Delver Magic III: Balance of Fate, Jeff Inlo [most popular ebook readers .txt] 📗

there’s a chance, I want you to be honest with me, as honest as you can be to your soldiers when their life is on the line. What do you believe will happen if the goblins move forward?”

Tevor bowed his head and looked at the snow covered ground. “I will order the cavalry to charge their weakest point which I believe is to the southwest. I believe if they concentrate their charge, they can break through the goblin line, though they will suffer a fair amount of casualties. I will also order them that once they break through to harass the enemy flank to the best of their ability, but if they come under heavy crossbow fire, which they will, I will tell them to retreat south then turn due east and head to the plains. Hopefully they can hook up with forces at Fort Nebran, and warn them of what went on here.”

“What about the rest of us here in the city?”

“I will order the infantry to remain entrenched and fight to the death, which I believe they will. That will hopefully cut deep into their numbers. At least they would if it were just goblins. So many shags out their have me worried. Those monsters can plow through our trenches with ease. That’s probably why they’re up front. I will have my best archers try to pick off the shags and that might help.”

“And if the hawks or the crows interfere with the archers?” Flisher asked.

“Let’s hope they don’t. In the end, even if we do cut into their numbers, there are still too many goblins to defeat. They will eventually overrun us and move into the city streets. If we get some luck with the shags and if the infantry can kill as many goblins as I hope they can, they might not want to venture further into the city where we can have the civilians armed and ready.”

“And what would happen if they didn’t stop?”

“They’ll wipe us all out,” Tevor answered solemnly.

The mayor heaved a heavy breath. “Even with all the hope in the world, you just admitted we can’t fight them off. In fact, you admitted we would be dooming our entire guard force.”

“As I said, we may be doomed anyway. At least, maybe we can get some of the cavalry out, and if we inflict enough loses, there may be some small hope that we can save the interior part of the city.”

“I’m sorry captain but that’s not good enough.” Mayor Helen Flisher made a final decision quickly. “I want you to pull your infantry back, but you may leave the cavalry where they are. We will raise a white flag and send out four unarmed riders in each direction of the compass to stop just before they reach where the shags are positioned. Ask for volunteers, they might not come back alive. If they are approached, they are to tell the invaders we surrender, but that we have women and children and we need to understand their terms. They are to ask for representatives to come to the city’s border. I will then meet with them so they can deliver their terms directly to me so I can have them followed out. If they will not let us surrender, we will know then. At that point, you can order your cavalry to make an attempt to escape to the southwest. The rest of us will all fall back to the city center and fight together, to the death if that’s what happens.”

Captain Tevor knew there was no point in debating. “I’ll see to it.”

#

Immediately after Ryson left with the dogs for a romp in the snow, Holli turned to the wizard with an expectant look.

“You know something, don’t you?” she asked.

Enin looked to the floor with a grim expression.

“Ryson is destined for more challenges,” he said with a hollow ring.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” Holli quickly responded. “I already know Ryson has yet another moment that he must face that is probably important to us all. I gathered that from your discussion with Linda when she asked you to warn Tabris. This doesn’t have to do with Ryson. Something else is happening that’s weighing on you, something that is happening right now, something that is very bad. You have the power to stop whatever it is, but you believe such an act would be a mistake. Am I correct?”

“You are. I have always acknowledged your perception, and it appears to be serving you well yet again.”

“We’re all going to find out what this is, that’s why you told Ryson. We’re going to eventually hear about this and you knew he would wonder why you didn’t do anything to prevent it. Whatever it is, it must be rather large in scope.”

“It is,” Enin acknowledged. “With Tabris’ help, Sazar is about to take Connel.

Holli considered this news carefully. “This does not bode well for anyone in this region. A city that large in the hands of a serp and a sorceress has treacherous consequences. All of the elf camps in Dark Spruce will view this as a major shift. Normally, goblins would keep to the cover of the trees and thus were more of a threat to my kind then the humans, but not anymore. Connel is a gateway to the plains of the east and the human farms. There are forts to the east, but the goblins will simply avoid them. This will be clearly viewed as a start to a goblin-human war. Will you do nothing to prevent it?”

“I believe there is little I can do.”

“No,” Holli stated clearly and without hesitation. “There is little you are willing to do. There is a difference.”

“Didn’t you hear what I told Ryson?” Enin shot back. “Anything I do is an open invitation for Baannat to act in an opposing fashion. If I interfere here, where will he interfere?”

“Let us leave Baannat for a moment and talk about you. Whether you wish to admit it or not, Ryson was right. You have acted in the past. You have even possibly interfered, but perhaps you just don’t realize it. Every time a spell caster comes here seeking guidance from you and you give it, you have inserted yourself in what may come to pass in the future.”

“But I don’t actually guide these people,” Enin insisted. “I give them something to think about and send them on their way. The choices they make are up to them, and thus I don’t interfere. I also don’t make good magic casters stronger or evil ones weaker. I treat everyone equal.”

“You made me stronger; considerably stronger in fact. My power as a magic caster has grown significantly since I have joined you.”

“That is true, and for that we can actually thank Tabris.”

Holli cast a doubtful eye at the wizard. “And why is that?”

“Tabris was neutral, then she turned to evil. That opened the way for me to make you stronger and yet maintain the balance. And that is exactly what I’m talking about. Tabris’ actions allowed me the opportunity to make you stronger as a force of good just as my actions might allow Baannat an opportunity to act in a terrible way.”

“You were determined to increase my power before you learned of Tabris’ choice,” Holli noted. “You made that a stipulation of my being your guard and that occurred before Tabris joined with Sazar.”

“Yes, I did, but there was a reason for that as well. At that time, I was still slightly stronger then Baannat and could afford to work with you. If I tipped the balance slightly, it would not have been enough to affect the total balance because it was already in my favor. However when Tabris turned, it opened the door very wide. Even though I have been able to enhance your powers far beyond what I originally planned, Baannat was still unable to gain strength because evil was strengthened through Tabris’ choice. In fact, Baannat actually lost strength compared to me. That in itself should illustrate why I must be careful in what I do.”

“This is all very confusing to me,” Holli admitted. “You’re trying to tell me you can’t act in some ways because it will allow Baannat to counteract what you do. If you overreach, you will make Baannat stronger.”

“That is precisely what I mean.”

Holli remained doubtful and made such sentiments clear. “I will have to think on this.”

#

Sazar had sent Chal to listen to one of the human messenger. When the serp heard the offer of surrender, he commanded Chal to change certain provisions. He would not meet the mayor at the border of the city, but rather several roadways deeper just north of the city center. In order to guarantee his safety, he would have his shags and spiders move from their current positions to the very edge of the city limits. That way, if anything happened to him, his followers would be in position to exact retribution. His hook hawks would remain overhead, but would stay at high altitudes, and his massive goblin horde would not move one step closer to the city. The mayor could either accept these changes, or expect the entire horde to enter the city within moments. Sazar knew the answer before another human messenger returned with the acceptance of Sazar’s demands.

The serp now stood in front of Mayor Flisher listening to her chatter on about women and children within the center of the city. The useless sentiments bored Sazar, but he appeared to be interested in order to carry out the final stages of his plan. He nodded here and there, raised an eyebrow and did his best to appear considerate.

During the meeting, the sky became much brighter and the sun appeared to fight for dominance through the cloud filled sky. The snow storm quietly diminished into a small flurry and though the ground was fully covered, the depth of the snow lacked any true significance. The light wind that made the earlier snowflakes dance had since died completely away, and the air was silent and still. Everything appeared peaceful and calm, covered by a thin blanket of white, everything of course but the dark horde that encircled the city.

“I would also like to send our cavalry out of the city and past your goblins unmolested,” the mayor remarked. “I will order them out of the area completely. They will not attack your followers. Instead they will leave through the south and then turn east and head out into the plains.”

This was the first thing the woman said that actually sparked an ounce of interest in the serp. His head nodded back and forth for a moment as he made certain considerations of his own.

“Granted,” Sazar allowed. “Send word to them immediately. They must leave now without delay.”

Captain Tevor could not remain silent. “May I have a moment with you mayor before you agree on this?”

The mayor looked to Sazar for his approval and when the serp nodded to her, she moved back several steps to confer with the guard captain.

“Why would you send our elite forces out of the city?” he demanded with a tone he tried to keep respectful. “You are leaving us defenseless.”

“We are already defenseless against these goblins. Look, I’m actually doing this based on your recommendations. You said if we were going to fight, you would have sent the cavalry out in an attempt to escape, so I’m just following your plan.”

“That was if we were going to fight,” Tevor corrected, “not surrender. Many of the men you expect to leave have families here. They will not wish to go.”

“I appreciate that, and for the sake of their families you have to