Chapter 2

The thieves had returned home to Dobra, and Erren indicated to Darras that other gods would be there soon to discuss future options.

“I take it that certain moves are afoot?” Darras enquired as Balat listened with interest.

“Yes,” Erren replied. “My brother is gathering his forces in Crusal for what I believe will be a significant move.”

“I assume you have a plan?”

“Yes, though it will involve a team effort, as we’ll need to remove a couple of high nobles in the kingdom,” Erren informed Darras and Balat.

“By remove, you mean kill?” Balat asked though he knew.

“Yes, normally I try to avoid such things. But these two men have passed redemption and are what you’d describe as evil to the core.”

“And no doubt guarded,” Darras nodded sagely. “I’ve killed for you before, my Erren. I trust you to guide my hands when necessary.”

“If my Doriel permits it, then I will aid you,” Balat added, though he looked unsure.

“It will be necessary, my Balat,” Doriel confirmed.

“It’s just so different from war, is all,” Balat reasoned.

“True enough,” Darras nodded. “Though in this, we’ll be nipping a future war in the bud.”

“Indeed you will,” Erren confirmed.

By Darras’s reckoning, it was an hour that the gods in opposition to the Dark Lord assembled. All were accompanied by their agent, assuming they had one. Darras had a sneaking suspicion that Erren had fiddled around with time a little to ensure they all turned up at roughly the same time as he knew Klavin, the Darven agent of Pelegard, had been in Burralsteig which didn’t have a gateway, nor was the closest gateway in the Kingdom of Jizzard available to him due to the hostility of the local Elves.

Darras was aware of the ongoing issues between the two species, though he struggled to see why they couldn’t resolve them as he got on well with both. But, at a local level, the two species simply did not see eye to eye on anything and would constantly verbally snipe at each other, which often led to violence. At higher levels, the various leaders of the nations/regions reined in any hostilities as both were aware of the need to trade. Occasionally as with the liberation of Thenarron, the two sides allied, though in that case, the Dwarves mostly worked alongside human allies, not Elven ones.

Erren had created the meeting area itself, which was simply a round set of comfortable seating with various tables laden with food and chilled drinks for the enjoyment of all. Greetings were naturally exchanged before all settled to review the issues now developing in Crusal.

“It’s definitely becoming an issue,” Tiruk, agent of Crannok, confirmed. “There are any number of incidents with foreigners which they’re using to rile up the populace to extend Crusal’s power upon Golsten.”

“I fail to see where they could go?” Mirion, agent of Hallis queried. “Korch would not be easy to take, and the lands to the east are empty until you reach the Elven Wold.”

“They plan to use their navy to blockade Asul and move their armies around the borders of Korch to invade from the east,” Tiruk explained. “The nobles in question have been building supply camps in the deep forest.”

“This I can confirm,” Doriel added. “My people have them under observation, though they are respecting forest law, so we have not done anything to resist them.”

“No wholesale logging?” Darras asked.

“No, simply tents to make supply depots.”

“They must have roads, surely?” Pelegard enquired.

“The first ones made a few that are still in reasonable condition,” Doriel replied.

“Ah, preservation magic,” Pelegard sighed.

“Yes, mostly self-sustaining too.”

“Damn them!”

“Indeed so,” Hallis replied. “Plus, the agent of our brother knows of them, so he was able to guide the Crusalians to them.”

“Ah, the mysterious first one,” Darras nodded.

“Yes, though currently, I have no idea where my brother has him,” Erren replied.

“Or, what else he has? We do suspect he has an Ubaid as well,” Osruit added.

“Yes, though where he found them is a mystery,” Hallis replied. “We ... we gods at least know how Erren managed with Darras, but a first one and an Ubaid? They are so out of time it’s almost unimaginable.”

“Along with an even older Dragonoid,” Tsumi added.

“Oh yes,” Hallis nodded. “That too.”

“How did Erren manage with Darras?” Mirion asked out of curiosity.

“She brought his soul over and implanted it in a new body she grew for him,” Hallis replied. “Our sister Serulon was not best pleased.”

“I exchanged souls, actually,” Erren added. “One of ours, for one of theirs.”

“Ah, no wonder Dad allowed it,” Hallis nodded thoughtfully. “What are they doing with the soul?”

“She’s a prophetess in one of their religions,” Erren replied. “Helping ease the wounds of the fall of an empire and bring about reconciliation.”

“Dad?” Mirion asked.

“The Allfather, kind of the head god, though, doesn’t normally get involved at our level,” Darras explained.

“Also, the judge of all,” Tsumi added. “Including us gods.”

“You’re safe then!” Pelegard guffawed. “You simply ‘are’, with no priests, temples or acolytes.”

“True,” Tsumi replied with a broad smile. “I just keep an eye on my sister to ensure anyone entering the realm of sleep leaves it.”

“Has she made up with the Dark Lord yet?” Darras asked.

“No, still pissed at his lying to her.”

“A lonely existence then,” Pelegard replied with a rumbling chuckle.

“Might make her improve her wardrobe,” Doriel smiled. “Grey is just not her colour.”

“I’m led to believe she thinks it enhances her image,” Tsumi replied. “Goddess of sleep and all that.”

“I’m the goddess of the woodlands. It doesn’t mean I always wear green.”

“You don’t wear anything in your normal form. That includes Szavona ... and the rest of us.”

“True, but my avatar likes to look nice.”

“Mine too,” Erren confirmed, with Hallis nodding as well.

“Anyway, getting away from clothing comparisons,” Osruit chuckled. “Who are these nobles, and how do your agents get to them?”

“They are both Khedives of the high autocrat class,” Erren replied. Khedive Banaslas and Khedive Rhonat to be specific.”

“I know of Rhonat. He is not well regarded by the Fidalgo lower nobility houses,” Tiruk added. “They regard him as a warmonger.”

“And he very much is one, though cloaks it in patriotism to the mercantile autocrats who control Crusal.”

“Ah, followers of Darmela, no doubt?” Darras queried.

“A small minority, though influential in other areas too,” Erren confirmed. “They see a short quick war to seize territory as profitable.”

“I doubt Asul will fall quickly or cheaply,” Klavin predicted.

“It won’t. The whole thing appears to be part of a plot to get the army out of the country and a coup to be attempted by Banaslas or Rhonat, who will look to move the worship base of Crusal to my brother slowly.”

“As Thenarron was?” Mirion asked.

“Very much so, plus Thenarron hasn’t changed much regarding worshipping my brother. His name is still used as a means of emphasis in conversations,” Erren replied.

“So just mentioning his name counts as worship?” a confused-looking Balat asked.

“To him, yes, it’s a kind of affirming gesture,” Erren explained. “To us, with temples, different rules apply.”

“He doesn’t have temples?”

“No, those who are priests and acolytes are chosen personally by him and imbued with power,” Erren replied. “They mostly keep a low profile wherever they reside.”

“And we’re not allowed to touch them,” Darras added.

“Correct, unless we’re at war.”

“How do we deal with Banaslas and Rhonat ... and get away safely?”

“Both are somewhat paranoid about their personal security,” Erren replied. “This is more to do with the internal politics of Crusal than any threat Darras is. That said, they both have shadow guardians amongst their people who are aware of the threat of Darras to their machinations.”

“Do they not travel?” Tiruk asked.

“They do, which is why I need you, Klavin and Mirion in Hilliam to watch the gates and pass on a warning to Darras so he and Balat can intercept them.

“Do they travel together?” Mirion asked.

“No, though their destination is often enough the same as they meet the military leaders assembling the army supply camps or those involved in the coup.”

“And it’s merely an assassination?” Darras asked.

“Yes, Banaslas and Rhonat are the ones driving the coup. It will fall apart without them, though the tensions in Crusal will remain with the potential for an invasion of Asul,” Erren replied.

“Which one plans to be the new High Admiral?” Tiruk asked.

“Banaslas, Rhonat plans on becoming the High Commander.”

“Not king?” Balat asked.

“Not named as such,” Doriel replied. “Just a joint command structure heading the Khedive class, one for land, one for sea.”

“How likely would they remove your priests and temples?” Darras asked Erren.

“Fordel managed it quite easily due to the worship of Darmela in their mercantile class,” Erren replied. “With Crusal, it won’t be quite so straightforward, but that’s what my brother plans, and he will have a plan.”

“Might just be to corrupt the ruling class,” Pelegard replied thoughtfully. “They often enough hate the precepts in our books.”

“Yes, it’s why Darmela remains popular, despite certain unsavoury practices she permits,” Hallis agreed.

“Unsavoury?” Balat asked.

“Infidelity is the seduction of a rival’s partner to gain information, assassination of said rival, or kidnapping their children.”

“She permits this?” a shocked Balat replied.

“She does not proscribe it. Hence her followers occasionally do it,” Doriel replied. “As witness their imprisonment of my followers to influence negotiations.”

“Ah yes, if it isn’t forbidden, then it’s permitted,” Balat nodded.

“Yes. That’s how they see it,” Pelegard agreed. “Totally amoral in outlook.”

“I’m amazed their realms survive with outlooks like that,” Darras opined.

“It’s usually only their elites that have this outlook, and not all of them are openly greedy as to do something like that,” Erren explained. “Particularly those of Crusal, due to the strength of my temples there.”

“So, you weren’t strong in Fordel?”

“Priest-wise no, plus the populace were well under the thumb of the mercantile class.”

“It was done quickly and without warning, performed by the mercenary armies they have,” Osruit went on.