Elfsorrow

'We have battle plans,' said Vuldaroq. 'You must fight to our design. You must let Dordover run this war as we have been for a season now.'

Heryst would have said no but Darrick wasn't here to improve Dordover's plans. And Heryst was not a student of the military.

'I will grant you overall field command but I will not have my forces committed to suicide. There will be discussion on the ground at every front.'

'Of course,' said Vuldaroq.

'One thing I want to make very clear, Vuldaroq. This war must not go so far as to destroy Xetesk. This country needs magical balance and so it needs the Dark College. This war removes Dystran and the current Circle Seven and nothing more. Do I make myself clear?'

'I had pla

'I don't doubt that I will,' said Heryst.

He broke Communion and put his head in his hands. Lystern was at war with Xetesk. Selik stood on the ramparts of the Understone garrison and looked down over the army assembled before him. The sun was warming the earth from a clear blue sky and a gentle breeze ruffled his cloak. Men, women and youths from two dozen towns and villages were standing looking up at him. Refugees scattered across the land had come to his side to avenge what had been done to them.

Most of them were tradesmen or farmers. There was a scattering of militia and soldiers but the vast bulk of the estimated two thousand seven hundred would be holding swords in anger for the very first time. Some would run, others would be heroes and many would die. That was the way of war. He sca

'My friends,' he said, his voice loud, carrying across the silence. 'You are all standing here because the time has come to right a great wrong. The time has come to win back the land of Balaia for its God-given people. To take it from the mages who destroy it so casually. To make it pure again.

'Because make no mistake, our land is riddled with the disease of magic and only the righteous can purge that disease. And I am looking at the righteous here and now.'

A great roar erupted from the crowd below, fists and weapons punched the air. Selik held up his hands for quiet.

'You have all seen the war spread. It has torn down our peaceful towns and is destroying our beloved land. And now it is our turn to strike. Last night Lystern joined the war, as we knew they would. Even those who preach peace have betrayed us now. What more evidence do we need that, if we let it, magic will kill us all? So we will join the war. We will fight on one front only and that front will be Xetesk.'

A murmur ran through the crowd.

'They are the dark heart of magic and they must be thrown down. And once the surviving colleges see our power and the righteousness of our fight, they too will fall before us. We are on a march to victory. Nothing can stop us.'

Another roar.

'My friends, this is a great day to be a Balaian. Return to your commanders, strap on your swords and prepare to march!'

Selik turned to face Devun, a smile broad across his ruined features.

'It's finally happening, my friend. What Travers began a decade and more ago, I will finish. When will you reach your positions south of Xetesk?'

'Three days, Captain.'

'Excellent. I will join you in the field as soon as I can. There are more reserves coming in and I need to be here for a while yet. Meanwhile, you know the plans and the people trust you. It's beautiful isn't it?'

'Sir?'

'Light will dawn on a new order, an order not dominated by the evils of magic. We will all live outside the veil of fear. We are the righteous.' 'So what happened to you last night?' said Hirad to Denser as they rode from their camp the following morning, heading to the west of Xetesk, aiming to throw any pursuit off the scent.

'Some of their mages were sharp. As we flew in to drop the HotRain, I could see them casting. I veered away when Erie

'That's what you call luck, is it?'

'Could have been DeathHail. Then we wouldn't be riding with you at all. As it was, I managed to get my legs under me as we landed but I was going way too fast.'

'Bad moment,' said Hirad. 'How's Erie

'Well the arm's not broken but it's sore. It's a good job we're a couple of days from more action or she'd have trouble casting.'

Hirad was silent for a moment. He didn't feel in control of the situation and that made him uneasy. There were too many variables. Too much to go wrong.

'Are you happy with this hare-brained scheme we cooked up last night?' he asked.

Denser shrugged. 'I don't really see any alternative. If we're going to try and snatch Yron, then we have to have accurate information on his location in the college or we'll fail before we start.'

'But Aeb…'

'I know,' said Denser. 'It's just a matter of time before he's found out and he knows that. But he's the only one who can talk to the Soul Tank and get us what we need. Other Protectors are going to risk themselves too. Fu

'Yeah, and all these years and we find they're actually so vulnerable. '

'I suppose, but none of them have ever gone against Xetesk before, so a punishment for that crime has never even been considered. ' Denser paused and looked across at Aeb, who rode between him and The Unknown. 'We could still get away with it though. With the war escalating every day, rescinding the Act of Giving for one Protector isn't going to be top of anyone's agenda.'

'I hope you're right.'

'Xetesk have more important things to worry about. Lystern have been forced into the war alongside Dordover and that changes the balance against them. Blackthorne will be in Lystern in a couple of days to effectively pledge baronial support. Rebraal is going there too and the elves will be fighting alongside the other colleges. It's nasty out there.'

'I can't quite believe Dystran wants what Aeb says he does,' said Hirad. 'It doesn't make any sense.'

'Like I said, no elves, no Julatsa,' said Denser. 'But we've got to be focussed, not get caught up in the war. For us, saving Ilkar and Ren is all that matters.'

Hirad chuckled. 'So strange. Remember when we first met?'

'You wanted to kill me.'

'Sorry about that.'

'No offence taken,' said Denser, smiling.

'I hated you. So did we all. But now, a few years down the line, you'll attack your own college to save Ilkar.'

Another shrug. 'He's Raven. That's all there is to it.'