Mark of the Fool
Chapter 626: War Comes

Eldin froze mid-knife stroke while the world trembled as though a titan was shaking it apart.

Monsters roared from outside.

People shouted.

Steps away, the Saint began to turn.

Knowing his chance was lost, the holy leader plunged back into the stone.

More pressing things now called him.

Earlier, when the Saint had asked for time alone, Eldin suspected the young man’s faith was being tested. As the day went on, he’d seemed more troubled. Distracted. He’d been more distracted from the time he’d spoken to the captive. When Merzhin had asked to be excused from sharing in Uldar’s bounty in the dining hall, saying he needed time apart for contemplation, Eldin feared that her influence was too strong, and was making the Saint question.

Izas had smiled, first nodding to Merzhin, then subtly to Eldin.

And the old killer had gone into the walls.

He’d followed at a distance; the young man had set a ward around himself, but Eldin had sensed it and stayed well out of range. Deep in the stone, he’d listened to the conversation between the young man and young woman.

He’d hoped Merzhin would make the right decision and hold firm to Uldar’s path.

But the boy hadn’t, confirming what he had to do.

The old priest’s knife-stroke had come quick and perfect.

Had it landed, red would have run from the Saint’s throat; his heart ratewould have plummeted, taking him near unconsciousness. In the brief time before his heartbeat stopped, Eldin would have partly healed the wound, then taken him down into the bowels of Uldar’s Rise where the First Apostle would have decided his fate.

But none of that was to be.

The quake that shook the escarpment seemed suspiciously timed. It had ruined both his blade-stroke and concentration, and allowed time for the Saint’s ward to warn him.

And while he was confident in his abilities, he wasn’t given to enough arrogance to have any grand illusions about his chances against a Hero of Uldar, especially a Saint who was warned and ready to fight. Not by himself, in any case.

And so, Eldin had quickly slid back into the stone.

Another quake shook the valley.

The old priest scowled.

Overtime, they’d grown complacent. Their plan had been a simple one; once the First Apostle had gathered the information he’d been seeking about the Traveller—information to determine if a new threat to Uldar was underway—then they’d planned to extract what they needed from Carey London and remove her from Uldar’s Rise.

They would have used her to set an ambush somewhere out in the countryside, then obliterate her and those searching for her, and quietly disappear back to the safety of Uldar’s Rise.

But before they could do any of that, it was now clear that they had been discovered.

The worst had happened.

Their secret enclave had been uncovered.

Now war had been brought to their doorstep.

Just as when Ravener-spawn had slain the Second Apostle.

He shook away those thoughts as he slipped through the stone. This was a time for action, not regrets.

Eldin emerged near one of the cloisters where a group of his soldiers were gathering.

“Where is the Third Apostle?” he asked the closest.

She looked up, startled. “He went to the battlements. We were just about to join him.”

“Later, I need you to come with me now,” Eldin said. “We need reinforcements for—”

Again, the ground rumbled.

A great beast roared from outside Uldar’s Rise.

“What is happening?” he demanded.

His agent’s face was grim as she reported the troubling events to him.

Some time earlier, an armed force had gathered beneath the rainy evening sky.

Watchers of Roal, mercenaries, and wizards had stepped from a fae gate near the place Carey was being held; girded for war and ready for whatever came. Armour clinked. Weapons bounced against hips. Folk looked grim.

And Alex Roth prayed.

“Traveller,” the Fool of Thameland whispered, standing under a tree with his hands clasped together. “If you can hear me, Hannah, give us any blessings you can spare…cuz I figure we’re going to need them.”

Around him, friends and companions prepared in their own way for what promised to be one of the greatest battles of their lives.

Some looked over spell books and made strategies.

Others checked weapons and stretched.

Some—like Claygon—simply stood among the trees, gazing in the direction of Carey’s captors’ lair. Raindrops dripped down the golem’s marble and metal surface.

Water vapour sizzled on Vesuvius’ shell as Tyris’ familiar stood beside the golem.

His master, however, had left him in the golem’s company as she talked quietly with Hart Redfletcher, seemingly catching up, perhaps wondering if this would be the last time they might be with each other. Whether they were having a conversation similar to the one Thundar and Drestra had had about stepping out together, Alex didn’t know, but right now, he had far graver things to occupy his thoughts.

The Sage and Thundar had left some time ago, shortly after she’d detailed a plan that would give their strike force an extra edge while making it even more lethal. She was off making final preparations for the plan even now.

Watcher Hill and her hand-picked infiltration unit had gathered in the centre of the growing formation. She and six other Watchers would be entering the target area; hopefully, finding Carey and Merzhinquickly, then Alex would teleport them out, bringing them all to safety.

Knowing the Saint’s symbol would be a problem when it started singing, Drestra had suggested a plan; Alex was to teleport in under invisibility with Cedric, and—using his staff—teleport everyone out without touching them. When Merzhins’s symbol began singing and the Saint started protesting—which he would—Cedric would simply slug the Saint unconscious, and Alex could then bring everyone out without delay.

They would deal with Merzhin later.

That part of the plan wasn’t exactly heavy on subtlety, but it was effective.

As for any other priests nearby?

Even if there were any around whose symbols started singing when Alex teleported into their midst, he’d be long gone well before they knew what was happening.

‘At least, I should be long gone, Traveller willing,’ he thought.

“Please,” he whispered. “Help us finish what you started, Hannah.”

A warmth spread through his chest, fighting the aversion that was still eager to settle in his mind. He could see the strain of fighting it on other faces, but if they were lucky, that would be the hardest battle they’d have today.

But somehow, he doubted it.

“Y’ready there, boy?” Cedric emerged from the woods, cracking his neck. “Feelin’ butterflies in your belly yet?”

“More like my skin’s gonna jump off,” Alex said, looking toward the direction Carey was being held. He was feeling a chill as rain continued falling, running down his face and hair and onto his cloak; no one dared cast any wind and rain shields, or any other spell that glowed.

“Aye, I’m feelin’ a wee touch o’ th’nerves m’self,” Cedric said, with a small uncomfortable grin. “Funny how I don’t feel no way about goin’ chargin’ through an army o’ Ravener-spawn, or right down a dungeon’s throat…but this…this is givin’ me the willies.”

“Yeah, same here,” Alex said. “If we are facing the church…there might be no coming back from this. They’ve been secreted away for Traveller-knows how long.”

“Aye,” Cedric said. “We could end up fightin’ Uldar.”

“I don’t think he’s there,” Alex said. “He wouldn’t need to resort to kidnapping and luring. But let’s say he is there, I’d almost welcome it; I’m tired of running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I want some answers.”

“Aye, we all do, at that.” Cedric’s morphic weapon transformed into aglaive. “Bloody hell, but c’ha know what? I almos’ gots as much excitement in me as nerves. We may be about t’do somethin’ that no one’s done in the history of the Ravener’s cycle. And—”

“Everybody! Listen up, we’re ready!” Watcher Hill called.

“—I guess we’ll be talkin’ about this after the battle,” Cedric said, his face looking tense. “That’s if things don’t end badly.”

Silence fell.

Without exception, everyone turned to Watcher Hill and the rest of the infiltration team flanking her. They were geared in light armour, staves and swords at the ready. Every face was like stone.

First, she looked over the entire group, mentally appraising them; with the addition of the expedition’s mercenaries and Watchers from Generasi, their number had swollen to half a hundred, and that didn’t include summoned monsters and the other forces from…contingency plans.

Watcher Hill looked to the fae gate next, no more forces were coming through.

“Seems we’re all assembled,” she said. “So I won’t waste any more time. We’d like to get this done before nightfall. All of you: I want you to stay here and be ready for anything. If anyone finds you, hold and interrogate them. Otherwise, remain here and stay alert. Alex Roth will be waiting for my signal should we find Carey and Merzhin without complication. But, If we’re discovered, we’ll send up a red flare. That’ll be time for the rest of you to join us in battle. Are we all clear on this?”

Murmurs, nods, and exclamations in the affirmative rippled through the gathered strike force.

She gave them a curt nod. “Then I won’t waste any more of Carey and Merzhin’s time on speeches and chit chat. None of you have my permission to die or be captured. Is that clear? May you have Roal’s strength. May we all.”

With that, she and her infiltration team took to the air, sheathing themselves in invisibility spells, then silently glided through the foliage toward their target.

Alex exchanged a look with Cedric. “And so it begins.”

“Aye, an’ so it begins,” the Chosen clapped the Fool on the shoulder. “I’ll go make sure Drestra’s ready.”

“I’ll gowatch for Hill and her team,” Alex said, casting invisibility on himself with his staff.

He began floating through the canopy in the pounding rain, focusing on their target in the distance. He watched for signs of Watcher Hill and found none.

Closing his eyes, he reached out with his mana senses.

Still nothing.

The Watchers were moving through the forest as silently as the gentlest breeze.

“Come on…” he whispered. “Come on…”

He had no idea how long he waited and watched, praying that—at any moment—he’d feel the tingle of teleportation magic. There was nothing to tell him how the infiltration team was doing; they were avoiding any communication since they had no idea what the enemies’ capabilities were.

And no desire to test them unnecessarily.

So, Alex waited and watched.

Below, the rest of the strike force also waited, poised, silent, and ready for anything. The day turned darker. The rain fell harder.

And then…

A flash in the distance, burning bright red.

The flare seemed to materialise from nowhere, soaring up and over the forest, abruptly rupturing, blazing in the sky.

“Red!” Alex cried. “The team’s in trouble! We’re going in!”

He flew down into the trees. “Drestra! You know what to do! Claygon, Vesuvius, Tyris, Hart! You’re the first ones in! Get ready!”

The four came together as Alex dispelled the invisibility magic on himself. He touched them.

Then activated the Traveller’s power.

For a second, he felt resistance: a ward of untold power brushed against the divine power of Hannah.

But, only for a breath.

In another breath, he was through.

And what greeted them almost made them freeze in place as they craned their necks looking up.

Towering high above all else, a titanic stone escarpment rose high into the sky, in the centre of a village nestled within a crater. Villagers swarmed like a dungeon teeming with Ravener-spawn; rushing toward a small group defending themselves under cover of a massive overturned statue of Uldar that was lying in a field just outside the village.

Watcher Hill and the infiltration teamcrouched behind the statue, firing spells at oncoming foes, but these adversarieswere no wild horde of monsters. They moved with the deadly precision of trained warriors, wielding crossbows and bolts of divine power.

They seemed like a match for the Watchers…and far outnumbered Hill’s team.

“I will…even the odds!” Claygon shouted, flying at the warriors as Alex swooped down beside Hill.

Things were bad.

One of the Watchers was dead, and two were wounded, bleeding heavily.

“What in all hells happened?” Alex cried.

Watcher Hill swore, launching a fireball at the enemy. “We made it through two wards and thought that was the end of them! But the tricky bastards had a third one hidden almost on top of the second! It tore apart our invisibility spells and next thing you know, we’re completely exposed—look out!”

Alex saw a bolt of divine fire arc from the village, whistling as it plunged toward the ground.

With a deep roar, and several earth-shaking steps, Vesuvius lumbered into its path. The holy flame burst, landing harmlessly, rippling across his shell. He responded, streaming jets of lava aimed at the village.

“I’ll get the wounded to safety! Hold tight, I’ll bring the others!” Alex cried.

Picking up the two wounded Watchers, Alex teleported back to the staging area. The strike force was already moving. Watchers were casting Planar Doorway, bringing their teams to the battle. More fighters were soaring toward the target.

Alex delivered the Watchers to a group of blood mages and turned to leave.

“Help them! I’m going back!” he shouted.

Raising his staff, he cast Planar Doorway, teleporting more strike force membersto the battle.

Ahead, an earth-shattering roar met his ears.

Drestra, in her true form, crashed through the invisible barrier. Thundar was perched between her wings, waving his mace above his horned head.

And behind them?

The contingency plan Drestra had told the strike force about. She’d brought it through the fae roads from the dungeon they’d found in Luthering. Insurance she planned to use against the enemy now that she’d mastered the dungeon core the petrifiers had so graciously left behind.

They flew behind her; an army of blood-draks, all created and controlled by the Sage of Uldar, followed closely.

Alex never thought he’d ever say he was glad to see Ravener-spawn, but here it was, he was not only glad, but thrilled to see them, particularly since they’d help eliminate sinister priests.

As Drestra cast an earth spell that rocked the very foundations below them, the Fool of Thameland teleported into battle.

It was time for these priests to finally meet Uldar’s fifth Hero.