Chapter 73

We all assembled, including Crnnch and a couple of his Adepts, to discuss the results of the ‘great raid’ as it was being called. Roxanne doing a quick summary of our success, followed by Crnnch, who wasn’t in armour (that we could tell), giving the Orc side.

“Perhaps we could offer the use of a Mage to the Orc weapon platforms to provide added shielding for them?” I posited.

“We certainly have a few to spare at the minute, but that’s up to Seeker Crnnch,” Roxanne replied after a moment’s thought.

“I believe some sort of psionic shield would be welcome. The new weapons the followers of Sarkal use are quite effective against our vehicles,” Crnnch replied.

“We’ll assign a few Mages to assist,” Roxanne nodded.

“Thank you.”

“Well done on the blesséd of Ar-Thenna taking out the military base as well as the counter attack by the sled-borne troops.”

“They were most impressed with your missile weapons, something we’d never considered before,” Crnnch replied with a respectful nod.

“Do we have any reports on what is happening now on Draenoric?” asked Mage Kyra who was now in charge of the medic Mages, Xi having been transferred to Loegria to temporarily take charge of their organisation after the birth of Benjamin and Rowenna’s son.

“The planet is rebuilding, but in the temple city, there appears to be a new Most High, though we have not seen him, nor do we have a name ... as yet,” Jemima replied.

“Odd,” Crnnch mused. “I knew ... or thought I did, the names of all the Archimandrites and we know your Drow got all the ones who gave their loyalty to Sarkal.”

“Possibly one of the lower ranks?” Roxanne shrugged.

“Mayhap only a figurehead,” Crnnch nodded.

“Either way, things are quiescent for now, though they do appear to be building some form of portal blocking system.”

“Will it work?” Harmel asked.

“Won’t know till they switch it on. Orc technology is very effective though and it might just block us from Draenoric ... at least until we find a solution.”

“Keep an eye on it, I’ve no doubt they’ll be able to get through it to try and get to us,” Roxanne replied.

“It would be worrying if we were facing attacks from the Vultoqi as well as the apostates,” Crnnch grimaced.

“Yes, very,” Arch agreed. “We can be almost certain the Vultoqi will not attack them or will cause diversions ... and vice versa.”

“The various forces from the allied Earths are still assembling before porting through. I believe they will be able to deal with these apostates for Crnnch’s people at least,” Roxanne mused.

“That still leaves us with the problem of the Vultoqi,” Kordanta stated.

“Indeed it does,” Roxanne nodded before looking at Gregorius.

“Athena’s powers have grown with the increase in the number of worshippers she has. She is still not powerful enough to attack this Sarkal directly, however she is in a position to do a lot of damage to the adelshaut as and when we decide to go on the offensive in the zone,” he replied carefully.

“Aye, I suspect we need to knock out either the apostates or the Vultoqi before she’ll be in a position to know,” Roxanne agreed.

“The apostates will probably be easier as I suspect this Sarkal has little or no use for them, except as a weapon against us,” Gregorius nodded.

“Aye, well, I propose we free Draenoric first if we can, move the free Orcs there, as it’s their true home, and then deal with the Vultoqi,” Roxanne proposed.

“Agreed,” Crnnch replied, followed by various assents by the rest of us.

“In the meantime, we do our best to keep the Vultoqi contained here,” Roxanne added after seeing our agreement.

“The power storage grid is in place,” a senior adelshaut informed the caveatra.

“Have the new enemy taken any notice of it?” a patripure asked.

“We suspect they have, though are apparently ignoring them.”

“By the time they realise what they are, it will be too late to do anything about them,” the senior patripure acknowledged.

“Yes, we will be free of the constraints of the neardark,” the original patripure confirmed.

“And we shall prevail!”

“WE SHALL PREVAIL! WE SHALL PREVAIL!”

“We have large scale movement in the zone!” Arwen warned the people in the command tent.

“Adelshaut?” Roxanne asked.

“Yes and ghosin, they’re also powering up those energy buildings too.”

“Are they shielded?” Arch asked.

“Yes, not quantum driven, but similar to an Orc building shield ... we can crack it if necessary.”

“Let’s see what they are planning first,” Roxanne nodded. “Have you alerted the Orcs?”

“Yes, though they were already aware of it.”

“Alert our troops. Send them through to their assigned places, including our new arrivals,” Arch ordered.

“Of course, Mage Arch,” Arwen replied with a formal bow.

“Get the drones up too,” he added politely.

“On it.”

“Doesn’t feel like an attack,” I murmured.

“No, more likely an expansion, but you can’t be too careful,” Arch nodded.

“Movement from their inner shield, it’s a patripure ... no, several patripures,” Arwen announced.

“Are they within range of the Loegrians?” Arch asked.

“No, Mage Arch. They are remaining well within the original boundary of the no go zone.”

“What of a drone strike?” Roxanne asked out of curiosity.

“That we could do, though I’m reluctant to tip our hand at the moment,” Arch replied as we watched the Vultoqi spilling out into the area originally covered by the first fortress.

“More patripure coming through,” Arwen announced as other Seers including Galadriel came into the tent.

“Wonder what they are up to?” I mused, concern written all over my features.

“We do not know,” Arwen shrugged, her eyes glazing over as the gestalt got to work.

“Energy peaking in those structures, but so far, that’s it,” Adsila announced for the gestalt.

“Even more adelshaut and patripure detected,” Arwen added.

“Damn, there’s a lot of them,” Arch stated as what was a veritable flood of Vultoqi emerged from their zone, but remained away from the reach of our weapons.

“Something happening with those structures, they’re being tapped to create a quantum instability,” Arwen warned.

“Aimed at us?” Roxanne asked.

“No. aimed back at their zone, it’s penetrating that shield thing but that’s all we can tell.”

“They’re forming a pattern,” I indicated as the adelshaut and patripure formed a multi-pointed star, with the patripure forming the inner points.

“Aye, but what the hell for?” Roxanne asked.

Suddenly there was a bright flash that emanated out of the zone and a massive blast of displaced air, though no indication as to what had happened.

“Anything ladies?” Roxanne asked the Seers.

“We believe the Vultoqi have sealed off the breach to wherever they were exiled. Those power buildings have now gone into meltdown and the patripure are now returning to the screened area,” Jemima finally stated.

“Guess they think they can now carry the day against us,” Arch stated mildly.

“Aye, I suspect they do,” Roxanne nodded. “Advise our troops to stand down please, Lady Seers.”

“Yes, Mage Roxanne,” came the reply.

“Do we know what it is they were doing?” Crnnch asked his advisors.

“No, Seeker. Our allies have given us their suspicions, but, that’s all they are,” Kurl replied for the group.

“Do we have any idea on numbers?”

“Our allies counted over three million. Currently they appear to be re-growing the troichin plants, presumably to bolster some form of attack. They appear to have stopped trying to use Klarven as they cannot breach the sonic shield.”

“Ar-Thenna help us if they ever manage to break free of the fortress in numbers,” Fumel muttered.

“Indeed, though they appear not to be using portals at the moment. I suspect they are possibly trying to figure out the inter-dimensional aspect of it, possibly with some sort of move against Draenoric. It might just be that this blocker that the TechnoYr’ch are building is an actual beacon to permit them across and keep us out,” Crnnch mused.

“I’ll report your suspicions to our allies, they appear to know portal technology better than we do, or at least how to do it without machines,” Slaarg nodded.

“Revered Archimandrite, the new Council is assembled.” A fearful servitor announced as the ... whatever it was stood gazing into a mirror.

“Very well, I will attend and guide them in the path to Sarkal,” came the hissing voice, utterly unlike any the servitor had heard before, not even a Seeker’s voice.

The servitor scurried away as quickly as he could, fearful of remaining in close proximity to the Archimandrite. Rumours abounded as to several missing servitors and other ... unfortunates who were last known to have crossed paths with the Archimandrite and had vanished without trace. Still, this time the Archimandrite turned away from the corridor and headed towards the Council chamber and the first meeting with the new Council.

“Greetings, brethren of Sarkal,” the Archimandrite hissed when it entered the chamber.

“By Sarkal!” one of the Council blurted out. “What on Draenoric are you?”

“Sarkal’s instrument on Draenoric. I was once a follower of Beog, now no more. I was known as Chusok, but now am so much more under Sarkal’s gaze.”