FrivYeti/CalinPg24
Table of Contents
Previous Page
"Will you take tea, Wildwalker?"
Lani sighed under her breath, and shook her head. The cave that she sat cross-legged in was small, but had somehow been decorated with astonishing cheer. The walls glowed softly with their own pale white light, and the table that sat in the middle of the cave was carved of ornate redwood. Two chairs, each fit for the highest nobility of the Realm, occupied the room, and she was currently sitting in one of them.
The other chair held an older-looking man, with his blue hair braided into long, flowing strips that hung about him like knotted ropes. He wore armor, but it flowed like silk robes when he shifted, and his skin was shiny and metallic. His ears were long and pointed, and his red eyes shone with amusement as he shrugged. Reaching down, he tapped the table, and an ornate crystal mug took shape, filled to the brim with steaming tea. Blowing on the tea to cool it, the raksha sipped, and then set it down.
"Lord Reverga, I'm not sure you understand how urgent this is. There is an army marching on Calin right now." Lani gritted her teeth, and then sighed again. Reverga had always had trouble with the concept of urgency, but she had hoped that, out of friendship if nothing else, he might help her now.
Reverga set the mug down, and stared into its depths for a moment, before looking up with a sad smile. "Oh, Wildwalker. You are not correct." As Lani raised an eyebrow, he continued. "There are, in fact, two armies marching on Calin right now. But you cannot do anything about that. Better to wait here for a few more minutes, to see."
"Two armies?" Lani surged to her feet, the chair knocked backwards across the room. "That's impossible! Juriakar would never divide his forces to that..."
"He has more soldiers than ever before." Reverga gestured, and the chair clattered back to Lani. "He has worked a great magic, one I had not thought him capable of. He multiplied his forces fourfold, through that expediant. Now, however, he has committed himself. Without the power of Calin's people, his army will fade away, and it will not be kind to those hobgoblins he first divided. He must conquer you, or fail." He shrugged. "Thus, he has divided his army three ways. A thousand hobgoblins march on each of the two garrisons, determined to overrun them and then advance on the town. Each is led by one of the loyal raksha that followed him here when he first came."
Lani gulped, thinking furiously. "If it's a spell, then it ends when he dies." She flexed her fingers, feeling the wood of the table. "If he can be killed..."
Reverga laughed. "And just how will you do that, young Lunar? Your combat prowess is limited at best. You never even learned the basics of the great beastman magics that your kind possess. How will you battle a raksha lord stronger even than I?"
"I have allies." Lani sighed, looking out of the cave. "At least, I have one who's anywhere around." She gritted her teeth, acknowledging the situation. No Lunar allies nearby, no moonsilver, and no hybrid. "Do you have a suggestion?"
"I have three. Sit, child, sit." Lani sat back down, and Reverga leaned forwards, steepling his fingers. "First, you have to realize what his weaknesses are. Juriakar-Makalas is a Lord of Power; the fear he commands and much of his incredible direct power rests in his oaths. If you can break his power over an area, you will break that power. This is a requirement, if you are to fight him." He smiled again. "The second key is his freehold. Remember how he commands the loyalty of certain... individuals. Without his hold, he is weakened, and I would recommend that as a critical step."
"And the last suggestion?" Lani considered what Reverga had said, and listened intently.
"Do not fight him on his terms. Juriakar controls the Law. Its power cannot be denied, and if he captures Calin, he will put it in place. You must break the Law if you are to defeat him."
"Break the law?" Lani raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, Reverga, I don't understand. Do you mean becoming criminals?"
"The Law! It is his most powerful spell. He will plant it in the manse in the centre of your town."
"Our town doesn't have a..." Lani trailed off, thinking about the geometry of the Immaculate temple in the town square, and her jaw snapped shut. It would make sense - the Hearthstone would be with the monks. She sighed. "Okay, that makes the situation harder."
"Indeed it does. But if you have allies strong enough, and you can do this, you may yet defeat Juriakar." Reverga sat back, with a faint smile. Lani nodded slowly, and then frowned.
"Wait. Lord Reverga, you said that Juriakar split his army three ways. Where is the third force?"
"The third force advances with Lord Juriakar and Lady Lysadara. Specifically, it comes here, to destroy me once and for all." Reverga sat back, taking another sip of tea.
"WHAT?!?" Lani stared at Reverga in shock. "You have to leave!"
"Oh, it's far too late for that. This is my last hideout, and it's completely surrounded. Has been since before you arrived; they're just advancing very cautiously to keep me from escaping. Don't think they noticed you, though." Reverga cocked his ear, and listened for a moment, then finished his tea and stood. "It was an honour to know you, Wildwalker. I will do what I can against this force, but I doubt that it will be nearly enough. I suggest that you hide. Juriakar does not expect you or know you."
"I... I can't just let you die." Lani held out a hand as Reverga strolled around a table towards the cave mouth. "You know that Juriakar's going to kill you. This isn't the Wyld; death is for real."
"I am well aware, thank you." Reverga stopped near the cave mouth, and rummaged in an exquisite golden chest. A moment later, he surfaced holding an ornate suit of armour made of layered rainbow scales, and a silver staff. He turned back to Lani. "Come here, child." Lani walked towards him, her expression dumbfounded. "Your compassion does you credit. Will you swear to guard this valley, as I have done so very poorly?"
Lani bent her head, fighting back tears. "I will swear it, Lord Reverga. To my dying breath will I fight."
"Then take my staff, the emblem of my oath. Take onto yourself the power of the truth, and fight." Reverga held out the staff, and Lani, after a moment, took it, blinking back tears. Reverga continued, as light shone around the staff. "I taught you much, young one. I taught you to see the power of the society, and the dangers of the Staff, how to avoid it and to use it against your foes. I would have liked to have taught you more, but your place was with humans. Now, take this Oath, and remember its power. Take this armor, for I will not be needing it. My own protections will do." He smiled sadly for a moment. "The armor will fade away, but it should last a few weeks yet." He handed the armor to her, and she held it for a moment, then dropped it and the staff and hugged him tightly. After a moment, he hugged her back, and kissed her on the forehead.
"Trust in me, Lani Wildwalker, and trust in your friends. I know that you will succeed. Now hide. Watch, if you must, or flee. But do not be seen."
Turning, Reverga walked out of the cave. Lani paused, gathering the armor and staff to her, and changed. A moment later, a small rat scurried forwards, following the inhuman being that she had considered her mentor.
