Chapter 530: War Master (Patreon)

“You killed Ophelia Thorn? The archmage? The Queen of Undergrowth?” asked Loh skeptically.

Technically Lunae ate her. “Yes,” Stryg answered.

Loh looked at him doubtfully, but said nothing more on the matter.

Of course, he killed Ophelia. What mortal can stand up to a god and live? thought Calantha Ashe grimly.

“You’re serious…” Krall muttered then broke into a grin. “I wish I had been there. The conniving bitch deserved it.”

“If Ophelia is dead, then their army is without a head,” said Loh. “They will retreat.”

“For now, but her House will want revenge. They will retaliate soon,” warned Vayu.

“Calex or Lerdea Thorn will first have to solidify their position as the head of the family and ruler of Undergrowth,” said Loh.

“Calex is strong and he has built close relationships with the other noble Houses of the city. They’ll support his claim, as will his sister. My spies tell me Lerdea has no interest in the throne,” said Calantha.

“Even still, the city’s lords will no doubt be unruly after the failed siege. It’ll take time for Calex to appease and rally them to battle again,” said Loh. 

“So we’ve bought ourselves some time. A few months, a year at best. Where does that leave us, War Master?” asked Calantha.

Kralla leaned forward, wincing as his bandaged body shifted in the wrong way. “Our most immediate threat is the Valley Tribes. Marek unified dozens of tribes under his banner. With his capture, they are divided, vulnerable, exposed to attack. But it won’t last forever. It is only a matter of time before someone else takes up the mantle. Probably another Cairn warrior, perhaps Marek’s brother or son, who knows. The point is, the tribes won’t be divided for long.”

“Are you saying we should attack them?” Freya asked. “With what forces? Every single one of our armies took heavy losses. The ones who survived are still injured and recovering.”

“I agree with Lord Krall,” Vayu said coldly. “We should kill them all while we still have the chance.”

Krall shook his head, “I’m not saying we should attack the Valley Tribes—”

“What? So we should just let them regroup their forces?” Vayu frowned.

“No, I’m saying we need to be aware of the bigger picture,” said Krall. “The Valley Tribes are a threat that must be dealt with, but we cannot send our armies out without first ensuring the safety of our city’s people. And that cannot happen until we deal with the Sylvan armies at our doorstep.”

“We don’t know if they are our enemies,” said Loh. “If it wasn’t for their help, the city would have fallen.”

“That doesn’t mean they are our friends,” said Calantha. “The reason the Valley Tribes united as one to attack us in the first place was because for the last three centuries, the lords and ladies of Hollow Shade have encroached more and more on their tribes’ lands and riches. Dusk Valley once belonged to them, before the Ebon Lords claimed it as their own.”

Vayu scowled. “The strong devour the weak, that is the way of the Ebon Realm. The problem is right now we appear as the weak ones. We need to change that.”

“I understand what both of you are saying, but what does any of that have to do with the Sylvan Tribes?” asked Freya.

“It matters, young Lady Goldelm, because Hollow Shade destroyed Lunis, the ancestral city of the Sylvan Tribes; they have as much if not more reason to despise us as the Valley Tribes,” explained Calantha.

“Oh… I didn’t realize…” Freya mumbled.

She hadn’t known, thought Stryg. So few seemed to remember Lunis or at the very least who was responsible for its destruction. The old lord of Hollow Shade had made an effort to bury the history of his people. The thought angered him more than he let on.

“Even if we aren’t certain if the Sylvan armies are our enemy, we can’t attack them either,” said Loh.

“Why not?” said Vayu callously. “They are invaders. If we don’t strike first, they may very well destroy all that we have left. Why shouldn’t we attack?”

Loh frowned, “You mean besides the fact that they saved us? …Vayu, I know you’ve lost people you loved, I know you’re hurting. So am I. But in case you didn’t realize it, we lost the siege. Freya is right, our armies are exhausted, their forces depleted. We can’t defeat the Sylvan!”

Vayu’s lips formed a thin line. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. There was pain in his teal eyes, but he held back the poison from escaping his tongue.

“I agree, Lady Noir, but we still can’t rule them out as enemies,” said Calantha calmly. “The Sylvan have an army stationed in the Commoner District and they refuse to speak with anyone.”

Krall nodded in agreement, “For all we know they are discussing what to do with us right now. We are exposed and as you said, Lord Glaz, the strong devour the weak, that is the way of the Realm of Monsters.”

“The Sylvan will not attack you,” Stryg said softly. “We didn’t march across the valley to save this city just to then destroy it.”

Calantha raised her eyebrow. “We…?”

Everyone turned and stared at Stryg curiously. 

He cleared his throat, “I asked for my people’s aid on behalf of all the goblins in this city and they answered.”

“That’s why they are in the Commoner District…” muttered Calantha. “Hollow Shade’s goblins all reside in the outer ring of the city.”

“And whose fault is that?” Stryg glared at her, his anger boiling over. “Why is it that goblins are the only ones in this city who seem forever trapped in the Commoner District, unable to seek better prospects no matter how hard they work? Why is it that before I came not a single goblin had ever set foot in the Mage Academy? Or any of the four academies for that matter.”

“You blame this council and its past leadership for the transgressions wrought on your people, I understand,” said Calantha, meeting his gaze. “If you wish to address that I am certain the council would be open to such discussions, after we deal with the problems threatening all our people. Starting with the Sylvan armies. How can you guarantee they won’t turn us? Can you arrange an audience with their leaders?”

“...I will arrange a meeting with the Lunar Elects,” said Stryg begrudgingly.

“The Elects are here? In the city?” asked Calantha, surprised.

“Two of them,” said Stryg.

“Who are the Elects, exactly?” asked Freya.

“They are the three sacred leaders of all Sylvan people, chosen by the goddess of the moon herself,” said Calantha. “I did not think they would have ever left Evenfall.”

Stryg narrowed his eyes, “You know quite a bit about my people.”

“No more than is required for a High Priestess,” she replied.

“Are you certain these Lunar Elects will listen to you, Stryg?” Loh asked worriedly.

Stryg was about to answer yes, after all, he had convinced them to come to Hollow Shade, but then he thought about it. Actually, he hadn’t; they had outright refused his plea. It was Lunae who had done the convincing.

The hesitation in his expression wasn’t lost on the council.

“The Lunar Elects answer to no one but the goddess of the moon. If they are here it makes sense that they refused any and all negotiations with us,” said Calantha.

“They will speak with me,” said Stryg.

“Why?”

“Because I am the Sylvan’s War Master.”

Calantha’s expression sank at his words.

Vayu frowned. “You…? Lord ‘Veres’? Am I missing something here?”

“Not more than any of us,” said Freya wryly. “Well, maybe except him,” she glanced at Tristan. 

The boy was sitting silently, staring at the marble table, while half listening to his advisor whispering in his ear. 

“I believe you, Stryg,” said Krall thoughtfully. “You’ve never struck me as one to lie.”

“He’s actually quite bad at it,” added Loh.

Stryg wasn’t certain if he should be happy about her words or not. “I will arrange the meeting and we will discuss our terms.”

“Again with this ‘we.’ Are you a part of this council or are you with the Lunar Elects?” asked Calantha.

“I am both,” Stryg admitted shamelessly.

“And you should be grateful for that,” Gale spoke up. “If my lord wasn’t, then you’d have no hope of ever speaking to the Lunar Elects.”

“If two Elects are here, then it is only customary that two leaders of our side attend the meeting as well,” said Calantha. “As de facto leader of the council, I shall go, but we still must decide on the other.”

“Three,” said Stryg. “I will be attending on the side of the Sylvan.” He knew that wouldn’t make the council happy, but he didn’t care. He was a Veres by blood, but he was still a Sylvan at heart.

“Very well,” said Calantha. “If their War Master will be there, then so shall ours.”

Krall glanced at her confusedly, “The orcs and Sylvan have a bad history. I am not certain my presence will be welcome.”

“I am aware of the history. But I will need your battle experience and insight at my side,” said Calantha.

“I will go,” Vayu volunteered.

“No, your mental state isn’t well enough,” said Loh.

“And has yours ever been?” he spat.

Loh frowned, but she let it go. “Freya is too inexperienced to attend, as is Tristan, no offense, you two.”

Freya shrugged, “I have more pressing matters to deal with anyway.”

Tristan looked up at the mention of his name, but his advisor shook his head subtly.

“Stryg already said he is attending on behalf of the Sylvan. That leaves only you or me, Vayu,” said Loh.

“Then I propose a vote be held,” said Vayu.

Loh nodded. “Agreed. All in favor of Vayu’s attendance?”

Vayu held up his hand. No one else did. He glanced around, his expression full of betrayal.

“Lady Noir is right. You are too full of pain and anger to make calculated decisions that will be required of you in that meeting,” said Calantha.

“I’d do what is right for our city,” Vayu growled.

“You suggested we attack the Sylvan, repeatedly. These are peace negotiations, with the goal of enlisting the Sylvan’s help,” said Krall.

“All in favor of my attendance?” asked Loh as she raised her own hand.

Krall, Calantha, and Freya raised their hands. Tristan abstained altogether from. With a pang of guilt, Loh noticed Stryg hadn’t raised his hand either.

Calantha nodded, “That settles it. Lord Veres will arrange the meeting. In the meantime, we must oversee the reconstruction of the Districts.”

“We’ll have to deal with the massive hole in the Bourge District,” Krall added.

“Have some men barricade the edges. The dragons were flying over that chasm before they left. The last thing we want is for them to return because we messed with it,” said Calantha.

“So what? We just leave a giant hole in the middle of our city and pretend it doesn’t exist?” asked Vayu.

“We leave it alone until we can figure out what exactly it is,” said Calantha.

Freya laughed dryly, “That’s easy. A giant blinding pillar of lighting came down from the sky like a fucking hammer of the gods and obliterated the entire block. Everyone saw it.”

“And what exactly caused that ‘hammer’?” asked Calantha pointedly.

Everyone looked around at each other, but no one seemed to have the answer.

“My point exactly,” said Calantha. “Until we figure out what exactly caused it, we leave it alone. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” the rest of the council said in unison.

Vayu nodded reluctantly, “Agreed…”

“I’ll adjourn the meeting for today. Once we’ve spoken with the Lunar Elects I believe we’ll have a far better picture on how to proceed,” said Calantha.

The air was filled with a grim tone as Calantha stood and walked out of the chambers. The others slowly followed. Loh tried to speak with Vayu, but he brushed her off and marched away.

Gale and Gian followed behind Stryg silently as he got up.

“Freya,” Stryg called out. 

She glanced up at him, a glimmer of distrust in her golden eyes, “Yea?”

“Can we talk later, about— all of this, I guess.”

“..Yeah,” she nodded after a moment and hefted Oginum. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Clearly.”

Freya’s lips curled into a small smile. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

Stryg smiled in turn. “Thanks,” he whispered.

“Lord Veres, a moment of your time.”

Stryg sighed under his breath, then turned around and came face to face with a chest plate. He looked up and saw Lord Krall Katag looking down at him with an unnerving grin from ear to ear. “Tonight, dinner at my home. We have a lot to discuss, you and I.”

“...Right,” he said dryly.