Ch6-5: Forward Momentum
“You move, you die.” Pren stated, the tip of her spear marking a spot on the human’s chest. How she ached to spill the vile creature’s blood – it would be one less leech upon the life force of the Blue Planet. One less stain upon the flow of time.
But that’s not what I’m here for.
The human, however, seemed hearing impaired. Though his arms were held wide apart, fingers spread with palms downward, his eyes flicked back over his shoulder, voice strained as he called to his companions, “Cecil! It’s a trap!”
The Paladin King is here? Very good… very, very good…
“You do want to die, don’t you?” she hissed, pressuring the point closer. “You mean nothing to me, human scum. Don’t push your waning luck.”
“What do you want?” the human grated through clenched teeth.
“I have a warning for the Paladin King of Baron. I would advise you to retract your statement and tell him to come here promptly,” Pren growled.
It seemed as if the human was considering his options. And taking his time doing it.
Stupid humans… do they really value their lives so lowly? Or their abilities that highly?
“Do I have to make an example of you, then?” she sneered, placing more pressure on the haft of the spear.
The human winced, obviously feeling it. Maybe the draw of blood. There would be more blood that would follow, whether or not the human spoke.
The Earth shall be cleansed in the blood of humankind… until they have all been washed away. Until they are no more — and the planet is free of their curse.
“No,” a clear voice came from the shadows. An armored man strode forward, the dim light from the window catching in his green eyes and reflecting from the white of his hair. It could only be the Paladin King. “I will hear your message… release him.”
“You are in no position to give orders, Paladin,” Pren’s spear remained level. “Your companion may be released, but only once my business with you is done.”
Perhaps. If I’m feeling generous.
“Dammit…” the human at the end of her spear point swore. Which made it all the more tempting to hurt him.
Instead, Pren schooled her composure, steely gaze studying the group that had arrived out of the shadows. The Paladin King… and someone that could only be the ‘Golbez’ that the Lunar girl, Joran, always blathered about. Two filthy, nauseating human children. And one girl who seemed to be posing as a Cleric from Troia, though she looked hardly old enough to be let out of her mother’s sight.
This is all they send into the Keep to fight us?
Word had spread quickly among the Daear troops that the humans had found a way to break their dimensional pocketing techniques. No doubt the refugees from Troia would be returning to claim what was left of their city – now merely rubble and ashes.
If they want it so badly, let them have it. It is time for us to move into the second phase…
At this point, defending Troia was of no interest to Pren. Once Incrytan and the human prisoner had been removed, all that was left was to set the next step of the plan into motion.
“So you are the Paladin King so lauded by the humans?” she spat.
“Yes. I am,” he replied, keeping his distance warily. It was obvious that he wasn’t too pleased at seeing his companion standing at spear point. But, wisely enough, the Paladin also did not seem to want to make a move that might get his companion skewered.
“Disappointing,” Pren gave a taunting smirk. “I expected a lot more of you – for all the talk of heroism.”
“Cecil…” her captive grated through clenched teeth, “Don’t let her yank you around like this. Don’t worry about me…”
“Forget it, Edge,” the Paladin shot back. “Don’t do anything stupid, you hear me?”
That’s right… don’t do anything stupid, little man.
“You said that you had a warning for me?” the Paladin’s green eyes focused on her face. Being the subject of his gaze made her feel like vomiting.
“I am Pren, leader of the Daear forces of Newidmynydd,” she informed them sternly.
The human called Edge made a slight jerk forward, face dark with anger at the mention of her status. It took him only a moment to remember the spear at his chest. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if he still might not end up getting himself killed out of his own brash stupidity.
“And you believe that you should bring me a warning?” the Paladin King pursed his lips. “When it is you and your forces that will shortly be on the run. The armies of Troia will soon reclaim their city. Your magical defenses have been found out and no longer pose a threat to our people.”
Just as I expected. Crowing his victory before he understands anything about the situation at all. It’s a wonder he lived through the Crystal Wars.
“Don’t you realize that holding Troia is not our objective? Do you really think this is the full power of the Daear army?” Pren dropped the news in his lap like a ten ton weight, “While you were tracking through the forests, Paladin King, my forces have already passed over the boundaries of your kingdom. The Daear will be moving in for direct attack of the city of Baron within the next few days.”
The Paladin’s already pale face turned white in mute shock.
So easy to read…
“You can’t expect us to seriously believe that!” Edge demanded, growling at her from the opposite side of the spear haft.
“Believe whatever pleases you. If you choose not to assist your people, it is no loss to me,” Pren retorted.
“Then what the hell are you doing telling us about it?” the human snapped. He really did want a gaping hole bored into his chest.
“Why, to spread the news of the assured triumph of the Daear race over the weak humans,” she let a pure stream of haughtiness flow from the words. If the humans were angry enough, perhaps they would forget to question her motives and simply take action.
“And what about Rydia!” her captive snarled. “You have her, don’t you!?”
“You mean that vile Caller girl?”
“You DO have her!” he looked about ready to break her spear between both hands.
Pren prodded him to remind him of his place. “That is correct. Though, obviously, she is not being kept here.”
“I swear if you’ve hurt her I’ll–”
“The Caller has not been harmed,” she informed him smoothly. “Yet. However, if you do not shut your mouth, I might consider altering that fact shortly.”
Teeth bared, Edge fell into a cloud of fuming silence.
Excellent. Now maybe I can have a chance to actually speak with the Paladin rather than this raging fool.
During this whole time, the Half Lunar had remained silent.
Pren turned her cold gaze on him. “It is your call, Paladin King.”
Still, he remained silent.
“Do you understand your position, now?”
Finally finding his voice, he replied, “What do you want from me… in exchange?”
“In exchange for sparing your home city?” she gave him an amused look.
“Yes…”
A low, hollow laugh rose in her throat. “I see you don’t understand, after all. I am not here to bargain with you, Paladin. I am here to inform you that my troops will shortly be marching upon your city and slaughtering every filthy human, down to the very last child.”
Edge gave a sharp grunt, as if wanting to break into another tirade. But the threat over Rydia seemed to hold his impudence in silence.
“Do not assume that you have seen the full power of my kind – you have not yet,” Pren drew a smile made of venom. “Each pair of elemental Crystals that we destroy brings us strength as the sway of the Blue Planet returns to what it should have been… before the loathsome Lunarians came to meddle. For the Daear… Troia was only just the beginning.”
She could see the thoughts swimming around behind the Paladin’s eyes. His expression was one of stunned dismay. Of things not going exactly as planned.
Unexpected complications? Or did you simply underestimate us?
“Cecil…” the one that she had guessed to be Golbez spoke for the first time. One hand touched the Paladin’s shoulder. Though his words were hushed, they carried through the thickness of the damp dungeon air. “Cecil… there’s something else down here… something that feels really wrong.”
“What?” the Paladin jerked his head up in response. As if snapping out of a bad dream.
Cursed Half Lunarian wizard perceptions…
“Ah, yes,” Pren’s smile grew sickly. There was nothing left to do but play up the turn of events, despite the fact that she had wanted that part of the plan remain undetected until it was too late. “That would be my little gift to you, Master Golbez.”
“Gift? For me?” he peered across at her, face puzzled. As if he really expected a true-to-life gift.
He’s even more foolish than his brother…
Before they could say anything more, her hand lifted, fingers spread wide as she sent a pulse of command through the fabric of space. In response, a swirl of light began to fold back, a dimensional door opening before her.
“A Wayrift!” Golbez seemed the only one to understand the implications of such a thing. “She’s trying to escape!”
Just as Pren expected, the moment that she drew the spear away from her captive’s chest he made a lunge for her. Finishing off the annoying human would have been far more preferable, but time didn’t allow. And truthfully, she wanted to be as far away from the ruined castle as she could be… before it was released.
“Get back here and fight!” Edge shouted, leaping at her back.
But it was too late. The Daear General vanished into the swirl of fading light just as the stone floors of the Troian castle began to shake.