“You called for this parlay,” Hoskia continued, voice dripping with sarcasm at the word. “But first we must deal with that traitor,” he growled, staring at Elora.
Loric stepped forward, pointing with his staff. Loch stiffened, along with everyone around him. Nothing happened, the staff just a means for Loric to make a grand gesture.
“Elora Seedspear,” he said, his voice not as polished or smooth as Hoskias. “You are accused of murdering one of your own Clan. You are accused of forsaking your Clan vows. How do you answer?”
Loch didn’t turn to look at Elora, keeping his eyes on Hoskia. The elf acted like he was ignoring Loch, but he wasn’t. Loch could tell that Hoskia was watching his every move.
“I do not answer,” Elora said.
Loch saw eyebrows raise in surprise from some of the elves. Others looked more shocked. There were a couple of gasps quickly silenced by glares from others, the ones Loch judged to be the officers. He hoped Bobby and Sarah had marked them.
“I do not answer because I am no longer Silver Bark. I broke my Oath to the Clan because the Clan broke it’s Oath to me,” Elora said, voice loud and clear. She didn’t look at the Silver Bark leadership but at the other Elves arrayed around them. “In the Oath, we pledge to honor the Silver Bark, to obey our Elders, to Strive for our own Advancement and to always work for the betterment of the Clan. But does the Silver Bark do anything for us? No. Only if our families are higher Ranked or we have some value. The Elders don’t do anything for us. They pit us against each other, having us work against each other to try and make our way up a ladder that truly doesn’t exist.” She pointed at Hoskia. Loch smiled, seeing the smirk fade from the Silver Bark leader’s face. “Long before I forsook my Oath, he and others like him, the Silver Bark, they forsook their Oath to me and to all of you.”
Her pointing finger drifted along the line of elves. There were a couple that appeared uneasy, most appeared to not care. He and Elora had talked of that, they had known what Hoskia would most likely do. There had been hope that some of the elves might turn on Hoskia, might join Clan Brady, but it was a slim hope. It appeared no one was going to quit.
Which made sense. Hoskia would have known Elora would be there, and with a public accusation, it was pretty obvious what she would say. Hoskia would have only brought the most loyal of the elves with him.
A dry cackling laugh spread throughout the clearing. All eyes turned to the Crone. Both hands gripped the top of her staff, the hood hiding her face except for her mouth which was open in the laugh, revealing sharpened teeth stained red.
The sound stopped, everyone expecting the Crone to say something. She didn’t. The silence lingered until Loric spoke again.
“By your words, you plead guilty to the call of oathbreaker,” he said, no emotion as he recited the words. He shifted his attention to Loch, staff lowering. “Before any parlay can start, the oathbreaker must be given over to us so we may mete out her punishment.”
Hoskia and Loric looked to Loch. He could see the warrior elves tensing, ready to attack. There was a faint smile on Hoskia’s face as he waited for Loch to speak. Loch let the silence go a little longer.
“No,” he said.
Hoskia’s smile grew bigger, looking predatory. That was the answer he had hoped for. Loch wanted to smile, but held back. It was time to throw a little curveball.
“As she is a sworn Bannerman of the Clan Brady Clanchief, and a loyal member of Clan Brady itself, she is not subject to any retribution from the Silver Bark.”
From their reactions, Loch knew that none of the Silver Bark had expected Elora to be a member of Clan Brady. She had explained that anyone wanting to switch Clans typically had to work their way up, prove their loyalty and dedication before giving a chance to join. It could take years. Some the Clans would lead on, never intended to grant membership, just using the essentially free labor. And to make her a Bannerman was unheard of. As a full member of Clan Brady, the Silver Bark could not come after her for breaking her Oath to them.
It was a bit weird, and Loch didn’t fully understand the logic behind it, but Elora had assured him that it was a rule set by the Connection. It wanted Clanmembers to have the option to move, as it hoped they would go to a better situation that would allow them to Advance more and strive to reach for more, not be held back.
If Elora had been a vagabond and Loch didn’t allow the Silver Bark to take her, the elves would have been entitled to retribution. That would mean any attacks they made on Loch’s people would not be as aggressors but the aggrieved party. It was what Hoskia had been hoping for. With Loch’s refusal, he could have thrown honor away and done what was needed to secure justice for the Silver Bark. But with Elora already being part of Clan Brady, Hoskia could not do anything to her.
The look of shock turned to one of rage. Looking at the elves arrayed around Hoskia, the ones that had shown a little doubt started to show some more. They understood what it meant for Elora to be accepted into Clan Brady so quickly. It showed that Loch and his people trusted her and more importantly it showed that they valued her.
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That was why Elora had left the Silver Bark, she hadn’t felt valued. She felt used. A tool for the Elders to tear up and spit out when done with her. Clan Brady was not that. She had meaning now and she showed it in the way she stood defiantly staring at Hoskia. She wasn’t glaring, she wasn’t daring him, she just stood there proudly.
Silence fell across the elves as they all waited for Hoskia to respond. Loric didn’t shift his position or turn his head, but his eyes slid in Hoskia’s direction. The Crone just stared at Loch, smiling in the depths of her hood.
DARK FOREST CRONE
She felt strong, right at the Level Twenty-Five Cap.
SILVER BARK GHOSTWEAVER.
Loric felt just as strong.
SILVER BARK HIGHWARDEN
Hoskia was at the Level cap but Loch got the feeling that the Connected System was straining to keep Hoskia’s Abilities locked at that cap. He just felt stronger. The Silver Bark Elder had to have a lot of Achievements boosting his Stats. Loch had hoped that would be his advantage when it came to a fight, and he had no doubt they would be fighting at some point. It appeared he wouldn’t have any advantage as Hoskia had decades of experience behind his Abilities and Skills. The Connection could cap the damage and resistances but it couldn’t do anything for the learned experience. All those decades of learning the ins and outs of the Abilities were still there.
Loch tried not to worry. He stood resolute, a wall against the Silver Bark aggression.
The Crone’s demonic grin widened. Loric used one hand to smooth his robes, shaking his head. Hoskia let an expression of boredom cross his face, but it never entered his ice blue eyes. Those were filled with hate and barely contained rage.
“The fate of this…speck,” he said, lips curling up in disgust, “is of no matter. We came to parlay at your request. As it was your request, it is customary that you start the discussions.”
Loch nodded, starting to speak but Hoskia held up a gauntleted hand.
“But we will not be doing that,” Hoskia said. “That is for when the two forces are equal. We are not equal.” He looked over Loch’s people, gaze full of disdain. “This rabble is barely worth our attention. I will admit you have been a bit of a thorn but one that we would pluck eventually. I applaud you for bringing this meeting together. You have realized that you will lose this battle. You are nothing compared to the strength of the Silver Bark. This is the most honorable thing you could do. Surrender and allow your betters to control your lives. I will even let you slink off with your tail between your legs. Isn’t that the saying of your people? I quite like that one,” he said, smiling. “I will even let your family go with you. Safe as long as you leave what will be Silver Bark lands and never return.” The smile faded as he looked at the people around Loch, focusing on them. “Where are your daughters? Our scouts report that they are never far from your side.”
“They are right where they need to be,” Loch said, smiling, taking a step forward. “We are not here to surrender. We are here to accept your surrender.”
The Crone cackled, the sound unnerving.
“This one is brazen. I like him,” she said, voice dry and cracking.
Hoskia started to laugh. Full of disdain. He settled, shaking his head bemused.
“It’s not a joke,” Loch said. “This is not your world. You are not welcome here. You will leave this world and if you cannot, you will take a Connected enforced oath of non-aggression.”
Loch took another step forward. He hoped he had judged Hoskia Silver Bark correctly.
The elf's eyes widened in surprise. For the first time he lost the arrogant look, replaced with a serious expression.
“You are a fool boy,” Hoskia growled. “This is foolishness. You are outnumbered.”
“I know,” Loch said, his smile becoming predatory, focusing his Presence through his gaze onto the Silver Bark elf. “I planned on that.”
Hoskia took an involuntary step back. His eyes widened in shock and then realization.
“The Camp,” Hoskia said. “The prisoners.”
Loch smiled, summoning Onyx. Hoskia’s eyes went to the glowing axe.
“You requested this parlay, you can not be the aggressor,” Hoskia said, voice not as calm or crisp as before. He wasn’t panicking, but Loch felt the elf was close. “You are bound by the rules of parlay. This act of aggression,” he said, waving at the summoned axe. “Will get you nothing. We can just leave, returning to our base and stop whatever plan you have there.” Hoskia’s slightly worried face turned to arrogance once more as he took a defiant step forward. “Or maybe we will just head straight to your pitiful clanhold and kill every man, woman and child. There is nothing you can do about it.”
“But there is,” Loch said, Activating Bulwark. None of his people moved, but all the Silver Bark tensed, eyes darting to Hoskia, waiting for orders. That was the difference, Loch realized, between the Silver Bark and his people. The Silver Bark wouldn’t do anything unless ordered. They had no initiative because it was forced out of them. But his people, they would do what was planned, without any command. He didn’t have to order them because he trusted his people to know what to do and when. “You act like I care about honor within the Connection.” He took another step forward. “I don’t. This is my world, my people, and you do not belong here.”
“If you attack us, under the flag of parlay, your honor in the Connection….,” Hoskia started.
He never got to finish.
Loch Activated Windstep, flashing across the short divide between him and the Silver Bark Elder. He appeared in front of Hoskia, Onyx already swinging down.
“I don’t care!”