Champion of the Gods
Copyright© 2025 by QM
Chapter 41
The meeting was over, and Darras was relaxing with Erren. This currently involved looking over a huge map of Gresh and the surrounding territories.
“So, for all the dragon will return to its lair regularly, it will travel far and wide over the countryside?” Darras queried.
“It will, it’s also fast enough to travel huge distances in a day,” Erren replied.
“So, anywhere up to the edge of the southern barrens?”
“Yes, and a danger to anything that takes its eye as it hunts for sport, not just food.”
“Ah, that’s what makes it so dangerous?”
“Yes, if it were just hunting for food, I’d ignore it,” Erren explained. “As it is, I expect my brother to now use it to target any burgeoning civilisations.”
“Trunavisia then,” Darras nodded.
“Probably, though it will likely face severe magical opposition there.”
“Is it capable of destroying a town or village?”
“If it puts its mind to it, yes, it’s powerful, cunning and vicious,” Erren replied. “It is adept in certain magics and can shield itself from anything other than mithril.”
“But not intelligent?”
“Not like a person, no. Other than mating, it does not associate with any others of its kind.”
“And it uses its scales in its defence?” Darras asked.
“Yes, it also uses them to seek out anything hidden from it.”
“I’m surprised you just want it put back to sleep,” Darras grimly chuckled.
“One of the godly rules, I’m afraid.”
“Not wiping out a species?”
“Yes.”
“Even though it would be others doing it?”
“Acting for me,” Erren smiled. “Sophistry will not work in this case.”
“Ah, right,” Darras nodded. “No killing the dragon unless it gives us no choice.”
“Yes, my love.”
“So, the mother is fully awake?” Casal asked the Dark Lord.
“It is, though it has not rampaged ... yet.”
“Can it be influenced to do so?”
“Only indirectly, but yes,” the Dark Lord confirmed.
“What, if anything, can we do to assist?”
“Nothing as yet, remain here and eventually you will be able to return to Gresh and rebuild.”
“Without an army?” Casal asked.
“The Chickrith remain, from there you can grow.”
Casal remained silent; he realised, even if the Dark Lord didn’t, that the Chickrith would be all but useless in forming an empire loyal to the Dark Lord. Their loyalty, unless under the influence of a throne of command, was to their queen and no one else. He also suspected that the Dark Lord was abandoning his followers here, though only time would tell with that.
Darras was on a mission for Erren, though he was not expecting any violence to erupt, as it was just passing information along that would guide the person involved down a path that Erren desired. The reason Darras was doing it in person was that the recipient was not a follower of Erren’s and unlikely to be so.
“Won’t Darmela be upset with you influencing one of her followers?” Darras asked after leaving the gateway in the town of Sveemas in Korch.
‘I doubt she’ll notice, ’ Erren replied. ‘She doesn’t see the narrative as I do.’
“And if she does?”
‘Advice is advice, it’s not as if you’re forcing them to take it.’
“True,” Darras nodded.
The merchant Vallos was a follower of Darmela, though he was unlike those of Fordel in that he was honest in all his dealings and never overcharged. He was also, because of his business acumen, a wealthy man, and it was this wealth that Erren was targeting.
“You intend to turn him into a philanthropist?” Darras asked.
‘I intend for you to get him focused upon aiding the local schools, ’ Erren replied. ‘Your pitch will be that he’ll aid himself via having a source of literate and numerate future employees.’
“Ah, I take it the print industry is going to make an appearance?”
‘It will, though its initial onus will be on producing books for the nobility, not the commoners.’
“I take it that one or several of the children educated will be important to you?”
‘You know me so well, ’ Erren replied. ‘Yes, a future leader will be given the tools they need to influence Korch and their dealings with Crusal and Asul.’
“They’ll still be bickering?”
‘Yes, though Asul’s banning of slavery has given Crusal one less reason to go to war.’
“I doubt that will stop them if they find a reason.”
‘It won’t, but Korch will need a strong future leader to avoid being dragged into the various machinations of the two countries.’
“But not a noble?”
‘Korch will have a revolution and become a republic, ’ Erren explained. ‘It just needs the right leader in charge.’
“Ah, not someone weak who will be influenced by Asul and Crusal?”
‘Yes, I have the perfect candidate in mind; he just needs the education Vallos will provide via charity schools.’
“Temple schools no use?”
‘The temple of Rustav doesn’t go in for that, and my temple doesn’t have the resources.’
“I’ll get it done,” Darras promised.
Vallos was easy enough to see as he ran his business from a warehouse that sold various household items sourced from the country of Korch. Hence, the man worked alongside his employees when he wasn’t doing paperwork.
“Merchant Vallos, a word, please,” Darras said as the man was taking a break.
“And who might you be?” Vallos replied, looking annoyed at being interrupted.
“Someone with a proposition as to how to leave yourself a legacy,” Darras informed Vallos.
“Hah, another one after my fortune,” Vallos sneered.
“In a sense, though no money would pass to me,” Darras smiled.
“Well, out with it,” Vallos demanded.
“You know the king has authorised the establishment of a printing works?”
“Aye, what of it?”
“Have you ever considered what an asset having literate and numerate employees could be?” Darras replied, causing Vallos to look interested, despite himself.
“Do I look like a teacher?”
“No, but I’d bet you could afford one,” Darras smiled. “And you’d get the pick of the crop from any children educated.”
“And why would you be interested?”
“I was asked to by a goddess,” Darras replied, though allowed Vallos to presume it was Darmela.
“I’d heard Darmela was seeking to improve her standing after that Fordel foolishness,” Vallos mused.
“You heard right,” Darras nodded. “Now it’s up to you to decide what to do about it.”
‘Well done, my love, ’ Erren informed Darras. ‘You piqued his interest.’
“I’ll give it some thought,” Vallos finally said. “Do you have a name?”
“Tis Darras,” Darras smiled. “I wish you well.”
“Certainly given me food for thought,” Vallos chuckled.
Darras left a thoughtful Vallos behind as he made his way back to the gateway building, though he paused when he felt the presence of a shadow.
“Odd,” Darras murmured as he turned to follow the sensation.
‘Very, I can’t imagine what one would be doing here, ’ Erren replied.
“We never found any in Gresh after my initial hunt for them,” Darras mused. “Casal is also no longer influencing the machinations of your brother either ... as far as we can tell.”
‘There’s only one way to find out.’
“Find out and deal with it.”
‘Yes, my love.’
Darras moved swiftly through the teeming streets of Sveemas, his senses leading him towards where the shadow had to be. He eventually reached the noble quarter and realised that getting in would not be easy without the correct documentation, specifically a letter of introduction.
‘Sneaking in won’t work either, you look too out of place in your leathers, ’ Erren advised.
“They do seem to value their privacy,” Darras chuckled. “The guards are also efficient too.”
‘Yes, not lazy at all, ’ Erren confirmed.
“Can you prepare an invitation of some type?”
‘Yes, it’s ready, you’ll be able to collect it from the freight office tomorrow morning, ’ Erren replied. ‘It will permit you to roam freely.’
“Good,” Darras nodded. “Best find me a room for tonight.”
‘Good plan, ’ Erren giggled. ‘They don’t look too kindly upon people sleeping in the streets here.’
“Not like the other places in Korch I’ve visited,” Darras murmured.
‘The nobles here are not popular, and they know it.’
“Ah, hence the school and eventual republic?”
‘Yes, about the only thing the nobility gets right is avoiding entanglement in the affairs of Asul and Crusal.’
“I suspect that the bribes aren’t big enough,” Darras chuckled.
‘That and they know that whoever won would attack them next, whereas at the moment their army is enough to deal with either Crusal or Asul.’
“I take it their army is good?”
‘Yes, and has adopted the western tactics too.’
“Won’t they be an issue during the revolution?”
‘No, they’ll swing directly behind the republicans, forcing the capitulation of the noble classes. It will be a remarkably swift and bloodless revolt, ’ Erren explained. ‘The royal family will flee, and the country will be reformed on a more equitable basis.’
“Pretty sure your brother and Colanthus will try to involve themselves,” Darras nodded as he reached an inn Erren recommended.
‘They no doubt will, but we’ll keep them in check.’
The following morning, after picking up an entry pass identifying him as a surveyor, Darras was permitted entry into the noble quarter. Once there, he followed the sense of wrongness that a shadow gave him and led him to a townhouse that appeared ill-kept, though still locked.
‘Put your hand over the lock, ’ Erren requested.
Darras did so, and after a second, there was a soft click as the lock opened.
“Cheating again?” Darras chuckled.
‘I’ve found that small acts of magic performed near to you are concealed by your ... nature, ’ Erren giggled.
“Handy,” Darras murmured with a smile as he entered the grounds of the townhouse.
Everywhere was overgrown, and the house itself looked abandoned, though Darras was not fooled as he could sense the presence of more than one shadow. Erren pulled the same trick on the front door that allowed Darras to slip into the building. Inside, Darras nearly gagged at the stench of decaying flesh and wondered just what had happened here, as he doubted the shadows, despite their ruthless nature, would permit such an open incident should someone call, as they eventually would.
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