Chapter 85 The Items

“I’m just saying that it’s weird for the boss to tell us we can’t go on a caravan run because of something made up like an audit.” Eleonora said to her companions. The larger of the two was flexing his new arm. He had spent almost his entire savings to have the pope, who was staying in town because of Fable, regrow it.

“Audits are real, El. I told you about them before.” Bartholomew, their team’s wizard, explained. “However, as much as I hate to agree with you, especially when your logic is as bad as a child’s first painting, I think you are correct.”

“My paintings were always excellent.” Eleonora replied smugly. “And of course I’m correct. I’m our team leader.”

Bartholomew scoffed. “Just because you feel the need to talk with everyone we meet and be the first through every door does not mean you are the team leader. It means you are bait, sometimes the distraction.”

“Brick, try out your new arm on Bart would you please.” Eleonora told their mostly silent towering companion. Brick turned his head slowly to look down at Bartholomew before turning back to El and shaking his head. “Why not?” She complained.

“He’ll freeze my bed, again.” Brick replied simply. The last time he had let her talk him into harassing their wizard he had to sleep on the floor because his entire bed was sealed in a block of ice. It took three days to melt and the musty smell still hadn’t left.

El kicked a rock. “Party pooper.” She complained. “Wait, we got distracted, why do you think G.M. is keeping us around?”

“G.M.?” Bartholomew asked.

“The Guild Master, obviously.” Eleonora replied.

“Something big is going down, probably.” The wizard replied with a shrug. “When it’s time for us to know, he’ll tell us.”

—

Edward panned his gaze across the room. All of the aids had been cleared out of Izen’s war room. It was only those specifically necessary to the command and control of the battlefield, along with the trio who would be sneaking behind enemy lines to remove Jallen V’Nova. “Here is the latest troop movement:” He began. “One hundred and sixty soldiers in platemail with the V’Nova crest, twenty men in plate armor who were distinctly lacking shields, twenty lightly armored robed figures, and a small group that looked to be headed by Jallen V’Nova himself.”

“How many people were in this ‘small group’?” Lenna asked.

“Four, including Lord V’Nova.” Edward replied. “There had also been a sighting of a small recon unit leaving the city. They were only around six hours ahead of the main force. Five men strong as far as the scout could tell.”

Isaac’s frown deepened. “Two hundred men to breach the city walls?” He asked. “That sounds laughably low. I don’t know why but I feel like there are supposed to be tens of thousands involved in something like this.”

Edward shook his head. “This isn’t the plains, Isaac. When we had said about there only being a few hundred people on either side we meant a few.” He explained.

“The plains?” Isaac asked.

“There is a large open area between a few of the major kingdoms that is referred to as the killing fields or plains. It is the land boys die for glory in and men come out terrified of blood.” Fable explained. “The average level of the soldiers there is two. Thousands clash and water the grass with blood.”

“In the more powerful and civilized parts of the world,” Izen picked up where Fable had left off. “engagements are small. Training up good soldiers takes time and resources. A single one of our guards could fight three of the soldiers sent to fight on the plains and win. I could handle four or five myself.”

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“That isn’t even considering magic.” Alexander added. “Those battlefields often lack mages. With the troop distribution of the V’Nova contingent it is safe to assume that they will be running in twenty ten man units. They will be centered around the wizards to ensure that they can cast freely to keep our own in check. That would change once they reach the walls however.”

Lenna nodded in agreement. “The leaders of each group will be either a V’Nova paladin or someone who just hasn’t been married into the clan yet. They will all be paladins of at least tenth level but eleven to fifteen is more likely.” She explained. “Each V’Nova will fight in one of two ways. Those still looking to prove themselves will be in the front of their units while the experienced ones will be in the center.”

“Will their wizards be in the center or rear of their unit formations?” Izen asked.

“Center until first contact.” Lenna explained. “At that point it will depend on how easy it is for them to plow through our front line. If they can continue advancing then they will stay in that formation until they hit the wall. If not then the wizards will hang back.”

“Have their tactics really not changed in hundreds of years?” Izen questioned.

Lenna shook her head. “I am older than Safeharbor and he is more than twice my age.” Lenna replied simply. “Why would the person who made those formations and strategies change them if they worked? Those are Jallen V’Nova’s personal battle formations. He made those.”

The look on Izen’s face showed that the real age and status of the one that they were going up against had finally hit him. Jallen was more of a myth than reality for all of the human’s in Safeharbor. Izen’s great great grandfather had once crossed swords with Jallen and he was utterly destroyed but that was a century ago. His gaze drifted to Isaac. “Are you sure that you can win?” He asked the dark mage.

“Sure that it is possible? Yes.” Isaac replied. “I can’t give you anything better than that until we are trying to tear each other’s throats out.”

Izen nodded. “That is the best we can hope for I guess.” He turned slightly to look at Lenna. “Do you think he will win?”

Lenna was silent for a long second before nodding. “I think that he has a better chance than Fable of winning the fight. He is also the only person who could probably escape if the fight goes sideways.” She explained.

“Thanks.” Isaac said dryly.

“With the magic items, potions, and poisons he will be equipped with, I think his odds are high considering who he will be going up against.” Lenna finished. Something seemed to dawn on her. “Wait, you said two hundred men?” She asked Edward.

“Yes, give or take a few.” He replied.

“What is he thinking?” Lenna questioned with obvious shock. “What if something attacks the city?”

“Why? What is it?” Izen questioned.

“With that much of the garrison gone an ancient dragon would level half of the city before it got put down.” She replied with clear concern on her face for the civilian population. Isaac was the only one in the room that didn’t look at her like she was crazy.

“Lenna dear,” Sera cut in. Lenna’s gaze found the duchess’s. “Most human cities can’t survive an ancient dragon at all.”

Lenna looked taken aback. “How?” She questioned. “How do you still have kingdoms?”

“How often do dragons attack drow cities?” Izen questioned.

“Lightning dragons like to hide their nests underground, there is one that likes to strafe Contantis every century or so. Jallen fought it a few hundred years ago and it is still holding a grudge.” Lenna explained. “Contantis isn’t the only city with a story like that either.”

Izen and Sera shared a look. “Are we just lucky?” Sera asked her husband.

“No.” Lenna replied for him. “The dwarven fortress nearby is enough of a deterrent for dragons to go around it.” She explained.

“Unless they have a grudge against the city’s ruler.” Isaac extrapolated.

“Yes.” Lenna replied.

“When is the next flyby from this dragon?” Izen questioned.

Lenna shrugged. “Thirty, maybe sixty years from now.”

Izen’s face fell slightly before he schooled it again. There would be no dragon swooping in to help them. Not a large one anyway. Isaac’s little bone dragon hardly counted.

“So why the day after tomorrow?” Isaac questioned. “I feel like the date was chosen very deliberately for some reason.”

“New moon.” Lenna and Michael said simultaneously.

“Alright…” Isaac replied tentatively. “But what does that matter?”

“Divine intervention.” Lenna explained. “It is the time when Lua is at her weakest and Dri’El is at his strongest. Both are moon deities but only one is specifically known for it.”

“So he’s the deity of the dark side of the moon?” Isaac questioned. “A bit on the nose for those two butting heads over dark elves don’t you think?”

Lenna looked at him quizzically. “Isaac, on the nose is the point, I think.” She told him. “They are both halves of the same thing and are polar opposites, literally in this case.”

Isaac shrugged. “I guess it isn’t really important right now. What is important is how active Dri’El is going to be in this mess.” Isaac focused back on the problem at hand. “What do you think the odds are that he tries to intervene in some way?”

“Low but never zero.” Lenna replied. “Jallen is hoping that, in choosing to engage when the new moon is at its zenith, Dri’El will aid him. It is just a blind hope however. No one can even attempt to understand the whims of that mad spider.”

“One last thing before we go over troop layouts and specific placements,” Edward cut in so they could get the meeting over with. “The items for our ‘maybe-a-demigod-eventually’.”

“I don’t know how I should feel about that comment.” Isaac said evenly.

“Duke Arbencroft, do you have the ones I requested?” Edward asked Izen.

Izen nodded. “Yes. In the chest behind you.” He told the Guild Master before handing him an enchanted silver key. “My grandfather would be rolling in his grave if he knew I was doing this.”