Evalyce: Worldshaper Vol. 2 Lady of Wolves

Dashkele si'kituk

Carginov's Peak, Dashmar, Evalyce, Year of the Mythril Serpent, 2014 CE

Kalla followed Vander and Nikolai as they approached the mountain hold of the Dashmari Emperor. Nearby a massive waterfall rumbled, drowning out all efforts to talk to one another aloud. Aleister and Kasai walked behind her, neatly boxing the Healer in between the four of them. The Fox had used his brand of magick to turn Vander's mane black and his eyes a bright emerald green. If one didn't know better, they might think he and the Healer were siblings. The two Arkaddians now had lighter skin and a brown mane and ears. All were dressed in the uniforms of the Donnerkeil. According to Nikolai, there were female members, so Kalla's presence wasn't a big deal.

Following Nikolai's lead, they stopped at the entrance and saluted the guards. They were regarded suspiciously for a moment and Kalla breathed a sigh of relief when the guards finally waved them through.

The group entered the Thunder Warrens. Underground waterfalls echoed the monster outside, creating a roaring cacophony that rolled like thunder throughout the caverns. Nikolai and Vander led them through the tunnels, occasionally stopping to salute what Kalla assumed were senior officers. Deeper in the caverns, torches lit the passageways, casting flickering shadows over the smooth-polished walls. They made it through the Thunder Warrens with no problems. Finally the noise from the falls receded and they entered the Blood Warrens. And met their first challenge. A burly soldier stood guard at the passageway they needed to traverse. He stopped them as they started to go down it.

"What business do you have here?" he growled out.

"A message for Emperor Kartoff," Nikolai replied.

"The Emperor is busy. Give me the message and I will make sure it gets to him."

"We need to deliver it in person. A spoken message, not a written one, concerning a possible challenge to his power," Vander said.

"Then you can wait until the Emperor is not busy. It must not be that important, if you will not pass it along," the soldier scowled.

"Oh, enough of this," Vander growled. With a gesture, he bound the soldier in coils of air and set a ward to silence his cries. Had it been left to him, the War Mage would have simply killed the soldier, but he didn't think Kalla would take kindly to that.

Stowing the guard in a side-room, they hurried down the corridor and into a large chamber lit with bonfires, set up as the communal dwellings were. At the farthest end of the vast cavern sat the Emperor. Drawing closer, Kalla studied the man who had managed to pull the packs together, however brutally. An older male whose black mane was streaked with flint-grey, he wore the uniform of the Donnerkeil, but had far more adornment. He had two thick wrist bracers, a thick bronze torc, rings on three fingers and a thin silver crown with a pair of leaping wolves that clasped a sapphire between their paws. A ruby pendant hung around his neck, glittering in the firelight. All of these items were enchanted by Artistry. Even the Emperor's boots were enchanted.

The man's face was set in harsh lines, his gaze restless and watchful. It honed in on them as they approached. Brown eyes narrowed, ears twitching back in a gesture of faint puzzlement before pricking forward. Vander and Nikolai stopped a good distance away from him and gave the gesture of supplication. Around them, other soldiers payed heed to the group without seeming to.

"Yes, soldier?" the Emperor asked. His voice was deep and gruff. Kalla pushed between the two in front of her, stepping closer to Kartoff. As she did so, Aleister dropped the illusion on the group as the War Mage wove shields around them. Gasps and the rustle of weapons greeted the change. Kalla held up a hand and the movement ceased.