Chapter 57

“We have major theurgical activity centred on the Orc command headquarters,” Jemima announced to the various teams going over their activities of the previous day.

“Friendly or hostile?” Roxanne asked.

“Unknown. I’ve requested Athena to attend.”

“And here I am,” she announced, giving the impression she’d always been here, we’d just overlooked her.

“Some of the Higher Power abilities returning?” Roxanne asked with a chuckle.

“Yes, Roxanne,” she replied, giving Roxanne a hug. “Theurgist is Archimandrite Karkol, one of my followers. Would you care to meet him?”

“Why not,” Roxanne shrugged.

“He’s meeting the Seeker and getting an update, including what actually happened when you sprung those ambushes and permitted the Orcs to assist. I’ll grab him when he portals out.”

“OK. What can you tell us of these patripure thingies?”

“Er ... avoid.”

“Short but succinct,” I chuckled, getting a grin in return.

“I don’t know what they are. They’re blocking all of the scans I’m capable of and that generally means they are something I’d avoid as I’m clearly not in their league power-wise,” Athena explained.

“They appear to have some form of control or possible immunity over Null,” Jemima added.

“Puts them roughly on a par with a Higher Power; which is why Beog will have struggled against them.”

“I thought Higher Powers were affected by Null as well?” I enquired.

“Not really, we ... or rather they, the ones who work for God, can work around it. Don’t like it though as it requires a lot of power and thought.”

“Then just what the hell are they?” Roxanne mused.

“Dangerous, very dangerous and very old too. That’s about all I can tell you over and above what your Seers have told you.”

“Demonic?”

“No, not that either,” Athena shrugged. “I might be able to tell you more when I have more power, but at the moment, sorry.”

“Fair enough, we’ll avoid,” Roxanne nodded. “We’ll also avoid releasing the Higher Powers here too, as I’d hate to think they’re on the side of the Vultoqi.”

“Don’t see how they could be, but yes, I agree. Ah, Karkol is free, along with Crnnch.”

A very surprised Karkol suddenly found himself face to face with his goddess whilst a more relaxed Crnnch gave formal greetings to Athena before going to speak with her allies on the current situation and bring them up to date on the proposed attack.

“My goddess,” Karkol finally got out through the awe he currently felt and was displaying.

“Relax, Karkol. As I told your friend Brnnt, I need Yr’ch willing to stand and be counted, not Yr’ch on their knees,” Athena spoke softly.

“Of course, my goddess. I am here to serve.”

“Come, meet my allies before we go to my home and meet the rest of your people who serve my purpose.”

“Greetings, Archimandrite Karkol. Welcome to our base. My name is Mage Rahksahn,” a small ... female greeted him. “These are my aides, John and Kate.”

“A pleasure, Mage Rahksahn. I take it you are in charge of those responsible for all the troubles facing my race?” Karkol finally replied.

“Indeed I am, though sooner or later you would have run into trouble. Particularly with the likes of the Vultoqi.”

“Yes, the way our race has expanded does not have much in the way of a long-term future. And sooner or later the Vultoqi would have been amongst us, until or unless Beog interfered.”

“Yes, we are sorry about that. It was not our intent to release such a dangerous enemy from their confinement.”

“Ah, we, my friend and I, did wonder if it was your incursion on the Temple of the Footfall who released the Vultoqi,” Karkol nodded.

“Sadly, what records we had gave no clue as to Beog having merely imprisoned them. We were under the impression he’d cast them away into exile, never to return, despite the odd piece of prophesy from amongst your number,” Roxanne explained.

“Yes, Beog would often say something which, when examined, was not the truth at all,” he sighed.

“That is why I make my promise never to lie to you Karkol,” Athena added. “If I do not know, I will tell you just that.”

“Yes, my goddess. That is appreciated. I cannot say what it is that Beog does, but it is not looking out for the best interests of his people.”

At this point the Seeker approached and gave a salute to Athena. “My goddess, your allies have confirmed they will aid the attack on the Vultoqi.”

“Aye, though I suspect that you will not win,” Roxanne replied.

“This I know, Rahksahn,” Crnnch nodded. “However, if we can do them some damage we may at least slow down their encroachment.”

“We’ll ensure at least some of your troop’s weapons will have an effect, though we know they will not work on the Vultoqi leadership, at least not yet.”

“So many lives,” Karkol sighed. “Yet the Council of Archimandrites seem oblivious to the cost, expecting that what failed in the past will suddenly work now. Yes, we have better weapons, but they will undoubtedly fail unless we can breach a Vultoqi shield and the best we can come up with for that is a shield-breaker mounted on a spear!”

“You’re joking?” Roxanne stated in disbelief.

“I’m not. Thousands will be slaughtered before we can even get near to a Vultoqi.”

“We’ll do our best; we aren’t, however, going to give you the secret of how we do it. I trust you, Brnnt and Crnnch here. I do not trust the rest of your organisation,” Roxanne replied.

“Understandable, neither would I,” Karkol chuckled grimly.

“Do you know when this attack will commence?”

“A week at least. They are making the shield-breakers as we speak.”

“And you cannot operate them at a distance?”

“Our weapons would destroy the neural linking necessary for it to work due to the velocity they would be fired at. This is being looked at, but at the moment only a thrown spear would work for us as the fields have to mesh with the Vultoqi’s initially before they can disrupt them.”

“As soon as the Vultoqi realise what you are doing they will go after the spear throwers,” I added as I gave the matter some thought.

“This we know, Jahrn,” Crnnch nodded.

“We can create shield-breaker zones in certain areas, you’d then just need to keep those you intend to use to protect your flanks.”

“That would be a great help, though I suspect we’ll be hard put to disrupt or force back the Vultoqi,” Crnnch replied.

“We have to be very careful too,” Roxanne nodded.

“There are still several creatures we know of that have not been used as yet,” Karkol added. “One of which, the Klarven, are deadly in being able to take over a host body and turn it into a mindless killing machine.”

“They do this how?” Kate asked.

“They use a bladed mandible to penetrate the central nervous system and take over the hosts functions. We believe the host is still alive in there but no longer in control of the body, they just become killing machines under the Klarven’s control.”

“Nasty,” Roxanne murmured.

“They have also been used for infiltration and sabotage. Though normally they are simply used as berserkers,” Karkol added.

“Do you have a description?” I asked.

Karkol handed over an Yr’ch memory node. “This contains what data we have on them as well as a few other of their creatures, most of which are used to build or create objects for them.”

“Thank you,” Roxanne replied with a gesture of respect.

“It is time to meet your people, Karkol,” Athena announced.

“Of course, my goddess. I would be honoured.”

“I must return,” Crnnch added, getting a nod from Roxanne, who got one of the Mages to create a portal on the spot.

“Blessings upon you, Crnnch,” Athena stated before he stepped through and back to the room where he’d originally portalled from.

Athena took Karkol by the hand and simply stepped through to her own world without a trace of a portal as the Mages returned to their tasks.

“Right, I want a plan of action to assist this Orc attack on the Vultoqi. I’ve no doubt it will cost them greatly, but, I also want them to hurt the Vultoqi as well,” Roxanne ordered after the Orcs had left our encampment.

“I suggest we use our resources on any attack Crnnch is involved with,” I posited.

“Assuming he will be involved. There are six hordes being assembled to attack and he’s not in favour with the hierarchy,” Jemima replied.

“That merely suggests they’ll set him up to fail,” I chuckled, getting a grin from the Seer group.

“Aye, it’s possible that he’ll be ordered to engage with his forces which won’t be equipped with their new weaponry,” Roxanne nodded.

“It’s how I’d do it along with a careful dispositioning of forces to ensure they can’t come to his aid,” I shrugged.

“Your streak of paranoia is showing, John,” Róisín giggled.

“It’s not paranoia; we know they’re out to get him ... as does he.”

“True, I’m pretty sure we’ll help if or when he gets his orders. Also plan a scenario where he is stood down though,” Roxanne added.

“Yes, Mage Roxanne,” we all replied.

“Shame we won’t have the Drow army to help, not if they plan the attack within the space of a week,” Xi mused.

“Doubt they’d be much help in this, I suspect the Orcs and the Vultoqi would attempt to attack them,” Roxanne shrugged.

“Three way battle with us in the middle, not a great idea, my love,” Róisín nodded.

“Battle of the Forts Mk 2. Force them to attack us on a ground of our choosing,” I replied.

“Not saying yes, but it’s a thought,” Roxanne agreed.

“Only if we have a workable ‘go to hell’ plan,” Róisín added.

“That too.”

“I’ll work on it, not like they’re Daoine Sidhe and will willingly stick their arms in the mincer,” I chuckled.

“The Orcs might, but the Vultoqi probably won’t,” Jemima noted.

“It would help if we knew more about the Vultoqi,” I shrugged.