Sons of Ironstorm - Book 4: Griffon's Stand

Chapter 17: Calling the Clans to War

"If memory serves, the clans have been united only thrice in our existence.

First time was during the power and light of the First Alliance,

drawn together to battle the darkness during the War of Shadow.

Second during the Cadremoor to throw off the Empire's yoke.

And last to stand, resolute, shoulder to shoulder against the pain and destruction

of the Return."

- from Master Koros' contribution to the muraan verbal histories 

To say Kem'gast was surprised to see them would've been an understatement of monumental proportions. Surprised to see them alive, that is. With Dani'cheris sending fleets of warships up the Horus filled with Tjor'riin soldiers in an attempt to destroy the river kingdoms that stood against her, the powerful war king of Ru'un fully expected his captain of the guard to be dead, along with the human Lawrence and his company. To see them not only alive but stepping out of a magical portal into the center of his throne room, profoundly affected the grim but resolved monarch.

Pushing aside his astonishment at first the appearance of the portal, the company that stepped through it, the armored piceans and the wondrous Weapon of Power, the muraan war king waved his Silver Lions back to step to Mram'met.

<It is very good to see you alive, my old friend,> Kem'gast chuffed, whiskers trembling with the force of his emotions as he pounded Mram'met comradely on the back with a clenched fist. <I did not want to go into war without my guard captain at my side.>

<I cannot abandon Ru'un, my lord. She is all that I have in this threatened world,> Mram'met rumbled as he stepped back from the embrace, Lawrence's sa'anish gateway collapsing in a storm of sound and light behind them. He took a quick glance around the throne room as the Silver Lions settled back to wary vigilance, the rest of Lawrence's company grouping loosely in the room's center to await the end of the discourse between the big muraan hunt leader and his king.

<I see not Gar'kast. Is your son with the army?> Kem'gast's muzzle wrinkled in the affirmative.

<He led my forces against my rebellious governors. He sent word yesterday of his victory and impending return to Ru'un'fa'ar within two days. Plenty of time to prepare for Dani'cheris' advance.> Almost against his will, Kem'gast's eyes drifted back to the thoughtful Lawrence, who now casually leaned against the dark staff in his hands.

<I see you and the human prince were successful in retrieving the Weapon of Power. That is the Weapon of Power, is it not?>

Mram'met's muzzle wrinkled in confirmation as he followed his liege lord's gaze.

<A journey fraught with more peril than we could've ever imagined, my lord > the powerful guard captain added. <Unfortunately we discovered other things more dire along with the Tree Staff.> In the succinct manner he often used in his reports, Mram'met then related what had happened to them after leaving Ru'un'fa'ar's harbour, complete with their joining forces with the picean pathfinder and Scion, Qo'sa, their strange travel into the mountain at the heart of the island of mirrors and their desperate flight from an enraged lord of the Abyss.

<Lord of the Abyss?> Kem'gast tore his eyes off of the armored piceans and the Tree Staff long enough to look over at the venerable shaman Koros, who stood near the throne with folded arms, listening impassively to Mram'met's terse report. <Does your Utterance speak of these giants, Koros?>