to read.
It has been a long day, and
me and my men are once again safe within the confines of our
tunnels. The Talan soldiers had thought this would be an easy
fight, but they are quickly learning otherwise. For years, we have
had to fear invasion from our larger neighbors and have always been
prepared.
The Talan armies march into
our cities and find them empty. They scour the forest for our
people but find only leaves and rock. They never think to look
closer, and that is their folly. Now we live under the earth in
large tunnels that snake their way below our beloved Goriel. At
night, we strike, killing their soldiers and taking their supplies,
though it seems endless. For every soldier we kill, another seems
to take his place, but we will not relent.
As Thad continued to read, ideas began
surfacing within the recesses of his mind. “This is perfect,
Alicia,” Thad said excitedly. “I will be away for some time. Please
continue to search through the tomes and mark anything that you
might find of use. If it is urgent that you find me, find the
queen. She will know where to find me.”
“You expect us to just politely ask the
queen of your whereabouts should we need you?” Fredrick asked, his
brow furrowed.
“Yes,” Thad said, nearly laughing.
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite … hard.”
Thad wanted to go straight to Mage’s
Roost, but he knew that by time he reached the small settlement,
everyone would have already retired for the night. Instead, he
headed for his chambers, where he began writing out the details of
the plan that was forming in his mind. They would have to work fast
and hard, but if they could manage it, then they might have a
chance to hold off the Rane armies long enough for some of the
other forces to arrive.
As soon as the sun peaked above the
horizon, Thad had Lady saddled and was headed for Mage’s Roost. The
ride wasn’t long, but it did give him plenty of time to think about
what he was going to say to the elders should they make an
appearance, though if everything went smoothly, he would only be
dealing with Horus.
When Thad reached Mage’s Roost, the sun
was almost fully in the sky. Thad rode straight to Horus’s house
that was situated near the center of the small village.
Dismounting, Thad knocked loudly on the thick wooden door, hoping
that his friend was home.
After Thad’s third knock, the door
swung open, a red-eyed and tired Horus on the other side. “Thad,
what brings you out at such an early hour?” Horus asked between
yawns.
“I thought older men tended to wake
with the sun?” Thad asked teasingly.
“Only if they’re married and don’t have
the luxury of a warm, silent house to their lonesome,” Horus
replied, a slight smile creeping on his face. “Well, come in. I
don’t feel like standing in the doorway in my long
clothes.”
“How many mages do we have whose skill
lies with the earth?” Thad asked as soon as he and Horus were
seated by a small fireplace.
“If we count everyone in the village, I
think close to thirty. If we’re only counting those who are
currently training for the war effort, then less than ten,” Horus
replied, his face showing his confusion.
“I need you to get everyone you can to
the new fort being built near the Rane border. Talk to anyone whose
skill lies with the earth element. Beg, plead, even bribe them if
you have to.”
“What do you have in mind?” Horus
asked, leaning forward slightly.
Thad started detailing his plan for
Horus. The more he spoke, the more Horus began to nod along.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Horus said after Thad had finished his
explanation. “I will see what I can do about getting some mages to
that fort of yours.”
“It would be a great help,” Thad said,
shaking his friend’s hand. “Now I have some other things to attend
to if I am going to make this workable by spring.”
Once he was back on his horse, Thad
headed back the way he had come with great speed. Roger and
It has been a long day, and
me and my men are once again safe within the confines of our
tunnels. The Talan soldiers had thought this would be an easy
fight, but they are quickly learning otherwise. For years, we have
had to fear invasion from our larger neighbors and have always been
prepared.
The Talan armies march into
our cities and find them empty. They scour the forest for our
people but find only leaves and rock. They never think to look
closer, and that is their folly. Now we live under the earth in
large tunnels that snake their way below our beloved Goriel. At
night, we strike, killing their soldiers and taking their supplies,
though it seems endless. For every soldier we kill, another seems
to take his place, but we will not relent.
As Thad continued to read, ideas began
surfacing within the recesses of his mind. “This is perfect,
Alicia,” Thad said excitedly. “I will be away for some time. Please
continue to search through the tomes and mark anything that you
might find of use. If it is urgent that you find me, find the
queen. She will know where to find me.”
“You expect us to just politely ask the
queen of your whereabouts should we need you?” Fredrick asked, his
brow furrowed.
“Yes,” Thad said, nearly laughing.
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite … hard.”
Thad wanted to go straight to Mage’s
Roost, but he knew that by time he reached the small settlement,
everyone would have already retired for the night. Instead, he
headed for his chambers, where he began writing out the details of
the plan that was forming in his mind. They would have to work fast
and hard, but if they could manage it, then they might have a
chance to hold off the Rane armies long enough for some of the
other forces to arrive.
As soon as the sun peaked above the
horizon, Thad had Lady saddled and was headed for Mage’s Roost. The
ride wasn’t long, but it did give him plenty of time to think about
what he was going to say to the elders should they make an
appearance, though if everything went smoothly, he would only be
dealing with Horus.
When Thad reached Mage’s Roost, the sun
was almost fully in the sky. Thad rode straight to Horus’s house
that was situated near the center of the small village.
Dismounting, Thad knocked loudly on the thick wooden door, hoping
that his friend was home.
After Thad’s third knock, the door
swung open, a red-eyed and tired Horus on the other side. “Thad,
what brings you out at such an early hour?” Horus asked between
yawns.
“I thought older men tended to wake
with the sun?” Thad asked teasingly.
“Only if they’re married and don’t have
the luxury of a warm, silent house to their lonesome,” Horus
replied, a slight smile creeping on his face. “Well, come in. I
don’t feel like standing in the doorway in my long
clothes.”
“How many mages do we have whose skill
lies with the earth?” Thad asked as soon as he and Horus were
seated by a small fireplace.
“If we count everyone in the village, I
think close to thirty. If we’re only counting those who are
currently training for the war effort, then less than ten,” Horus
replied, his face showing his confusion.
“I need you to get everyone you can to
the new fort being built near the Rane border. Talk to anyone whose
skill lies with the earth element. Beg, plead, even bribe them if
you have to.”
“What do you have in mind?” Horus
asked, leaning forward slightly.
Thad started detailing his plan for
Horus. The more he spoke, the more Horus began to nod along.
“Sounds like a good idea,” Horus said after Thad had finished his
explanation. “I will see what I can do about getting some mages to
that fort of yours.”
“It would be a great help,” Thad said,
shaking his friend’s hand. “Now I have some other things to attend
to if I am going to make this workable by spring.”
Once he was back on his horse, Thad
headed back the way he had come with great speed. Roger and
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