The Guardians' Blade

“It’s quite obvious by now just what he is planning. I would suggest we send word to Shaylo and have our army mobilized against him.” Soryn halted before Mycol, who was sitting behind the oak desk.

“I will do what I can, but I think that we require more help this time as our resources are limited.” Mycol offered a smile to the tall warrior. He rose and moved to look at a map that was pinned to the wall behind the desk. “There are five known races in the Golden Realms. I feel that if all five are drawn into this conflict to protect their borders, we will be better off.” Mycol reached up a hand and pointed to each region in turn: “The rulers are King Frederick II of the men of Omar; King Alexander I of the Wood Krysalith; High King Meaglin of the Silvarians; then the Mar’quie tribes; and last of all,” his finger slipped up to the Drakebare mountains, “The Dragons of Drakebare.” He turned around to look at Soryn. “It is a great undertaking, and yet, I think it is time we started looking to the people instead of attempting to fight this on our own. I do not think the people are as blind as some think they are. This world belongs to the Shepherd King, and not all the races will have turned their backs on him.”

Soryn took this all in. He had to agree, Mycol was right. The Guardians were unfortunately losing strength, and they were not the sole Holy Order that existed. He frowned as he looked at the map for a very long moment. Then he said quietly, “I will need letters…”

“Already done.” Mycol returned to his desk and drew out several scrolls that he rested on the desk. He looked up and smiled at Soryn. “Take your friends along with you; I think they will learn something. And they may prove to be of assistance.”

Soryn had to grin as he watched the older Guardian put the scrolls into a saddlebag. “I get the sense that you are always one step ahead of most of us – keeping even the enemy guessing.”

Mycol smiled as he slowly sat down in his seat, than looked up at Soryn as he took the saddlebag. “I have dedicated my life to the service of the Shepherd King, but even I can see when things change. For us to succeed in this world, we must be willing to change and accept all of those around us. We are not the judges however, we are the Guardians who preserve a way of life that if not guarded well, will eventually fade away.”

Soryn listened to those words and nodded his head slightly as he slung it over his shoulder than gave his elder a stiff bow before he turned and strode out of his office. They had a lot of work to do, and quite a bit of land to cross, to try and rally the five races together as one united front against the Wolf King. Something surely that even the Wolf King did not suspect. He ran into Boar as he made his way to his quarters and motioned him in as he put the saddlebag down on his bed. “We’ll be heading out in the morning. Sir Wolfbane wants us to visit each of the races and try to get them to help us here at the pass.”

Boar blinked at this news and rubbed a thumb against his chin as he considered those words. “Really? Did he say what we were going to do about Dilbare?”

“I think right now the pass is far more pressing and important than that Fortress. If we let the Wolf King get the upper hand here, he’ll be able to pour his troops through the pass with ease. At the moment he has to use the Fortress, and that does not allow him to get the same number through as he might like.”

Boar mused over this and folded arms over his chest. “So we are to assume that the Wolf King is defiantly trying to invade through the pass than.”

“What else would he be doing?” Soryn looked up at Boar as he packed his other saddlebag.

The ex-shadow warrior shook his head slightly as he was at a loss, he himself could not think of any other reason for the Wolf King to attack the keep. It had to be simply and purely for the desire to invade. It was the only logical thing that made sense to either of them. “Right than well I better get packing as well.” Boar smiled slightly, before he turned and left Soryn to do the same.

Outside Serraria wandered slowly through the courtyard of the Keep, glancing up every so often to gaze at the twin pale moons that shone in the night sky. They were beautiful to look upon. A slight sound caused her to turn. She frowned as she saw Rakkath ease up over the far wall and look around. “Rakkath?” she called.

The Dark Krysalith blinked in a startled manner then smiled, showing off his white teeth. He came down the stone steps from the wall to where she stood and gave a slight little bow. “Little Wolf, you are here eh? Watching the stars perhaps?”

She had to smile; he was such an odd creature. When he called her by that name it made her feel warm inside. “I was looking at the moons to be exact. They are very clear tonight.” She looked up and he followed her gaze.

“Kari and Shimri,” he said after a moment, speaking the moon’s names. “Some say they are the protectors of this world, ancients from another place who helped to fashion it.”

“Is that what your people say?” she asked softly after a moment.

“My kin call them the eyes of the creator. They say he continues to look on upon his creation, hoping that we will not destroy ourselves but instead find our true calling.”

“What is that?”

“To look after this world as proper stewards and not greedily use up all of its resources until there is nothing left for this world to give.” Rakkath frowned as he folded arms over his chest.

“You think that the other races are being greedy and destroying this world?” Serraria asked.

“When one cannot live in harmony with the lands, then yes, the races of men are greedy, forcing the landscape to change to their liking and then complaining later when the rains stop and there is famine.” He looked over to the girl and reached over to lightly tug on one of her many braids. “But such things should not be of concern for a young one like you, eh?”

Serraria grinned and nodded, motioning towards the mess hall. “Come, I believe it is the time of the evening meal. Break some bread with me?”

“I would be delighted.” Rakkath fell in step with his young friend. She seemed so naive and innocent in some ways and yet more aware in other ways. He found this odd and yet intriguing. But he had yet to understand what was so special about this girl that the Wolf King was interested in whether she lived or died. In the Dining hall he joined the table of the rest of the Ranger companionship, along with the three Guardians that they had almost adopted into their group by now. Lady Dovelin was looking a bit tired as she joined them. She settled in a seat and was thankful as a warm plate of food was placed before her. She glanced over towards Soryn and asked softly. “We leave tomorrow then? Mycol mentioned that he had an errand he needed to send you on.”

Soryn inclined his head. “Aye, you are all welcome to join us if you wish, or you can remain here and help maintain the pass and keep it safe from the enemy.”

“I think I like the idea of coming along with you.” Kain stabbed at his chicken and glanced over at the Guardian and smiled slightly. “I feel a little out of place here in this Fort, even though you and yours have done everything to make me feel welcome.”

“That is quite alright.” Soryn nodded his head slightly as he reached for his goblet and took a decent sip from it. “I would be the same way, if I found myself in your city for a few days.” He looked over all the other’s at the table and stated clearly. “As Lady Dovelin has mentioned, we leave for Omar in the morning. So eat hearty than pack and go to bed, so we can be gone after dawn to make good time down out of the foothills.”

Serrerria grinned broadly, at the idea of going back down into the Golden Realms again. And it seemed they would be visiting the land of Men. Of course Kain, Tarn and Ryu had given her a bit of an insight into how Omarian’s were, but she felt they didn’t represent all of their people as they were very different in a sense. They had a desire for justice and wanted to stop DarkLords who threatened their people and land, among other things. She rubbed her hands together and got stuck into her meal happily.