Athgar sat back, grappling with the implications of Yulakov‘s words. Was the man speaking in jest, or did he truly wish Therengia to invade his home? Perhaps he was mad?
The King of Ruzhina leaned forward as if reading his mind. “I’m not mad, though doubtless some would claim otherwise.”
“You just asked me to invade Ruzhina. Surely, you didn’t expect an immediate response. A request of that magnitude requires time to digest.”
“It surprised me too,” said Maksim. “When he asked to meet you, he did not mention this.”
“You must pardon all this secrecy,” said Yulakov. “I couldn’t risk my plans becoming public knowledge.”
“I understand,” said Athgar. “One whiff of this, and the family would be all over you. You’d be lucky to survive the day.”
“I’ve managed to outsmart them so far, or at least I hope I have.”
“But there’s got to be more to this than asking us to invade?”
“Naturally. Since the death of my father, I’ve spent a great deal of time learning just how insidious the Stormwinds are—your wife excepted, of course. I was aware of them growing up, but as the heir to the Crown, much was shielded from me. Imagine my surprise when I was named king only to learn I was nothing more than a figurehead.”
He took a sip of wine before he continued. “Now, when I say I want you to invade, I’m not talking about you taking over, merely liberating us from their influence.” He locked eyes with Athgar. “I need you to destroy the Volstrum to break the Stormwinds’ hold on my kingdom.”
“Couldn’t you do that yourself? You are the king.”
“King, I might be,” said Yulakov, “but I would be foolish to put my army’s loyalty to the test.”
“So you invite a foreign army to do your dirty work for you?”
“It wouldn’t be only you. There are a few companies whose loyalty I can rely on, just not enough to get the job done.”
“Pardon me for saying so,” interjected Maksim, “but this sounds like a fool’s errand. Even if Therengia pulled together a large enough army, they’d still need to get it to Karslev. Which means either assembling a vast fleet to transport them or marching through Zaran, and we all know the dangers of that.”
“I hadn’t considered that,” said Yulakov. “Couldn’t they march farther east and avoid Zaran altogether?”
“And how would we navigate?” replied Athgar. “We know absolutely nothing about that area or the dangers lurking there. Marching an army is a different beast entirely from leading an exploration party. There’s also be the problem of getting supply wagons through the wilderness.”
“Could you not hunt as you go?”
“For what? We don’t even know if there’s suitable game in the area. For that matter, we have no idea of what type of terrain we’d encounter.”
“It would be forest, surely?”
“Would it? There’s no guarantee of that. If you travelled to Therengia, you might assume it was a heavily forested region, but go to the southern border, and you’d find the Grey Spire Mountains. What if we discovered something similar east of Zaran? That would put an abrupt end to this entire campaign.”
Yulakov sank back into his chair. “Then it appears I am doomed to live under the endless influence of the Stormwinds.”
Agar entered the room, leaving his escort, the warrior Yakim, outside. A well-dressed youth stood by the fireplace, staring at the flames.
“Be careful,” said Agar. “Fire has a hypnotic effect.”
As the youth turned to face him, his scowl vanished at the sight of an Orc. No more than ten years of age, his mop of black hair was cut short in the same style as his father’s. His clothes were made of the finest cloth, and even in this brief meeting, he projected a sense of entitlement.
“Who are you?” he asked, his voice betraying mild annoyance.
“I am Agar, son of Kargen.”
“You speak our language?”
“How else would I be able to answer your questions.”
“There’s no need to be impertinent. My father is a king.”
“And mine, the Chieftain of the Red Hand. Shall I take offence at your words, or do we consider the matter of little consequence?”
The youth stepped closer, stopping within arm’s reach. “My apologies. I did not mean to offend. I am Prince Piotr of Ruzhina. What brings you here, Agar?”
“I come in the company of Athgar, High Thane of Therengia.”
“Is he in the habit of travelling with children?”
“He is my uncle.”
“I didn’t think half-Orcs were possible.”
“As far as I know, they are not, but Athgar is like a brother to my father. Thus, I refer to him as Uncle. Have you no similar customs where you are from?”
“I have no close friends, and neither does my father.”
“Yet you must have a mother?”
“We do not speak of her,” said Piotr. “She died when I was very young.”
“I am sorry.”
“What of your own mother? Does she still live?”
“She does. She is Shaluhk, Shaman of the Red Hand.”
“Shaman? What’s that?”
“You would refer to her as a Life Mage.”
“Does that mean she makes sick people better?”
“Usually, though there are some things even a gifted healer cannot do.”
“Meaning?”
“Magic cannot keep the ravages of time at bay.”
“You are well-spoken for a child,” said Piotr.
“I could say the same of you.”
“How old are you?”
“I am almost seven, but in Human terms, I am closer to eleven.”
“I’m not sure I understand?”
“We Orcs mature faster than Humans.”
“I wish I would age faster.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” said Agar. “We might come of age sooner, but our lifespans are shorter.”
“How much shorter?”
“I hope to see my thirtieth year.”
“And what do you do when you’re not being the chieftain’s son?”
“I am proficient with the axe and bow, though there is still room for improvement. In addition, there are my ongoing attempts to master the spark within me.”
“What does that mean?”
“I have been marked by fire. In time, I shall become a master of flame.”
“Is that the same as a Fire Mage?”
“Yes, although I am led to understand there are significant differences in how the magic is approached.”
“Fascinating. I’ve met Water Mages at court, but I’ve not seen any demonstration of their magic.”
“We also have a Water Mage. Several, in fact: amongst them, our warmaster.”
“I assume that’s akin to a general?”
“Yes.”
“And how powerful is he?”
“The warmaster is Nat-Alia Stormwind.”
Piotr frowned. “Oh, one of those. You are as cursed as we are.”
“Not so. She fights against the Volstrum, not for it. If she had her way, she would see them wiped from the face of the Continent.”
“That is my father’s wish, also, but I fear it will never be more than a dream. They are too powerful.”
“They have been defeated before,” said Agar, “and they shall be again.”
“That’s news to me. I thought them invincible.”
“Stormwind Manor was burned to the ground.”
“That was an accident—a careless tending of a fireplace.”
“It was not. Athgar and Nat-Alia were there, along with others.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“So that you do not despair,” replied Agar. “The Stormwinds are powerful, but their days are numbered.”
Athgar sipped his drink, a dark ale their host graciously provided. While not as good as the stuff back home, it wasn’t terrible.
“I sympathize with your plight,” said Maksim, breaking the silence, “but Athgar is right; it’s too difficult. Even with the Temple Fleet’s full support, we could only transport a few hundred warriors to the shores of Ruzhina. That’s nowhere near the numbers we’d need to break their hold.”
“Give me some time to consider it,” replied Athgar. “With the help of my warmaster, we might find a solution.”
“You have something in mind?” asked Yulakov.
“Merely a glimmer of an idea at the moment, but it has the potential to grow into something worth considering.”
“How long would you need?”
“A day, maybe two?” replied Athgar. “It depends on whether or not my wife has concluded her business in the city.”
“Then might I suggest we reconvene in two days?”
“Here?”
“Yes, unless you have a preference for another location?”
“No. Here would be most acceptable.”
“Might we speak of other matters?” asked Maksim. “Trade, perhaps? I doubt that would bring the ire of the Stormwinds.”
“Ordinarily, I’d agree,” replied Yulakov, “but the family’s recent rebuffs at your hands might suggest otherwise. There’s also the matter of Carlingen offering financial support to the Temple Fleet.”
“There must be something we can agree on that won’t incur the Stormwinds’ wrath?”
“What about Zaran?” asked Athgar.
“Zaran?” said Yulakov. “That is nothing more than a dense wilderness. A fellow named Karzik tried to settle it about a century ago, but he and his men were never seen again.”
“There are rumours of terrible creatures living there. Do you know about them?”
“Any time someone disappears, stories surface of horrible creatures rending people from limb to limb. Naturally, no one lives to tell of these horrors, which is convenient from a storyteller's perspective.”
“So you believe them to be false?”
“Don’t you? Oh, I’m certain dangerous creatures live in the wilds; that’s true of any unmapped region, but I doubt it’s anything like the stories.”
“Ever heard of a tusker?” asked Athgar.
“I can’t say I have. What are they?”
“Massive creatures, twice the size of a horse.”
“You’re exaggerating, surely?”
“I assure you I’m not. The Orcs back in Therengia learned to ride them.”
“Truly?” asked Yulakov.
“I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Of course, their masters of earth communicate with the beasts.”
“Masters of earth?”
“What you call an Earth Mage.”
“Just how prevalent is magic in Therengia?”
“There is a history of it amongst the Orc tribes.”
“But not the people?”
Athgar frowned. “The Orcs are people.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Amongst my own people, magic is rare, but we have quite a few Humans who wield magic between us and our allies. Not as many as the Volstrum, but add the Orcs, and we could give them a serious challenge.”
“Are you implying you can compete with the family?”
“We already did in Karslev.”
“What’s this, now?”
“Surely you heard?” said Athgar. “Stormwind Manor was destroyed by fire.”
“That was you?” replied Yulakov. “They told me it was an accident.”
“Of course they did. The last thing the family wants is to admit it suffered a loss. That was also where we discovered the family supports Halvaria.”
“The empire? Why hasn’t anyone mentioned this to me before?”
“I imagine the family went to great pains to suppress this. Do you honestly believe they’d admit they’re attempting to overthrow the Petty Kingdoms? They would lose their places in courts across the Continent.”
“Are you saying the Stormwinds control Halvaria or that they are working in league with them?”
“Possibly both. We recovered notes written in Illiana Stormwind’s hand that revealed a connection. They didn’t go into the specifics but left no doubt about their ultimate goal—the complete conquest of the Continent.”
“But why would they even consider the idea?”
“It’s all about power,” replied Athgar. “If they control whoever rules, they can do whatever they want.”
“Such as?”
“They could carry out their breeding programs in peace.”
“Breeding programs? What are you talking about?”
“Did they not tell you their practices?” said Athgar. “They force their most powerful graduates into siring children. They believe that by selective breeding, they can raise generations of extremely powerful mages.”
“And does it work?”
“Natalia appears to be a shining example that it does. Of course, she left the family before they forced her into coupling.”
“Yet,” said Yulakov, “I’m led to believe she has a daughter.”
“She does, or rather we do. I’m the father.”
“There’s irony in that,” said Maksim. “Here they are trying to match up powerful mages to further the future of magic, and she’s done the very thing they tried to force on her.”
“Natalia and I were never forced into anything!”
“No, of course not,” said Yulakov. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to infer you were. I value free will, which is why I want the Stormwinds gone from my court.”
Athgar shook his head. “I doubt an invasion would be able to accomplish that. If anything, it would unite your people behind the family.”
“You make an excellent point.”
“There has to be an alternative,” said Maksim. “Can’t you order them to leave?”
“Saints, no,” replied Yulakov. “If I did that, I would soon find myself overthrown.”
“Really?” said Athgar. “That surprises me. I would think you’d be more popular amongst the commoners.”
“And perhaps I am, but the family controls the narrative. If they portrayed me in an unfavourable light, there’s no end to the trouble they might cause, not to mention their magic. I could become the victim of a hailstorm or whatever they use to eliminate problem makers.”
Maksim set his cup down on the table. “Athgar and Natalia helped me throw off the yoke of the family. I’m confident they can do the same for you.”
“High praise from a fellow king, yet our circumstances are quite different. In Carlingen, you only had to deal with a single Stormwind, whereas I am inundated with them at every turn.”
“How many are at your court?”
“On an ongoing basis? Only three are permanent, but others come and go as they please. I warrant that since becoming king, I’ve dealt with at least twenty: everything from initiates to the grand mistress herself.”
“Grand mistress?” said Athgar. “Do you mean Marakhova?”
“Of course. Is there another?”
“One can never be certain when the family’s politics are concerned.”
“And when you say they’re at court,” asked Maksim, “what precisely do they do?”
“My father saw fit to appoint a man named Veris Stormwind as his military advisor. Unfortunately, that gave him unfettered access to the Army of Ruzhina, allowing them to extend their influence on its officers, the effects of which were quickly felt.”
“Did your father not fear them?”
“No. Quite the reverse,” said Yulakov. “He welcomed them. I think he was cowed by their power and influence, and why wouldn’t he be? According to them, they have a presence in every court of the Petty Kingdoms, or at least the important ones.”
“You mentioned there were three Stormwinds?”
“Yes, that’s right. Shortly before my coronation, Yaleva became the treasurer, and Irinushka’s been at court for as long as I can remember.”
“And what does she do?”
“She is the Royal Chancellor. As such, she presides over matters of law.”
“Pardon me for saying so,” said Athgar, “but couldn’t you replace them? You are the king after all.”
“A fact I am well-aware of, but it’s not that simple. These three Stormwinds control the courts, the army, and the treasury. Without them, the realm would be thrown into chaos.”
“Yet you seek to destroy the family’s power base. Wouldn’t that leave you in precisely the same position?”
“Granted, it would, but with the family's power broken, I could rebuild the kingdom.”
“I wouldn’t be so certain of that,” said Athgar. “In my experience, the Stormwinds can be spiteful when things don’t go their way. Still, I can’t argue with your reasoning.”
“The important question,” said Maksim, “is how we proceed from this point forward. If invading is not possible, what other options do we have?”
“Political pressure?” offered Yulakov. “The family’s influence is on the wane. Perhaps I could use that to dismiss these three from their positions?”
“No,” said Athgar. “You’ve already indicated you fear repercussions, and if we don’t break the family first, you’re inviting trouble. Any way you look at it, we need to destroy the Volstrum.”
“The Volstrum is just a building,” said Maksim.
“No. It’s much more than that—it’s the symbol of their power over the Continent and is the root of our problem.”
“What you say makes sense,” said Yulakov, “but the Volstrum is packed with mages. Why, there must be hundreds within its walls.”
“Students, perhaps, but from what Natalia told me, I doubt there are many instructors.”
“Even a student can use magic.”
“Only those who underwent the unleashing, and even then, only a few become battle mages. The vast majority will have little option but to avoid the fight.”
“Assuming that’s true, it’s primarily an issue of getting an army into the Volstrum, but how can that be done when the very family we wish to destroy commands my troops?”
“That,” said Athgar, “is the root of our problem.”