Kings Game

Chapter 96 - Burning Isles

(1)

Unlike before, there were no large meetings with all of the Champions and their commanders. There were no gatherings, no general instructions, and no vague overview of the mission as a whole. Instead, Merem was given orders from command and he passed them down to Roran and the others.

The armada was too big to launch an all out assault on the archipelago and there were too many people gathered there to make anything other than top down instructions effective. Roran, Kell, and Nul were given a map, their area of attack, and a list of signals to look out for. It would be Merem's job to get them into position, the rest would be up to them.

Despite the cold calculated nature of it, Roran preferred operating this way. He wasn't bumping elbows with anyone or stepping on anyone's feet. He simply had a starting point and a list. The rest was up to him and his comrades. He was free to improvise as desired.

"So, who do we get to kill?" asked Kell.

"Anyone that gets in our way," said Roran. They were standing in Merem's cabin, a map of the Esmun Capital splayed out on the navigator's table. The map didn't contain any targets or points of interest. It simply had a large 'X' and an arrow working its way through the streets to settle on a large castle.

"We go in here," Roran said, pointing to the 'X'. "And we work our way towards the castle, wiping out any troops that get in our way. The report says that we'll be running into both Esmun and Uhlaran forces, along with a handful of outlanders. Our main goal is to get to the castle. As best we can tell, Darling will be there."

"Or what's left of her," muttered Merem.

Kell ground her teeth while Roran shot him a dirty look.

"I think she's alive," he said. "If they'd killed her, they would have made a big show of it. King Usov probably wants to publicly execute her, but I think the Prime Minister is keeping her alive as a bargaining chip. We need to get her back before things fall apart and they start killing hostages. I'm also worried that, should they flee, they'll take her with them. We're going to rush the castle to make sure that doesn't happen."

"Simple and straightforward," said Kell. "I like this plan."

"How hard should I go?" asked Nul.

"I'd rather you didn't announce to the world that you have a blade. As best I can tell, nobody has figured it out. Keeping our blades hidden until we're ready to fight the Kings will give us an advantage. Having said that, Darling's safety comes before all else. If we get an opportunity to rescue her, don't hold back."

Nul nodded.

"You think it will be that easy?" asked Merem. "They're sending in every Champion available and Ahndor still looked nervous. Even you Champions are going to take losses."

"Yes," said Roran, "and that's why Ahndor is worried. This battle has already been decided. What remains to be seen is how many Champions we lose and how many important people escape."

"What do you mean?" asked Merem.

"The Esmun Republic attacked King's City because the Uhlaran Loyalists supported them and riled them up. Even if the Esmun Republic already intended to attack the Empire, it was Uhlara that lit the fire. If King Usov and the Prime Minister are able to escape to the outlands, they'll start this whole process over again. Only next time, the outlanders won't be sending a handful of ships to support the Esmun Republic, they'll be gathering entire fleets and mustering full armies. If this goes poorly, there is every chance that the rest of the world will turn against the Empire."

"Well, when you put it like that, there's no pressure," said Merem, grinning. "Working with you three has certainly been a barrel of rainbows."

"We're trained killers," said Kell. "What did you expect?"