In the thirteenth era of this War, the powers of the wellsprings expired. The armies of the Valkyrie were again finite. Most took this as a sign of the War’s end. Unless more wellsprings were discovered, one side would surely yield to the other before long… Unless…
1. The Launch
The setting sun bleached the night sky a deep violet. The harsh winds ravaged the thin blue flags atop the walls of Jandar’s castle. Many sentries stood guard at their posts, fewer now than there had ever been, but many nonetheless. Under their watch, this fortress had never been infiltrated. Until now.
A single hooded Kyrie clung to the walls beneath the battlements, listening to the solemn march of the guards. The Kyrie’s face was shrouded in its guise, no expression giving away its mission. Slowly prying its hands between each brick, the Kyrie silently moved along the wall. Its wings would make too much noise this close to the top. Finally finding the right spot to perch, the Kyrie sat silently and watched the setting sun.
The sky rapidly darkened, the wind picking up as the temperature fell. The guards shivered and complained, used to it as they were. The Kyrie infiltrator remained still quiet amid the cold, its breath in the freezing air the only thing that could remind an onlooker that it was alive.
Finally the steps of the guards parted, just as the wind picked up. Its harsh howling was what the Kyrie had been waiting for. Finally releasing the bricks it had held onto, the Kyrie fell and in one swift motion rose again. Its black wings flared into the air, the wind hoisting it up and hurling it over the wall as the guards passed. Its slim frame passed right by them as the Kyrie ducked its wings back to its shoulders. No longer carried by the wind, the Kyrie fell back down. Flipping back, the silent infiltrator sailed straight through a window, barreling through the hinged shutters keeping the cold out.
Crash!
Sitting upright in a second, the Kyrie seized the handles of the window and shut it back up, silencing the wind outside. That single noise was all that could have given the Kyrie away, but this room was empty. Otherwise a perfect entry, since the closed window couldn’t be helped. Precise as it was, this had been the Kyrie’s first mission since before the war. Still had it though, and a good thing too, since this mission was of the utmost importance. Dangerous though, tensions being high as they were, and Jandar’s castle was more difficult to infiltrate than any other Valkyrie there was.
Here inside the halls of the castle there were fewer guards, but the lengthy corridors carried their steps further than ever. Amidst the echoes the Kyrie infiltrator’s movements were silent. The reverb of the walls and the creaks of the floors were a natural defense against assassins, but even here the Kyrie remained mute, using the noise of the guards to know where they were moving. The infiltrator moved along.
Finding the door it had been looking for all along, the Kyrie slunk over and silently turned the doorknob. The hinges creaked, the infiltrator unable to do anything about that fact other than move slowly. Good enough. Slipping inside, the infiltrator beheld its prize. There, in the darkness of the room, slept the Valkyrie Jandar. So even his ever-vigilant eyes needed sleep. The Kyrie moved forward to the foot of the bed.
“Stop!” From the dark corners of the room, two Sentinels stepped forth. They had been standing perfectly still in the black night, to any onlooker appearing to be suits of armor alongside Jandar’s bed. This trick the Kyrie had not been prepared for.
Fire lit the room, one of the guards holding a torch forth, the other pulling a lever on the wall before stepping forward. Jandar awoke in an instant, sitting up, “Who goes there?”
The guards rushed forth, the Kyrie merely stepping back and spreading out its wings, buffeting the attackers away. Jandar too flared his wings out, rising up from the bed and facing the infiltrator.
“Do you intend to kill me, assassin?” The Valkyrie questioned.
Finally the Kyrie spoke, “No. I only needed to reach you.”
Reaching up, the infiltrator threw back the hood covering its face, looking Jandar in the eyes. Jandar looked at the visitor with disbelief, lowering his wings and landing back on the bed.
“Vydar…”
---
“Intruder!” A Knight of Weston called out, drawing his sword and raising his shield, “In the Valkyrie’s chamber!”
“Someone threw the alarm!” A Sentinel of Jandar shouted down the hall, amidst the commotion of guards scrambling to hurry to their leader’s aid, “Come on! Let’s go! Where’s the Warden!?”
The Knight of Weston looked around, shrugging, “I think she left already.”
Eltahale burst down the door to Jandar’s room. She immediately drew her sword and rushed towards the attacker, a cloaked Kyrie standing in the center of the room. The intruder turned and flared up his wings, attempting to buffet her away from him. Eltahale merely took one step back, her boot sparking as it touched the ground. In an instant, the Goliath vanished from sight, a current of electricity arching along the floor and around the Kyrie. The lightning burst, Eltahale leaping out of it and slashing for the infiltrator.
He too was fast, however, turning and jumping back out of the way. Not giving up, Eltahale lunged forth again, jabbing and stabbing at the Kyrie with unbelievable speed. Ducking back and forth, he managed to evade each and every blow as he backed up.
Changing tactics in an instant, the Kyrie ducked down low and swooped his leg out, tripping Eltahale. Holding out her shield-arm, the Goliath caught herself on the ground, at the same time stabbing upward at the Kyrie.
Click! The Kyrie stood stooped down over her, her blade barely nicking the side of his face. He had extended his arm out from under his cloak, holding a pistol pointed straight at her forehead, one finger on the trigger and his thumb cocking the weapon’s hammer.
“Let’s talk, Jandar.” The Kyrie calmly called out to the General, who had been watching the brief confrontation, “I don’t want to have to blow off anyone’s head.”
“At ease, Eltahale.” Jandar ordered, “Vydar means me no harm.”
Vydar slowly reached up with his other hand, taking the flat side of Eltahale’s blade and shifting it away from his cheek. The Valkyrie rose to his feet, backed off aways whilst keeping the weapon’s sights trained on the Goliath. Finally he put the gun away, returning his attention to Jandar.
“Why did you come here in secret?” Jandar asked.
“I couldn’t have anyone know I was going to be here.” Vydar straightened himself out, “Not even any of my own men.”
“I see,” Jandar acknowledged, turning to his two guards, “Olithcan, go tell the others that the disturbance was a false alarm. Henden, shut the door.”
The two Sentinels nodded their agreement, one leaving and the other shutting the door after him. Eltahale slowly rose to her feet, keeping her eyes on Vydar distrustfully.
The Valkyrie walked over to the corner of the room, sitting down in a chair there. He rubbed his forehead wearily, finally looking back over at Jandar.
“I cannot stay aligned with Utgar any longer,” He began, “But as it stands now, the Alliance is doomed.”
“How’s that?”
“The wellsprings are gone, Jandar.” Vydar lamented, “We cannot summon new armies as it is. We’re stuck with what we’ve got. Our resources are limited. Utgar, on the other hand, still has the advantage. His Marro and Undead armies can self-replicate endlessly. Utgar knows this, and plans on using this edge to finish off the Alliance. And most likely his allies afterwards.”
Jandar was quiet for only a moment, stroking his chin, “I know this, but we have plans of our own—to finish off Utgar before he has a chance to outlast us.”
“You do not know his full potential as I do,” Vydar countered, “You cannot defeat him in open battle. The Alliance is doomed.”
“What do you plan on doing, then?” Jandar questioned.
“Before the end, I had a vision. There is another world with more wellsprings. Ones we could use to summon new armies with. I have means of getting us there.”
“You offer this to us freely?”
“Between you and Utgar I see no other choice.”
Jandar mused on the notion for a while, “Does Utgar know of this as well?”
Vydar took a deep breath before answering, “Yes.”
“…”
“You must summon the other Valkyrie.” Vydar continued, “We must set out to this world and use the new wellsprings to defeat Utgar once and for all.”
Jandar mused on this for a while, pacing back and forth contemplatively. Finally he turned to his guard, “Henden, send word out to the other Allied Generals.”
“At once, my lord.” Henden replied quickly. Jandar turned his attention to his other witness.
“Eltahale,”
Eltahale broke her distrustful gaze at Vydar and glanced over at Jandar.
“… Keep Vydar company.”
Eltahale frowned.
---
Jandar was gone, off writing letters for Henden. Eltahale stood silently in the company of Vydar. The Ex-Allied General sat by the fireplace, his wings wrapped around the side of the chair. Her vengeful eyes were deflected only by his vulpine stare. This was the Valkyrie who betrayed the Alliance on a whim, as soon as the wellsprings had dried up. Only myths and rumors could dictate the extent of his treachery. Yet his face showed no shame even in his desperate return.
“You can stop glaring at me now,” Vydar assured her, “Jandar has accepted my renewed allegiance.”
Eltahale did not lower her guard.
“You are a Goliath, are you not?” The Valkyrie asked, “One of the last warriors of the Underdark. Perhaps the last soldier Jandar summoned before the wellsprings dried up. The only of your kind in Valhalla, perhaps?”
The Warden maintained her silence.
“That must be quite the burden.” Vydar glanced toward the fire, “Should we find new wellsprings, Jandar could summon more of your kin.”
“…”
“Ah, I see now. You were summoned in response to the invasion of Moltenclaw. I made my turn just as you Underdark warriors returned to Valhalla’s surface. Your first experience up here was betrayal and loss. Is that why you don’t like me?”
Still glaring.
“Fine. Keep to yourself. Now that you’ve witnessed my arrival here, you are inevitably entangled in this mess. This is all our problem now. We can’t keep secrets from each other anymore.
The Valkyrie narrowed his eyes, “Soon we will all be journeying out together. We’ll have to come to like each other.”
---
“What is it so vital to this war that I must bear having to see your face again?” Ullar questioned, glaring at the returned Ex-General. The Allies had assembled as promised: Ullar, Einar, and Aquilla. They stood before Jandar and Vydar, hidden in the secret meeting halls beneath Ullar’s Castle (which was the closest to the others). As a witness to the event as well as Jandar’s trusted guard, Eltahale had accompanied the General here. Now the Allies would determine the traitor’s fate.
“We must all go find these new wellsprings.” Vydar explained, “We cannot outlast Utgar without the ability to summon more armies. It is of the utmost importance.”
“Why should we believe a liar like yourself?” Aquilla demanded, “You whose treachery cost us much of our lands and armies.”
“I believe Vydar,” Jandar stepped forth, “He is the only one who could have discovered these new wellsprings, and he has inside information about Utgar’s plans that we do not.”
“We shouldn’t disperse in search of new wellsprings now at this most vital hour!” Einar declared, “The enemy was dealt a crippling blow with the recent fall of Bleakewoode. We should press our advantage while we can and finish Utgar off. We do not need these new reinforcements.”
“Utgar’s armies are larger than you think.” Vydar refuted, “Even now he is preparing for war. He intends to outlast you all, and believe me when I say that you do not have the strength to defeat him as it stands!”
“Fellow Generals,” Jandar agreed, “If we can secure wellsprings, we can summon reinforcements while Utgar cannot. We would win the war for sure.”
“How would we even reach such a planet?” Aquilla asked.
“I have constructed a ship beneath my castle in secret.” Vydar explained, “It is ready to launch at any time. We need only board it—I suggest we take that step as soon as possible.”
“I have no confidence in this,” Einar was unconvinced, “I for one will not risk Valhalla flying in a spaceship in search for wellsprings that might not even be there.”
“Let’s not be hasty in our decision,” Ullar pointed out, turning to Jandar, “You for one are going for certain, correct? Let us make our own verdicts.”
“As you wish.” Jandar acknowledged respectfully.
“I’ve made up my mind.” The green Valkyrie concluded, “Einar, Aquilla, let us know what you decide. Until then, this council is concluded.”
With that, the Generals dispersed. Vydar bit his lip nervously, finally turning and leaving the hall. Ullar strode over to Jandar, putting one hand on his shoulder.
“I need to council my own troops before I leave.” Jandar said solemnly.
“Right then,” Ullar agreed, “I’ll be there with my answer as soon as I can.”
---
“Send me, Jandar,” Sergeant Drake Alexander demanded, “We cannot afford to lose you here on Valhalla.”
Drake was Jandar’s best man, yet even now his fierce loyalty was being tested. Jandar sat in his throne room, along with Eltahale, Henden, and Olithcan. Drake was ranked highly enough to be in on the secret of the new wellsprings, but Eltahale and the Sentinels were witnesses to Vydar’s intrusion, so now their presence was worthy. Ullar was there also, along with his Elf companions Sonlen the Archmage and Ulginesh the Wizard.
“I must be the one to go,” Jandar refuted, looking equally distraught at the decision. But everyone knew it was not one he made lightly—Jandar never made decisions lightly, “Only a Valkyrie can use the wellsprings to their fullest potential and summon armies to Valhalla.”
“But what if something happens out there?” Drake asked.
“What if something happens here?” Jandar countered, “You’re my greatest warrior, Drake. I need you here to protect Valhalla in my absence. When Utgar finds out about our plans, he will strike.”
Drake didn’t like the decision, but he nodded his approval after careful consideration. The General turned his attention to his fellow Valkyrie.
“Ullar, you must lead the Alliance while I am gone. I will not risk all the Allied Generals on this mission—Vydar and I should be capable of summoning reinforcements for you.”
Ullar nodded, “Take Sonlen in my place. You don’t know what might be out there, and he is a versatile warrior with good experience in expeditions.”
Sonlen bowed, “I ensure this mission’s success, General Ullar.”
Jandar welcomed the Elf, “Your services are greatly appreciated, Sonlen. I will take Eltahale and Henden as well—they know of this plot already.”
Henden was quick to kneel, “I’ll give my life to protect yours, sir.”
“I’ll alert the other Generals of your departure,” Ullar noted, “I’ll have them send out ambassadors of their own: their best warriors.”
“Second best,” Jandar corrected, “I fear you’ll need to save your finest for when I’m gone. But the offer is appreciated, and I will return!”
“I’ll send the word,” Ulginesh agreed, his Pegasus flaring out its wings and taking flight. The winged beast took to the air, circling around before shooting out of a window, making haste. Drake watched the Elf go, looking over his shoulder at Jandar.
“I’ll go marshal the Alliance’s armies,” He decided, Jandar nodding his approval. Olithcan and Ullar following him out. Jandar turned to the final two remaining guards.
“I hope you two are ready for an otherworldly adventure,” The Valkyrie said.
“It’ll be a first, alright.” Henden acknowledged, glancing at Eltahale and shrugging, “Well, for a Kyrie, that is. I imagine it already has been an otherworldly adventure for Eltahale and the other summoned warriors.”
Eltahale nodded. At this point she was ready for anything—most warriors were.
“You need not maintain that vigil of silence forever, Warden.” Jandar glanced down at her, “I know you don’t like Vydar, but he’s our best chance. And soon enough we’ll all be crammed together on a tiny spacecraft for who knows how long. We’ll need to be able to work together.”
At this the Goliath couldn’t keep up eye contact. She cast her gaze aside, but nodded her agreement nonetheless. So it would be.
---
“Our spies tell us that the Alliance has found another source of wellsprings.” Cyprien Esenwein announced. The vampire stood in a large, dark hall alongside his comrades. There was Kee-Mo-Shi, a spidery Warwitch, as well as Tul-Bak-Ra, the Overlord of the Marro in Valhalla. The Marro made up a bulk of Utgar’s army, so as much as Cyprien disdained them, they were vital to winning the war. There was also the human Isamu, Utgar’s trusted assassin. He was so rarely seen that he didn’t need to spill blood often, but when he had to he did so with a cruel delight.
“I know this.” Cyprien’s leader replied.
Before them, sitting upon a red throne at the far end of the room, was the Valkyrie Utgar, chiefest of all evils in Valhalla. His huge size and deep booming voice hid a sly cunning—one that at one time had held off six other Valkyrie alone, merely by his own wit. He was the only person in all of Valhalla that Cyprien feared, and for good reason. His dismissal of such urgent news was alarming.
“For the time being, we have the upper hand.” Utgar continued, his hands pressed tightly together as he glared down at his minions.
“But the loss of Bleakewoode…”
“They have finite resources.” The Valkyrie dismissed, “So long as the Marro continue to reproduce, we have an endless supply of soldiers.”
Tul-Bak-Ra grinned cruelly.
“And we needn’t fear the Alliance now that their leaders have separated.” Utgar continued, “They will call off the attack in search of more wellsprings. We should press our advantage while we can.”
“But what of the other planet?” Cyprien questioned, “We should sent emissaries of our own to claim the wellsprings before the enemy does. Send me.”
“No.” The General declined, “There is no need. None of them will survive.”
“How do you know this?” Isamu questioned.
Utgar smiled, his eye falling upon Kee-Mo-Shi. The tip of her staff glowed a bright emerald color, the same color that shone when she was brought back from the grave twice, and the same that shone in Raelin’s eyes when the Warwitch mindshackled her.
“I have someone who will be on board that ship loyal to me,” He explained, “Waiting for their chance to finish off Jandar and the others. A trump card I’ve held onto for years now. Don’t you worry about a thing.”
Cyprien smiled as well. Now he understood what Utgar had meant. One of three amulets created by Ullar, stolen by Utgar, and returned to the Alliance unknowingly. In the palm of his hand Utgar had held onto that mindshackled warrior, and now in the claustrophobia of space he intended to unleash them. The Alliance was doomed for sure.
“Now,” Utgar concluded, “We must do what we can down on here. Tul-Bak-Ra, marshal your armies. Strike the Alliance hard. They are weak. Break them.”
“With pleasure, my lord.” The Marro clicked, vanishing from sight only a moment later.
“Cyprien—you are my swiftest warrior. Send word to Valkrill. Tell him to send out his armies as well. We need not fear defeat now.”
“It will be done.”
Utgar chuckled to himself, glaring ahead and smiling devilishly, “It’s time this war came to an end.”
---
“Welcome, comrades,” Vydar greeted the Allied warriors, gathering under his hidden castle in preparation for their voyage, “I see only Jandar has come to fulfill his oath.”
“I represent Ullar’s presence,” Sonlen explained, “Forgive his absence, but he has a war to fight, and has sent me in his stead.”
“And who else is here?”
True to their word, both Einar and Aquilla had sent heroes of their own. The former General had sent Retiarius, a Human Gladiator. He was a buff and gruff man of few words, and it was no secret that he was fighting only so that he could return to his homeworld of Earth. Aquilla had sent a Dwarf Rogue: Darrak Ambershard. He was short and stubby, but his heavy, compact frame hid a surprising amount of speed and dexterity. He also carried a silver blade of the Underdark, as deadly as it was beautiful. Eltahale knew more about him than Retiarius because they had worked together once before. She still didn’t like him though.
The two warriors gave their introductions, however brief, and Vydar continued on with the tour. His castle lay upon a small hill amidst a large ugly swamp, but beneath it was hidden a vast network of tunnels and secret chambers. The Valkyrie certainly could have betrayed Utgar under his own troops’ very noses—for no single man could ever know of every room hidden in this labyrinth. Nobody but Vydar, that is.
“Only my most loyal soldiers know that you all are here,” The General explained as he walked down the empty halls, “And only those few know of this vessel’s existence. My Soulborg friends designed and crafted it from scratch. With it, we can sail through the galaxy to our destination. Ah, here we are…”
Entering a huge, open room, the group found themselves staring at a massive steel ship. It appeared to be attached to the floor, or perhaps connected to more tunnels delving deeper still into the ground. For something constructed in secret, it sure was a sight to behold. The room’s ceiling curved upward into a dome, with another tunnel leading skyward. Assumedly the ship would pass through there to reach the surface, but the passage seemed far too small for a ship of this size. As he gazed, Jandar seemed to be thinking the same thing.
“How do you intend to get this thing above ground?” He questioned.
Vydar pointed skyward, “See that tunnel? The ship runs on a light speed capacitor. As close as you could get to teleportation, but we’ll be zipping along so fast we’ll essentially be compressed into a needle’s width. We’ll shoot straight through that hole into the atmosphere, and on our way in the blink of an eye. Or that’s the theory, anyway.”
“That doesn’t make any sense to me…” Henden mused.
“I stopped trying to make sense of anything I heard on this planet a long time ago.” Retiarius replied.
“How long will it take to get there?” Sonlen questioned.
“I can’t say. The planet is some distance away, but at our speed it shouldn’t be too long a voyage. It depends on all the variables of space travel.”
“Well then, shall we board? We’d better get started sooner than later.” Jandar recommended, glancing over the ship, trying to find a door.
“I suppose so. It’s ready to leave anytime, but it’ll make a racket. As soon as we’re off, everyone’s going to know about it.” Vydar replied, beginning to walk over towards the vessel. Reaching out, the Valkyrie held forth a small switch and flipped it. A second later, part of the ship opened up, allowing access.
Inside was like a second network of tunnels, albeit cast in white metal rather than stone. A dim humming constantly sounded off, reinforcing the feeling that they were all inside the belly of some great machine beast. Blindingly bright and cold as it was, the inside of the vessel was at least built to house living beings, so there was no shortage of lodgings throughout.
As he walked forward, Vydar steered towards the leftmost hall. He stepped out, his boot connecting and seemingly sticking to the wall. The General continued on his path, striding along the wall and up to the ceiling. All others watched in amazement.
“The entire ship has artificial gravity plating,” Vydar explained coolly, “No matter where you walk, what you walk on will be the floor.”
“Amazing…” Henden looked astounded, even for one who could fly.
“Just don’t try flying in here,” Vydar pointed out to his fellow Kyrie, “Once you surpass the center of the room, you’ll fall to the ceiling and crash. I’d advise walking until we reach our destination.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sonlen acknowledged. The Elf had a small dragon pet, who remained on his shoulder at all times. The Archmage seemed capable of communicating with it, and as he whispered strange tongues to the beast, it closed its wings to its sides and stayed perched.
“Anyhow,” Vydar leapt from the ceiling and flipped, moving with the changing gravity he was obviously so familiar with, and landing neatly upon the floor, “Let’s head to the cockpit and get this thing moving.”
“Agreed. Lead the way.” Jandar nodded.
The group continued its way through the halls, turning this way and that. It still seemed mazelike to Eltahale and the other outsiders, but she was certain that they would have plenty of time to familiarize themselves with its layout. As she gazed through each open door they passed by, the Goliath noticed Darrak doing the same. As another native to the ways of the Underdark, the Dwarf was skilled at mapping unknown areas in his mind, recalling them at a moment’s notice for navigating even the most complex of the deep dungeons.
Finally they reached their destination. The cockpit was no different than many of the other rooms, save for a host of complex controls and keyboards. They had been modified by the Soulborgs for humanoid use, but they were still daunting to behold to all those unfamiliar with their functions. Vydar was not one of those, and he stepped up to the controls and began fiddling with them expertly. Several screens flickered to life, taking the place of windows on the far wall, showing the narrow tunnel above the ship. Looking over his shoulder, Vydar asked his comrades one last question.
“Shall I launch?” He inquired.
“Yes.” Jandar replied, not wanting to waste any more time delaying the inevitable.
“Are you sure the other Valkyrie don’t want to accompany us?”
“They’re needed on Valhalla,” Jandar countered, “You said so yourself Utgar had plans to attack soon. We need to leave now.”
“So be it. Off we go. Brace yourselves.” Vydar turned back to the controls and pressed a big red button. Instantly the ship rattled back and forth, a deep thundering boom shaking the vessel as it prepared to take off.
Suddenly the shaking stopped and the ship lurched forward, leaping up into the air at lighting speed. Everything seemed the thin out, the screens on the wall flickering. The air seemed to compress itself, Eltahale’s chest tightening. The gravity remained unaltered, and the violent shaking had ceased, yet another force seemed to be pressing against them all, the momentum outside the vessel pushing down hard against everyone as they took off at unimaginable speed.
To the outside world, a thin beam of light seemed to shoot out skyward from Vydar’s castle, piercing and scattering the clouds around it and shaking the earth. The winds were flung apart as it passed by them, causing them to howl as they were sent flying away from the lands.
From Jandar’s castle, Ullar and Drake looked on as the launch passed them by.
“Good luck, Jandar.” Ullar murmured, “We’ll be waiting for your return.”
Across Valhalla, Utgar stood atop his mountain fortress, the howling winds doing nothing to unbalance him. Behind the evil General stood Tul-Bak-Ra and Kee-Mo-Shi.
“Off they go,” Utgar smiled devilishly, “Is our trump card with them?”
Tul-Bak-Ra took only a second to calculate, as the Marro and all those under their influence functioned under a hivemind.
“Yes,” the Marro Overlord clicked, “He is aboard, ready to act on our command.”
“Good.” Utgar sounded pleased, “Kill them all, when the time is right. Then we’ll be the ones summoning reinforcements to our cause. It will all be over soon.”
His Marro minions snickered at the thought, equally pleased to hear the news.
“As for the Alliance,” The red Valkyrie continued, “Have Cyprien rally the armies and move out. We will smash them with our reserves and choke the last life out of their dwindling resources. Without Jandar and with reinforcements on the way, we have nothing to fear. Valhalla is mine.”
2. The Journey
Eltahale sat in the ship’s Rec Room sharpening her sword. It was a large, hefty blade, but she could wield it in one hand, saving her other arm for her shield. Here the blade seemed minute compared to the size and technology of the ship carrying them all, but it was the blade she had trusted in since the beginning. Still weary of Vydar (and a few of the other passengers), Eltahale stuck to her guns for now, making sure Jandar was safe at all times. Out here in the reaches of space, literally anything was possible. For every wild and strange thing in Valhalla came from these stars, along with what nameless horror might have been left behind in the unknown worlds of the beyond.
The others sat in the Rec Room as well, since there was nothing else to do. Vydar had insisted that the trip would be short enough not to require any form of hypersleep, and they had been journeying through the stars for two days now. So it was good to stretch one’s legs and find something to do.
Henden stood in the middle of the room. The stout Sentinel didn’t have quite the war record as the others, but he was one of Jandar’s personal guards, so his training was just as rigorous as any big-name hero’s. Automated machines from the ceiling swung sandbags at him, and he deflected some with his shield and pummeled others with his hammer. Vydar watched, amused, as he took apart his own weapons and put them back together. He had two Earth pistols, the same that he had almost shot Eltahale with back at Jandar’s castle. The Earth weapons were better fitted for a humanoid like the Valkyrie more so than the Soulborg’s weaponry, and he seemed to like using those more than his own native world’s arms.
“You keep taking those apart and putting them back together,” Darrak commented gruffly as he watched, “Do you expect to find something new in there?”
“I just like to make sure they’re working properly,” Vydar responded, “I suppose you couldn’t appreciate the delicacies of a gun, Master Dwarf.”
Darrak scoffed, “I’m not a Feylund Dwarf,
Master Valkyrie. I know what a gun is.”
Vydar held up the weapons, taking the insult in stride, “Not these guns, you don’t. These are advanced Earth firearms—Desert Eagles, .50 Action Express cartridges. Nothing can stop one of these bullets.”
“I could!” Henden boasted, holstering his shield, “The Shields of Valor were crafted by Kaintar the Blacksmith and dipped in wellspring waters. They can block anything.”
“Ha!” Vydar was unimpressed, “How long has the Caelios wellspring been dried up? I bet that shield’s worn out by now. Besides, it wouldn’t make a difference anyway. This’d punch right through that shield.”
“This would bounce those bullets right back at you!” Henden retorted.
“Bah! I could stab right through that thing!” Darrak added, brandishing his sword, “This blade has enchantments of its own. I’ve assassinated beasts with hides ten times as tough as your shield!”
“As if! You’re both full of it!”
Vydar twirled his guns around in his hands, “Well, you wanna try it out?”
Sonlen put his foot down, “No. You’ll get somebody killed.”
That put a stop to the competition.
The Elf grinned a little, “…Besides… if anyone has something that could puncture that shield, it’s me?”
“What!? You?” Henden asked.
The Archmage pulled back his cloak, revealing a small handheld crossbow—the kind Ullar’s Kyrie often carried.
“Before I left, Ullar entrusted me with one of his crossbows, as well as a Bolt of the Witherwood. So you see, I’ve got a wellspring-enchanted weapon of my own. It can pierce anything, no contest.”
“All I’ve got is this crappy net and trident!” Retiarius complained.
Henden and the others couldn’t help but laugh at that remark, save for Eltahale and Jandar. The Valkyrie sat in the corner, looking contemplative as ever. Being by his side many times, Eltahale knew that Jandar always had something on his mind, constantly distracting him. Sometimes she wondered how he ever slept with such issues eating away at him, yet every night he did without fail. From exhaustion, most likely. In spite of his safety and his luxuries as an Archkyrie, nobody in Valhalla suffered more from the war than Jandar. Yes, now she could tell that his troubles did not come from this place. His mind was back at Valhalla, concerned about his friends in his absence. He knew something was amiss.
Eltahale herself did not mingle with her comrades easily, always feeling alone as the single Goliath in Valhalla. Yet in many ways she could relate to her General—different as his suffering was. He was alone in many ways as well; alone in the sense that he had to bear the burden of leading this war against Utgar, and making whatever sacrifices others wouldn’t, or couldn’t, make to stop the evil Valkyrie. His kind were with him, but he still chose to take on this task alone. She admired his conviction for taking that path, and for that she protected his life, ready to sacrifice herself so he wouldn’t have to be sacrificed. That’s what this whole journey was about, after all.
---
“What news?” Drake asked the Kyrie messenger. The Protector had just finished landing when he delivered his message from the front, travelling with great haste back to Ullar’s Castle. The Sergeant had moved Jandar’s forces there, moving into a defensive formation now that Jandar was gone. Without their leader, the Alliance couldn’t afford to make such a bold attack on Utgar, so Drake had them pull back and form up. It was Utgar’s move—all the Alliance could do was hope that he didn’t know about the mission to find the wellsprings.
“No sign of Utgar’s legions,” The messenger panted, “But Vydar is closing in, advancing closer to the border. Valkrill’s troops move unchecked through Bleakewoode as well.”
Drake grimaced but held his composure, “Right. Go get some rest, scout.”
The Sergeant turned and moved inside the fortress, finding Ullar over by a command table. Little pieces lay scattered all over a map of Valhalla, Drake moving two of them into the updated positions as he walked by. Ullar took notice.
“So Vydar and Valkrill are forming up for attack,” The Valkyrie noted.
“Vydar’s forces must be unaware of their General’s chance of allegiance,” Drake explained, “Utgar’s still in the chain of command for his army, so it looks like we may have to fight them anyway.”
Ullar looked concerned, pointing to Bleakewoode, “Valkrill does not attack openly often, nor does he move out in such numbers in Allied territory. He knew we withdrew from Bleakewoode. Valkrill… Vydar… Utgar is preparing to attack. He’s just sending out his pawns first.”
“Valkrill’s threat has diminished since the Underdark campaigns concluded,” Drake stroked his chin, “And I’m hoping that Vydar’s forces will be less organized under foreign command without their leader. That should reduce their strength.”
“It will help, until Utgar shows his hand,” Ullar pointed out, “If he’s making such bold steps into our territory with both his allies, then I know he intends to hit us, and hard. How long do we have?”
“Our scouts will let us know when Utgar makes his initial move,” Drake assured the Valkyrie.
“No, I mean how long do we have until Jandar and Vydar get those wellsprings?”
“That I don’t know.” Drake admitted, staring grimly at the table, “Let’s just hope it’s before Utgar figures out we’re scattered…”
---
“Grahhh…” Tul-Bak-Ra stood atop Utgar’s Castle, the night enveloping his muscly mass. Tiny dots of stars littered the black sky, an equal amount of tiny torches lining the blurred base of the mountain below him. He could feel new life down there, there where the Hives churned out Drones and Stingers overnight. Drudge and Sentries swarmed the Hives, pulling out new warriors from the mass of eggs and arming them for war. Warriors bubbled from the depths of the swamps surrounding the breeding grounds. Hivelords saddled up and armed themselves, their mounts feasting upon the Nagrubs before their ventures, the tiny Wulsinu too numerous to even care for the loss of their kin. Even the Orcs looked on in disgust at the orgy of Marro birth. Yet to the Marro it was beauty.
But Tul-Bak-Ra could not focus on such things. His mind stretched further into the reaches of space, his telekinetic capabilities making him a useful tool for reaching his double-agent. Now he spoke his native language across the stars, his bio-armor sparking from the psychic force.
“Zztztghrchghrchztzt.” He clicked. Moving through the darkened halls of Vydar’s ship, he could see their movement now. For them, it was time to sleep, though no sun could set in their eyes. A perfect time to strike. The one bearing Ullar’s stolen amulet would kill the Allies aboard the vessel up there, and the Marro controlling him would destroy the Alliance down here. It was time to spill their blood. By dawn, there would be war.
---
“Jandar!!!” Henden burst into the room, turning on the lights. Immediately a bright beam of light assaulted Eltahale’s weary eyes, a cruel trick to play on a night watch. Jandar sat upright instantly, looking over.
“What is it, Henden!?” The General questioned, eyeing his distraught guard cautiously.
“Someone has been murdered!” Henden explained, “It’s Retiarius… he’s dead!”
“What!?” Jandar hopped out of bed, “Assemble the passengers. Now!”
Everyone quickly got together and met up in the Gladiator’s chambers. True enough, Retiarius lay upon the bed, dead. By the looks of it, he had put up a struggle, but hadn’t been much of a match for his opponent. A dreadful silence throttled the room, everyone casting nervous gazes at each other. This was no accident. This had been murder.
Vydar would have none of it. He pulled out his Desert Eagles and pointed them at the nearest crew members.
“Drop your weapons, all of you!” He snapped.
“Put those away, you fool!” Jandar barked.
“We cannot risk me or you dying on such a vital mission!” Vydar refuted, “They’re not Valkyrie! They’re all liabilities—we can’t risk having them endangering the mission!”
“And I will not have you killing all of them just to weed out one killer!” Jandar shouted, “Put your firearms away!”
Vydar didn’t look happy with the decision, but he knew better than to try and stand up to Jandar. He slowly lowered the weapons, keeping them at his sides so he could raise them at a moment’s notice. Jandar nodded his approval, stooping down and examining the body.
“Who could have done this?” The blue General asked quietly.
“The Dwarf,” Sonlen accused, “He’s an assassin—it had to have been him.”
Darrak wouldn’t take the claim sitting down, jumping up and ratting his fist at the Archmage, keeping his other hand trained on his sheath, “How typical of a lofty Elf to blame it on a Dwarf! Where’s the proof? Where’s the motive!?”
“You’re an assassin and a rogue; that’s proof enough for me.” Sonlen said keeping his hand trained on his crossbow.
“You’re trying to shift the blame off of yourself!” Darrak roared.
“Gentlemen!” Henden stepped in, “Innocent until proven guilty. Jandar, how did he die?”
Jandar examined the body, “Strangulation. So it could have been anyone. Any chance you have surveillance on this ship, Vydar?”
“Afraid not.” Vydar confessed, “Didn’t think I’d need it.”
The Valkyrie gazed wearily at his comrades. His eyes fell upon Eltahale. She could tell he would still prefer to shoot them all just to be safe. She knew that she hadn’t done it, and a part of her would like to do the same. Jandar’s heart was in the right place, but it was obvious that the killer’s real target was the Valkyrie. It was merely a matter of thinning out the numbers along the way. The guards had to go first. The killer must want a clean escape as well—just killing the Valkyrie would expose them and get them killed. They were cowardly.
“I have no suspects.” Jandar admitted, turning to the crew, “And I don’t want you to have any suspects either. I don’t want any tensions between us. Just be on your guard. Understand?”
“Absolutely, sir.” Henden bowed.
“I wasn’t really talking to you,” Jandar smiled a bit, glancing over at Sonlen and Darrak.
Humbled, the Elf stooped down low, “I cannot carry my own bias. I represent Lord Ullar. Sir.”
“
Brownnosed sonofa…” Darrak grumbled to himself before continuing, “Aye, sir. No hard feelings.”
Vydar sighed and holstered his weapons for good, turning to leave, “So be it, Jandar. But I get the feeling that Retiarius won’t be the last to die. When you’re ready to play it safe, let me know.”
With that the Valkyrie left the room. Henden sneered at his absence.
“I can see why you kicked him out of the Alliance. He really thinks like a DeathWalker, doesn’t he?” The Sentinel commented.
Jandar put one hand on the guard’s shoulder, “Yes… yes he does. Come on, men. Let’s get some breakfast. We’ve still got a long way to go yet.”
---
Smoke rose from the horizon as Acilino watched from atop his perch. The Raptorian Captain had just come from southern Ostriyick, where Vydar’s full force had annihilated the empty posts of the Alliance. Now he had reached northeastern Aunstrom, where Bleakewoode lay right at the Alliance’s doorstep. He had seen Valkrill’s forces moving through the beaten paths of the forsaken forest throughout his flight over, but he had orders not to engage them.
From the trees emerged a Human scout—Brave Arrow of Aquilla’s forces. All men were strange to Acilino, but he respected Brave Arrow’s talents nonetheless. His face was grim as he made his way to the Raptorian for his report.
“Utgar’s Orcs rendezvous with Valkrill’s. They march together under the cover of the forest.” Brave Arrow reported, “They number one thousand in total, headed straight north.”
“Einar is sending armies to Ullar’s Castle as we speak.” Acilino replied, “About eight hundred spears. I will report to your General and see what aid she can send. That should take care of this force.”
“If Utgar plans on attacking full force,” Brave Arrow pointed out, “He will send more than Orcs. We cannot hope to outnumber him.”
Acilino had no comeback to that, merely turning and flaring out his wings.
“Have your men stall where they can, but be careful,” The Raptorian instructed as he lifted off into the air, “These woods will betray you to the enemy.”
As he flew, Acilino felt a deep pang in his belly. He had hoped that the war would have weighed more heavily on Utgar’s finite Orc army. If they were that strong still, then his rejuvenating Marro and Undead forces would be even stronger. He had already received reports of Utgar’s Undead and DeathWalker legions moving out from Jutanguard, moving around Einar’s kingdom and heading for Upper Bleakewoode. War was coming. And it was coming fast.
---
The halls aboard Vydar’s ship were darkened to give the illusion of night, silence echoing throughout the halls. Jandar slept now, in his chamber, accompanied by Eltahale and Henden. It had been a long and tiring day, giving Retiarius a proper space-sendoff and having to spend the rest of the day watching their backs and eyeing each other distrustfully. They didn’t have the luxury of sleep now, staying up to guard their General—sleeping could wait until tomorrow, taken in shifts. With the new imminent threat, however, getting any sleep at all seemed to be a forfeit to the prowling killer. It was a risk Eltahale could not take lightly.
Henden had been concerned over Vydar’s safety as well, being the second Valkyrie aboard the vessel. But the General had refuted any assistance, claiming that he would be fine on his own. The Sentinel left his offer at that, far more concerned about Jandar anyway.
Vydar was a strange case anyhow. Cocky as he could be, he preferred solitude over company. His people had long since abandoned his land, and in his vain attempt to shift the blame from himself, he put himself on a pedestal of pride. Despite this barrier, Eltahale could tell that something was very off about him, especially when he thought nobody was looking. He still blamed himself, his guilt topping all other criticisms. It was no wonder he took the insults of his people and his former allies in such stride: his self-loathing overrode all of those things. Like Jandar, he was alone in his own unique way, but he still would not have Eltahale’s pity for it. He was still an arrogant coward, and he had always been long before the war had destroyed his lands.
So the Goliath’s mind couldn’t be troubled by the Valkyrie’s strange behavior. She had bigger things to worry about. The killer. He could be anyone. There was no clear motive at the moment, but the end goal was obvious: kill the Valkyrie and ruin the mission.
Glancing over, Eltahale could see that Henden too had the issue eating away at him. He gave Jandar a concerned glance before looking back up at Eltahale. He was obviously uneasy, but having solely Jandarians in this single room seemed to calm his nerves.
“You look on edge, Warden.” The Sentinel began, “I am, too. I don’t know who to suspect. I just know that they’re going to target General Jandar. I just know it.”
“…”
“It sends shivers down my spine,” Henden continued, “It could be anybody aboard this ship. Some might think it was one of us. You don’t suspect me, do you?”
Since there were no current suspects, everyone was equally suspicious. After Vydar’s turn, Eltahale didn’t really trust anyone. It would be optimistic to put faith in her closest ally on board, but that too was lowering her defenses. She said nothing.
“Well, I trust you.” Henden went on, “I don’t think it was any of us Jandarians. All I know is that we’ve gotta protect the Valkyrie, no matter what. I don’t know who will be attacked next, but one way or another, they’re going to make a go for the Generals. I’m willing to do anything to make sure that they reach the planet alive. Whatever it takes.”
“…”
“As far as I’m concerned, every non-Jandarian aboard this vessel is considered an enemy. Until they show their true colors, they’ll have to deal with me before they can get to Jandar.”
And Henden would have to deal with Eltahale before he could get to Jandar as well. It was a good strategy, relying on each other to ensure neither was the murderer. But, at the same time, Eltahale knew she would have to sleep eventually, relying on Henden to protect the General alone. So she would have to rely on him, one way or another.
Ba-boom! At that moment, the entire ship lurched forward, causing everyone to stumble and much of the furniture to fall over. Jandar awoke in a start once again, Henden and Eltahale glancing about the room for any potential threats.
“That was the whole ship…” Jandar mused, “Let’s go to the cockpit. Something’s wrong once again, I fear.”
They readied up and cautiously made their way to the cockpit. Vydar was already there, manning the controls and staring out ahead at the screens. The flickering windows of light showed only a mass of green ahead.
“What’s going on?” Sonlen asked, stepping into the room, “What’s wrong with the screens?”
“There’s nothing wrong.” Vydar explained, “Something’s blocked our course. It’s a good thing we stopped when we did, or else we’d smash right into that.”
He pointed again to the screens.
“And what exactly is ‘that’?” The Elf pestered.
“That’s a planet, Master Elf.” Vydar replied, “It might be the one we’re looking for. We should go down there and check it out—it might be the world from my visions.”
“About time,” Darrak grumbled, entering the room as well, “Three days is about all I can take aboard this damn thing. It’s not natural.”
“Shall we descend?” Jandar asked.
“Absolutely. Here we go…” Vydar pressed a few buttons, and before long the ship began moving closer towards the planet, making its way down through the atmosphere. Its speed was as impressive as ever, only taking a few minutes to reach its destination.
“The atmosphere is breathable,” Vydar noted, looking down at the controls, “Let’s go take a look.”
“Anything to get off this thing,” Darrak turned and headed out, soon followed by the others.
The planet was indeed breathable without the need for any special suits, so the entire group descended down onto the odd green earth. It was a planet covered in a vast array of canyons, the howling winds making it dangerous to stray near them. There was a fogginess to the air, despite the weather, sort of like a sandstorm without sand was billowing constantly around them. There was a strange lack of a temperature, just an undefined room-temperature lingering about in the air. It was a desolate planet, and Eltahale immediately disliked it.
Jandar too seemed displeased, glancing back at Vydar skeptically, “Is this the world from your visions, Vydar? Is this where the wellsprings are?”
Vydar shrugged, striding forward and looking around, “I don’t know.”
“You’d think you’d remember a planet like this,” Darrak growled.
“Planets are diverse.” The gray Valkyrie refuted, “Let’s not look at things at face-value, Master Dwarf. After all, wellsprings tend to be underground. Let’s have a look around, shall we?”
“If you say so,” Henden clearly would have preferred to skip this planet, “But keep your weapons at the ready. I don’t like the looks of this place.”
“Agreed,” Darrak drew his blade, “Lead the way, Master Valkyrie.”
Vydar scoffed, turning and walking onward. Moving single file, the group trekked their way further away from the ship. Visibility remained low, and the wind never let up for a second, but the group could not risk missing the wellsprings so they carried on regardless of the conditions. Time passed them by, the long walk yielding no such success. After a while, Vydar stopped and faced the nearby cliffs.
“It’d be easier if we went down there.” He said, “We could see if there are any tunnels in the cliffs.”
“That’s unbelievably dangerous.” Henden pointed out.
“And our mission is unbelievably vital,” Vydar replied coolly, “Besides, most of us can fly.”
The Valkyrie unfurled his wings, which he had kept wrapped around him like a cloak to fend off the winds. His feathers bristled in the savage weather. Valkyrie had big wings, and Henden’s smaller wings, although strong, were clearly outmatched.
“Well,” The Sentinel excused himself, “You can fly better than I can in this weather… you go check it out.”
“You’re expendable. You go.” Vydar retorted.
“He’s got a point.” Sonlen agreed, seemingly enjoying the exchange he was exempt from, “You’re the lowest ranked flier, Sentinel.”
Henden gulped but didn’t argue. Eltahale knew that he couldn’t convince anyone to have Vydar risk his life over such an important job, and that Henden certainly wouldn’t let Jandar take his place. Hate it as he did, the Sentinel inched towards the cliffs, the wind battering at his back. Watching him go, Eltahale stayed near Jandar, in case anyone was going to try anything funny.
Finally Henden leapt from the edge and dove over the canyon, spreading his wings and struggling to stay afloat in the nasty weather. Wind battered his sides, the gales churning and swirling all around him, but as he fell he began to master their currents. Swooping down low, the Sentinel scanned the edges of the cliffs, trying to find anything suspicious that could be housing a wellspring.
Eltahale knew that the chances were grim. This was a big planet, and it had taken thousands of years for the Kyrie to discover even a single wellspring. But if Henden spotted something that wasn’t green down there, then there was still a glimmer of hope. Flying back up to the group, the Sentinel reported his findings as he swerved around to take another dive.
“Was there any green in your vision? Any green earth at all?” He shouted over the noisy squall.
“No.” Vydar yelled, “There wasn’t any green in my vision.”
“Well then we’re wasting our time here!” Henden replied, “All I see is green down there! The sediments, the rocks, it’s all green just the same! Ah!”
The wind redoubled its efforts to crash the Kyrie, his wings unable to fight back as they exhausted themselves. The tempests picked back up, flinging the Sentinel around in the air like a ragdoll. He was in trouble now.
“Henden!” Jandar spread his wings, the gales beating down upon them. Eltahale put her hand on the Valkyrie’s shoulder, shaking her head. She would handle this.
“Ack!” The mighty tempests blew this way and that, the wind whipping against all of them. Sonlen pulled his hood down over his head, holding onto his dragon so it would not fall. Darrak ducked down, keeping his compact body as close to the earth as possible. Eltahale ran out to the edge of the cliff, not caring about the weather. Reaching out as Henden passed by, the Goliath grabbed his Shield of Valor, holding on with all her might. And mighty she was.
“Get me closer!” Henden shouted, kicking out his legs and digging his feet into the cliff side as Eltahale reeled him in. The winds pulled at him, playing a deadly game of tug-of-war. Eltahale dug in, braced herself, and yanked her ally over the edge of the cliff once again, pulling him to safety. As soon as he hit the ground, Henden ducked his wings down, grounding himself for good.
“Whew! Haha…” He murmured, “Thanks, Eltahale…”
Eltahale kneeled down next to him, still holding onto his shield for good measure.
“Watch out!!” Darrak shouted out of the blue. The earth behind Henden burst apart in an instant, a giant wormy monster shooting out of the ground from beneath it and snatching Henden by the legs. It was a good thing Eltahale was still holding onto the Sentinel’s shield, because it was clear that the planet was not ready to give him up just yet.
“Graw!” More worms sprouted from the ground all around them, snapping at the group and trying to pull them under. Luckily everyone was armed. Vydar whipped out his Desert Eagles, open firing onto the monsters, blowing apart their heads one shot at a time. Yet more popped up with each round fired.
“We’re outta here!” The Valkyrie shouted, “Everyone back to the ship!”
Everyone turned and bolted, rushing back from whence they came as fast as they were able. Eltahale and Henden were stuck where they were at, however, the Goliath refusing to let go of her partner, and the worm refusing to let go of his legs.
“C’mon Eltahale!” Vydar shouted at her as he retreated, “Move it or lose it, sister!”
Eltahale refused to budge, gritting her teeth and fighting back at the beast. Henden grimaced, wincing with pain as the worm tore at him. Glaring back at Eltahale, he looked down at the Shield of Valor in her hands.
“Take it and go!” He shouted, “There’s no one protecting Jandar right now! Just take it and go! Go!”
As if on que, his hands slipped, releasing the shield. Eltahale stumbled back and fell over, the worm biting down and yanking Henden over the cliff and out of sight. He was gone.
Eltahale was alone now, surrounded by more of the hungry beasts. She glared at them angrily, rising to her feet and ditching her shield in favor of Henden’s. As the first worm lunged for her, she pummeled it back with the Shield of Valor, its impenetrable steel breaking the monster’s teeth and knocking it down. Electricity sparked all around her, currents of lighting coursing through her blade. Taking one step further, the Goliath vanished and reappeared on top of another worm, blasting it to bits with her enraged magic.
The other creatures dove for her, Eltahale turning and ramming into them. More electricity coursed trough her sword, arcing from one worm to another. Her blade cut through them like butter, her shield was unbreachable. The magic she summoned with her every movement zapped the worms out of existence. It burned her skin in its excess, but she did not care.
Finally she was surrounded by corpses, the remainder of the beasts gone and fleeing. Falling to her knees, she pummeled the ground with her shield, denting the dirt with each blow. But she could not stay and grieve. Jandar needed her. She needed to get back to the ship. The mission had to continue.
3. The Planet
“By the Nine, you’re alive!” Sonlen exclaimed as Eltahale boarded the ship. The Elf’s eyes fell to her new shield, and he bit his lip, “Henden… he…”
The Goliath merely shook her head and walked over to Jandar, vigilantly guarding him once again. Sonlen and Darrak pulled back their hoods, staring down at the ground in respect for the lost Sentinel. Vydar didn’t seem to care, or he was hiding his grief. Like with his people, the death had in many ways been his fault, but if he started blaming himself now, he would go mad.
“I’ll set a course around the planet,” He broke the silence, “And then we’ll be back on track. I’m—er, I’m sorry, Eltahale, Jandar. He was a good man.”
“He was,” Jandar had mourned far too much over the course of the war already to be stricken now, “He was…”
That was all he had to say, or all he could muster, anyway. It was all that needed to be said. He was gone. It happened in war. They had to move on. There would be time for mourning when Utgar was defeated once and for all. All the needless death stemmed from him, anyway.
Vydar turned his back to the others, fiddling with the controls. Before long the ship rose back up and continued on its course. Once the chart was set, the Valkyrie turned and skulked out of the room. Sonlen nodded his condolences and left as well.
“I… well…” Darrak stuttered to the Jandarians, the lines along his face deepening with his exasperation and sorrow, “Sorry.”
The Dwarf turned and left hastily. Eltahale had seen him show his heart from behind his pessimism only once before, when they had been betrayed fresh out of the Underdark by Vydar’s forces. It had been needless death then, and it was needless death now. No reason was given to those left behind.
---
“The Marro have finally shown their ugly faces. Eight thousand of them.” Drake announced. He stood atop the castle walls to the Alliance’s greatest fortress. General Ullar, and a host of Protectors and Marines stood around him as they stared out toward the horizon. It was a horizon littered with the hordes of the enemy.
“It’s been a good, long time since we last kicked their asses.” Ullar agreed, looking through a spyglass at the advancing armies, “They’re coming. They’ll be here soon. Let’s pray that Jandar summons those reinforcements before they get here.”
“He will.” Drake replied, “I know he will. All right men, get to your positions. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
The Marro hordes ceased their march as they reunited with the Undead army. They were the regenerating regiments, so they’d be on the front lines. Cyprien headed the Undead legions, looking at the Marro before him. Tul-Bak-Ra headed this army.
“You’ve been busy, I see.” The count greeted, dismounting his skeletal horse.
“We are Utgar’s backbone.” The Marro Overlord replied, “The Alliance will not last the night.”
Cyprien scoffed, “The enemy is heavily fortified. Are you sure we can breach their defenses?”
“Fear not,” Tul-Bak-Ra assured him, “Once our double-agent destroys Jandar aboard that ship, there will be no reinforcements for them. We will overrun them.”
The vampire had no such faith in the Marro, “Will your agent succeed?”
Tul-Bak-Ra’s bio-armor sparked, his eyes rolling up into his skull as he communicated with his spy, “Yes… yes he will… I’m sure of it.”
---
The lights slowly brightened as the night waned. Eltahale and Jandar slowly rose and left their room. Neither had slept that night, the previous day’s events too much to rest on.
“I will not sleep tonight,” Jandar had told the Goliath, “I cannot rest so easily while another man lies dead.”
He would get no sleep this night either. The speakers buzzed, Vydar’s voice echoing through the halls.
“Jandar… you’d better come here quick…” It sounded urgent.
Darrak was dead, dead just the same as Retiarius had been. Sonlen and Vydar were in his room already, staring gloomily at his lifeless body when Jandar and Eltahale came in. The gray Valkyrie looked over as Jandar entered, looking very sickly.
“The killer…” He said, “It’s not…”
He didn’t have to finish for Eltahale to know that he had hoped that it was Henden who had killed Retiarius. Now she too felt sick to her stomach. Sick for ever thinking that it could have been Henden even for a second. He had not suspected her, but she still couldn’t bring herself to trust him. A second pang resounded throughout her body with the realization that the killer was still at large.
“That’s it…” Vydar concluded, “Only Jandar and I will be going down to the planet once we reach it.”
“Once we reach it?” Sonlen questioned.
“Yes.” The General confirmed, “It was in the ship’s sights this morning. We’ll be there shortly. I know it’s the right one this time. It matches the color perfectly. Red. It’s all red.”
“We will bring the others.” Jandar decided.
“What!?” Vydar exclaimed, “How could you risk such a thing?”
“Because whatever might be on that planet could be far more dangerous than this killer.” Jandar explained, “We don’t know what’s down there, just like last time, and we need protection while we’re using the wellsprings.”
Eltahale was unsure about the decision, but she needed to protect Jandar, so it was all the same to her. Sonlen stared wearily at all the others, one hand on his crossbow, looking distrustfully at them all, even Jandar. Vydar too was glaring at Eltahale and the Elf, clearly suspecting them both equally.
“Well then,” he spoke softly, his hands brushing the sides of his pistol holsters, “Let’s go take a look.”
---
“Fire catapults!” Ullar shouted, a hail of flaming stones following his commands and raining down upon the advancing hordes. Utgar’s army was within firing range and advancing, getting closer to the walls with each passing second. Soldiers from every corner of Valhalla were gathered here, all to decide the outcome of the war. Amidst all the diversity, the Marro stood out above all others, littering the ground below.
“There’s so many…” The Valkyrie muttered, “We never should have given them the time to breed such an army. Damn! Hurry it up, Jandar!”
“Hold the wall!” Drake shouted amidst the gunfire and roars of battle, “Mow them all down! Hold your positions!”
With no wellsprings, every lost soldier carried a heavy weight to him. They had to make every arrow, ever bullet, every man count. It was now or never—should their defense falter, the Alliance would be doomed.
“Move it!” Cyprien barked at his minions as they advanced, “Get to that wall! Get those ladders up there! Kill those archers!”
The vampire’s eyes fell upon Drake and Ullar, firing down from atop the highest wall, “Drake… So you’re in charge here? Allow me to promote your second-in-command.”
The vampire took off into the air, sailing straight for the top of the castle, his army charging the wall right below, heaving ladders up upon its battlements. The soldiers atop the wall drew their swords and the battle began.
---
The ship’s door opened up, revealing the planet below. It was a desolate red planet, not foggy like the other but crisp and sharp. Countless craters and crags littered the horizon, the ground not exactly friendly for walking on. But Vydar insisted that the terrain from his vision had been red, and that surely this was the world they were searching for. Loading his Desert Eagles, the Valkyrie turned over his shoulder as he led the way.
“This is truly it.” He declared, “I can feel it. Keep close and follow me.”
With that, he turned and walked onward, Jandar following not too far behind. Eltahale stuck close to her leader, Sonlen keeping up the rear. The Goliath didn’t like having her back to the Elf, let alone anyone, but she needed to stay adjacent to her General, shield at the ready.
The blood-red terrain cracked under her boots, the dry terrain spiky but not durable. It made for a long walk, the tension between them offering little comfort. Everyone grasped their weapons tightly in their hands, Vydar in particular. Eltahale could tell that he did not trust her or Sonlen for a second, that if they even blinked out of line he would shoot them for the sake of the mission. She too was weary, but unsure. Sonlen’s dragon squawked loudly, making everyone jump. Vydar turned and glared at the Archmage.
“At ease…” Sonlen assured him, shielding his pet, “Let’s keep moving.”
Vydar looked at Jandar, who nodded, and the group continued on their trek through the terrain. Slowly the ship to their backs faded out of sight, concealed by their distance. No sign of the wellsprings yet.
“We must move faster,” Jandar finally said, “Our success is needed back on Valhalla.”
“Don’t you worry,” Vydar replied, “I believe our prize is right over there.”
The Valkyrie pointed ahead, where only a few hundred feet away a cluster of blue dots was sprinkled in the distance. Their bright blue hue contrasted with the deep red of the surroundings, giving away their position from afar. Make no mistake, they had to be the wellsprings. On the surface, rare for sure, but wellsprings nonetheless! And so many of them as well—surely now Valhalla was saved! For a second, everyone forgot about the imminent threat of the killer and rushed down to meet the bright blue holy waters. Jandar ducked down to the first one he could reach, dipping in his hands, causing him to glow a shade of indigo.
“Ah!” He gasped, “These are wellsprings… We’re here at last! At last!”
“By the Nine!” Sonlen stooped to one knee, “Valhalla is saved!”
“At long last…” Vydar mused.
Eltahale met her Valkyrie, getting down next to him and staring into the deep sparkling pools. They each formed in a separate crater, each perfectly clear and still. The water rippled repeatedly like a ticking clock, a strange hypnotic vibe coming from them. Yet Jandar mastered and channeled these waters, native to their ways. Truly indeed, only a Valkyrie could use these to their fullest potential. Only the Valkyrie could summon armies with them.
---
“Incoming!” A sentry shouted, cut short by Cyprien grabbing his neck and draining all the life and color from him. Dropping the dead soldier, the vampire lunged forth and barreled into Drake. The two rolled up, the Sergeant drawing his pistol and emptying the clip into the vampire. Cyprien’s speed was too much, however, the Undead lord drawing his twin blades and deflecting the rounds at lightning speed.
“Fine!” Drake threw aside the useless weapon, drawing his sword, “There’s only one proper way to deal with you, anyway.”
“Only one way?” Cyprien smiled craftily, “I don’t see any silver on you…”
A bolt flew through the air, puncturing the vampire’s armor. Ullar pulled back the repeating-mechanism on his crossbow, loading another shot, “I’ve got some.”
A bright flash of violet lighting crashed down behind the Valkyrie, yielding Tul-Bak-Ra in its wake, “Not so fast, Ullar of Ekstrom. You’ve got bigger problems than Cyprien right now.”
“So, two versus two, is it?” Ullar turned his attention to the Overlord.
“Fine by me,” Drake grinned, “I was thinking decapitation for the vampire anyway. It’s how it worked in the book I read.”
Cyprien twirled his blades, “I’m not from any book on your world, Human.”
“Well, I for one won’t mention you when I get back!” Drake leapt into action, the four of them duking it out atop the castle wall. Cyprien lunged back and forth, stabbing, slashing, kicking, and attempting to catch Drake off guard to drain him dry. The Sergeant refused to yield, matching even the vampire in terms of speed and agility. Meanwhile Ullar and Tul-Bak-Ra battled with equal fervor. The Valkyrie had not been forced to fight in quite some time, but a worthy opponent he was, ducking back and forth, getting in any spare shot he could at the Marro Overlord. With every wound he took, however, Tul-Bak-Ra continuously teleported more Marro on top of the wall, making sure the fight was never a simple one versus one.
Finally Drake got the upper hand, swinging his katana underhand and uppercutting Cyprien, leaving a deep gash across his armor. The vampire flew back, falling to one knee and clutching the wound. Drake wasted no time, opting to aid his friend rather than finish off the enemy. The Sergeant jumped to the side, grabbing his discarded pistol and reloading it, turning and firing upon Tul-Bak-Ra’s minions. As the Marro were dispatched, Ullar kicked the Overlord away and fired another bolt into his thick skin.
“Gah!” Tul-Bak-Ra also fell to one knee, breathing heavily. Ullar and Drake reloaded and prepared to fire again.
“You think you’ve won?” The Marro spat, “Look around you! Your men cannot hold out forever! You think you’ve got the upper hand, just because your precious leader is out searching for more wellsprings?”
“How did you know that?” Ullar demanded.
Tul-Bak-Ra chuckled between his pained gasps for breath, “Your trump card is our trump card. You think you have reinforcements on the way? No… it is Utgar who will receive backup! I can feel his presence now… upon that planet… he carries one of your amulets.”
“What!?” Ullar exclaimed, suddenly turning quite pale.
“Yes… he is turning now. He is one of us. The Marro will rule this day. Here… and there. Our only job is to give his new armies a warm welcome. Throw open the gates!”
With that, the Overlord summoned a host of new Marro minions, himself suddenly vanishing in another burst of lightning and reappearing down below at the castle door. Tul-Bak-Ra clutched his helmet, the guards around him falling all at once to his psychic powers. With his telekinetic arms the Marro opened the gates in one swift motion, the legions of Utgar pouring into the castle’s courtyard and swarming all around.
“No!” Drake lunged, cut off by the Marro Tul-Bak-Ra had left behind. Cyprien got back to his feet, barreling into Ullar and initiating a second battle. From below, Tul-Bak-Ra grinned as he watched his armies pour into the fortress, clashing with the last Allied army on Valhalla.
“It is all over now…” He chortled.
---
“Let us waste no time.” Jandar got over his initial excitement, “I have work to do.”
He dipped his arms further into the wellspring, closing his eyes and continuing to glow, searching the heavens for warriors to send to Valhalla. He didn’t get very far.
Bang!!! Bang bang!!!
In an instant Sonlen fell, Jandar turning only to have a bullet fly through his chest. Eltahale jumped up and faced her attacker, only to have another round pierce her leg, causing her to fall over onto the ground.
Vydar stood before them, holding forth his Desert Eagles, grinning brightly. The barrels of the pistols smoked, the sound of the gunshots still ringing through the air. Jandar stared at him in disbelief, as did Eltahale. They had been betrayed by the Valkyrie twice over now.
“You… why?” He gasped.
“Because I had the opportunity.” Vydar replied, keeping his weapons trained on the wounded Valkyrie, “I had the chance to stop you from winning the war. After Bleakewoode fell, Utgar’s time was short, and he needed to build fresh Marro armies before the Alliance came in and smashed him. This was the perfect opportunity to get you to cancel your attack plans, to kill you Allied Valkyrie, and for me to summon fresh armies for Utgar. ‘Twas unfortunate you were the only Valkyrie foolish enough to trust me, but I’ve taken care of the other stand-ins, and with the wellsprings at my disposal the other Valkyrie won’t last too long anyhow.”
“I trusted you…” Jandar moaned, “I trusted you…”
Vydar gleamed, “Yes, you always were too trusting. But don’t blame yourself… well, actually yes. Blame yourself. Fool me twice, and all that.”
Eltahale glared at Vydar with rage. He had already betrayed her after the Underdark. Now he had tricked them again, and he was smiling about it. He killed Retiarius. He killed Darrak. It was his fault that Henden was dead. And now he planned to kill Jandar and wipe out the Alliance. She had been wrong about him. He hid nothing within himself. He harbored no grief. His words meant nothing. He wasn’t worth saving.
“Now. Enough talk,” Vydar said, “I just wanted to see your reaction before I killed you, and to give you a message from Utgar: he wins. Now I’ve got armies to summon. You’ve all got to go.”
He raised his pistols once more. Eltahale’s eyes widened.
“
No!” She shouted, bearing down on her injured leg and diving in front of Jandar, doing what she had been trained to do. Vydar saw her move and fired.
Bang!!! Splat!
The .50 caliber round hit Eltahale’s Shield of Valor, panging up against it loudly. The shield reverberated violently but did not give, just as Henden predicted. Instead it ricocheted back, going straight through Vydar’s head. The Valkyrie straightened up and fell back, a clean hole showing right in his forehead. The gunshot echoed, the shield finally going still. Eltahale looked up, seeing the deadly exchange, and back at Jandar. She had only been shot in the leg, but Vydar had shot the blue General in the chest, leaving a large wound in its wake. He was bleeding heavily, and going fast.
“Eltahale…” He coughed, “Thank you…”
“
Grghgrrrrghgrgh…” A disgusting noise sputtered from behind them. Eltahale whirled around, looking at the source of the racket. From the hole in Vydar’s head, fleshy stems sprouted, weaving about in the air as if he had some kind of alien inside his skull. The dead Valkyrie’s limbs shuddered, picking up his body and bending back like a spider. Eltahale could hear his bones breaking and his flesh moving about inside his body.
Finally Vydar’s corpse burst open, sinew and muscle forming up from the wreckage of his body. Its wings were no longer feathers but flesh and bone combined. Its eyes glowed brightly, its skinless form hulking up and standing upright. A bright green amulet was sunken into its chest like a heart, not worn around the neck but physically fused into its body. It was a Marro monster, built from what was once Vydar.
It all made sense now. The Valkyrie’s sudden turn against the Alliance. The General’s motives against the crew and the mission. Vydar’s true self was long dead—Eltahale had never known him. This was what he had truly been, a puppet to the Marro and to Utgar.
“I am Vy-Gar-Ra.” It spattered from what one would suppose its mouth was, “Valkyrie no more. Come and die, lone Goliath. If your legs can carry you that far.”
Eltahale raised her sword and shield, preparing for battle. She didn’t need her legs. Taking one step forth, the Goliath teleported in an instant, falling down atop the Marro monster in a burst of electricity.
“Gah!” Vy-Gar-Ra roared, unprepared for the attack but nonetheless beefy enough to survive it. It reached back and grabbed Eltahale, throwing her to the ground and trying to stomp her. Rolling out of the way, the Goliath managed to avoid each attack and get back up, slicing the monster’s leg across with her blade and blocking its incoming fist with her shield.
Clang!
“Agh!” Vy-Gar-Ra wailed, holding its throbbing hand and backing off. Opting once again to Thunder Step, Eltahale teleported onto the beast, ignoring the pain coursing through her body as she overexerted herself. Her blade sank into its skin again and again as she stabbed it, Vy-Gar-Ra stumbling about in a fit of rage and pain.
Suddenly, it flared up its great fleshy wings, taking off into the air and bucking her off. Eltahale fell to the ground, but not before getting in one last jab into the monster’s eye. She struck the earth hard, unable to get up this time.
Vy-Gar-Ra screamed in agony, wrenching the blade from its eye and throwing it aside, glaring down at the Goliath with vengeful intent. Eltahale stared back up at the monster, out of energy.
“You die first,” Vy-Gar-Ra rumbled, “Then your precious General. You have failed in your mission, Warden. You are, and will be, the first and
last Goliath of Valhalla. Perish alone!”
The Marro Valkyrie dove down, about to stomp Eltahale out of existence. Before it could succeed, however, a bright green bolt shot through the air, going straight through the monster’s back and bursting out of its chest. The amulet embedded in its sternum shattered as the bolt pierced it.
“
GRAAAH!!!” Vy-Gar-Ra shrieked, the bolt altering its course in midair and sending it flying off to the side, crashing into the ground. Eltahale could not believe her eyes: the missile had killed it instantly.
“Got you, you bastard…” Sonlen gasped, holding forth his crossbow, breathing heavily. He too had been shot, but he was not dead yet, certainly having made the most out of the Bolt of the Witherwood Ullar had given him. Eltahale struggled to get up, crawling over to the Elf, who fended her away.
“No. To Jandar.” He instructed strictly, turning to his little dragon as it circled him, “You don’t have time to save us both, little guy. Heal the General.”
The pet obeyed, turning and flying over to Jandar, landing upon his shoulder and beginning to heal him with some strange magic. It was minor, and not enough to spare his life, but it bought time. And time was of the essence. Sonlen smiled as he watched his pet work its wonders, finally collapsing down and giving into his gunshot wound.
Eltahale too crawled over to her General, putting a supportive hand on his shoulder. He smiled weakly at her, thankful for her presence.
“Thank you.” He said softly, “You saved my life, and gave Sonlen the ample time he needed to slay that monster. Valhalla owes you.”
She merely nodded. There was no time for drawn out speeches now.
“I’m not gonna make it,” Jandar stared down intently at the wellspring, “But I still have time to do my work—to summon to Valhalla the mightiest army Utgar has ever seen. The old wellsprings dried up as I turned to them. Now I can bring them through. Take the ship when I’m gone. Go to Ullar and the other Generals. You still have a life to live.”
With that last note, the Valkyrie dipped his arms into the pool, reaching out into the stars and finding his army. Eltahale sat by him, and kept him company while he did his final work.
---
“My connection… has been severed.” Tul-Bak-Ra stammered, “Vy-Gar-Ra… is dead? No, my brother, it cannot be!”
From within the recesses of the castle, a bright blue portal opened up, the kind every summoned warrior had seen once when they came to Valhalla. It shone brightly in front of all the soldiers in the courtyard, momentarily stopping the battle. Cyprien backed away from Drake and Ullar, looking at it with a bright toothy grin.
“You did it, Tul-Bak-Ra?” He asked, looking down at his ally.
Tul-Bak-Ra remained silent, with a shocked look on his face. As he stood dumbfounded, he slowly began backing up, legs trembling. Cyprien’s smile faded.
“Charge!!!” A huge hulking humanoid rushed from the portal, holding forth a greatsword. Those of the Underdark knew his kind: the Goliaths were here, fighting for the Alliance! An entire legion of them poured from the portal, barreling into Utgar’s confused ranks. The soldiers of the Alliance roared with a renewed morale and followed close by, trampling the enemy underfoot as their ranks broke.
“Tul-Bak-Ra?” Cyprien asked again, slowly backing off himself, “
Tul-Bak-Ra!?”
Tul-Bak-Ra stumbled back out the gate, turning and running away as fast as his legs could carry him, too panicked to even remember he could teleport. As the firstmost and mightiest Goliath overtook the Overlord, he swung his mighty sword and lopped off the Marro’s head in one fell swoop. The Alliance poured out of the castle, charging Utgar’s ranks head on.
“Jandar!!!” Drake and Ullar cheered, Cyprien staring around him at the destruction of his armies. He couldn’t believe it. Utgar wouldn’t believe it. It was all collapsing around him. For the first time in his life, Cyprien feared something other than Utgar. He feared Jandar, the Alliance, the Goliaths. And he feared for his life. The vampire took off, flying away as fast as he could, never looking back once.
Just like that, it was over. Utgar sat in his throne room, watching the battle from a magic pool in front of him. He watched his forces fall apart. He watched his highest-ranked officer run for his life. He watched fresh Jandarian armies pouring out of the castle. He glared at the pool, finally turning to Kee-Mo-Shi beside him. The Marro had nothing to say, no excuse to offer him to calm his rage. This would do instead.
“
Hiyah!!!” Utgar seized his sword, swinging it across and cutting off the Warwitch’s head in one slice. Throwing the blade to the ground besides the decapitated corpse, the Valkyrie glared over at Isamu and his advisors. They wisely backed away, giving him space to fume. Utgar snorted, disgusted with their cowardice and incompetence, staring back down at the pool, soundly defeated.
---
Eltahale slung her shield over her back and sat down at the controls of the ship, Jandar and Sonlen’s bodies returned to their rooms. Sonlen’s dragon circled her, settling onto her shoulder. She took a while to figure out the controls, eventually getting the vessel to rise back up into the air and turn back towards Valhalla. They had accomplished their mission. It was time to go home.
May 3rd, 2015, 02:23 AM
Story time with TAF
TAF was the Storyteller... 
). The Friend raises his head once more. 
Usually I'll try to think of a concept and some characters before I start, but other than that I typically wing it, give it some time to sit before starting again, and repeat. A lot more time spent thinking than writing--this one took a while for me to come up with anything good. 
New Prompt!
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