Mark of the Fool

Chapter 424: The Battle on Two Fronts and the Stalker's Summoning

"And it's been just over ten minutes, by my reckoning," Watcher Shaw reported from the teleportation building. "According to the earth mages, these things managed to make dungeons and the like right below us, and theyve been throwing around a lot of mana down there, breaching walls like they were cracking eggs. Weve had attacks in the tunnels under the research castle and even further out. Its been grim, Baelin. Some of our folks are wounded and weve also suffered casualties, but despite all of that, weve been beating them back so far. Frankly, theyre relentless, its been like trying to beat back the sea."

Baelin looked at the researchers, the fighters, and all the destruction below him, and then at the vast hole in the earth. "And where is Vernia?

Shes in the keep with some of our battlemages making sure the teams all evacuated. Watcher Shaw said. Said she wasnt going anywhere until everyone was accounted for.

As she would. The chancellors eyes focused on the chasm. And the enemy destroyed the teleportation circle?"

"One of the first things they did," Watcher Shaws jaw clenched.

"Then this is no typical Ravener-spawn attack," the chancellors voice was deadly calm. "This is targeted." His goatlike eyes narrowed, looking through the snow at the lifeless forms of the two clawed monsters still in the grip of his Wizards Hands. He clicked his tongue, his face unreadable.

"Alright, this foolishness is done." He spoke to the wounded and the noncombatants. "You did well, all of you, and you held on bravely; now your trials are over. Lets get you back to Generasi."

His focus turned to the defenders. "Anyone who wishes to evacuate when I teleport the others away may join us. My war-spirits will aid those who choose to remain. But, I expect that anyone who is capable of defending our research castle will fulfil their duty as combat members of this expedition. If you are not injured, think on that and consider your role here."

The ancient wizard waited, giving any fighter who wished to leave the chance to say so. The battle raged on, war-spirits advanced, cutting down masses of spawn in their path. The expedition members watched the carnage, whether their faces showed fear or resolve, none asked to leave.

Baelin gave them a slight nod. "Excellent. I shall start here, then move through the camp seeking those who need to be away from here, all the while, Ill be clearing the filth from our camp. My actions will most certainly distract our attackers, and you can use that to overwhelm the remaining spawn. When Ive teleported all who need to return to Generasi, I shall visit the tunnels and help our people trapped in them. Now"

The ground bucked, stopping his words.

A spike of mana raged below. Expedition members screamed. Baelin sighed, and pointed at the ground with one finger. His lips spoke a single word.

The world froze as though two giants grappled, one trying to crush it, while the other tried to protect it. But one giants will and strength was far greater than the others; the chancellors mana smothered that of the dungeon cores.

"There," he said. "That should" He frowned. "Oh..."

Something tingled all around Alex, something his mana senses could scarcely detect, yet, it was as vast as a giant sea creature swimming hidden just below the dark surface of the sea. It brimmed with power, swimming down, down, down until

The ground bucked again, thundering, threatening to tear apart.

Alex's heart jumped as everyone startled. Those on the ground fought to stay upright, throwing their arms out, bracing against the snaking earth. The mana beneath them was pure chaos, coming in waves, splitting stone. Disorganised. Howling, flailing like a wounded beast.

Its power was nearly equal to the chancellor's.

"Change of plans," Baelin spoke quickly. "Hold the line. I shall teleport those here who need to be transported back to Generasi immediately, then dispatch others from the city to bring the rest of the wounded to safety. The Ravener's ambient mana is being shunted directly into dungeons under us. That must end or this entire fortification will not survive."

He looked at Watcher Shaw. "Hold the fort for now. Ill be back."

With a shimmer of teleportation magic, Baelin raised his arms.

Carey looked at Alex and Isolde, her eyes wide. "Be safe, both of you! Please be safe"

She was gone before she could finish.

Wizards were murmuring, their worry plain on their faces. Alex could well understand.

The only creatureto his knowledgethat had ever given Baelin anything even approaching trouble was the demon Ezaliel itself. What level of power was the Ravener sending into the

The ground heaved again. Multiple explosions suddenly erupted, sending stones as big as the Thameish kings carriage high overhead where they hovered for a blink then tumbled, picking up speed, coming for anything not wise or able enough to get out of the way. A new wave of Ravener-spawn was pouring into the courtyard, led by hives-as-one perched on behemoths. Plummeting boulders met them by the number.

"Hell's broken loose!" Watcher Shaw pointed his sword toward the courtyard. "Lets send it back where it belongs!"

With a war cry, he led the Watchers into the fray, joining the war-spirits in eliminating the enemy. The other defenders shouted incantations. Isolde and Alex reassured each other with a look.

The ground heaved again.

Power raged below, the kind of power that could buckle knees and wither spirits.

The sort of power that made one question whether or not theyd see another sun rise.

Think. Adapt.

The mantra ran through his mind.

"Watch my back," Isolde said, her face pale. "Please watch my back."

"I have you," Alex said, looking back at Claygon who was raising his spear. "We have you."

Her smile was thin. "Thank you, Alex."

Together, the cabal mates took to the air. Isolde channelled her lightning. Alex drew his potions.

And he clamped down on rising dread. Why had the dungeon cores suddenly exploded in power when Baelin arrived? Why were clawed monsters here looking for him and Carey? Why the attack all of a sudden?

It all stank of a trap.

###

The petrifier slipped out of the chasm in the earth, its eight eyes darting, taking in the surface world. Battle raged all around as the Ravener poured unending power into the dungeon cores deep below. Mana boiled underground, and the dungeon cores' silent shrieks were building, soon, they would come to a head. As the shrill cries reached it, the petrifier felt a distant bite of sympathy, but there was nothing it could do. In the end, all were expendable for their masters purpose. And it doubted that even it would escape this battle with its life spared.

"Leader," a clawed monster concealed within the petrifier's mouth whispered. "The great entity is below. It is"

A quake rattled the earth, followed by three more in quick order, sending wizards and Ravener-spawn alike tumbling through the snow. The petrifier could imagine the titanic struggle in the tunnels where the orbs remained churning out monster after monster, crafting more to guard themselves and more to unleash, and with the Raveners mana flowing through them, they would be granted the...special means to defend themselves.

Though soon, that same power that flowed into them even now, would be the very cause of their destruction. The petrifier might escape, or it might not. But, its true goal must be achieved, even at the highest price. Eliminating the usurper and every witness to its presence, turning the enemy into perfect statues would be its own reward, no matter the cost. Should its life end on this day, the Ravener could grant it new life, in some form.

But for now, the usurper awaited.

"That way leader," the Hunter whispered. "The usurper is ahead."

Silently, the petrifier stole through the snow, moving along the edge of the courtyard and away from the hole it had crept from. Its steps were silent and the battle loud. None had reason to pay it any mind as cloaked in invisibility, it moved past a wall encircling the stronghold.

"The usurper is near, leader," the Hunter whispered. "I can feel it through the white ahead."

"What do you mean, usurper?" Its leader whispered. "Usurper? One usurper? What of the other?"

"...leader, many apologies, but I cannot feel the other. It seems they have vanished."

Stifling rage, the petrifier ground its fangs together, causing the Hunter to whimper and lay flat for fear of being crushed in its leader's jaws.

Another escape. This complicated matters. Briefly, the petrifier considered bounding over the wall and taking to the wilds. As it was, it would likely lose its life eliminating a single usurper while two were still free.

This was a problem.

It had been three cycles since a usurper had escaped the Ravener's reacha rare thingand now two threatened to do so. Should it take the one now? Or retreat and take all three later, surviving until circumstances were better?

'No,' it thought. 'Take this one now, eliminate every witness and be away. If there are none left alive to reveal your existence, you will be free to hunt the other two either together, or if the Hunters find them alone. If that powerful being returns, and you cannot defeat it. Destroy yourself and take it with you. Then hunt the other usurpers when the Ravener reforms you. Yes. That is the way.'

"We go forth," the petrifier growled. "Show me this usurper."

The ground shook as it crawled forward, lowering its body against the snow.

It rounded a building and

"There!" The Hunter hissed. "The mortal near the four-armed statue that moves! That is the usurper!"

The petrifier's jaw clicked.

At last, it had found one: the human was flying through the air, distracting Ravener-spawn and leading them in a chain behind him. Strange spells and strange creatures followed his commands, and the four-armed entity fought a good distance away, battling with tremendous power, slashing a weapon through behemoths, and burning hives-as-ones with curious flame.

A spasm went through the petrifier's eye-stalks. The Raveners enemy was fighting fiercely, leading its servants on a wild chase. The usurper sped through the air, the spawn followed, falling behind. It watched as the usurper turned and faced the pursuers, calling to themlaughing, seeming to mock them. He was pointing a finger at its dead servants lying broken in the snow. They died for the Raveners purpos One of the petrifiers eyes fell on the two lifeless Hunters in the courtyard, their bodies being slowly buried in drifting snow. Who killed them? The usurper, the powerful entity, another mortal? One of this strongholds other defences?

A group of mortal mages wielded blades and staves, meeting bone-chargers with ferocity, seeming to have no fear. Other magic users cast spells in quick succession. Near the usurper, a woman struck at its spear-flies with chained lightning, jolting them from flight.

Powerful enemies...but it didn't matter.

They were all witnesses and all were destined for death.

###

"I hope this isn't a mistake." Gwyllain drew an ancient sign on a tree within the borders of the faewild. "Lord Aenflynn and any fae lord who can hear me, please watch out for this humble asrai."

He stepped back from the signa scythe piercing a brace of hollyand paced back and forth through the clearing, stepping around young pixies growing within flower buds.

"Is this a good idea?" He wondered out loud. "Maybe its not.I mean, sure, it'd be nice to have powerful wizards owing me a favour, but it's not like I owe Alexander Roth anything. He saved my life, and I gave him everything I promised and nothing more! And I risked my life alongside him!"

He kicked a patch of grass. "No, come on, Gwyllain. He'll be a good mortal to know...he might be able to help you one day! He and all his wizard friends. But he cant do that if him and the rest of them are dead!But what if I get caught up in something nasty and get killed. Or if the stalker..."

The fae shuddered. "You know, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Maybe I'll leave a note, Alexander knows that I warned him after all, and maybe"

"Well, aren't you a talkative little faeling?!" A voice boomed behind him.

"Gah!" Gwyllain jumped at least a foot in the air and spun about.

There, on a rockwith his skin blue and his beard snowy whitesat the Stalker. A rock that the asrai could've sworn on his life wasnt there mere heartbeats before. Behind him loomed the great moose that served as the ancient fae's mount. The bells tinkling from its antlers were eerily silent as the big beast snorted and shook its head.

"Been a long time since anyone called me using that sign," the stalker said. "What's it been...four? Five hundred years? Or was it three? Anyway, you're a bit bold to be using it, arent you?" His tone was a warning. "Very bold."

The moose took a step toward Gwyllain, who yelped.

"I don't mean any disrespect!" The asrai cried. "Swear on my life, I didn't know you used any other names! But...I heard you made friends with humans! Powerful humans! The ones they call the Heroes! I-I have a message for them!"

"Oh? I didn't know one of my names was the messenger," the stalker let that hang before continuing. "What sort of message? Anything juicy?"

Gwyllain quickly told him about the attack on the castle that belonged to the foreign wizards, and everything else the blue caps had mentioned. The stalker watched him closely, his eyes emotionless.

When the asrai finished, he quite expected the unpredictable fae to leap up and snatch half of his face off.

Instead, he grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Well, this is juicy. Good news for you, you'll be living for another day. And you're right, this is as juicy as a nice ripe apple. Hmmmm, my three new friends will definitely want to hear this. Let's see how quickly they can travel our lovely roads."

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