and even more black smoke to belch up from it.

Peering through the smoke she recognized her attacker as Baigan, son of Oakswurv and the Winter Prince. Jace and Kale had told her about the events of the farmhouse, but until she saw him herself she had not quite believed that one of the councils children would betray them. When the next of stormfire came, she pushed out on the shield and sent it deflecting back in his direction. The bolt struck at his feet causing him to jump back slightly. Seizing the opportunity of his momentary distraction she pushed the barrier harder sending it out in front of her like a wave of force. The shield struck Baigan squarely in the chest knocking him back pressing him against the castle wall.

He tried in vain to hurl another bolt at Merowyn but she quickly raised another barrier sending it crashing down upon him. How could this be, the power of stormfire was the most destructive magic known in the wildlands. How could a simple barrier spell be getting the best of him. He needed time to regroup. He threw a bolt of stormfire at the ground beneath one of the crashed warmachines sending up an explosion of parts. Reaching out with the power of the north wind he directed the cloud of machinery down upon Merowyn and the others.

“Get to me now!” Mero yelled already extending out a protective barrier and wrapping it around them. The others managed to get inside the bubble moments before a stream of debris crashed down on the bubble trapping them under a dome of spent machinery. Merowyn strained at the weight crushing down upon her bubble, sensing her struggle the sprites clamped around her just like they had done before. She became a luminescent sculpture of green light as the little fae gave back some of the light she had given them. Emboldened by the strength surging into her… she pushed with all her might upon the barrier and with an eruption of force the pile of machinery flew off in every direction raining down upon the frightened gobbley who were still hopelessly tending to their creations.

When the dust cleared Merowyn looked around frantically expecting another round of attacks from the traitor. Instead she saw nothing, he had vanished, most likely into the castle. She took a moment to catch her breath as the others made their way up to the portcullis. The gate was down and no matter how much Kale tried she could not budge it. When she finally gave up on lifting it she began pounding the door with her great big fists, each blow causing the door to echo like a drum.

Jace grabbed her arm trying to stop her, the knuckles of her hands already bloody and cracked from pouding against the dense wood. “We will find another way Kale, you aren’t doing anything but hurting yourself” Jace chided as he tried to think of another way. Merowyn said he was a wood binder, and that was why he could change his staff into a sword. She said he could also manipulate wood and other living and once living things. He wondered if that included a wooden gate on a castle. While he didn’t really understand the specifics of why he could do what he could do, he understood the basics and that was enough to try.

He managed to get Kale to stop, and moved in front of her placing his hands on the wood of the gate. Reaching out with his mind he tried to meld with the wood, sense it, feel it moving behind his fingers. He closed his eyes and imagined the wood of the door parting for him, peeling apart at the grain moving to one side and leaving a wide opening. As he visualized the change in the door he heard a creaking noise and as he dared to open his eyes he watched the wood slowly bending to his will. Cracking down the grain and slowly folding back until there was a warped opening in the door just big enough for them to pass through.

Kale looked at him dumbstruck “How did you do that?” Jace shrugged slightly “Merowyn said Benj and I were woodbinders… I just took a leap of faith that it meant any kind of wood… not just my staff” He was as confused by it as she was, and quite honestly completely surprised by the success. Standing there it felt as though the ground was rushing up at him, and then moments later he realized that it was him falling to the ground. Kale rushed to his side helping him back up. “Are you okay?” He nodded wearily feeling completely drained “I guess it took a bit out of me, I will be fine.”

His head was spinning but as he stood there assisted by Kale the world began to right itself and stopping moving around so violently. Within a few moments the dizzyness had passed, but he felt as though he needed to stand completely still for a few minutes just to make sure. He looked over at Merowyn and similar the Sprites were helping her up. I guess these abilities they had, came with a bit of a price. He was certain they would both be fine they just needed a moment to rest and recover before going further. If they were to encounter Baigan in this state they would both likely end up dead.

Using the shower of machinery as cover Baigan had indeed escaped into the fort and was now streaming through the halls on his way to the throne room. Passing Orts along the way he screamed “Get to the western facade, defend me you oafs!!!” The magical exchange had drained him greatly as well and he needed to gather his strength. Shooting down the skyships and then the exchange with Merowyn had tapped a good bit of his power. He needed a moment to rest and then he could finish them off after the Orts were done with them.

He ascended the stairs leading to the throne and collapsed down into his chair. How could this have gone so wrong he asked himself. Did he not have the most powerful army at his command? Was he not able to wield the most destructive magic? How could these misfits be tearing his army apart at the seams. The Orts were undisciplined brutes, that had to be it… they were not used to fighting without cheating. The Trogjan never fought fair, and they rarely had to defend. They were almost always the aggressor. He had simply miscalculated their strengths.

He could still be the victor. His superior magic would be the key. He had to regain his strength so he could strike down these fools with his mighty storm fire. As Baigan sat there trying to rationalize away his failure he felt a sensation unlike any he had ever experienced. He felt a coldness against his neck and a pressure. He found himself unable to speak, and there was a flurry of movement as at the last moment he finally realized it was a blade slicing into his neck.

The assassin had been completely silent, and his aim true and steady. In a single flash of motion Baigan the traitor was no more, and the other was sliding his head into a leather bag and dropping it into a pack on his back. Reaching out to a pouch on his waist he removed a large crystal, one much larger than the one used to trap the queen, but relatively similar in design. The assassin touched the crystal to the chest of Baigan’s lifeless and now slightly twitching corpse. The room erupted in a cascade of lights that vacillated between a deep cyan and a warm glowing orange.

When the light had faded the assassin stood there holding a crystal that contained a deep fire within it and underneath the surface pulsed with jets of lightning. The stormfire crystal was complete, and the master would be pleased. The assassin slid the crystal back into the pouch at his waist. He looked at the corpse of Baigan and frowned slightly. It was troubling to see any shade die, even a pompous and arrogant one like him. The masters plan however is absolute, and he would get the crystal to him before high night fell. With that the silent shadow of a man slipped out of the throne room, and melded with the corridors rushing out of the castle and into the dim twilight.