OUTMANEUVERED
The Reinhart Senior Guardsman, Gregor, left Sloane at the entrance to the meeting room. When she entered, Sloane was not surprised that the knights, Stefan, and Nemura were already present. The moon elf, Cerulean, stood in front of the barren fireplace. He stood confidently. The others stood poised, as if ready for action.
Gisele noticed her first. “Sloane, good, you’re here. Now we can start.”
She nodded to her friend, before focusing on the Westaren spy. “Cerulean, welcome. I was told you have information for us,” Sloane said.
The moon elf nodded. “I do. In my late-night strolls, as one likes to do. I–
“After curfew? Hmm…” Nemura mumbled.
The elf ignored her. “I came across a peculiar sight. A group of soldiers exiting an empty warehouse caught my eye. So, naturally, being the concerned resident of this fine city that I am…”
Sloane sighed. “Cerulean, no need for dramatics.”
The man gave her a level look and stood in silence for a moment. “Fine. Yes, your Vlaredian Fist has a way through the wall or they are residing in that warehouse. Due to its location along the wall, I would assume the former.” He pulled out a map, walked over to the table in the room, and unrolled it, showing the city along with a bunch of circles.
Sloane facepalmed. “Cerulean, spies aren’t supposed to show their maps to those outside their organization that clearly show evidence of the spying they’re doing.” She pointed at all of the circles along the wall and the various streets. Their purpose was obvious. “Why are you even showing us what I assume are the patrols of soldiers.”
His brows knitted together as he grew frustrated. “You are not a member of the government, Lady Reinhart. You have a Westari in your retinue. You do not owe them loyalty, that–”
“That isn’t the point… You know what, fine. You do you. Where is this warehouse?”
He snapped his finger to a building against the northern side of the wall. “Here.”
Gisele and Nemura both scrutinized the map and the location before nodding. “We have it. Thank you, Cerulean. We appreciate your assistance in this matter,” Nemura said diplomatically.
The man nodded. “Then I will take my leave.”
He started to walk out, but then he paused near Sloane and leaned close. “I do know what they say about us, Lady Reinhart. We do try to do our duty. We train from a young age in the art of killing. Never in the art of spycraft until we are asked to perform it.”
Sloane turned and looked the moon elf in the eyes. “Clearly, Cerulean, your government has failed you. If your enemies and the cities where you work had any sense, they would have taken you into custody already.”
The man lightly scoffed. “We are not as inept as many may think. Do you think we want to be spies? Those of us that are good at it are taken away from the role we truly love. It is often just much easier to take what we need off of dead men. Good luck in your hunt, Lady Reinhart. It sounds tantalizingly full of challenges.”
After the man was escorted out, she looked around at those present. “So, what now?”
Nemura crossed her arms. “Now? Now we wait for an opportune time to strike. Ser Deryk?”
The orkun looked over at the tall telv woman. “Yes?”
“Would you join me in observing the location?”
He nodded. “I will.”
“We cannot alert the city’s army until we are sure the Empire’s Fist squad will not get word. Nor can any of the House people that know discuss it,” Gisele said.
“I will inform Gregor. He is the only one that knows. I am sure he will not spread it,” Ernald assured them.
Sloane took a deep breath. “Time for the hunters to become the hunted. This time, it’s going to go much differently.”
Stefan glanced at Nemura and the two nodded at each other. He turned back to Sloane. “Until it is time to strike, you and I will train together.”
✦ ✦ ✦
It was late at night. Just over a week had gone by since they had learned of this location. It had been filled with planning and coordination for a large operation. While the army knew a bit of what she was doing, she hadn’t told them precisely what they had to do before enacting their big plan. She’d kept this part held closely. They would not risk Ressa and her people learning of what was to come.
Sloane stood next to Cristole, Ismeld, and a liaison from the army. They held position just across the street in an alley from the warehouse. Deryk was positioned to alert them when the targets had entered the building proper. Another surprise awaited once this portion of the plan was completed. Once she fulfilled her part, she would have to move quickly. The next phase was pivotal and she had a key role to play.
An officer from the city’s army spoke quietly.
“General Irileth would like to express his irritation in your lateness in informing him of your find,” the telv man spoke quietly.
“They clearly have a way of finding out. Whether it is because they have people watching yours, or something else. We know they will soon be in that warehouse,” Ismeld said, pointing at their target.
Sloane took a deep breath. “The building is by itself. I am going to hit it with almost everything I got.”
Sloane pulled mana into herself, waiting for the signal.
The man’s eyes widened. “Lady Reinhart, I don’t–”
She heard a noise. Everyone quieted. That was Deryk.
“They’re here,” Ismeld whispered.
The high elf pulled two objects off of her belt. She drew her arm back.
And threw.
Next, Sloane rapidly pulled even more mana into herself. She had to hurry, because after her opening, the next phase of the plan called for her to rush off. Nearby, some horses were being held, ready for her to use.
✦ ✦ ✦
Ressa walked down the small tunnel that led to the warehouse. She climbed up into the small room. As assigned, her men were checking the perimeter as well as they could without leaving the building. They moved slowly and quietly between the few windows. Moving to the correct spot, she created the ladder for her people to reach their hiding space, as usual.
Alexi tapped the shoulder of the group’s telv medic, Algor, and pointed up. Ressa moved past them into the center of the room as they started climbing up.
She looked over at one of the men peeking through a window.
“Anything?” Ressa asked with a low tone.
The man glanced back at her. “No, I don’t see–”
Glass shattered in front of one of her other men.
A small object thumped against the floor and came to a stop next to the man’s foot. “What–”
Everyone looked down at it in confusion. There were glowing symbols on its outer shell, and Ressa’s eyes widened in surprise.
The object exploded.
Ressa was thrown back by the blast of purple energy. Pain shot through her causing her to cry out. She heard another window shatter. Another thump.
“Look out!” Alexi yelled.
Ressa tried to roll and cover her head. She felt someone jump onto her and cover her with their body just as another explosion sounded. Something hit the body over her and it was flung away.
She groaned and tried to push herself up.
Her head was swimming. How? What?
The building was dark. Ressa pulled at the mana around them. She needed to see. Focus. Pulling mana into her eyes, she forced her need. Her desire. I need to see!
Everything seemed to brighten as she focused. Looking around, she tried to take stock of the situation. Then she felt the mana go wild.
Her eyes widened. “We need to get out!”
Alexi and Algor grabbed the only remaining man still standing and started rushing to her and the tunnel. She pulled more mana into herself and made to cast a wall. She was too slow.
Another explosion sounded as a bolt of purple energy slammed into the outer wall. Then another. Another.
“It’s her! Come on!”
The fourth bolt blew the weakened wall inward.
She expected more as she waited for Alexi and the medic to lower the other man down the hole. Nothing came. They’re trying to capture us.
Two steel balls were hurled into the room, blinding her with flashes of light and deafening her with loud cracks. She turned her head and looked around the room, trying to find any of her men. Her mana-infused eyes saved her sight, but all she could see were crumpled, unmoving bodies. The man who had protected her lay impaled by a large piece of wood.
She cast her spells and put up a wall. The building shook as a series of smaller explosions rocked the walls.
Ressa waited, everything going silent. She knew the team's medic was in the tunnel stabilizing the wounded man. She had to protect them.
A loud crash sounded from where she knew an outer door was. Followed by more bursts of magic. As the sounds died down, Ressa heard Alexi's voice calling out to her to hurry.
Ressa snarled.
She turned and jumped down the hole and followed Alexi out of the tunnel. They hurried, knowing they had to get out before they could be cornered. Her second rushed out and immediately turned, ensuring she made it out safely.
As she emerged from the tunnel, Ressa felt relief that the sisters were obscured by clouds. The dimly lit night was welcome, and she saw that another one of her men had thankful made it out. We need to get back to the army.
She halted midstep. Her man, Nethaniel, stood there with his shield and axe up. Glancing to the side, she noticed that Aglor, the telv medic, was also in a combat stance with his sword out. Their wounded man was positioned protectively behind him.
“Our previous fight was not complete before you took… flight,” a voice said.
Ressa’s eyes shot wide. She quickly cast her Conjure Illusion and Alter Conjuration to throw metal shards at the voice. A barrier of energy appeared in front of the traitor Nemura. The shards hit the shield and fell to the ground. Its red glow lit up the night, and let her see the trap they had sprung.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Amusing. I was going to say the same thing,” the Blighter orkun knight, Gisele Devereaux said as she stepped forward. Her Zweihander was held up while her other hand was surrounded by the same energy as the shield.
Ressa glanced around, searching for more. When she saw no other members of the women’s teams, she narrowed her eyes. She turned her head slightly toward the team’s medic. “Get him to safety. We will handle these two.”
Alexi stepped by her side, pulling his mace out, and pointed to the other member of their team. “Nethaniel and I will take the traitor.”
Ressa nodded. “I will get the Blighter then.”
The two women facing them smirked at the same time. If she were made of lesser stuff, the feral looks would have been intimidating. To an Empire’s Fist, it was merely bluster.
Gisele swiped her left hand at the air and the shield collapsed.
One moment Nemura was standing still and the next… her shoulder was slamming into Nethaniel’s shield. The man skidded backward with a grunt. Alexi quickly launched himself at the woman before she could press her advantage.
With her target in sight, Ressa launched three illusion arrows at the knight and charged toward her. The knight quickly raised her arm and conjured a red shield the size of a buckler, which effectively blocked Ressa's attack. However, the woman's eyes widened slightly as Ressa's arrows dissipated harmlessly, which created the distraction she needed. Without hesitation, Ressa rushed forward and swung her sword at the woman, but Gisele agilely dodged the attack by jumping backward. The two engaged in a fierce clash of blades as the knight darted toward Ressa.
Ressa executed a feinted strike, deftly parried a return swing, and followed up with a thrust. However, a shield materialized in the gap between her and her opponent, causing her blade to slide along it. Ressa had to take a step to maintain her balance, but the shield disappeared, and she stumbled into another one cast next to her foot. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't avoid tripping over it. But even as she fell, Ressa quickly cast as many arrows as she could muster and sent them flying toward her adversary.
Tucking in, Ressa shifted her weight forward, and her fall became a smooth roll that she utilized to bounce back to her feet.
Taking a deep breath, Ressa shifted her stance and scrutinized the woman in front of her as she and the knight circled each other. She has been practicing. She wasn’t nearly this coordinated with her magic before.
A horn sounded in the distance.
She knew that horn. Ressa smirked. “Your time is limited. We own everything outside the walls.”
The Blighter laughed. “I have plenty of time to finish this.”
Arrogance.
The night lit up purple for a moment. An explosion sounded in the distance. Then another.
Ressa looked up toward the sky. Above the city, a ball of purple energy arced high in the air, and when it reached its peak it sped up and rushed toward the ground. She lost sight of it beyond the walls. An even more massive explosion sounded. It came from the direction of the second fortified camp.
No!
“While you’re here focusing on us. It gave Sloane time to focus on your army,” Gisele sneered.
More horns sounded, closer.
They all turned their heads toward the noise. Riders were charging across the field toward them. Vlaredian Riders. She smiled and took advantage of the moment. She launched more metal darts at the knight. A shield came up and blocked them.
The woman suddenly seemed concerned. “Nemura! We need to go!”
“I’m a little busy!” The large telv woman called back.
Nemura was locked in combat against both men, and though she fought skillfully, Ressa knew they only needed to hold the woman off until the cavalry arrived.
With a sense of urgency, Ressa charged toward them. Gisele attempted to block her path with a shield, but Ressa deftly evaded it. She swung her sword at the knight and was met with a block from her opponent. Ressa pushed off, forcing the woman to take a step back.
Taking advantage of the space, She cast her Fractured World.
Pointing her hand toward the city wall, she blocked off the tunnel with bricks before the range became too much.
The knight glared. Yet, instead of rushing at Ressa, she turned and sped toward the others.
As Ressa unleashed a barrage of arrows at the woman's back, a timely shield materialized, deflecting them with ease. Another shield, larger in size, soon followed, completely obstructing Ressa's path. As the first shield dissipated, the woman swiftly aimed her hand toward Alexi and Nethaniel, who were battling the traitor. Just as Alexi swung his weapon, a shield emerged to intercept his attack. Before he could regain his balance, another shield arose, tripping him up, and a third prevented him from standing, courtesy of Gisle's intervention.
As the series of red magic started forming, Nethaniel was distracted and glanced away. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nemura launched herself forward. The young man managed to get his shield up just in time to withstand the woman's hit, which almost made him topple over.
Ressa's shout of fury echoed through the chaos as she lifted her gaze and summoned a barrage of arrows above Gisele's shield, aiming at the telv traitor. Swiftly, Gisele withdrew the shield trapping Alexi, and conjured another to intercept Ressa's incoming arrows. As a result, the shield in front of Ressa dissipated, allowing her to sprint toward her comrades.
Gisele kicked Alexi across the face and darted forward. She raised a hand toward Ressa. Just as she did, Ressa leaped aside, barely evading yet another shield.
“Nethaniel!” Ressa called out.
Nemura swooped in as the man pivoted to face Gisele, slicing across his leg with her blade. The orkun cried out and toppled to the ground. Gisele took advantage of the opportunity and swiftly rolled around to his back, driving her own sword into him. Despite the orkun knight yanking the blade out and causing Nethaniel to fall, Gisele didn't push her advantage against Ressa or Alexi. Instead, she called out to Nemura and together they sprinted toward the wall.
Ressa cried out and launched arrow after arrow at the two fleeing women. The knight lifted a hand, and Ressa stared in disbelief as steps of energy appeared in the air. She was nearly stunned into inaction as the traitor and the knight bounded up the stairs. Ressa shook her head and fired spell after spell at the two to no avail. Both women were blocking or dodging everything she sent at them. Frustrated, she dropped her sword and moved to obstruct their path.
“Ressa look out!” Alexi yelled.
At the corner of her eye, she saw a ballista turning toward them. Her eyes widened.
She refocused and cast a wall in between them and the siege weapon. A bolt was launched. Ressa dove to the side as it penetrated straight through her wall. A moment later it exploded.
She felt herself go weightless. Her vision went black as wind rushed past her. Then as suddenly as it happened, she slammed into the ground.
Alexi was quickly by her side and dragging her to her feet. “We need to get out of range!”
The horns sounded again.
She watched as the siege weapon rotated again, focusing on the cavalry. The riders spread out. Ressa and her second burst into a sprint straight toward them. Bolt after bolt were launched, and she saw men and mounts die as Ressa and the riders rushed toward each other.
A man bent over the side of his horse and held an arm out. As he reached her, Ressa grabbed at his wrist and used the momentum to help swing herself up behind him. The riders turned and urged their horses faster to get out of range.
Explosions still sounded in the distance.
“What’s going on?” She yelled to the man in front of her.
“The Sovereign reinforcements are here! The terran rode out the gate and started attacking the second camp!”
“We need to get back! I need to see the general!”
The man nodded, snapping the reins to urge his horse on.
Her men were dead. She glanced over and saw Alexi on the back of a horse. The telv looked injured.
This was a complete failure.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sloane kept up her casting. The Vlaredian army was attempting to move out of range and back toward their main forces. The second fortified camp that had been constructed was all but demolished. A large force of soldiers from the city, along with all of her people other than Gisele and Nemura were with her. The camp had not expected them to actually launch an attack, and she had cast artillery spells one after another. After the fifth one, she felt a rush flow through her followed by a flow of understanding. Something in her spell had changed, its intent had aligned itself with her desired outcome. Knowing what she knew thus far of the system, it felt almost like it had evolved, or upgraded.
She needed to see what changed and finish off the enemy.
“Wrryyaaat!”
“Yes, we almost have them. Fly up and scout the camp, see if there are any stragglers. Then we can move in,” Sloane told her falcon.
Tiberius took off and flew up high as he veered toward the camp.
Sloane had joined the force immediately after launching her spells at the warehouse to trick Ressa into escaping, where Nemura and Gisele waited. It was a ploy that Nemura had come up with. She enjoyed how devious it was, her only regret was not being able to see Ressa’s face.
The Sovereigns had finally outmaneuvered the Vlaredians and the allied army from the south was moving to cut off the empire from any chance of retreat. The remainder of the enemy army was attempting to reposition quickly to save their force.
The past week had been a flurry of activity to plan for this moment. Using Tiberius as a messenger, she had finally been able to coordinate with the oncoming army. With General Irileth’s assistance, they had planned a route that would move the army in a way that would surprise the empire. They had left a token force with a full camp set up and planned an elaborate ruse that had the Vlaredian scouts believing the army had stopped for the night. Instead, the army had marched nonstop and moved in a completely different way than the Vlaredians had suspected. This was aided by Tiberius locating scouts along the path and pinpointing their locations.
Even now, the reinforcements were moving and would be able to hit the unprepared empire force from the rear if they did not get away in time. Unfortunately, the general believed they would. Which led to this plan. They sent almost everything they could out of the wall to attack the second fortified camp as a way to delay the army. It still may not work, but it would diminish them greatly, hopefully allowing the reinforcements from the south to harry them as they retreated.
She used her Golem Sight instead of using the runic version through her watch, looking through Tiberius’s sensors as he searched the camp.
“Sloane, pay attention,” Ismeld quietly said.
“Am. Searching,” she replied without dropping the spell to see the woman.
She had Tiberius fly back and then hold a position as best as possible above her. Using his vision, Sloane aimed her upgraded artillery spell. The former Arcane Explosion had been changed by her use and intent, and likely by how many people she had killed with it. It was almost as if each spell or ability had conditions for their progression. Not the time, Sloane…
Feeling at the mana, even if she could only see everything with a birdseye view–literally, she cast the upgraded spell. A large tug of stamina drained from her. The Arcane Mortar fired. A mass of arcane energy erupted from her in a high arc. Larger and quicker than the previous version of the spell. As it reached the peak of its ascent, it turned down and slightly shifted its trajectory in an attempt to track her target. It started to fall, but then it hit an imaginary point in the air and pulsed as it sped up. It crashed into the ground with an explosion that was half again as potent as before. It completely enveloped the squad of troops attempting to evacuate.
I definitely cannot cast nearly as many of those.
Tiberius flew in a circle, looking over the enemy forces. The main army was in retreat. A group of cavalry was fleeing from the far side of the city. They’re coming from where Gisele and Nemura were! She let go of the vision and saw the city’s soldiers rushing toward the ruins of the camp.
“Ismeld, we need to get to Gisele,” she said.
The high elf woman nodded and they turned around, ready to rush back to the city. What they saw made them pause. Gisele and Nemura stood in the air on a shimmering red platform.
“What in the hell?” Sloane murmured.
Ismeld groaned. “She is such a showoff.”
Cheers sounded all along the walls. Sloane couldn’t help but laugh. Long-held tension falling away. We won.
She looked around at some of those closest to her since arriving. The knights, her guards. They had come so far. There was still a long way to go, but she had some good people joining her. With a glance at Stefan, then fixing her gaze on the showboating women standing on air… she felt confident.
Time to continue the search.
I can’t wait to tell you all about my journey, Gwyn.
✦ ✦ ✦
Ressa shifted on her saddle. The last three members of her team rode next to her. A week ago, they had left the army that General Razane led behind as it retreated toward Goosebourne. The defeat was the first setback of the war and one that would seriously hamper the Empire’s goals in the region. She could only hope their efforts were going better elsewhere. Without Marketbol, the Empire had no hope of controlling the central plains.
A scowl formed. Sloane Reinhart had single-handedly brought about the defeat of the army. She had to have coordinated with the southern Sovereigns somehow to provide them a way to completely avoid detection. Never mind what she personally did with her magic. Magic that was frankly… terrifying. It solidified the Empress’s mission for her.
Following an extensive report on the woman’s capabilities which included the general’s own concerning Lady Reinhart’s efforts in arming the city’s defenders, Ressa and her people departed.
They were now on their way to Swanbrook. The next destination she knew the terran would go. A city that, if her information was correct, would be one of the numerous targets along the coast. She needed to ensure Sloane remained out of the conflict. However, Ressa was wary of a direct approach to the issue. After her previous confrontation with the traitor, Nemura Kho’lin, and the orkun knight, she knew such a fight would not be in her people’s favor.
She had learned that the knights intended to part ways with the terran. If that were true, Ressa would let them.
The woman could not be allowed to help that city as well. Ressa and her people needed to prevent that at any cost.
She turned toward her second, seeing the conflict written all over his face. Her other two men also looked wary. The Empire’s Fist did not lose often. When they did, it was hard felt.
“Backs straight, team. We suffered a setback, but we will adapt. From here to Swanbrook, all of us will train. See if any of you can use magic. We saw what the traitor could do. She used the mana to strengthen her body. All of you will learn how to do so. When we meet them again, we will be prepared. For the glory of the Ror,” she said with conviction.
Her men sat straighter. “And the longing of Vlaredia skies!” the three men replied in sync.
She smiled. “We will complete our mission and return with honor.”
The Fist thrives under adversity.