Two unicorns glided low over the Sordoan forest until they came to the coastal ridge between Pontek and Trekum. With powerful strokes of their massive wings, the unicorns rose up the western slope of the ridge and glided to a landing on the long, narrow crest. Tedi and Natia glanced around to get their bearings as scores of dwarves dropped their hammers and picked up their axes.
“Get back to your posts,” growled a surly dwarf. “If you don’t recognize Knights of Alcea when you see them, you need to report to a healer and have your eyes checked.”
Natia stifled a giggle as the surly dwarf approached the Knights of Alcea.
“You’re a mean one now, aren’t you, Kroto?” greeted Tedi.
“It’s the only tone some of these miners understand,” laughed the dwarven magician. “If I wasn’t here watching over them, they would probably be splitting open a keg of ale.”
Natia glanced around in amazement. For as far as she could see in each direction, dwarves lined the crest of the ridge. Near each dwarf were two types of metal spikes in the ground. The larger type was very wide, and it tapered off as it got closer to the ground. Those spikes had been driven into the rock very close to the far edge of the crest. The smaller type looked like a large chisel except it had a hole bored through the top. The smaller spikes were sunk into the rock farther away from the edge of the crest and each one of them had a large coil of rope alongside it. One end of the rope had been passed through the hole in the chisel and tied in a knot. Kroto smiled when he saw what Natia was looking at, his large mouth splitting his broad face with a toothy grin.
“I think you’ll be needing to talk to Prince Darok,” said Kroto. “You’ve no doubt come to watch the show. Follow me.”
Tedi and Natia dismounted and followed the dwarf mage. For several minutes they marched past the waiting dwarves, and Natia shook her head in amazement. Natia tried to count the number of dwarves that they passed, but she lost count when Kroto quickened his step.
“I’m sorry to point and run,” apologized Kroto, “but I need to get back to my station. The call may come at any moment. Prince Darok is just ahead. Keep going.”
“What is going on here?” Natia asked Tedi.
“I am not entirely sure,” admitted Tedi, “but Alex said we should see it. I gather it is some scheme that Alex and Prince Darok hatched up last fall.”
The Knights of Alcea continued onward until they came to a cluster of dwarves. Prince Darok was in the center of them, so the Knights of Alcea waited patiently for the gathering to break up. The wait was not long. Prince Darok clapped his hands with an air of finality, and the group of dwarves scattered, some of them racing past Tedi and Natia. The dwarven Knight of Alcea spotted Tedi and Natia and waved them to him with a sense of urgency. The gypsies ran to his side.
“So, you’ve come to see what evil lurks in the minds of dwarven sappers, eh?” chuckled Prince Darok. “You are just in time then.”
“What is going on?” asked Natia.
Prince Darok grinned broadly. “Take a wee peek over the edge, lass, but don’t be obvious about it. We don’t want to be tipping our hand just yet.”
Tedi and Natia both moved closer to the edge and peered down. Natia gasped. Several hundred paces below her, a huge Federation army marched along a thin strip of road at the base of the cliff. Beyond the thin strip of road was the Sordoan Sea. The army stretched as far to the left as she could see, and a fair distance to the right as well. Tedi pulled Natia back from the edge, and they returned to Prince Darok.
“General Gattas?” asked Tedi.
“And General Montero,” nodded Prince Darok. “Below is the 6th Corps and the 15th Corps in their entirety.” The dwarven prince turned slightly and pointed to his right. “If you can see that very last dwarf standing on the crest over there, he is waiting for the tail end of the army to pass him. When it does, he will give a signal to me. At the appropriate time, I will give the signal to attack.”
Natia looked again at the coils of rope next to each dwarf and frowned. “There are twenty-thousand men down there, Prince Darok. How many dwarves are up here?”
“Two-thousand,” answered the prince. “It’s hardly a fair fight.”
“I’ll say,” frowned Natia. “That’s ten-to-one odds. Are you sure this is wise?”
“It’s ten-to-one in our favor, lass,” laughed Prince Darok. “Lord Zachary did say that each dwarf was worth one-hundred men, didn’t he?”
“That was to scare the Spinoans,” scowled Natia. “You can’t possibly believe the lies he told the enemy.”
“Ah, lass,” Prince Darok sighed with mock offense, “your words slay me. And here I thought King Arik thought highly of the dwarves.”
Tedi started laughing, and Natia whirled to face him, anger building at his levity. Before she could verbally lash out at her husband, she felt Prince Darok’s large hand on her shoulder. The dwarven prince was also laughing.
“I apologize, Natia,” chuckled Prince Darok. “I shouldn’t be having fun with you on such a serious occasion. We have no intention of merely jumping off the crest to fight the Federation. Let me explain.”
Natia turned to stare at the dwarf, her face clouded with confusion.
“Down below,” Prince Darok began, “the Federation army stretches out for over two leagues. They are indeed a formidable foe if my men met them on the battlefield, but that is not how the battle will go this day. I have had my sappers working on this ridge for almost half a year now. The entire face of the cliff has been undercut. When the signal is given, two-thousand dwarves will raise two-thousand hammers over their heads and bring them down on two-thousand metal wedges. When they do that, the face of this cliff will shear off and drop on the road below.”
“Won’t they have time to flee?” asked Tedi.
“No,” answered the dwarven Knight of Alcea. “We have undermined the cliff for a length of three leagues. The length of their column in only a little over two leagues. Even if one of their riders bolted at the first sound of a hammer, he could not ride fast enough to escape the mountain falling on him. Nor could they save themselves by leaping into the sea. The height of this cliff is several hundred paces and a lot of that will land in the sea. There is no escape from this trap. There is only death for twenty-thousand invaders.”
One of the dwarves caught Prince Darok’s attention and the prince turned to see the end dwarf signaling him. He signaled back and then returned to his conversation.
“But the ropes?” questioned Natia. “What are they for then if not to rappel down and fight the enemy?”
“The ropes were used to undercut the face,” explained the dwarf. “They have been left in place in case something goes wrong. As certain as I am that the sappers have done an excellent job, nothing is perfect. If there are pockets of Federation troops that survive, we will go down and finish them off.”
“No prisoners?” asked Tedi.
“Not in this battle,” answered Prince Darok. “My people have to rush from this battle to Hendy Valley where we will be pitted against a superior force led by General Ritka and General Stemple. We have no time to take prisoners and no place to put them. The only exception will be for General Gattas and General Montero. If they survive, Kroto has orders to capture them. If they die, he will retrieve their heads. He is keeping pace with them now so that we don’t have to search under all that rock to find them.”
Prince Darok stepped away from Tedi and Natia and peered over the edge. He quickly stepped back.
“Send the word that the attack will begin in a few minutes,” Prince Darok said to the closest dwarves.
The dwarves sent the message both ways along the line of dwarves.
“What about their mages?” asked Tedi. “Can they stop the attack?”
“Not with any magic that Kroto or Doryelgar know,” answered Prince Darok. “We had planned to take out the black-cloaks last night, but we got word from Tagaret to alter our plans. I think we will be safe from their magic, but we will respond in kind if they surprise us. Now I must ask you to step back a little further. The ground is going to shake mightily, so you might want to get a good stance before I give the signal.”
Tedi and Natia moved away from the edge and prepared for the ground to shake. With a sudden thought, Tedi stirred Button to life and told her what was going to happen. He asked her to record the attack for Tagaret to see.
The little blue woman leaped into the air and shot upward, angling over the sea. A moment later, a fiery arrow shot high into the air from some dwarf near Prince Darok. Button looked down and watched the Federation soldiers. None of them appeared to notice the arrow, but they all heard the sounds that followed. The sound of two-thousand hammers striking the wedges pealed like a monstrous bell, and every soldier glanced around nervously. Some of the soldiers chose to look upward. Those men saw the face of the cliff start to peel away from the ridge, and their shouts of warning rippled through the ranks of the Federation armies.
Panic and chaos gripped the hearts of the Zaran soldiers. Some soldiers jumped into the sea, and some tried to hug the face of the cliff, hoping the debris would somehow miss them, but most of the men remained frozen, staring up at the tons of rock cascading down upon them. The cavalries at the two ends of the columns raced away from the center of the armies in a futile attempt to avoid death, but as Prince Darok had said, none of them could outrun the collapsing mountain.
The rock wall screeched as it tore apart, and the ground rumbled noisily from the impact. The ground shook like an earthquake, and the tumultuous sea tossed waves high into the air. In seconds, it was over, and a deathly stillness replaced the chaos. There were no cries from wounded men, no screams from trapped horses. The only sound was the crashing of the confused waves upon a new shoreline. As Button watched, a great massive cloud of dust spewed skyward, blotting out her view of the ridge. The fairy banked away from the mushrooming cloud before it enveloped her.
* * * *
Podil awoke to gentle raindrops falling on her face. She opened her eyes and stared at the angry sky overhead. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and when she did, she sat up quickly and looked around. Zalaharic knelt next to Wesik, his hands on the large unicorn. She frowned when Zalaharic did not acknowledge her rising, and she was sure that he would have heard her stir.
“Zalaharic?” she called softly.
“He has been like that for hours,” Wylan said weakly. “I think he is in a trance of some kind.”
Podil turned and stared at the Knight of Alcea. Wylan was sitting up at the edge of the glade, a mass of leafy material placed between his back and the tree that was supporting him.
“How are you feeling?” asked Podil.
“I have felt better,” Wylan replied with a smile, but Podil could tell that the smile was forced and that the Knight of Alcea was in pain. “Still, I am alive so I guess I should not complain too much.”
Lightning streaked across the angry sky and thunder shook the forest. Podil quickly erected a shield over the glade as she stood and looked around some more until her eyes landed on Sinora. The unicorn stood sleeping near the body of Sheri, which looked exactly the same as it did when Podil closed her eyes earlier. She continued to look around, but she could not find the fairy.
“Where is Thrip?” Podil asked Wylan. “We should send her off to Tagaret to let everyone know that you are alive. They thought you had perished.”
“Zalaharic sent her to Caldar for supplies,” answered Wylan. “He said that he needed more kioji and torafin.”
Podil nodded silently. Kioji was used to replace lost blood and strength, and torafin was a pain killer. Podil had brought some of each with her, and she was sure that Zalaharic had as well. That fact that Zalaharic needed more of each was not a good sign. She knelt next to Wylan and gently leaned him forward. He did not protest, but he winced in pain. Podil pulled away the poultice and examined his back. She nodded with satisfaction and leaned Wylan back against the tree.
The clouds opened up, and a torrent of rain fell from the sky. The raindrops hit Podil’s invisible shield and flowed over its surface and away from the glade. Podil glanced up at the storm as she moved across the glade to Zalaharic’s side. She knelt next to him and frowned, wondering how long he had been inside Wesik. With the storm overhead, she had no idea how long she had slept, so she reached out and touched Zalaharic. His skin was cold, too cold. Weighing the danger of waking Zalaharic or letting him remain inside the unicorn, Podil leaned forward and gently pulled on Zalaharic’s wrists. The Elderal elf blinked and looked over at Podil. He sighed wearily and nodded to her as he pulled back from the unicorn.
“I hope my interruption was not poorly timed,” Podil said softly, “but I was worried about you. Your body felt like ice.”
“The internal damage is severe,” Zalaharic said softly, “but you were wise to pull me out. These things should not be rushed, yet there are always others waiting for our skills. Tend to Wesik’s flesh if you can. I need to rest.”
Podil nodded as Zalaharic stretched out right next to the unicorn. He closed his eyes and immediately fell asleep.
* * * *
Alexander Tork opened his eyes and grabbed a knife from the table next to his bed. He quickly rolled off the bed on the side opposite the door and crouched behind it, the morning sun streaming through the window of his room in the Royal Palace of Tagaret. He had heard someone pause outside his door, or at least he thought he had. He was never quite sure if it was a dream or reality when such a sound woke him from a deep sleep. But the Knight of Alcea took no chances. He waited silently as the door slowly opened. With the knife held for throwing, he cocked his arm and prepared to strike. The door suddenly opened and Jenneva stood in the doorway. Alex sighed loudly and relaxed his arm. Jenneva looked across the room and raised an eyebrow at her reception.
“Do I need to knock when I return to my own room?” Jenneva asked as she entered the room and closed the door.
“Sorry,” Alex apologized as he rose to his feet and put the knife back on the table. “I wasn’t quite sure what had woken me. You were not here when I arrived last night. Is anything wrong?”
“Everything is wrong,” frowned Jenneva, “but I am too tired to explain it all to you. Arik is holding a meeting right now in the library. Why don’t you get dressed and attend the meeting?”
“Give me a hint,” replied Alex as he started getting dressed.
“The plague has spread throughout the city,” Jenneva said wearily, “and there are not enough healing mages to handle it all. Zalaharic seems to be missing, so I sent a fairy to Glendor. Galdan and some of his elves came to offer assistance, but I am not hopeful for a speedy solution to this problem. The short version of it is, the Targa army is too sick to fight. How did you make out in Sordoa?”
“Fairies and unicorns are not affected by the fear spell,” answered Alex. “I also think that knowing about the spell in advance can help a human to conquer it, but I would not suggest we use such a technique. It is a powerful spell. Was Arik angry that I flew off without telling him?”
“I have no idea,” answered Jenneva. “I have not seen Arik since before you left. I have been working day and night to heal those afflicted with the plague. And that is all I can say for now, Alex. I would not be here if I could still function decently. I need sleep desperately.”
“I understand,” Alex replied with a smile as he pulled back the covers for his wife. “I will check in on you later.”
Jenneva nodded and kissed Alex before sliding under the covers. Alex covered her up and quietly left the room. As he made his way through the corridors of the Royal Palace towards the library, he heard distant voices. The closer he got to the library, the louder the voices became, until he realized that there was shouting going on inside the library. Two Red Swords stood guard outside the library door, and Alex nodded to them in greeting.
“I would normally tell you that it is not a good time to enter the library,” quipped one of the guards, “but King Arik has been looking for you since yesterday. He is not in a good mood.”
“So I can hear,” frowned the Knight of Alcea. “Has this been going on long?”
“The meeting started promptly at dawn,” answered the guard, “so it has been going on for an hour now.”
Alex nodded to the guard and opened the door. The shouting immediately stopped and everyone in the room turned to see who was entering.
“And where have you been?” scowled the king. “I have been looking everywhere for you.”
Alex narrowed his eyes as he looked at the king. Arik was red in the face with anger, and harsh lines etched his face. Alex sighed deeply and closed the door. He turned and bowed to the Warrior King.
“I was in Sordoa, King Arik,” Alex replied formally. “I eliminated the black-cloaks from Team Gortha.”
“You what?” growled King Arik. “I gave specific orders that no one was to attempt sneaking into the tents of the black-cloaks. I will not be defied by anyone, Alexander Tork, not even you.”
“I did not sneak into the tent,” Alex replied calmly. “I posed as a colonel in the Federation army and had General Ritka’s permission to enter the tent. What is this all about? The shouting in this room can be heard through half of the palace. What is wrong?”
“The city is badly plagued,” answered Queen Tanya, “and that includes the army. There will be no reinforcements when the Rangers and Red Swords go up against General Bledsoe and General Kozinski.”
“And they are arriving at this very moment,” snapped the king.
“What about the elves of Elderal?” asked General Gregor. “Perhaps we should divert them from Team Mya and use them against Team Miram.”
King Arik spun around to face the general and started shouting at him. Alex did not quite hear the exchange despite its loud volume because Prince Oscar caught his eye. The prince was standing with his back against one of the bookshelves that lined the walls of the library, and he was signaling for Alex to join him. Alex nodded and casually made his way around the room to where the prince was standing. Alex was vaguely aware of more shouting in the room, but he wanted no part in such a meeting. Such decisions as the placement of armies should not be made at an emotional level, and that is what the meeting had devolved into. He stood next to Prince Oscar and pressed his back against the shelves.
“What is going on here?” Alex whispered.
“I fear for the king, Alex,” Prince Oscar whispered back. “This is not my son talking. Arik would never belittle people as he has been doing. I have already spoken to Lord Clava about it, and he agrees. Something is very wrong here.”
“Yet he is the king,” Alex said softly. “We cannot simply send him to his room until he is feeling better. What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know what to do,” admitted Prince Oscar as he watched Queen Tanya slip out of the room. “My only hope is that he might listen to you.”
“That might work when Arik is merely having a bad day,” frowned Alex, “but this is something different altogether. Nothing I can say will get through to him in the state he is in. With his current mood, I would be thrown in the dungeon before I finished the first sentence. I have never seen him like this. When did this mood start?”
“It started this morning,” answered Prince Oscar. “It came right out of the blue. He was surly and irritable from the moment he walked into this room. It hasn’t gotten any better since.”
Alex did not respond. He stood quietly at the edge of the room watching the king interact with the others. It was clear to Alex that the other advisors were growing weary of the constant bickering. Everyone looked as if they would rather be on a battlefield than in this meeting with the king. No matter what suggestion was offered, the king tore it apart, and his arguments were not gentle. Alex knew that nothing good was going to come out of the meeting. While he was observing the king, he noticed that Arik was wearing the new pair of boots that had been donated to him by a shoemaker. He frowned at the significance of the boots. It meant that the king was going to make a public appearance, but that would be disastrous given the king’s current mood.
“He is wearing the boots,” whispered Alex. “Why?”
“He is planning to address the citizens today,” answered Prince Oscar. “He thinks it is important to let the people know that the king is aware of their plight and doing everything in his power to find a solution. He really has to do it. The citizens will expect it.”
“You can’t let him do that, Oscar. He will end up shouting at someone, and the citizens will think the king has lost his mind. It will do more harm than good. Without the people and the army behind him, Alcea will be lost. Keep him inside.”
“I cannot control him,” frowned the prince. “He is of no mind to listen to me.”
The shouting was louder than before and a loud slap reverberated through the room. Alex looked up in time to see Lord Markel take his hand off the book he had just slammed onto one of the tables.
“I did not come here today to be shouted at as if I were some young lad who stole something from the pantry,” yelled Tedi’s father. “We are supposed to be advising the King of Alcea, but it appears that the king has no need of our thoughts. I will take it no longer. I resign from the Council of Advisors effective immediately.”
Lord Markel’s face was bright red, and Alex knew that the man had reached the limits of his endurance. The noble bowed sharply to the king and strode angrily towards the door. As he passed by the king, Arik’s hand streaked out and grabbed Lord Markel by the tunic. The king lifted Tedi’s father off the floor, and shoved him into the wall. Books flew from the shelves as Lord Markel’s body hit the wall.
“He does not know his own strength,” Alex said to Prince Oscar with a sense of urgency. “He’ll kill Alan. I do not know what will happen to me, but do whatever you have to do to keep Arik inside the palace today.”
Prince Oscar opened his mouth to ask Alex what he was going to do, but the answer became immediately obvious. Alex ran towards the king. He leaped onto a table and dove across the room, wrapping his arms around the king and immobilizing him. Alex and Arik bounced off the wall and tumbled to the floor. Lord Markel fell on top of them and quickly rolled away. Alex lay on top of the king, and Arik’s hands were pinned underneath him. The king tried to buck the Knight of Alcea off his back, but he could not.
“Lie still, Arik,” grunted Alex. “I am not trying to hurt you.”
“Hurt me?” spat the king. “As soon as I get up, you are going to wish you had stayed in Sordoa.”