We arrived at the clearing. This time we were the ones tardy to the party. A little bit of a psychological trick, if you will. Let the other side of the negotiation wait. Get them anxious. Pretend like you have all the time in the world, yet you're busy using it for more important matters. Essentially, establish dominance before the negotiation even starts. It did actually work like that. But not here, really. We... were simply late.

Oops.

The sky had the same dim gray color as before, though now, without Korrik looming over the scene, something felt off. The supposed garrison commander - our more than average-looking guy in leather armor - stood there on his horse, waiting. He wasn’t alone, of course. A handful of soldiers were with him, less armored, more... worn-out.

Rheka stood next to me, bouncing, eyeing the dull uniforms of the soldiers like she was bored out of her mind. Kid never could sit still for more than a minute.

"Where is your... companion?" Hern asked, stepping forward with the same calmness he always carried, but his eyes narrowed a bit. Something about the commander’s stance screamed discomfort.

"He won’t be coming." the commander replied. His voice wasn’t cold, but there was a weight to it, like he was carrying more than just his words. "We... didn’t want any of this. Never wanted... a war."

Rheka was pretending to balance on her toes now, ignoring the entire thing, which probably wasn’t the worst way to handle all this.

Hern tilted his head. "And yet, here you are."

The commander sighed, glancing back at the soldiers behind him. "We only wanted safety. For our people." His voice softened as if saying it too loudly might break the fragile truce hanging between us. "You know what’s been happening. My people... we just wanted a place where we could find some peace."

I could feel the words settling in. Not rebellion for power, not the glory of taking a fort, just survival. But Hern didn’t flinch. The guy never did.

"So you took one of the King's forts?" Hern’s voice was quiet, almost... disappointed? Couldn’t tell. "And now you’re offering to hand it over?"

The commander raised his hands slightly, like a guy with no real fight left in him. "If it means you’ll let us leave in peace. The fort was never about control, not for us. We haven’t harmed the people. Ask anyone inside. They don’t resist because we’ve treated them fairly."

I glanced at the worn soldiers behind him. None of them had that rebel fire I’d seen with the mercenaries. It was strange. Why weren’t they more defiant? And why wasn’t the town kicking them out?

Something isn't adding up.

Behind me, Rheka had found a twig and was now poking the ground like she was hunting for treasure. It’d be almost funny if the tension in the air wasn’t so thick.

Hern took a step closer, his brow barely twitching, but I could tell he wasn’t buying it. "You’re telling me... you’re just handing over the fort? No terms? No conditions?"

The commander shifted, looking tired. "We’re not soldiers for glory. We’re just trying to keep our people alive. What good is a fort when the real war’s outside it?"

I had to admit, the guy made a fair point. Holding a fort’s not worth much if you’re just waiting to get swallowed by a bigger storm. And there was many a storm coming. For sure.

Rheka was now drawing something in the dirt with the twig, and for a second, I wished I could be that oblivious. But I had a feeling Hern wasn’t going to let this slide so easily.

As we waited for the commander’s response, I shifted my wings slightly, trying not to look too conspicuous perched on the ground like some oversized ornament. The others were towering above me. Sometimes I missed having the actual height of a proper human being.

Is this what dogs feel like?

"So." Hern’s voice cut through the moment. "You offer us the fort, yet your allies, those Vannder sellswords, still roam freely. I find it curious that they are... simply forgotten."

The commander sighed again, his eyes dull with the kind of exhaustion that comes from making too many tough calls. "They’ve gotten what they wanted." he muttered, shaking his head. "Their trinkets, coin, supplies - enough to fill their coffers. I’ll just tell them to leave."

I blinked. Just tell them to leave? Was this guy serious? These mercenaries were the kind you didn’t just politely wave goodbye to. Especially that blind hothead.

I shot a glance up at Rheka, who was doodling something in the dirt with the twig she’d found. She hadn’t even noticed my tail flicking nervously next to her. Hern, though, wasn’t so easily convinced.

"And they’ll leave peacefully?" Hern’s voice was still sharp, but there was something else there. I couldn’t tell if he was amused or concerned.

"They have no more business here." the commander said, his voice flat, like he was trying to convince himself more than Hern.

For a long moment, silence hung between them. Rheka tossed the twig aside and stood up, looking around, probably wondering when we’d be heading back. I couldn’t blame her. The longer this dragged on, the more uneasy I felt.

Hern finally nodded, giving the commander a once-over before glancing back at the soldiers. "Very well. We’ll take your offer."

The parley concluded as simply as it had begun. No grand speeches, no bravado, no flare of conflict. Just a man desperate to protect his people, willing to walk away from a fortress to do it. I almost couldn't believe it. My trick... had worked.

We wrapped things up quickly after that. Hern gave a final nod, and I climbed awkwardly onto Rheka’s horse, trying not to slip as she mounted with me balanced between the reins and her bouncing energy. The fort behind us felt... hollow. A place that had seen too much, and yet, nothing at all.

As we rode off, my wings flared slightly against the wind. Rheka leaned over, giving me a quick grin. "So, Argi." she whispered, "What’s for dinner?"

I snorted. She’d probably forgotten the whole siege already. Bloody brats.

***

The briefing was short, but Hern didn’t need long to get his message across. We were going in, almost the wholel two hundred of his Silverplates, straight into the castle. I couldn’t help but notice the way his officers took the news - calm, controlled, like they did this every day. Meanwhile, I was just trying not to get too jittery, perched awkwardly on the edge of Rheka’s chair like some strange little sentinel.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Hern took his men and headed for Felsvar. I watched his small parade march straight up to the elevator, before the first group was lifted in. Done.

The camp still buzzed with activity. People marching, sharpening weapons, preparing for what seemed like just another day of siege warfare. But something didn’t feel right. Maybe it was the air - too still, too thick with anticipation. This was too easy. Somehow.

Then came the noise. Distant, but clear enough to send a ripple through the camp. A few shouts, the faint clash of steel. I craned my neck toward the castle, trying to make sense of the flickers of light. Magic, most likely - dancing just beyond the fort walls. Hern had just finished entering the castle with his men, hadn’t he?

“What’s happening?” Rheka piped up, hopping from one foot to the other like she couldn’t wait to jump into the fray. Her eyes sparkled, already looking for action.

“No idea.” I muttered, trying to ignore the pit growing in my stomach. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like the answer.

Before long, the noise intensified, and suddenly the camp was in an uproar. Soldiers darting back and forth, grabbing spears, swords, and anything that could pass as a weapon. The palisade we’d built was under attack, and no one seemed to know from where. The Vannder reinforcements, Korrik’s brother, must’ve arrived - but why were they hitting us here?

Bloody bastard. So much for "telling them to leave".

Fulur, left in charge of the camp, looked as frantic as the rest of us. "Get ready!" he barked at the men. "Half of you to the palisades! The other half - we need to break Hern out of that damn castle!"

I hopped down, landing with a soft thud next to Fulur’s boots. “We have to go in after him.” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “He’s in there, and something’s gone wrong.”

Fulur’s eyes darted around, weighing the situation. “We can’t just march in there blind. We defend the palisades first.”

“But the Iron Titan can-”

Fulur cut me off, his voice low but sharp. “We send my baby in, and we’ll be caught between the castle’s fire and the palisades. Chaos.”

Rheka, of course, was bouncing up and down, already looking like she was ready to storm the gates. “We have to fight!” she insisted, her small fists clenched.

I swallowed hard, my wings tensing. “Fine.” I said. “We roll the Titan, get some archers and spellcasters, and push to the castle. We’ll be fighting all the way there.”

The camp was madness by then - soldiers gearing up, horses braying, the distant clanging of battle echoing off the castle walls. I jumped up onto Rheka’s shoulder, clutching to the side as we made our way toward the Iron Titan. The colossal siege engine loomed over the chaos, its incomplete structure looking more imposing than ever.

As we mounted the Iron Titan, men gathered on top, already preparing for what was to come. My stomach knotted up. I still hadn't quite found the taste for fighting. Rheka, as eager as she was, didn’t seem to have the same fear.

The fortress opened fire, and the battlefield lit up with spellbolts and arrows. As the Iron Titan rolled forward, I clung tightly, knowing that we were in for a fight like no other.

The Iron Titan rumbled forward, creaking like it was about to fall apart any second. Every time one of its massive wheels turned, I could feel it through my bones. I gripped tighter to Rheka, who, of course, looked like she was having the time of her life. Me? Not so much.

Archers on top were already firing off arrows like it was a game, their bows thrumming with every shot. The Silverplate Spellcasters - the few that we had - weren’t far behind, hands glowing as they muttered something about protection. Whatever it was, I wasn’t about to complain, especially with the magic making the air feel like it was buzzing with static.

In the distance, the castle looked… different. It wasn’t just the usual stone fortress; now it was alive with bursts of light, sparks flying as spells clashed against the walls. And the arrows? Yeah, those were coming down on us too, bouncing off the Titan’s armor like someone was throwing pebbles at it. For now, anyway.

I wasn’t exactly feeling brave, to say the least. Rheka, on the other hand, was on her toes, eyes wide, practically vibrating with excitement. “We’re gonna get ’em, right, Argius?” she said, grinning like this was just another one of her adventures.

“Yeah… sure.” I muttered, trying not to look as nervous as I felt. “Just… keep your head down, okay?”

I'd never actually thought about it. How? How did it never cross my mind?

What... what actually happens if Rheka... you know?

The Iron Titan rolled on, but it wasn’t just us. Behind us, the camp was still in chaos - men running everywhere, horses screaming, and those reinforcements hitting the palisade harder than anyone expected. It was madness, pure and simple. We were on a timer here.

No way in hell are those pesants going to defend that palisade against those monsters.

“Look out!” someone shouted, and a fiery explosion hit the side of the Titan. The thing barely rocked, but the heat… yeah, we felt that. I yelped and ducked lower, wings hugging close to my body.

The archers kept firing, the spellcasters throwing up barriers every time something tried to hit us. But we weren’t invincible. I could see it - cracks forming in the Titan’s plating. Whatever we were up against, they weren’t playing around.

“Rheka, stay behind the archers!” I snapped, more out of instinct than anything. She just gave me that grin, the one that said; “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Yeah, that’s what worried me.

The Titan groaned again, wheels grinding over the dirt. Spells kept slamming into the sides - bright red firebolts, icy blue water shots, and something else glowing green that I didn’t even want to think about. The spellcasters on board were throwing up shields like their lives depended on it. Firebolt coming in? They’d throw up a red shimmer and poof, the thing fizzled out. Waterbolt? Blue barrier, and it splashed away.

But arrows? That was a whole different story.

One whizzed past my head, and I flinched, ducking lower. “Uh, anyone gonna do something about the arrows?”

The spellcasters barely glanced my way, too busy shouting incantations and trying not to die. Arrows didn’t care about their fancy color-matching magic; they just punched right through. Unless, of course, someone decided to throw up an energy barrier.

Another arrow thudded into the wood next to me, missing my tail by an inch.

“Any chance we’ve got one of those energy barriers lying around?” I called out again, wings tight against my back.

One of the Silverplate Spellcasters grunted, still focused on a water spell to counter an incoming attack. “We don’t... do arrows, dragon.”

“Of course you don’t.” I muttered, ducking again as another volley zipped past. My heart was racing, and I clung tighter to Rheka’s legs as she stood tall, completely ignoring the chaos around her.

If I was wearing plate armor like you, I wouldn't care about the pointy death-twigs either.

Then, finally, one of the spellcasters - an older guy with a golden robe - raised both hands. “Energy barrier incoming!” he shouted. "Aureon Shroud!"

A massive translucent white shield shimmered to life around us, a soft hum filling the air as it stretched over the Titan's top. The next wave of arrows hit it with dull thuds, bouncing off like they’d hit solid stone.

I exhaled, the tension in my chest loosening just a little. “That’s... more like it.”

Rheka, of course, was already leaning over the edge again, her excitement undimmed by the chaos. “Come on, let’s get closer!” she yelled.

As if we had a choice.

The Titan crept closer to the wall. The noise of battle grew. Fort Felsvar's defenders were scrambling, their arrows bouncing off our new barrier like bugs hitting a windshield. Despite that, all that came anymore was more arrows.

Did they run out of juice or something?

Rheka, jumping with excitement, was itching to join the fray.

“Watch this!” she called out, leaning over the Titan’s edge and beginning to cast a firebolt with enthusiasm.

I felt energy surge through me before I began to glow. Then her hands joined me in the glowing. A couple minutes later a Firebolt struck out from her hands, slamming into the fort’s wall with a satisfying burst of flame. Not that it did much damage. But the thought counted. The defenders on the wall were in full panic mode, trying to put out the fires while our bolts made their job even harder.

“Nice shot!” I called up to her, trying to keep my wings tucked tight to avoid another stray arrow. “Don’t burn the whole place down before we get inside, alright?”

“I’m just warming up!” she called over the roar of the battle.

Ha. Warming up.

As the Titan rolled right up to the wall, the platform creaked into place, dropping down like a big ramp to bridge the gap. The Silverplates didn’t waste a second - they were already charging up, weapons raised, ready to go.

“Let’s move!” I yelled, barely heard over the chaos. I held on tighter to Rheka, my wings flapping in the wind.

The Titan shook again, taking another hit from arrows, but we were already there. Rheka fired off one last firebolt, and we stormed the wall...

...charging right into the thick of it.