Malgoene’s pace was leisurely, the path to the war room with it’s arched ceilings and tall windows allowed the last light of the day to fall through in beautiful patterns, soaking in the moment with great relish, he was eager for the next phase. Always prepared to play tempter, to pull at the hardened heart’s of his foes to watch them twist beneath the weight of possibility, slowly expanding their vision, feeding them hope, Malgoene hid not his smile as he entered that oft visited chamber. It had been nearly a quarter milinea since he’d last played diplomat, and he hoped after crashing through their borders they would be more pliant than their last meeting. Hashamal would need a reward.

  He pushed the large decorated doors to his war room open with gusto. His vassals, the four demeon generals of Dorumunn, genuflecting upon his entry. He’d left these three with that pattern, hoping the more oft a reminder of position would temper their ambitions. His eyes informed him differently. Surprised though, he would have to chat with the spider.

  ‘Majesty.’ came a greeting from his right hand, first of the four, and likely the second oldest being in the nation. He was a stocky, muscular creature, with ruddy brown skin, dressed in elegant robes, his three eyes focused on his liege. Malgoene always secretly hoped one day he’d find a genuine usurper on his hands, something patient, ancient, and hidden beyond his vision. He suspected Balzaed had long since accepted his position. No Malgoene thought, they were not his.

  ‘Rise my loyal vassals, we have much we need to discuss.’ With a gesture of his hand to accompany his words, he bid them rise.

  ‘You will be pleased my lord. I had not received full details when I first reported to you, but Hashamal has claimed a valor. The fifth of Bow, as I understand.’ this came from the one ranked third of the four, a giant beast, armored in thick plates, four arms, two crossed two others with sticks moving pieces across their board, his head sported one large horn, beneath his brow his four eyes darted across the board, and a set of reports. While he seemed busy, his eyes were wandering. Perhaps it was him, or perhaps Zal’Zabazz was merely watching to see how it would play out.

  ‘Alive? Oh, we would not be so lucky.’ the king of Dorumnn chuckled.

  ‘You have it rightly there m’lord, he also took nineteen of ours.’ The horned monster replied

  ‘Inconsequential. Who took his heart?’

  ‘It was to my surprise, that Hashamal himself did not. He was wounded by the bow in the attempt. I respect his courage’ This coming from the second of the four. A two headed fiend, one a wolf, the other a goat, a quartet of long prehensile tails flicked, and twisted behind it, her long, sinewy limbs stretched from her seat to rest on the table, drumming her seven fingers rhythmically. Her king could see the wheels turning in her mind. Gyekeen was thinking of their upcoming expansion. She wasn’t even hinting at distraction. They wouldn’t be hers, besides he’d give her credit, she’d make the attempt herself.

  ‘So a minor fiend from his forces? Truly interesting. I suspect a name we’ll hear, and hear more of then.’ Malgoene advanced on the board. If they were accurate, Falner was taken, and it was the second most heavily fortified. Lomrar held, but considering the valor that was posted there it was unsurprising. It was the most direct line to their capital. Rytmer was in question from their intelligence. ‘Rytmer held then?’

  ‘A pair, one new this season. She spilled her first blood toward the start of this season.’ The last of the four weighed in. The newest, maintaining the smallest form, he kept a form much like the humans of the surrounding territories. He dressed much the same. The king was informed that only just returned the last week from the northern barbarians that lived within the mountains. Maalk had proven useful, shape changing had gifted him an unrivaled in spying on their enemies, that meant he spent much of his time away from the capital. A schemer by nature, he assumed they were his. He’d give the poor would be assassins a break however.

  ‘I am keenly aware, agents of the spider, if you still are that is, of your presence. I’ll allow you to leave, if you reveal yourselves and simply go.’ the annoyance on the face of Maalk confirmed his suspicion. Good. Glad to see his ambition had yet to be curbed. The guild agents however had not budged. ‘Not for me then?’ still no movement. The four generals looked to to their king, Maalk bearinga look of annoyance, Zal’Zabazz appearing patient, Gyekeen showing eagerness, Balzaed’s expression bearing amusement. Malgoene shuffled his cape, and with but the barest gesture the a thrumming sound filled the room, weight amplified, two forms toward the back, flanking a window, collapsed. The generals shifted their wight, but otherwise seemed undisturbed. Malgoene strode slowly toward the back to the sound of the two gasping, their limbs unable to move meaningfully. ‘You were give the option.’ the king checked for the mark, and sure enough they were once one servants of the spider. He left them to suffocate, with lungs not powerful enough to take in breath. The five sat patiently for the minute, before the king pulled back his enchantment.

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  ‘I was hoping for more gore, my king.’ Gyekeen spoke first.

  ‘Perhaps, then hire your own, and I might oblige.’

  ‘You tempt me, sire.’ her hound head smiled. The goat speaking in its stead.

  ‘So, we have taken ground, and we have traditionally taken no more. Do we think the time to change that is this year?

  ‘There is no sign among the stars, or freak of weather to note our change. I would foster their superstition, by waiting’ Balzaed intoned.

  ‘I agree with your original plan, sue for peace, let them grow softer over their generations.’ Maalk stated. ‘The loss of a valor ought suffice for pressure.’

  ‘The warbands already recalled?’ the king inquired.

  ‘Indeed, with only the forces remaining at Falner, which only has two, we mixed a few of the mismatched bands that had lost members.’ the great horned giant said, gesturing with his two sticks.

  ‘They will not strike, they will welcome the respite that follows us having a major victory.’ spoke the wolf. ‘I hear they call it a toll.’ the goat followed. Malgoene nodded in agreement.

  ‘That makes the next course clear, I’ll bring a small guard, and make my approach from there’ He gestured to their new fort. ‘Gyekeen, I believe this was to be yours? Do let me know if you give it a name, so I can make it official. That leaves one last thing.’ He looked to his generals. ‘I suspect, I’ll not need to act personally in the matter our champion who has tasted the flesh of one of their valors?

  That comment caused the generals to exchange loaded glances. He had assumed, they would have their own networks already moving on recruitment. It was not often, that there was an opportunity to absorb some of their powers. The transfer, was universally incomplete with lesser demons handling corpses. The King was curious, to see what his spy network would provide later. ‘Very good. My proxies will reach you if I have any commands. You shall know them.’

  ‘You surely don’t mean to go directly, yourself, my king.’ Maalk asked.

  ‘You’ve yet to see our King and his moods.’ Balzaed responded

  ‘We have our guesses first general.’ Gyekeen countered. ‘I should like to know myself, but do not trust his lies.’ both heads ending in a cackling.

  ‘I leave you to your duties.’ Malgoene spoke over them, increasing his volume only just enoguh to ensure all heard. ‘See that the spider gets her corpses.’ He would have to postpone his personal visit, frankly shocked that anyone would even accept the contract. A rarity that had piqued his interest and he wanted to confirm some details. But that could wait, for a few months, while he played at diplomat.

  Once again, leisurely strolling through the halls of his castle, in the shining, if chaotic, city of Dol Raldar, his crown jewel, and the result of nearly four thousand years of work. He’d long since grown too powerful for fights with individuals to be threatening. So instead he set to work on a grander scale. While it was often rumored, that he could be in many places, and he could, a few via tricks and magics, he could not be a nation, not alone. So he built one, and shaped it, and did his best. He’d tried several times actually, making as many different claims, and swearing as many histories both personal, and for the lands around him.

  This one, had ran for nearly eleven centuries, the record, to date. While he was sure, he could with his forces, and but the right command destroy the nation to the south. But their valors, represented them well, and there were so many questions he had to ask, so much to learn.

  So with that, he pressured them, year over year, taking more of their land, killing more of their people, and then he would arrive, with new terms, new arguments, and a fresh crop of their people to talk with. They’d be largely the same, changed by increments of generations. They would slide inexorably, drifting to somewhere, he didn’t even think they knew. He wondered how long it might take, as Maalk said to allow them to soften. He also wondered how far he could push them along this path.

  Their nation had existed, in one form or another for a while. In his youth, their progenitors had actually proven threatening. He’d had to flee from what would now be called their valors. Virtues, or Justicars, the names had changed, but the root magic stayed the same. It offered possibilities he could not ignore.

  Murmuring with a combination of guards, and servitors, and spies, he assembled the small army of courtiers and soldiers he would be bringing with him on his journey to the heart of the land those valors called home, the home of his enemies, or at least what passed for them these days, as far as individual beings could be counted. A new face, for an old foe. The great king, was so, looking forward to this.