Chapter 6 Part 10

Serpent Blackheart sat astride his mount, a magnificent and also a terrible beast of war. He had spent considerable resources having it developed. It was a giant black cat about twice the size of a lion with the lines of a cheetah. It combined the speed and strength of those animals as well as the stealthiness of a panther. The cat was named 'Poge' after Miguel's favorite childhood bedtime story. Word among the common folk was that the creature was possessed by an enslaved demon that gave it fantastic powers, but that was rumor only.

Tyson sat astride a light riding horse at his master's left. On the right, the warlock sat upon his nightmare. "You have done well," Serpent addressed Tyson. "Your comrades are trapped. We are driving them north towards Gly-ou-vogue. Soon, they will have to fight." He drew his dark weapon. "I have had enough failures in this venture. I will direct this operation personally."

"With the death or disappearance of the ranger, Liberator is out of the picture," Morteous pointed out. "And with Tyson's advice on how to counter the elemental control of the mage, Ultrecht, I am looking forward to a rematch."

"How will you do this?" Serpent asked his brother.

"Ultrecht is a master of all eight of the elements," Tyson explained. "We will defend with prismatic shielding spells. These spells are light based and can only be canceled by shadow based spells. With very few exceptions, shadow spells are those requiring personal touch. So for Ultrecht to breach our defenses, he will have to come within touching range of us where a sword can easily deal with him."

"Does this plan make us immune to his power?" Serpent asked Tyson.

"No, my lord, but it will reduce the effects immensely."

"Ah," Morteous cut in. "Our own spies return." Two small imps materialized before the trio and bowed low.

"Report," the tyrant demanded.

"Those who thou seekest have fled into the wooded lands and north," one said. "They are but a moments flight from here."

"Their numbers?" Tyson asked. The imp ignored Tyson so Serpent repeated the question.

"Two elves, two men, one woman, one halfelf and a corpse. They are all mounted."

Serpent dispatched the imps and turned to his new leader of the royal guards. "Send two companies north in the open. Have them make as much noise as possible. Have the rest of that regiment filter up through the woods and drive these people to the border of Gly-ou-vogue. Send the other regiment up the western side to cut off any attempt to flee westward."

"Lord Blackheart," Tyson advised. "They entered the forest to take advantage of Marlena's druidic powers. We have already seen how she watches us through the eyes of the animals."

"I have no fear of the druid," Blackheart said. "My own powers are becoming more pronounced every day and I can feel the living energies of nature. Though she does not yield willingly to me, nature will do my bidding."

"But will you have the power to wrestle control of the forces of nature from Marlena. Seymore was a powerful druid in his own right, but he was not that strong."

"As soon as Reaper tastes blood, my power will be augmented." With that, Serpent kicked his beast in the flank and disappeared into the forest.