Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 37
The allied forces cautiously pushed into the necropolis, expecting fierce resistance, though all they found were scattering Chickrith. What Casal hadn’t considered in his evacuation of his essential advisors was the control he had via the throne of command slipping back to the Chickrith queen, who recalled her forces back to protect the hive, and not the necropolis. This command also affected the champions of Colanthus among the warrior class, who, despite their god-given powers, were loyal only to their queen and not inclined to obey a distant god.
“Resistance has collapsed,” an Elven scout informed the command group. “Nor have we spotted anything but retreating Chickrith.”
“I have the impression that our foe will not seek to face us head-on,” Linota commented to the group.
“I can’t even sense a shadow,” Darras added. “Though they can hide from me and Erren if they want to.”
“We’ll explore carefully, clues may have been left,” Linota finally decided.
‘This was far too easy, ’ Erren admitted. ‘I doubt my brother will be too pleased.’
“I’m none too pleased myself,” Darras ruefully chuckled. “I was hoping to end this and go dragon hunting.”
‘That, I can assure you, will still happen.’
The necropolis itself was a myriad of buildings, each the final resting place of a First One, and internally well-preserved by various magics. However, the outside was often overgrown with fungal growths, giving the tombs a disturbing appearance. They were usually trapped as well, and the multiple scouts were forbidden to enter any until Darras had destroyed what barriers remained, and a magic user could remove the ordinary traps. This fortunately didn’t take long, and Darras soon had the aid of Klavin, who had come through the gateway to remove any forbidden objects to be destroyed.
The one area the troops were being cautious of was a deep hole leading into the earth, which was presumed to be a Chickrith hive entrance. This Linota had cordoned off as he had no intention of dealing with the hive, unless they attempted to come to the surface through the tunnel. As far as the allies were concerned, all they were there to do was ensure Casal had abandoned the necropolis and to set up spells to ensure if he returned, they would know ... or rather Erren would know.
Eventually, Darras was called to the main hall, where a huge map of the planet was inlaid into the floor, or rather, a map of the planet as it had been a million years ago, according to Erren. Also, there was a throne of command, which appeared to be from where Casal had commanded his forces.
“Don’t try to break it,” Darras advised Temlis. “It will just repair itself.”
“Clever trick,” Temlis replied with a frown.
“The First Ones were well ahead of today in magical power and theory,” Darras explained. “We’re fortunate that this Casal is only a strategist, not one of the magic warrior caste.”
“Wonder where he’s gone?” Temlis nodded.
“He will turn up in various schemes,” Darras shrugged. “Though he no longer has a base to form an army.”
“He won’t return?”
“Seems unlikely, what with the gateway formed just outside the necropolis,” Darras replied.
“True, and no doubt Erren will be keeping an eye on the place,” Temlis chuckled.
“Also, I doubt the Chickrith will be keen to come under his control again.”
“Hmm, I see.”
It took several days to clear the necropolis of any hazardous items that Erren wanted removed. Elven scouts kept tabs on any surfacing Chickrith, though they reported that the creatures were foraging, not approaching the allies. Erren appeared to be unbothered by their activities, and so the allies let them be until the time came for them to return home, leaving Gresh and its denizens to their own devices.
“You abandoned Gresh?” the Dark Lord questioned Casal in icy tones.
“We could not defeat these allies; we do not have the strength in numbers nor magic,” Casal replied.
“And now you wish permission to release the dragon?”
“I do, it will prove a distraction to this goddess and her allies, allowing us a time to rebuild.”
“I somehow doubt she will stop looking for you, dragon or not.”
“Distractions are all we can currently manage. In four years, this goddess has completely wrecked all our gains and removed many of our agents and allies,” Casal explained.
“For the moment, be patient,” the Dark Lord finally decided. “Suspend all activities and rebuild.”
“And the dragon?” Casal asked.
“I will prepare a trap for this agent and his helpers; one of them will have something that will make your tasks easier in the future.”
“An object of power?”
“The blade of command,” the Dark Lord replied. “Currently, it is hidden from me, but it still exists, and I need to draw its wielder out into the world so that we can kill it and take the blade for our own.”
Casal said nothing, whilst he knew what the blade was, he rather doubted that he, or any of his people, were capable of wielding it. He was also somewhat surprised that the Dark Lord didn’t know where an object he had created was.
“Who has it?” Casal finally asked.
“The Dark Kin. My sister has them confined, and I cannot break through her clouding of their location to free them.”
“No doubt you will, eventually,” Casal replied obsequiously, whilst thinking that such a race was unworthy of being sought out for anything.
“Should I do so, I will add them to our ranks,” the Dark Lord declared, seemingly forgetting that numbers or not, the common Elves would seek out and exterminate the Dark Kin if they knew where they were.
“Welcome back, my love,” Erren greeted Darras upon his return with Balat, Klavin and Mirion. “And welcome to you all.”
“It’s good to be back,” Darras declared. “Though that was a most disappointing outcome.”
“Come, bathe, relax,” Erren replied. “Your gods are here, and we will discuss what needs to be done.”
The bathing area was crowded with gods and goddesses, with only Klavin declining to get in the pools as the Dwarves apparently did not go in for communal bathing. Also attending were Tiruk and Amina, who were relaxing and talking to Crannok, Sorella, and Osruit, as Darras, Balat, and Mirion were washed down by their respective gods. Finally, all were relaxed, and an informal conference began.
“Dissatisfactory as the result was,” Erren began. “Gresh is at least not a danger to the south now, though explorations by Firios’s team and the Royal Scouts will continue.”
“Do we know if Casal was even there?” Balat asked.
“He was,” Erren confirmed. “The retreat of the Chickrith confirmed it when he lost his power over their queen by abandoning the throne of control.”
“Where did he go?”
“The Eastern Barrens,” Tsumi replied. “There’s a tower with a transfer circle there.”
“I assume there are reasons we can’t just go there and get him?” Darras asked.
“Water and distance, mainly,” Osruit replied.
“Plus, the tower is linked with its twin in the west, and if he thought you were coming for him in enough numbers to defeat him, he’d just transfer there,” Saltak added.
“Ah, so no armies then?” Klavin asked.
“I think he’s learned to be fearful of the armies at my disposal,” Erren smiled.
“True,” Pelegard chuckled. “What numbers he had, Darras mostly dealt with.”
“Not logistically possible to attack both or have me stationed in the one he isn’t in, lying in wait?” Darras asked.
“I suspect he’ll monitor the Sentinel whilst he rebuilds at Lost Hope,” Hallis replied. “
Plus, moving an army to attack him there would not be easy.”
“Yes, water would be a key logistical nightmare,” Osruit agreed. Each tower sits on an oasis, the only one for miles.”
“A small party could potentially approach if well supplied,” Erren said thoughtfully. “But they’d be magically disadvantaged.”
“Even Demala?” Darras asked.
“Even Demala backed up by Annos and Sondrast,” Erren confirmed. “There’s just no cover for any approach.”
“Guess we leave in for now,” Darras sighed, accepting the decision.
“We do, you’ll be assisting Firios’s team in exploring the Fire Mountains.”
“Dragon hunting?” Darras chuckled.
“Yes,” Erren smiled.
“The Dark Lord will not heed your request to let loose the dragon?” an Ubaid aide asked Casal.
“He will not, we are to ‘lay low’ here whilst he considers options,” Casal replied in neutral tones, not fooling the Ubaid for a second.
“We cannot rebuild anything here,” the Ubaid grimaced. “We may be safe for now, but there is precious little we could do to influence other lands.”
“I know this,” Casal muttered in icy tones. “Nor do I know where he sent the scales.”
“A worrying factor, to be sure,” the Ubaid nodded. “They are not in the Sentinel, our watchers confirm it.”
“And the Keroush?” Casal asked, mentioning the poison-limbed race that guarded the two outposts, who were magically adept and well-suited to desert conditions.
“They monitor and guard,” the Ubaid replied. “As ordered.”
“Continue to monitor the area, our enemy will know where we are,” Casal ordered. “Expect observation and then infiltration.”
“As you command.”
“So, your King was with us during the expedition?” Darras asked Gemoldus as they sipped an ale during Darras’s report on what had happened and what was to come.
“He was, he served as a common soldier, though most of the paladins were aware of who he was, and approved,” Gemoldus replied.
“Ah, gaining battle honours within the ranks,” Darras nodded.
“Indeed so, thus enhancing his status amongst us,” Gemoldus smiled.
“Well, so long as he doesn’t neglect Gilmea and try to get around her tenets, I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Darras chuckled.
“I’ll ensure that,” Gemoldus chuckled. “I still have some small influence over the king.”
“The power behind the throne, you mean,” Darras smiled.
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so bold as to make such a claim,” Gemoldus laughed, not denying the statement.
“That is most pious of you,” Darras nodded.
“Heh!”
“All Gilmea asks now is that you remain prepared, that and continue to expand your power and influence by way of assisting your neighbours,” Darras concluded.
“We shall, our printing press development is extending our prestige wherever we are asked to assist setting one up,” Gemoldus nodded. “Also, Ismor is now well on the road to full recovery due to our efforts in rebuilding their irrigation systems.”
“And the mountains Doorf was surveying?”
“Negotiations will start soon between our king and the Forest Kingdom to set up an independent city around the mithril and silver veins he found,” Gemoldus replied. “The main issue is that any mined and smelted will have to be exported via Ismor.”
“Will this be a problem?”
“No, other than with Burral,” Gemoldus chuckled. “More to do with custom fees than anything else.”