Chapter 59

“So, we failed,” Archimandrite Takkas stated to the council, minus Archimandrite Karkol who was still under house arrest.

“It appears the Vultoqi have good intelligence and knew where the attacks were to go,” Brnnt replied. “The only minor success was that of the supposedly sacrificial horde who gained territory and have dug in to a strong position where the Vultoqi cannot get at them.”

“They were ordered to continue the attacks!” snarled the Most High. “This Seeker disobeyed a direct order from this Council by refusing to advance!”

“No, the orders were given by you, Most High. And by doing so the Seeker saved over half the horde instead of leading them to their deaths as the others did,” Takkas rebutted him.

“So now what do we do?” Archimandrite Frust enquired. “It appears Archimandrite Karkol was correct and that we did fail.”

“That Yr’ch is a coward and will remain under arrest!” the Most High spat out.

“Telling the truth is cowardice now,” Takkas chuckled maliciously.

“Are you questioning my judgement?”

“Seems I must. I’m also demanding an accounting of the situation by Beog.”

“You dare!”

“I do. I call for a vote on your wisdom and request Beog be invoked to give us his wisdom.”

The majority raised their hands to give assent, placing the Most High in the unenviable position of having to summon Beog to judge himself. Nevertheless, the summoning was made and the shadowy figure of Beog stood amongst them.

[WHO SUMMONED ME AND WHY?]

“Your servants did, my god,” Takkas replied, getting in before the Most High. “They seek an accounting of our failure against the Vultoqi.”

[FAILURE?]

“New weapons, new tactics, yet still the hordes fall back against this foe and we seek your advice, my god,” the Most High hissed out.

Beog placed a hand on the head of the Most High, paused for a few seconds and then squeezed, making him cry out in agony before he ripped his head off.

[DID I NOT TELL YOU TO CHOOSE WISELY?]

“You did, oh wise god,” Takkas replied. “Forgive us the sin of failure.”

[PREPARE THE HORDES. I WILL ASSIST THEM TO VICTORY!]

“At once, my god!” Takkas replied in terms of awe.

Major theurgical power on Vultoq,” Jemima announced. “Beog is on the planet.”

“Warn Crnnch and then get our people out!” Roxanne ordered. “All except the Loegrian demolition team.”

“Done.”

“Prepare to blow the Null devices if Beog approaches, then get the Loegrians out.”

“Yes, Roxanne.”

“Prepare!” Crnnch ordered. “Beog himself is to take to the field.”

His startled Adepts began informing the various Land- and Ground-bosses whilst looking rather fearful as they’d given their allegiance to Athena.

“What are we to do,” Slaarg asked swallowing nervously.

“Nothing. From what I can tell Beog cares not if we worship him, we’re beneath contempt,” Crnnch shrugged. “Besides, we are alive because of Ar-Thenna, not Beog.”

“This is true, Seeker,” Slaarg agreed, getting nods of acceptance from his other staff too.

“Reports are coming through that Beog has opened a portal almost on top of his temple of the footfall and is leading a horde against the Vultoqi.”

“Is he winning?” Crnnch asked.

“Er ... not really. Those patripure Vultoqi are holding him off whilst the adelshaut and ghosin are attacking the horde.”

“So much for the ‘all powerful’ claim,” Crnnch shrugged.

“Yes, Seeker,” Kurl nodded.

Beog was in trouble and he knew it. Something was limiting his power and whatever it was, was being directed by the Vultoqi leadership and preventing him from smiting them where they stood. He soon realised that they were resonating a quantum frequency similar to that which the Yr’ch used to place the powers of this world into stasis. He also realised he had no real defence against it. For the first time in aeons Beog felt fear, until with a cry of anguish he ported himself away from the banishment zone of the Vultoqi to drink again of the worship of his people.

Once restored, he used his powers to blast the Vultoqi controlled area with various means, ripping apart the creatures they used until all but the area around the breach was swept clean of his enemies. But that was as far as he could go as within that area the Vultoqi ruled supreme.

All he could to then was set up a powerful shield to contain them and slink off to his palace of splendour to think of a solution.

“He’s gone,” Jemima announced.

“Did he win?” Roxanne asked.

“Call it a draw. He wiped out the Vultoqi expansion zone except for an area of about a square mile. That’s now shielded, preventing them from getting out. But they’ll be thinking of a way, as no doubt he’ll be thinking of a way to make it permanent.”

“So, those patripures defeated a Higher Power?”

“Yes, Mage Roxanne. It makes them a most dangerous foe.”

“Aye, it does.”

“We have defeated the godlet and his followers, but he has sealed us behind a screen,” the senior patripure announced to his adoring adelshaut. “Soon though we will have the power to breach it and free ourselves from his bondage.”

“WE SHALL PREVAIL! WE SHALL PREVAIL!’

“Rest now, my adelshaut. We have used but a fraction of our power and begun the great cleansing. We shall indeed prevail, for there is nothing to stop us!”

“WE SHALL PREVAIL!” chanted out seemingly endlessly.

“So Beog did not win?” Karkol asked as he and Brnnt sat in conference while confusion reigned in the Temple Prime of Draenoric.

“No, he did not. But, he did not lose either. Simply sealed the Vultoqi in and claimed he was working on a permanent solution after the gross failure of the Most High ... previous Most High, that is,” Brnnt replied.

“The selection process is underway for a new Most High. I fear there is a slight snag though,” Karkol chuckled.

“A lack of volunteers, I know,” Brnnt replied with a grin. “Seems Beog has made the job just too risky.”

“Surprised Takkas doesn’t want it; he was fit to explode in pleasure when Beog manifested himself from what you told me?”

“That was before Beog failed. Now he’s not so sure of himself or his god,” Brnnt shrugged. “Oh, as the previous Most High is dead, the charges against you have been dropped.”

“Oh well, back to work I guess,” Karkol chuckled.

“Indeed, brother, indeed.”

Crnnch, his Adepts and a select few of their analysts sat in the conference room of his headquarters and went over the plans to reclaim the ruined city of Grmmar.

“What is it they want?” Fumel asked. “To re-populate it?”

“The TechnoYr’ch, yes,” Crnnch replied.

“Folly,” Kurl sighed. “It should be converted into layer after layer of defence grids, designed to hold up the Vultoqi indefinitely.”

“I agree, as do the Archimandrites Brnnt and Karkol. However as there is no Most High to approve decisions, there is a distinct lack of action as the regime appears paralysed.”

“Surely they can overrule the TechnoYr’ch? Slaarg asked.

“The TechnoYr’ch have the support of Archimandrites Ambost and Takkas in that they are determined to make it appear as if Beog won.”

“What of the MilitaryYr’ch?”

“With Brnnt and Karkol, naturally,” Crnnch replied in tones of frustration. “Hence, stalemate.”

“I’m pretty sure we have all the guns,” Kurl chuckled.

“They have all the building equipment and fortress plans. However, I do take your point and I will ask our Archimandrites for them and begin implementing a defence grid around the shield,” Crnnch replied thoughtfully.

“I am willing to help,” came the beautiful voice of Athena.

At this point the Adepts all sat back and gazed at a figure who had appeared and was sitting on a chair observing them.

“Greetings, Ar-Thenna,” Crnnch stated worshipfully.

“Greetings, my children. I have brought plans and designs for the fortress you need to construct. The plans include the necessary nanite specifications for the various defence points needed to protect the grunts as they hold off the Vultoqi,” Athena replied.

“So the shield ... it will not hold? Crnnch asked.

“No, Crnnch. It will not. Even now the Vultoqi patripure seek to undermine or break it.”

“Do you know how long, my goddess?” Kurl asked.

“No, but it will be weeks, not months.”

“What of weapons, my goddess?” Slaarg asked.

“I will supply the weapons necessary to defeat a Vultoqi’s shield and body armour only for my followers. Here is a list of those who have given their life to my cause from the images seen in the temples. I leave the means to bring them to me in your capable hands. For the rest, all I can do is ensure the walls and other defences are studded with shield-breakers to enable the rest of your hordes to stand somewhat of a chance.”

“We thank you, Ar-Thenna,” Crnnch replied for them all as the figure just faded away, yet left a feeling of warmth and appreciation of her followers.

“Adept Kurl, get these plans to the nearest nano-plant and force the TechnoYr’ch to begin production. Adept Slaarg, take the list of Ar-Thenna’s followers and bring them to the storage bunker as part of a work detail and allow our goddess to begin her work,” Crnnch ordered. “The rest of you, start arranging for the defences of the new fortresses to be filled with defenders, particularly any who are left who have the new style weapons.”

“At once, Seeker,” came back several replies as his ‘team’ found new purpose and direction from their goddess.