An Alliance of Mortals, page 31
part #6 of The New Earth Chronicles Series
Jergen grumbled but remained silent as the king glowered at him.
“Why do I have a feeling that I'm not going to like what you are about to tell me?” the rogue asked.
“Probably because you won't,” Shandon replied. “Walk with me, Hallic.”
The two of them descended the dais, leaving the others behind, and walked slowly toward the anchor.
“Things are moving quickly,” Shandon told the rogue. “Too quickly for my taste. But sometimes one has to leap into the abyss instead of cautiously descending the cliff face. That's where we are now.”
They stopped and stared at the anchor. Its black surface was etched with jagged blue lines that pulsed slowly. Hallic found their rhythm almost hypnotic.
“That's an alarming analogy,” he said. “What's happened?”
“As I said, we know where the emissary of the Chaos lords is at this very moment. She is located in the heart of the main goblin hive, buried deep beneath the surface in what was once a country that the humans called Russia.”
“Ah, I know where that is,” Hallic exclaimed. “A rather dreary place according to the information in our records. Do we know what she is doing there?”
“We assume that she is meeting with the leaders of the various goblin tribes and planning an assault on the humans. Or perhaps they intend to attack the elves again, even though I have stationed an entire cohort of warriors to guard the anchor in Caladur. But that is irrelevant at the moment. The important thing is that this may be our best chance to eliminate her and foil whatever their plans may be.”
The rogue nodded slowly.
“That would be a difficult operation,” he said. “If it is their main settlement, there are probably thousands of those beasts scurrying though that warren. Even with the might of the dwarven army at your command, attacking that stronghold would be incredibly difficult. You could lose hundreds of warriors just breaching the hive, let alone exploring every level to locate the emissary.”
“Yes. And I doubt that she would simply wait to be captured or killed by us once the attack began,” Shandon told him. “She would disappear and we might never find her again. Such an attack would be foolish. We need something more subtle.”
He stared at Hallic, who had a sinking feeling settle into the pit of his stomach.
“Ah, I see,” he said softly. “So that is why I am here. You want me to go in there and deal with her.”
Shandon shook his head quickly.
“Not exactly, Hallic,” he told the rogue. “Yes, I want you to enter that warren, but I certainly do not expect you to go alone. As I said, I've been speaking with the human leaders and also with the head of the elven Council, Malfiess. We believe that a small group of specialists working together would have the best chance of infiltrating the hive and taking out their leader.”
Hallic frowned at the king.
“Specialists? Who are you talking about? Other rogues?”
“No. We have a more...eclectic group of individuals in mind.”
Shandon glowered at the anchor for a moment and Hallic realized that the king was conflicted by this situation.
“My lord, if you are hesitant about sending me into harm's way, why not just tell me about the plan and let me decide for myself?” he told Shandon.
With a rueful grin, the king began fiddling with his beard again.
“You know me too well, my friend,” he replied. “Fine then. This entire thing sounds rather fantastical to me, but the mage Tamara assured me that it is true. So, Nottinghill received several extraordinary visitors yesterday. People who seem to have talents that we can use to infiltrate the underground stronghold. I'm not one to believe in divine intervention, but for them to show up at just the right time to thwart the plans of our enemies is, at least, very fortunate.”
“I see,” Hallic said as he stroked his chin with one finger. “So who are they?”
“Do you know what a vampire is?”
The rogue stared at Shandon.
“I beg your pardon?” he said.
“Vampires. Do you know what they are? The humans have told tales of such creatures for ages. We also have stories about them, but ours are few and told more to amuse small children, rather than frighten them.”
“Yes, of course I know what they are,” Hallic assured him. “But unlike most dwarves, I am also aware that such monsters existed, brought back to life by dark magics. Necromancers used them to serve the dragon queen and her brood before all of them were destroyed. Why do you ask? Are there still some of them roaming the shadows of the night?”
“Well, one that we know of. Tamara informs me that a vampire now resides in Nottinghill Castle and that he has offered us his services.”
Hallic gaped at him.
“You're serious, aren't you?”
“Quite serious, Hallic. This vampire, Antoine is his name, is responsible for clearing the city of Paris of goblin invaders and keeping it clean of incursions for years.”
Shandon shook his head.
“He did that all by himself,” he added. “Such a creature would be quite useful in the darkness of the goblin warren, don't you think?”
“By the Stone, he would indeed,” Hallic replied. “As long as we can trust him not to turn on us.”
“All we can do is take Tamara's word that he is an ally. I trust her, for what that is worth.”
“Knowing you, it's worth quite a bit,” the rogue said. “You mentioned that a small squad would infiltrate the stronghold. Who else do you have in mind?”
The king motioned for Hallic to follow him and they walked back to the dais. Shandon sat down on the steps there, his armor rattling as he did so. He sighed tiredly as he stroked his beard.
Hallic sat down next to him and both of them stared at the anchor as they spoke.
“You know who the human commander of the guards in Nottinghill is?” Shandon asked.
“Malcolm Deschamps, yes. An extraordinary warrior. Very skilled.”
“And do you know what else he is?”
Hallic glanced at the king with a grin.
“You mean the fact that he carries the curse of lycanthropy? Yes, of course.”
“You know a lot, Hallic,” Shandon told him as he shook his head. “I keep forgetting that.”
“It's part of my role as the leader of the rogues guild, my lord,” Hallic said with a shrug. “Knowledge is power and I gather as much of it as I can.”
“Good point. Well, Malcolm has volunteered to join the group that will infiltrate the goblin hive. His powers, not just as a warrior, but as a werewolf, would serve him well underground.”
“I agree. Anyone else?”
“Yes, two more people. A shaman named Magnus and a young woman named Sarah.”
Hallic frowned at the king.
“I vaguely know what a shaman is. A holy man of the native tribes of the humans, yes? I am not sure what help he could be, but let that pass for now. Who is this young woman? What can she do?”
Shandon looked over his shoulder at the top of the dais.
“Falder,” he barked. “Come down here, please.”
The seneschal appeared at the top of the steps and hurried down them to join them.
“Yes, my lord?”
“You took notes while I was speaking with Tamara earlier. What did she say about that Sarah person?”
Falder dipped a hand into one of his many pockets and pulled out a small notepad. He flipped it open until he found the right page. Then he cleared his throat and began reading.
“Sarah was one of the Changelings that emerged among the human population some time before the dragons returned to the world. All of them exhibited physical changes and many of them gained powers that went far beyond those of regular mages. Apparently Sarah is one of those.”
He glanced at the king and Shandon gestured for him to continue. Hallic was watching Falder closely, listening intently to every word.
“Sarah showed up at Nottinghill Castle with her companion, the vampire Antoine. According to Tamara, the Changeling is able to see in almost total darkness. A useful attribute. But she can also manipulate magical energies She may actually be as powerful as a wizard, in her own way, and the humans have only ever had one of those.”
“Simon O'Toole,” Shandon murmured.
“Yes, my lord.”
“Thank you, Falder.”
The seneschal bowed and ascended the steps again, leaving the king and the rogue alone.
Hallic frowned as he looked over at the anchor.
“A vampire, a werewolf, a human magic-user and a shaman. What can the holy man do?”
“Magnus is the one who found the dark emissary in the first place,” Shandon told him. “He speaks with the ancient spirits of nature and he has strange powers of his own. I have no doubt that he can be of great assistance to the group.”
“So, five of us,” Hallic mused. “And when do you want this infiltration to take place?”
Shandon smiled grimly at him.
“Immediately,” he said flatly. “We don't know how long that servant of the Chaos lords will stay in the goblin stronghold. We must strike while we have the opportunity. So if you agree to join the group, you will travel to the elven town of Caladur and meet up with the others.”
“Caladur?” Hallic said, surprised. “Why there?”
“Because their young scryer, Callius, the one who created these anchors, says that he can transport you directly into the goblin stronghold.”
“Seriously?”
Hallic rested his elbows on his knees and cupped his chin on his hands.
“I'm guessing that he can only transport a small group into that place,” he said as he stared at the anchor.
“Exactly,” Shandon agreed. “If he could send a large, well-armed squad of warriors, we wouldn't be having this conversation.”
“Yes, of course.”
The rogue sat silently for a long moment until the king sighed and stood up.
“We are short on time, Hallic,” he said abruptly. “You must make your decision quickly”
“Oh, I already have,” the rogue said as he jumped to his feet and grinned at Shandon. “I'll go, of course. How could I not? Infiltrating the heart of the enemy's largest settlement to take out an emissary of the dark gods? That is an irresistible challenge. Surely you knew that before you asked me to come to the palace?”
“I hoped it would be,” Shandon replied with a smile. “But you are unpredictable, as you well know, so I wasn't sure if you would accept.”
He looked at the rogue and saw that he was unarmed.
“Do you want to borrow some weapons?” he asked Hallic. “I'm sure that we can provide anything you need.”
“Thanks, but I have all that I require.”
Shandon looked skeptical.
“If you say so. Then if you are ready, I'll send you to Caladur right now.”
The two of them walked back across the room to stand in front of the pillar.
“Are you certain that you can use this thing?” Hallic asked the king, “Not that I doubt you, of course, but you aren't very familiar with magic.”
Shandon chuckled as he paid his palm on the surface of the anchor.
“You're right. But anyone can activate these devices, as long as they know how. That is what makes them both powerful and dangerous at the same time.”
The blue lines crisscrossing the black surface began to pulse brightly and the pillar started to hum and crackle with power.
The king stared at the anchor and said “Caladur.”
A oval of pale blue light appeared several feet away from where he stood and it quickly stabilized into a portal.
Shandon looked at the rogue.
“Whenever you're ready,” he told him.
Hallic nodded and walked over to the portal. He stared at it for a moment and was about to step through it when the king spoke up.
“Stay alert and stay alive, my friend,” Shandon said. “Do the job and get out of there. I have no wish to lose one of the few people whom I trust completely, especially in times like these.”
The rogue locked eyes with him and nodded once.
“I will be back, my lord,” he assured him. “I guarantee it.”
“I'll hold you to that. Good luck, Hallic.”
“Thank you. See you soon.”
And then Hallic walked through the portal and vanished.
Shandon lifted his hand off of the pillar and the portal faded away. Behind him, he heard footsteps approaching and he turned around to see Pieter, Jergen and Falder walking up to him.
“So he decided to go,” Pieter said. “A brave dwarf.”
“He is that,” Shandon agreed.
“Do you think that he and the others can accomplish their goal?” Jergen asked him.
“I hope so. I can't think of any other way to reach that wretched emissary. An all-out assault would fail, because it would give her a chance to use her powers to retreat from any danger, like she did during the attack on Caladur. If Hallic and the others can take her by surprise, then they can neutralize her and the goblins will be left leaderless and in disarray. All of their tribes hate each other. Take away their unifying element, that emissary, and they will begin to battle each other. Once that happens, we can move in and mop up any survivors.”
“If Hallic succeeds,” Falder said softly.
“Aye. If Hallic succeeds.”
Chapter 23
Hallic stepped into the council hall in Caladur and stopped to look around as the portal dissipated behind him. The air was lightly scented with the sweet smell of plants coming from several open windows and the early morning sun was streaming its light into the large room.
Several people were sitting at a long conference table, staring at the rogue as he allowed his eyes to adjust the the brightness of the room. To one side of the large window behind the table, standing in the shadows, was a very tall man cloaked in black. He pale face and deep-set eyes were a stark contrast to his dark clothing and Hallic felt a chill ripple down his spine as he caught sight of the stranger.
Next to the anchor stood two elves. One of them was a frail looking young male who wore a red robe. He was touching the pillar lightly and his eyes were closed.
A tall female elf dressed in brown and green leather stood beside him. She smiled at Hallic and greeted him politely.
“Good morning, sir,” she said. “My name is Ethmira. Welcome to Caladur. Thank you for coming.”
“Good day, Ethmira. Please, call me Hallic. Shandon sent me here to join the group that intends to assault the main goblin stronghold. Is everyone assembled?”
“They are. Come, take a seat at the table and allow me to introduce you to the rest of the team.”
Hallic nodded and followed her over to the conference table. He sat down at one end and looked at the others.
Ethmira moved to stand at the center of the table, facing the large window. She glanced at each person in turn as she began speaking.
“Everyone, this is Hallic, the head of the rogues guild in Kingstone. Hallic, let me introduce everyone.”
She started at the head of the table, gesturing at a very large man who was wearing a simple brown tunic and leather trousers.
“This is Malcolm, the commander of the guards of Nottinghill Castle.”
Malcolm stood up, his heavily muscled body moving with a feline grace. He smiled at Hallic as he pushed back his long braids.
“Welcome to the party, Hallic,” he said, his deep baritone voice echoing around the room. “I've heard many good things about you.”
“Have you?” Hallic replied with a cocky grin. “All lies, I'm sure.”
Malcolm laughed loudly and sat down again.
“Next to Malcolm is Magnus,” Ethmira continued. “He is a shaman and the one who located the leader of the dark armies.”
Magnus was wearing a buckskin jacket and feathers were woven into his two long braids. He did not stand up, but nodded at Hallic with a welcoming smile.
“Pleased to meet you,” he told the rogue. “Your expertise will come in handy, considering where we are headed.”
“Thank you,” Hallic replied respectfully. “I hope so.”
Ethmira gestured at a young blond woman who was sitting next to Magnus. She was wearing a black silk shirt that was far too large for her and she stared at Hallic in obvious fascination.
“This is Sarah,” the ranger said. “She is a very talented person whose abilities, I am sure, will aid you in your mission.”
“Really?” Hallic said as he winked at the fair-haired young woman. “Then I welcome your aid, Sarah. What can you do?”
She shrugged.
“Whatever needs doing, I suppose,” she replied in a soft voice. “I can twist magic in a way that Tamara says no one else can. And I can see very well in the dark.”
Hallic nodded as he looked at her yellow eyes.
“I imagine that you can. Your eyes are quite lovely, by the way.”
Sarah blushed and giggled at the compliment and Ethmira smiled at her before turning to look at the tall man standing in the shadows beside the bright window.
“And finally, this is Antoine, the last member of your group. I assume that the king told you about his, err, abilities.”
“He did,” Hallic replied.
He stared at the man, barely able to see his pale face against the beaming sunlight.
“Greetings, sir,” the vampire said with a slight bow. “You are a talented thief, I am told.”
“I prefer the term 'rogue',” Hallic said amicably. “But yes, I have a few skills that have served me well. As do you, I hear.”
“Yes, they do indeed,” Antoine said gravely. “But unlike yourself, my talents were an unwanted gift bestowed upon me by a monster. I have used them only to defend my home city against evil. But this world is also my home and I offered to join this expedition to do my part in this conflict between the mortal races and the agents of Chaos.”
“I understand,” Hallic told him seriously. “And I appreciate your offer to come with us.”
He looked at Ethmira.
“So, when does this little party get underway?” he asked lightly.
