(Ivan)

Ivan ascended the hillock, heading toward the thrumming portal. His breath caught and his heart skipped a beat. Ahead of him, bolts of jagged lightning blasted the void between the stone monoliths.

He was flooded with memories. A decade ago, he had used the portal near the capital to reach Eel Island. At the time, William had been too small to travel with them and had remained in Calot. Excitement raced through him as he prepared for the jump.

“Come on, let’s enter together.” He beckoned his aunt and brother.

“William, grab my hand,” Aunt Lisa cried out. “Ivan, you too.”

Ivan clasped her hand and the three of them entered the gateway. They were sucked into the void and transported a world away.

Ivan took a deep breath and a big smile spread across his face. A warm breeze rustled the trees and carried scents of salt water mixed with blooming flowers. Looking like oversized snowflakes, dandelion tufts floated by.

They had emerged on top of a mountain, which overlooked the central bay. He heard waves crashing on the rocky shores in the distance. Eel Island was in the middle of the Ocean of Tears. The water here was so blue that it looked like a meadow of cornflowers.

They followed a cobblestone path which led to an ancient fortress. The Nature Kingdom’s banners flapped in the wind on the battlements. He scanned the different flags. The oak tree of the realm was the most prominent. He saw the banners from every major city in the kingdom.

“Hey, William, how many of those banners can you name,” Ivan asked.

“Umm, let me see.” He hesitated before answering. “I’m going to skip the oak tree since everybody knows that one. On the far left, I see Scar’s banner, a mining pick crossed with a golden sword. It’s too fancy if you ask me. Why do they have a golden sword? No one would make a sword out of gold.”

“The golden sword is symbolic,” his aunt explained. “It represents the mined riches of Scar that have allowed the city to become so prosperous.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess that make sense.” William nodded. “I also see the swooping eagle of Resan, the horsed spearman of Pike, the flying fish of Mir, and the black jaguar with a crown of leaves of Tork. Oh, I love the black jaguar! Yeah, Torkans know how to make a nippy banner.”

“My favorite is the banner of Pike because it has a horse,” Mary declared.

“Forget about the banners.” Toby jumped in. “Check out the docks. The Evergreen Realm brought the big harpoons. Look at that leviathan!”

Ivan peered at the docks. Dozens of ships lined the harbor. All of them were dwarfed by one colossal ship.

“She’s a beast, isn’t she?” Toby gushed. “It’s a floating city. That’s probably the Radiance, Tempest, or the Oasis since it has sixteen decks.”

“How can you tell that it has sixteen decks?” Mary asked. “I did an eye shift, and I can’t say for sure.”

Toby just pointed to his eyes and grinned. One of his eyes was looking at Mary while the other still gawked at the leviathan.

Mary slapped her forehead. “I keep forgetting about your crazy good vision.”

“Once we’re done with the hullabaloo at the fort, we gotta go there.” Toby bounced with excitement. “I bet we can find some good deals at the bazaar.”

“Yeah, I’d love to go shopping.” Mary grinned.

“William, you should be more excited.” Toby nudged him. “They sell enchanted items there.”

“Oh, they do?” William bobbed his head absently.

Ivan noticed that his brother looked a bit distracted. He knew that going through the portal could be unsettling.

“Oh, yeah!” Toby gestured enthusiastically. “They’ve got everything. There is a massive marketplace, craftsmen of all types, an athenaeum, a treasury exchange, a few auction houses, plenty of kitchens, dozens of taverns, a Dicers Dan, and an open arena.”

“We’re definitely going.” Mary’s eyes sparkled.

“We’ll take the lifts to the top deck, and we can even save time if we pay for the enchanted buggies. Those buggies have their own transport lanes around the ship.”

Memories of his last visit to Eel Island washed over Ivan and he was filled with nostalgia.

Ten years, he thought. Time passes and only memories remain.

He recalled the arena where his dad had competed in the Spirit Competition a decade ago.

His mom had taken him to one of the leviathans. She had gotten him a tome with colorful drawings of different animals from one of the ship’s emporiums.

He smiled. He had raced his parents up the winding staircase at the Temple of Tor’Sal. They had even visited the mysterious maze in the Temple of Cea’Nia.

He remembered Eel Island’s golden beaches. They had spent hours playing and building sandcastles. His parents had taught him how to swim in the Ocean of Tears. Some of his fondest childhood memories took place here.

Ivan sighed. His thoughts drifted to Calot, to the last day that he had seen his parents. At the time, he had been a helpless boy forced to flee his home.

Things are different now. He clenched his fists.

He had studied warfare for years. He had analyzed past battles, read tactical manuscripts, researched terrain advantages, and practiced sword fighting relentlessly.

Now, I can protect the people that I love…

He knew that the path to freedom would require sacrifice. Still, the risk was worth it. The battle for Pike had proven that they could triumph over the Shadow Lands. It was the first major victory for the Nature Kingdom, but it would not be the last.

I’ll have my vengeance!

His path was set.

He took a deep breath and smiled with grim determination.

“William, that’s the fortress for the Evergreen Realm.” Aunt Lisa pointed in the distance. “The Shadow Lands stronghold is on the mountain next to it.”

“Our fortress looks bigger than theirs,” William declared.

“Oh, ours is a lot bigger than what you can see,” Rose added.

“How is that?” Mary butted in.

“Most of our fortress is under the mountain,” Rose explained. “What can you do? Scarans love to tunnel, even when they’re away from home.”

His aunt continued as though she had not been interrupted, “You can see the temples in the center of the island, near the harbor. The golden pyramid is the Temple of Cea’Nia and the soaring tower with the silver minarets is the Temple of Tor’Sal. The competition will be held at the coliseum, which is right over there.”

“Hey, it looks like our friends from Tork are already here.” Ivan overheard Rob Stone. “I see their mounts.”

“Yeah, those geckos are fearless,” someone replied. “Our horses won’t even get close to the portal, much less go through it. Their geckos enter the portals like it’s a barndoor. Thankfully we keep horses here so we don’t have to walk all the time.”

The Nature Kingdom fortress gate swung open ahead of them. Horns blared and a line of bannermen stood at attention.

(Lin Tinbury)

A portly man stuffed into a red tunic stepped forward and greeted them buoyantly.

“The Eel Island garrison welcomes this year’s champions and guests,” he trumpeted. He turned toward Lin Tinbury and bowed as deeply as his girth would permit. The leather belt around his waist creaked in protest.

“We’re deeply honored to have the lovely Lady of Scar at our humble gathering for this auspicious occasion. I have reserved our most outstanding room for your ladyship. I’m sure you’ll be impressed with the grand view of the cliffs from your chambers. The closets are immense, each with multiple shelves made of the most fragrant balsam wood. Now, let me tell you about our imported velvet divans.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

He paused a moment and took a deep breath before continuing, “Or better yet, let me describe, in detail, the intricately exquisite and utterly magnificent tapestries that adorn my lady’s glorious chamber.”

“Coro, please be so kind as to show me to the room right now,” Lin interjected before he could continue with his endless descriptions. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Lin had been apprised by her father about the effusive nature of Coro Lest before arriving. She knew how to deal with people like him. “Please have your staff assist with the accommodations for the rest of the party.”

“Excellent idea my lady,” Coro gushed.

He barked out some orders and gestured for Lin and Greg to follow him.

As they walked into the main courtyard, a well-statured and powerfully built man approached them. He wore a leather vest with a black jaguar etched and burned into it. He had an angular face and a stern expression. He had short gray hair and hazel eyes. There were several scars on his brawny arms, but they were mostly obscured by ritualistic tattoos and symbols. Lin instantly recognized Baza’s father, Taran.

“Coro,” Taran’s voice boomed. “I have business with the Scarans. You can show them your most excellent accommodations later.”

Lin noticed that Taran made no attempt to hide the irritation in his voice. He waved his hand in a dismissive gesture toward Coro.

“Oh… of course, my Lord. I’ll leave you to your business, as your excellency wishes.” Coro bowed and scurried away.

“Excuse my bluntness Lady Tinbury, but I have no patience for fawning sycophants,” said Taran after Coro had departed. “I’ve had to deal with that man all morning and my tolerance for bootlicking is at an end.” He shot another glare at the departing steward.

“Your father speaks very highly of you, as does my daughter. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“I’ve heard a lot of stories about you from Uncle Greg and Baza.” Lin smiled. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you as well.”

“Oh, look at what the gharials dragged out of the swamp.” Greg clapped his old friend on the shoulder.

“And the bear is finally out of its cave.” Taran raised an eyebrow. Both men laughed and embraced each other. “Get your people settled in and let’s meet at Cliff’s Edge within an hour. Bring your commanders and casters. Mine will be there as well.”

“Very well. We have little time and much to discuss.”

#

(William)

William and Ivan arrived at Cliff’s Edge early. It was a massive room located deep underneath the keep. The Scaran architecture was prominent in the interior design. At least that was what Ivan had told him. The floors were made of luminescent alabaster marble. Thousands of tiny sunstones dotted the domed ceiling like a starry sky. Light flooded the room from the cliff side.

William walked toward the balcony and Ivan followed him. Their path took them through one of the archways. It was at least two stories high, and it was decorated with motifs from the Nature Kingdom. The balcony jutted out from the side of the mountain and overlooked the Ocean of Tears. William sat down on one of the benches and marveled at the view.

“You must be Ivan and William,” a voice startled the brothers a moment later. They turned around and saw Taran and Baza, flanked by eight guards.

“I’d like to properly introduce you to my father, Taran.” Baza gestured to the man next to her.

“Lord Taran, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Ivan bowed. William got up from the bench and bowed as well.

“We don’t use that title in Tork. Call me Taran, just like everyone else. I wanted to talk to you before the meeting and express my gratitude for what you two did for my daughter.” He glanced affectionately at Baza.

“Well, actually it was Drake Grey who uncovered the enslavement spell,” said Ivan. “He was instrumental in finding Baza and saving her life. William spent a lot of time with her while she was recovering. I really didn’t do that much.”

“On the contrary,” Taran objected. “You didn’t blame her for what she had done to you while she was a thrall. Baza told me that you had visited her while she was recovering and each time you reassured her that she was not responsible. I appreciate the wisdom that you shared with her – ‘Don’t blame the blade, blame the hand that wields it.’”

“Yeah, wisdom and Ivan are like best buddies,” William jumped in.

Taran and Baza laughed while Ivan groaned.

“Well, the truth is that her recovery would’ve been more difficult without your support.” Taran nodded. “And for that you have my gratitude.”

Baza stepped shyly forward. “I’d also like to thank you. I have a gift for each of you.” She held up two necklaces. “I made these Torkan collars for you. The strips in the back that are used to adjust the length of the collar are made from leather that I tanned myself. I attached a tooth from my first gharial kill with strands of atinum.”

She glanced at her father. “I did get some help with the jaguar carving.” She gave the collars to the brothers and embraced Ivan first. Next, she hugged William. He felt awkward when Baza held him for a bit too long. Finally, she released him and stepped back.

William looked at the finger-length tooth at the front of the collar. A jaguar was carved on the body of the tooth. He knew that atinum was rare and some people referred to it as rainbow metal. He had seen Lin wearing an atinum bracelet when they were in Scar.

“Wow, thank you,” he exclaimed. “This is beautiful. Scraps, look at the size of that tooth. Sheesh, you’ve got to tell me the story of your first gharial kill.”

Baza’s face reddened, but she looked pleased. “I was lucky that it was an adolescent gharial, but I’ll be more than happy to tell you the story.”

“Thank you, Baza,” Ivan said as he examined his collar. “The craftsmanship is remarkable.”

Taran left the group when Greg Tinbury arrived and Baza followed her dad, promising William to catch up later.

After everyone had arrived and taken a seat, Taran stood up. “It’s great to see so many old friends.” His eyes drifted toward Greg.

“Hey, why are you looking at me. I’m not that old,” Greg protested. “I admit, I’ve taken one too many blows to the helmet over the years, but I still got my fiendish good looks.”

There were a few chuckles around the room. William noticed that Greg turned toward his aunt and winked at her.

Taran laughed and shook his head. “Same old Greg.” He scanned the room.

“Friends, as you know, Tork has joined the war. I am going to jump straight into the meat of things. The tribes have two primary objectives. The first one is to divert Shadow Lands troops and the second is to disrupt their supply lines.” He cleared his throat.

“We are drawing enemy soldiers from the central region by assaulting their outposts and ambushing their caravans near the capital. Our bloodstalkers are actively engaged in tribal warfare with the Shadowlanders. Scouts confirm that enemy forces have been dispatched from Stoneridge to the south. They will be bogged down in the swampy terrain leading to Tork. The quagmire, the natural predators, and the ongoing attacks will limit their progress. Their losses will be high. For now, the strategy is working. We are paving the way for the Nature Kingdom’s forces to reclaim the central region. This brings us to our next objective. If we are to secure the midlands, we must capture the fortress of Stoneridge.”

Taran gestured toward one of his guards. “Kala, please show us Stoneridge.”

A young woman approached Taran. Her face was painted in the traditional pattern of the Sworn Sisters, the famed protectors of the Tork rulers. A wide blue streak outlined in white ran across her face. The markings started from one ear and passed across the bridge of her nose to the other side. Her head was shaved, and she wore elaborate leather armor decorated with atinum and turquoise. William had heard stories about the Sworn Sisters from Baza when she was recovering in Scar.

Kala Levitated a large urn from the end of the hall and moved it in front of her. She closed her eyes and glided her hands through the air. A viscous, silvery-white liquid flowed from the urn and spread out. The liquid coalesced into a large floating mass. Slowly, the outlines of a fortress appeared. The vague shapes continued to sharpen, and more details emerged. A flowing river appeared next to the fortress. A steep hillside, a waterfall, and the Redwood Forest took shape. Buildings materialized within the fortification. Tiny catapults popped up on the perimeter of the fortress. In the heart of Stoneridge, William saw a rising tower.

That must be the Dark Tower.

William was transfixed by her magical mastery. Her ability to recall and recreate the entire city of Stoneridge was remarkable.

Scraps, I’ve got a long way to go. Her level of control is crazy. I’ve got magical power, but I can’t do that.

“Kala has an eidetic memory,” Taran explained. “She has been leading the scouting missions and gathering aerial intelligence. This is how Stoneridge looked a few days ago.” He paused.

“The old citadel has fewer defenders now, than it did a week ago. Our objective to weaken Stoneridge is proceeding as planned. Next, Commander Tinbury will outline the other parts of the plan.”

“Excellent!” Greg stood up and nodded to Taran. “The pieces on the board are moving into position. The enemy maintains a strong presence around Resan. They’re moving reinforcements from Stoneridge to Tork. After all, no one would expect us to assault the ancient fortress of Stoneridge before securing Resan, which is exactly what we plan to do.”

Murmurs of excitement echoed around the room before Greg raised his hand to silence them.

“So, how can we reach Stoneridge when all major roads to the south pass through Resan?” Greg surveyed the room. “The answer is simple. We’re going to take the Lonely River. The waterway can be dangerous to navigate but we have a plan for that. The river is closely monitored. We have a plan for that as well. We need to transport thousands of soldiers and their provisions. I’ll let Guild Master Dune cover transportation and logistics.” He gestured to a broad-shouldered man.

“Ahem,” the Guild Master cleared his throat. “Since the invasion, we’ve considered the Lonely River as a quick route to reach Stoneridge and Calot. The Construction Guild has already built hundreds of barges and installed enchanted jet streamers to support that offensive option. Our fleet is standing by. It is hidden in the Hollow Grotto cave system, not far from where the Willow and Elma rivers merge. We have also moved large quantities of food and supplies to the area. Lord Tinbury and Lord Harvin have donated two enchanted void vaults which will allow us to store and preserve the food supplies.”

“Thank you, Guild Master Dune.” Greg nodded. “Next, Lord Commander Stone will outline the assault strategy.”

Rob stood up. “Stoneridge is the most formidable stronghold on the continent. The walls are sixty feet high and thirty feet thick. An offshoot of the Lonely River acts as a natural moat that surrounds the entire fortification. The walls are lined with hundreds of towers and bastions. Defending archers will be well protected behind arrow loops. Reaching Stoneridge undetected will be the easier part of this strategy. For the plan to succeed, we need to retake the city in less than a week. In our planning, we’ve eliminated underground, underwater, and aerial approaches. Access to the local spy network is also limited.”

William shifted uneasily in his seat.

Rob continued, “After evaluating many options to quickly seize and secure the city, Ivan Snow came up with another unconventional idea. A few weeks back, he stumbled on a century-old petition from the Scaran Botanical Fellowship. The petition was an attempt to stop the destruction of thousands of giant redwood trees around the northern slope of the city. In the end, the petition failed, but it did provide us with valuable information.”

As Rob explained the rest of the strategy, the solemnity in the room was replaced by zealous fervor.

“They won’t know what hit them,” one of the Tork commanders bellowed after Rob finished his explanation.

“We’ll bathe in the blood of our enemies,” a bloodstalker roared.

Taran clapped Ivan on the shoulder and grinned. Baza raised her fist in triumph.

Rob picked up his goblet and raised it. “For freedom.”

“For freedom!” everyone echoed.

“The capture of Stoneridge will rally the Nature Kingdom,” Greg announced. “We won’t stop until we’ve liberated every city. The flag of the Nature Kingdom will fly over Calot yet again. It’s time for the bear to awaken!”

More cheers erupted under the domed ceiling of Cliff’s Edge.

When things settled down, they spent more time planning. Items such as provisions, ground forces, retreat tactics, and supply routes were coordinated. It was around noon when the commanders and the casters were finally dismissed.

William was filled with pride. His brother had come up with another brilliant strategy and he had a part to play in it.