 
ENZI'S IRREGULARS ACT II

The Storm Front Arrives

by Steve Mossman

Published by Steve Mossman at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 Steve Mossman

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Table of Contents

Update #0021

Update #0022

Update #0023

Update #0024

Update #0025

Update #0026

Update #0027

Update #0028

Update #0029

Update #0030

Update #0031

Update #0032

Update #0033

Update #0034

Update #0035

Update #0036

Update #0037

Update #0038

Update #0039

Update #0040

Enzi's Irregulars #0021

The fact that the guard had Ritter's weapon probably saved Gierig's life. As it was, Gierig was shocked as Ritter yelled and charged at him. He brought his weapon around and away from Gharaf. That was when Enzi struck. Gierig's axe clattered across the ground as the Feergrus man struck it from the dwarf's grasp. At the same time, Ritter tackled his fellow Halz.

"You don't want to do this," Gierig growled.

"No, there are far worse things I'd like to do for all the trouble you have caused," Ritter replied.

"No more than I would have liked to avenge the injustice wrought by your clan," Gierig replied, "But there are more important issues at stake for the Halz."

As the guard came over, he pointed his blade at the two dwarves. Ritter stood up as the guard took Gierig into custody.

Ritter shook his head, "Why would you attack this man?"

"Who do you think hired me for the job we did?" the Halz said, "All as a reason to take the axe of my clan. The thief escaped, and now I am tracking him through the last source left."

Enzi raised an eyebrow at Gharaf as Gierig was dragged out of the shop.

The Ravaleian swindler shrugged, "I get people posting jobs through me all the time. I don't exactly keep track of all of these things."

"You are in the business of information," the Feergrus man replied, "I find it hard to believe you don't know exactly who it was."

"There are some people even I do not ask questions of," Gharaf said slyly.

"Gierig will find a way to extract the information from you physically if he gets a chance," Enzi said reasonably, "

"There are worse threats than him," Gharaf said losing some of his practiced charm, "Now please leave."

Enzi and Ritter left the shop and the Feergrus looked towards the Halz, "I have never seen Gharaf like that. Whoever hired Gierig for that job must be quite powerful. They also had no problem setting us up for failure."

"And now they have one of the ancient artifacts of my people," Ritter said, "That seems like a bad combination."

"I agree," Enzi said, "Worse, I fear we may know too much. Whatever people these are, they may wish to eliminate us now. I hate to say it, but it looks like we have a new mission. We need to learn more. I fear there is only one person who will help us now."

"Oh, who is that?"

"Gierig Silveraxe."

Ritter made a face at that, "While distasteful, you are right. If it is for the good of my people, Gierig will work with us to help them. He may hate me, but he does seem to love my people more. I would trust him as far as it takes to help the Halz, though no more than that."

"I think I can arrange us to be his new jailers," Enzi said with a devious smile, "Though you might want to go talk with the others and warn them while I make the arrangements."

"Oh, the others should enjoy this," Ritter said with a touch of worry in his voice.

***

"What?" Kava asked with exasperation, "We have to let him live? Can I at least torture him for the information we want?"

"He will give the information freely, I suspect," Ritter sighed, "I don't like dealing with him any more than you. He is a reminder that even my people have those that can not be entirely trusted."

"You know, with enough violence I bet we could make him more trustworthy," Kava said hopefully.

"Kava," Eurysa hissed solemnly, "Be calm."

The vodyanoi made an odd sound then trudged over to the wagon to sit against it. She slumped there and sulked. Eventually the wait of the mercenaries ended as Enzi came along with Gierig in tow. Gierig gave the mercenaries a suspicious look.

"Believe me," Ritter said, "I am sure I find working with you as distasteful as you do with me. For now we have a common goal."

Gierig sighed in defeat, "You are, of course, correct. Let us work together for now, for the good of the Halz."

"First you should tell us what you know," Enzi said."

"When I came to Center Point, I learned of Ritter. I knew getting to you would be difficult, and I came to Gharaf for information. It seems others he talked to learned of my quest and came up with a plan. A group that called itself Unity. Gharaf has strong ties to them at the very least and from what he told me I expect he is a full member."

"They are powerful enough he did not speak of them, even knowing of the threat you posed to his life," Enzi interjected.

"Yes, I had tried a few ways to gather information from him," Gierig continued, "Violence was to be my final method, though I was interrupted. It seems even that might have been ineffective. Persuasion has never been my strongest suit."

Kava snorted at that comment, but said nothing.

"Gharaf told me his shop succeeds because of this group," Gierig stated, "How much of what that snake-tongued fiend said is true at any time might be questionable, especially as he was trying to convince me to trust in the job they offered. It is certain that he knows enough to further my search for my clan's ancestral axe."

"What did they tell you of the job?" Enzi asked.

"Just that it was a puzzled box with Halz runes. They had already figured out that it was tied to the Platinum Clan. I had already talked with Gharaf about Ritter and his clan earlier. It was his information that allowed me to confirm who you were. They needed you to open the box. Then they would take the treasures inside and I would get a cut. I just had to help the escape with the loot, which would be achieved through the elimination or subdual of you and your allies. For me it was a pay day and a chance for revenge. I never suspected the box could hold something so important."

"I had thought such an artifact would have been put in a vault and locked away as dangerous," Ritter said, "I was as shocked as you to see it appear."

"The agent disguised as the auctioneer escaped with it," Gierig said with obvious disgust, "I was unable to catch him. I searched for him and for any leads. When all trails ended, I came back to Gharaf."

"Perhaps we can..." Enzi started.

The Feergrus man paused, the hair on the back of his neck standing at attention. His intuition was screaming at him. Eurysa caught the pause and began looking around.

"A dozen or so figures approaching," she hissed, her green eyes having caught the motion in the distance.

"I can't imagine they are friends," Enzi said.

With that Kava was on her feet with a grin. The rest of the mercenaries grabbed their weapons. Several soldiers approached the group and the Agonish leader looked over Enzi and his irregulars.

"Ah, it seems your prisoner escaped and has slain you," the soldier growled in Nuvro, "Too bad. Kill them."

The fight erupted as Gierig sat bound and helpless. As most of the soldiers engaged Enzi and his irregulars, the leader strutted towards the prisoner.

"Unity sends its regards," the Agonish man said, "I am afraid you know too much to live. At least we never had to pay you."

The man raised his blade to end the life of the dwarven traitor. However suddenly Gierig found his bonds cut. He rolled away from the attack that came and saw the inhumanly wide grin of the vodyanoi.

"I sensed you wanted to slay me, why help me to live?" Gierig asked as he stumbled to his feet.

"Oh, I will kill you," Kava replied, "But it will be me when the time comes. Now beat the living snot out of these useless humans."

Ritter felt the solid impact of his warhammer against the leather and mail of his opponent. He saw Aldebaran cut down a pair of foes with a single cleaving stroke. Eurysa's arrows whistled in the air as Enzi's unarmed and unarmored abilities proved far superior to his armed and armored foes. It was quite impressive. Kava and even Gierig helped, though without his axe, Gierig's main ability seemed to be to distract foes.

However poorly organize the irregulars had been at the beginning of the battle, by the end they moved like a well oiled machine. Even Gierig was impressed with their skills. Soon only the leader remained and Gierig was sitting on his chest. Disarmed and pinned by the Halz, the Agonish man stopped struggling.

"You should start talking, boy," Gierig threatened.

The Agonish man snorted, "I may die here, but your threats do not frighten me. Even our failure here still ends you and your allies. The monsters have slain an innocent group. Again."

"Again?" Gierig asked.

"Oh yes," the leader said, "That slaughter at the auction is terrible news. Rumors already swirled about it. Today we confirmed it. And now you have slain another group of humans."

"So Unity will frame us for murder?" Gierig asked.

"Yes," the man laughed, "Our bureaucratic members can make anything happen."

"I've heard enough then," the Halz said, then broke the man's neck before anyone could stop him.

"He would have been trouble later," Gierig said, "But a bureaucrat is easier to intimidate. We should find this person that works with the people around here and question them."

"I hate to say it," Enzi sighed, "But you are right. Leaving that man alive would have only made things worse. Already we are in a terrible situation. By now we are likely considered criminals. Things just got a lot more difficult."

Enzi's Irregulars #0022

The wagon sat well outside of Center Point. Ritter and Eurysa had the unenviable job of keeping Gierig alive while Enzi paid a visit to the bureaucrats that tried to run the mercenary town. Most of them had positions of leadership due to control over something. One led the guards that protected the merchants. He was effectively the justice for Center Point. That was the man that Enzi had gone off to interrogate. That left Ritter and the gorgon working to try to keep the vodyanoi and the minotaur from ripping apart the Halz guest.

The rage of the minotaur was difficult to contain for Aldebaran. Ritter had seen Aldebaran in combat and understood that well. He had heard hints of the mighty creature's past. It seemed it was filled with violence and anger. Kava was another matter. Her thirst for combat was insatiable. Gierig had crossed her, which gave her more reason than she needed to kill him. Eurysa was hard to read, but her self control and calm nature helped keep the others in line.

Mayitso was completely calm. Oddly enough, the lycanthrope was the most well adjusted to the change of anyone. Ritter wondered what that meant. Ritter had plenty of hard feelings for his fellow stone-kin. Now the mercenaries were likely targets. As many were monstrous they had already been targets to some and suspect to most of the rest. Things had never seemed dire, especially with Enzi around to keep trouble at bay. Now suddenly Ritter thought the outlook seemed bleak.

The Disputed Lands were full of mercenaries. It would be far too easy to put a bounty on the head of the Irregulars. At that point, it would take a miracle for them to survive long. The thought of being persecuted and hunted washed over Ritter. Suddenly he felt more kinship with the others in the mercenary group. As a Halz he had never felt racism in the same way as the others. Certainly many humans were racist towards him, but he was not considered to be an animal to be hunted down. The difference in scale was staggering to the dwarf's mind.

He had underestimated the suffering of his fellows. Their survival was against all odds. That they kept fighting for righteous causes was beyond commendable. Ritter's stony face showed a slight smirk. This was not the time to become disheartened. These warriors had been through worse. This was just a minor obstacle for them to overcome. Kava shifted in her seat. Her attention span could be counted in seconds and Ritter had a sudden foreboding feeling that her shift meant she had become bored with the current status quo.

The orange eyed amphibian opened her overly wide maw, "So Gierig. You don't like our short little walking ball of metal? I can understand that. I fully hate at least half of the dwarves I've met myself."

Gierig said nothing which to Kava was an invitation to dig deeper, "I love how you prove your so called honor by seeing to the death of a lot of others, innocents as well. I'd invite you to our little club here, except I took the position of amoral murderer myself."

Gierig snorted, "You have killed for money. What happened was a job. You should be pissed at my employers. If it had not been me, another mercenary would have taken the job."

"Going after Ritter was just a job?" Kava asked.

"It was getting paid to do something I wanted to do anyways. You and your allies were nothing I wanted to deal with. My employers seemed more than happy to come after you for themselves. In the end, they betrayed me. In this we have a common enemy. I may still wish to unleash my vengeance upon the Platinum Clan, but I harbor no ill will to the rest of you. You are mercenaries. You understand the life."

Ritter was surprised at how good a point Gierig made. Gierig certainly seemed sharper upon this meeting than the last. Ritter suspected that his fellow stone-kin was not among the brightest of his kind, but he certainly proved he was not a dullard. Ritter's training in engineering had taught him to think through problems. He wondered how well Gierig would have done with such training. Perhaps he would have been able to see the flaws in his thinking. Certainly, though, he could not predict the randomness of the vodyanoi.

"Why would anyone but a dwarf want a stinky old dwarf axe anyway?" Kava asked.

"You are quickly becoming someone I might enjoy killing if paid to do so," Gierig growled.

"Good, good," Kava said, "Now I am beginning to like you. Maybe. Even if you do like ancient rusty useless poorly crafted weapons."

The fire of anger filled Gierig. The Halz had great passion and showed it strongly. The relative stiffness of their stony features meant their emotions were often exaggerated. It took a lot of control to hide those expressions and Ritter highly doubted Gierig would have had reason to practice that. That only meant trouble. Seeing that she had provoked Gierig, Kava would surely continue to torment him.

"You know nothing of craftsmanship," Gierig said, "My people craft things that are made to last. The axe of my clan is a great and powerful artifact."

"It is from your clan then?" Kava asked, "Proof that it must be weak."

"If it was so weak, then why would humans want it for themselves?" Gierig asked.

The vodyanoi grinned, "Ah, no fun. You should keep to the anger and blurting out silly things."

The rage cooled on Gierig's face as he resumed a neutral look, "I see now your game."

"Well yes," Kava said, "I just told it to you. Perhaps I could have said it more plainly even."

"Indeed. I will be happy when the axe is safely out of human hands and back with the Halz."

"Ugh," Kava croaked, "I don't really want you to be swinging it around either."

"Such a proud weapon is not for me," Gierig replied, "I would not wield it. It needs to be returned to a spot of honor in the clan hall of my people. Safe from misuse."

Ritter narrowed his eyes at the thought of the axe being misused. He wondered if the Silveraxe clan would rise up once more if they had it in their hands again. Ritter began to wonder exactly what would need to be done if they finally did retrieve the axe.

"So your clan had the only super magic axe?" Kava asked, "The other clans must have been jealous."

"Perhaps," Gierig said, "But the axe was the relic of our clan. Each of the other surviving clans had their own relics."

This made Ritter pause his train of thought. He knew of no relics within the Platinum Clan. Certainly one might count the Forge of Souls as a great relic of the Soulforge clan. The Diamondheart, Goldbeard, and Orcdoom clans had no appreciable relics that Ritter knew of. The Stonehammer clan often spoke of the mighty hammer of their founder, but it had long been lost. It was the only thing that Ritter could think of that might be considered a relic, though at least tales of the hammer told of no magical properties.

As if reading Ritter's mind, Gierig spoke, "Of course the most relevant one is the Hammer of Ruin, the mighty weapon of the founder of the Stonehammer clan. Even now an expedition moves to recover it from where it had been lost."

"How would anyone know where that is?" Ritter asked, "It was lost long before the fall of Tralenheim and the loss of records could not have aided any search."

"Being lost that long ago was a blessing is disguise," Gierig replied, "The records of it were hidden away in the clan hall of the Stonehammers and never sent to Tralenheim. Scholars unearthed the hidden texts and even now seek to obtain the relic."

"Where would it have been hidden and not found?" Kava asked, "I imagine you dwarves go digging everywhere."

"Of course you do," Gierig said dryly, "It was not hidden in stone, but in the land here above."

"Then it might have fallen in human hands?" Ritter asked.

"Worse," Gierig replied, "Elves."

Ritter made a face of disgust as Gierig continued, "It was at a time that we had some trust for the foul creatures. Yet luck holds for us. The treacherous elves threw the hammer away in their betrayal of the Halz. Records were found that indicated what had happened to it, many found in the recovered texts of Center Point itself."

Ritter swooned at that. Center Point was a ruin of the ancient kingdom of the giants. He wondered what exactly the giants had been doing in that ruin when it had been whole and new. He pondered why records of the Hammer of Ruin would have been there.

"So if they found the records in a human controlled area, you think the humans want that little dwarf weapon too?" Kava asked, "I bet it has to be more awesome than your rusty axe."

"There are few tales of the Hammer of Ruin," the silver-haired Gierig stated, "It is mostly just stated as the weapon wielded by the founder of that clan. It certainly has a lofty title."

The blonde-haired Ritter spoke, "Kava may have a point though. If the people that wanted the axe learn of the hammer, they may seek it as well."

"Especially if they think it is powerful," the vodyanoi croaked, "Everybody loves power."

"Do you know a lot about this?" Ritter asked Gierig.

"Quite a bit actually," Gierig replied, "As I was in Center Point at the time, I aided in the recovery of the texts and read them myself."

"Then perhaps this Unity needs to learn of the hammer. And learn of its many mighty magical powers," Ritter said.

"Magical powers? I thought dumpy here said it was just some old leader dude's favorite toy?" Kava asked.

"Yes, but Unity does not not need to know that," Ritter said, "Then we can lure them out."

"Not a bad idea," Gierig stated, "I would ask how we get the humans to believe it, but I think I actually have an answer for that."

"Oh?" Ritter asked.

"I read those ancient texts for a reason," Gierig said, "They were carved into stone, so actually moving them would have been difficult to say the least. Unless one was a giant. So they are still there. Unity has people that can read Halz runes. We just need to convince someone to look."

"A few rumors could take care of that," Ritter said, "Seeing the runes would make them believers. Although I am uncomfortable with them knowing the location of the relic. Even without power it is a great historical artifact."

"I know where the hammer should be. We just need to be there first," Gierig replied, "The expedition should still be there as added backup."

Ritter nodded, "It sounds like a solid plan, depending on what Enzi learns. We can run it past him when he returns. Perhaps he will have more ideas to add."

Enzi's Irregulars #0023

Enzi looked quite displeased when he returned to the wagon, "We need to move. I avoided detection, but trackers will be on to us soon enough. I just do not have a sure location to go to."

"We may have an idea," Ritter replied, then explained all that he had learned from Gierig.

Enzi nodded, "Not a bad idea. A few dropped clues here at camp might get things rolling. If nothing else, at least it is a direction to go."

The group packed up their gear and leapt into the wagon. They rolled off eastwards. As they rolled along, Enzi revealed what he had learned. It was not good news. Unity had complete control of Center Point. Several mercenary groups had been paid off to track the Irregulars. Enzi wondered how he had missed such a group taking over so much of the trading post. Having Gharaf as a member had certainly helped. Likely he had bought up much of what was needed. A few bribes and a little blackmail could work wonders.

Unity seemed like it was a group that was well funded. Mercenaries always gravitated to such people. Ritter had a hard time imagining how they would escape a grisly fate. The Halz wondered what could possibly be more profitable than a bounty for a powerful organization.

***

The Tarvoni standing in the circle had light blonde hair, though age had faded it considerably. He was just short of five and a half feet tall. Like most Tarvoni, he was shorter and thinner than most of the other races. His foe had once been his mentor, a man whose hair was quite gray with his old age.

"Laesiethys," the younger Tarvoni said, "Your time has ended."

"Yes, Raen. I knew this time would come. Your magical prowess has grown to match mine, even when I wear the trappings of leader. I have taught you well."

The two spoke in the tongue created by the Abyss cult, a language that had formed based on the magic they wielded. The Abyssal tongue had terms for all known magical phenomena. Many of its words could be used to enhance the very flow of magic itself. When people used magical words in their spells in other lands, those words were familiar to the Tarvoni. It was part of their language.

"Some new leaders would slay the old," Raen said to the elder Tarvoni, "I do not see the need. Our friendship can continue. After our losses at the odd dwarven tower, we need all our mages."

"I agree," Laesiethys replied, his red eyes still sharp, "I had long prepared for your ascendance. I relinquish now the leadership of the Abyss. Now Raen Nychte shall lead us, for good or ill."

"Long have I developed plans to deal with our enemies," Raen said, "Now they shall be set in motion. Agon will be crushed. Whether by war or coup, their country shall not survive. Long have their Magehunters come for our kind."

The elder Tarvoni smiled, "I knew you had begun moving pieces of some plan. I knew when Gree Vanier disappeared."

Raen returned the smile with a devious look in his eyes, "Yes, one of the greatest of our summoners. He has gone to aid the goblinoids. They have a new weapon. Along with the power of the summoners Gree recruited, the goblinoids will wage war upon the civilized nations. I do not expect success in this venture, but that is not the goal."

"Of course not," Laesiethys said, "The alliances of the north will crush the goblinoids. But not without serious losses. Especially depending on this new weapon."

"Perhaps new is the wrong word," Raen said, "It is an old weapon, stolen by Ahk separatists in Feergrus. Our agents liberated it, and made sure it was delivered to the goblinoids. The true owners will be quite displeased when evidence that the Feergrus stole it is laid at their door. All the world will be at war while we watch. Then when all are weakened, we make our next move."

"Our next move?"

"We shall place a new king on the throne of Agon, one which will be favorable to us," Raen said, "We shall be the ones to decide the heir to Agon."

"Interesting," Laesiethys said with a nod, "What if the plan should fail?"

"Then it fails," Raen replied, "Our enemies will still be weakened. We shall use mercenaries where we can and not expend our own strength unless we have to. The war will bring a great bounty of experienced mercenaries to us. Nothing is as juicy a job as war for a mercenary. When the war is over, many will be desperate for work. We shall provide it."

"Do you have further plans beyond that?"

"I have some thoughts," Raen said, "But it is too far into the future to think about them in detail yet. Perhaps when the war is over and the plan for the coup of Agon is moving along, it will be time to look at them in more detail. Who knows what opportunities may come by then?"

***

Surprisingly the Irregulars made it to their destination without being harried. They were near the southern tip of the Nuvro Range. The sign of stonework had drawn the eyes of the two Halz. Someone had been digging into the rocks of the mountains. What had once been a rubble strewn cliff now showed signs of being cleared. However, it was far too quiet.

Enzi, the Irregulars, and Gierig proceeded on foot. The first sign of trouble was found quickly. Ritter knelt beside the body of a fallen Halz. The normally solid black eyes were a solid white. That Halz was dead. Arrows had pierced the stone-kin. They were obviously of elven make. A quick investigation found a trap had been hidden in the plants that grew on the mountain side. Warned of the possibility of traps, the group moved carefully forward.

They found one trap after another that had been set off. The Halz who had been excavating the site had obviously gotten more careful after losing one of their own. However, Ritter was worried. The slain Halz would have been cleaned up after the area had been secured. Something had obviously happened to the rest of the expedition. Then they saw the bodies. The stone-kin had been cut down in battle. Someone else was there.

A lilting voice spoke the Halz tongue with obvious disgust, "Ah more of your blight has come to my home. You brought foul monsters with you as well. Perhaps you will be more of a challenge than the other rock born abominations.:

A creature stepped into the light. It was perhaps half a foot taller than five feet. Long and ragged blonde hair cascaded from the creature's head, but the unkempt locks could not conceal the pointed ears. Its skin was pale with an almost porcelain sheen. The creature was far too narrow to be human. Its build was unmistakable. It was an elf. Tales of them often called them thin, but that was the wrong word. While reaching human height, their body shape was differently proportioned. The widest part of them were perhaps the hips or shoulders, and even the largest elf did not pass a foot wide.

The Halz had a broad build, so the narrow shapes of the elves struck them as particularly alien looking. Even to human, the elves looked odd. Their skulls were too narrow. Their eyes slanted heavily to fit. It gave their features a very pointed look. This elf wore no armor but his curved blade was stained with the blood of the slain Halz.

The elf watched the Irregulars with an unnerving stillness. Elves had an uncanny ability to be very still. They showed no emotion either. While the Halz supposedly had the stony faces, that meant that any emotion the dwarves made was exaggerated as their faces had limited movement. The elves were capable of extremely subtle movement instead. Rumors also told of their lightning speed when they actually did move.

Enzi did not understand the Halz tongue, but spoke in Abyssal, "Fair elf, we come not as enemies."

"Ah, the human speaks," the elf replied in Abyssal, "You bring monsters including two dwarves and think to say that you do not come for war?"

"We did not even know you were here," Enzi replied calmly.

"That matters little, you are here for the Hammer of Ruin."

"We were here to stop murderers and thieves who will be coming for the hammer. Investigating the slain Halz is a logical part of that."

"You appeal to my intellect," the elf said, "You are a cunning foe indeed. The hammer shall not fall into anyone's hands. Now I must eliminate you, as I will all who find this place. If there are no survivors, none will tell of this place again."

"What of the path that allowed anyone to learn of this place at all?" Enzi asked.

"As it seems to bring the dwarves to the slaughter, it seems fine to me. The less of such traitorous monsters in this world the better. It has been entertaining to speak with something that is not dwarven, but you are no more clever than they in the end."

The elf moved with a blur. His curved blade slashed at Ritter, but Gierig's shield caught the blow.

"Sorry treacherous elf, but this Halz is not yours to slay," Gierig said in the tongue of the stone-kin.

Gierig's axe slashed through the air at the elf, but it was fat too slow. The elf seemed to dance past the weapon with practiced ease. The elf leaned suddenly then Ritter saw why. One of Eurysa's arrows sailed past his head. He had never known her to miss like that. Certainly bad conditions or a touch of luck could make her miss, but this was not even close.

"You have never faced an elven warrior, little dwarf," the elf said, "I have trained in combat for over two hundred years. I have experienced true combat many dozens of times. Your pitiful little group is no match for an elven..."

Suddenly he lurched and mad an odd sound. Between his legs laid the vodyanoi Kava. She was stealthy when she wanted to be and her small size allowed her to maneuver past the two Halz. They nearly blocked the entrance to the cave and access to the elf.

"Don't know what you were saying buddy," Kava croaked in Nuvro, "But I didn't like the tone. You seem human shaped enough that I hopefully just skewered you in your most sensitive area. I figured that would work as a nice little attitude adjustment."

Blood dribbled from the mouth of the shocked elf. His stoic face showed no emotion except his eyes. A fire of rage, pain, and confusion seemed to flow from the green colored orbs. He raised his blade and sought to drive it downwards into the prone Kava but Gierig's axe chopped into the elf and finished him off.

"You were quite right," Gierig said, "He was being rather insufferable. We may not agree on many things, but I must admit admiration for taking that useless creature down a peg or two."

"That is two you owe me then," Kava said.

"Two?" Gierig asked.

"Oh you still owe me for causing trouble at the auction slaughter. I'll think of an appropriate payment for all your debts eventually."

Enzi's Irregulars #0024

All the mercenaries stepped over the dead elf except Eurysa. She stayed to watch the cave entrance. Mayitso looked back once as the group traveled on. He stayed in the rear, keeping his sharp senses ready. With his speed, he could aid the gorgon is battle quickly. That was assuming that their goal was not much further inside the cave tunnel. Soon the group came to the back wall of the cave.

The wall had obviously been built there. It appeared to be perfectly flat and smooth. However, there was writing upon it. The flowing script was almost certainly elven. No one in the group could read the language. Gierig merely snorted and kicked the wall. There was a loud cracking sound and the treacherous Halz grunted. Enzi soon had the group rearrange themselves so that Aldebaran was at front. The massive minotaur was able to break down the thin wall quite easily.

Beyond the broken wall sat a vast domed cave. The lantern Enzi had with him only lit enough to show the walls seemed to be as smooth as the one they had broken through. The floor also looked perfectly smooth. In the center of the room sat a pedestal. On the pedestal sat an enormous dwarven maul. As he was in the lead, Aldebaran took the first steps forward. However, as soon as his hooves stepped past the debris from the shattered wall, they slipped.

The minotaur hit the ground with a loud thud and Enzi spoke in Nuvro, "So the floor very nearly is perfectly smooth. At least we have been provided a solution. The debris and the damage done here gave some traction. This floor, like the walls, seems easily damaged. So let us make a path."

This time Ritter led the way. Using his warhammer, he smashed the floor and any rocks the mercenaries tossed forward. It made for a path that was treacherous to walk upon, but far safer than the smooth and slippery floor. Ritter sheathed his weapon and stowed his shield as he stood at the base of the pedestal. With both hands he grasped the enormous maul.

The weapon was extraordinarily heavy. The Halz was not expecting that and it nearly slipped from his grasp. The mighty two handed hammer hit the floor with a loud reverberating thud. Ritter felt his ears pop from the sudden change in pressure in the room. The floor rippled from where the hammer had hit and the ripples continued until they hit a wall. Suddenly a section of that wall shifted backwards.

At first the group thought it was some sort of secret door, but the engineer in Ritter told him the truth. The stone had been compressed by the hammer. It had been used to create the room they were standing in. It puzzled him that the compressed stone would be so brittle and easy to damage, however. That went against his knowledge of materials. He wondered if the properties that allowed the hammer to shift stone like that also weakened the stone somehow. Certainly weakening stone could earn the maul its title as the Hammer of Ruin.

"I didn't think the hammer was supposed to have any power?" Enzi asked.

Ritter shrugged, "No stories tell of that. I am as surprised as you. I expected a less fantastical reason for its name."

Mayitso raised his head suddenly, sniffing the air. He growled then turned and ran down the tunnel back towards Eurysa.

"That can't be good," Kava said, "But I sure hope its fun."

The group rushed back towards the entrance. Eurysa's bow was at the ready as Mayitso sniffed the air. Ritter could see shapes moving outside, but the transition between the dim cave and the bright outdoors made it difficult to ascertain exact numbers.

"Leave the hammer here," Gierig said, "Lets go meet these foes as a wall of Halz forged steel."

Ritter nodded, putting the dwarven maul down and drawing his shield and warhammer for battle. The two heavily armed dwarves led the way. Out side sat a ragtag collection of mercenaries.

One of the armored men swaggered forward and spoke in Nuvro, "Ah, Gierig. First you brought us our axe, now our hammer. How nice."

"So where is the axe?" Gierig asked.

"Oh, we couldn't leave the dwarf weapons apart. We brought it with us."

"That seems foolish, do you think this band of mercenaries is enough to stop even two Halz, let alone the rest of the warriors here with us?" Gierig asked.

The man shrugged as the two Halz moved forward. The rest Enzi's Irregulars came out of the cave, maneuvering so that all could fight.

"Finally some room to fight," Kava said, "Too bad there are so few foes."

The male mercenary who had addressed the two Halz smiled, "Well, we can certainly fix that."

Dozens of soldiers in heavy armor made their way out from behind rocks, as more stealthy warriors rose from behind the grassy hills. A small army now faced Enzi's Irregulars. Eurysa and Enzi glanced back at the cave and the strategic cover it provided.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the mercenary leader said, "We have more than enough crossbows trained on you to kill you all. I don't see the hammer."

"If you could see it, we would already be dead," Enzi replied.

"True enough," the man said, pulling out the magical heirloom of the Silveraxe clan as his own weapon.

Ritter and Enzi shared a glance. They could see the blood-lust in the man's eyes. The overconfidence. It was perhaps warranted. Gierig, however, was strangely confident himself.

"Surrender the axe of my clan and perhaps we shall let you live," Gierig yelled out, "Both heirlooms will fall in the hands of the Halz this day!"

"You served your purpose little dwarf," the leader replied snidely, "Your little group stands no chance. Provide the hammer willingly and I might consider letting you live through this."

"Oh, let me tell you an ancient Halz saying," Gierig said, then yelled something in his native tongue, "Beendenklar!"

Ritter's eyes showed his visible shock. Gierig had just yelled the Halz signal that all was in place and ready. It was a simple term that was used to signal that someone else should do their part of the job as all was complete and the path was clear for them. At that signal the many rocky formations near the cave seemed to fall apart. A small battalion of Halz seemingly erupted from the stone itself.

The human army seemed surprised, but there was nowhere to run, the Halz had them surrounded. There was no time to ask questions, the Irregulars burst into action. Kava croaked out a mad cackle as she dove into battle. Eurysa's bowstring sang as it loosed arrow after arrow. Mayitso's mighty jaws hewed flesh from bone. Aldebaran cuts his foes down as if he were a farmer reaping wheat. Enzi's unarmed skill continued to impress Ritter as the Feergrus man took down his foes with cold efficiency.

Ritter himself smashed foe after foe with his warhammer, fighting nearly in sync with Gierig. Gierig's battleaxe cut down foes easily. The two Halz may have been rivals or enemies, but their combat training and their trust that each would keep their word of an alliance allowed them to fight seamlessly together. The other Halz showed equally efficient teamwork.

***

Naphar Bura watched the scene unfold and shook his head. The Kurrot Cleanser had hoped the time had come to end the menace of the monsters known as Enzi's irregulars. He worried about the future. News told of an increase in goblinoid attacks. Bugbears had been coming from the Siren Swamps into Kurrot. They dared not try to attack Ravalei with the golems that protected the borders there. This merely funneled them into Nuvroc or Kurrot in the north. To the south, Lake Hargis and its mighty rivers pushed the goblinoids into Agon unless they dared use boats or take the even more foolish route of trying to swim across.

While Bugbears were used to water, the other goblinoids did not have the same natural advantages of the marsh dwellers. If war came, Naphar wondered if that would lower the number of opportunities to slay the Irregulars. He could not imagine anyone hiring them to help in the war effort, even against foes like the goblinoids. Especially now that their crimes were known to many. He feared most of all that the mercenaries of the Disputed Lands would leave it undefended in order to end the larger threat of the goblinoids.

The damage that the Irregulars could do without anything to stop them was staggering to Naphar. He had to find a solution. He turned and left as the battle soured for the humans. To Naphar it proved that even the dwarves could not be trusted. The Nuvroci put too much stock in their supposed nobility. They were not human, despite their similarities. The Cleanser pondered his options as he left. He would not give up in his quest. The trophies that the Irregulars would provide for him would make his name in the world. He would be able to ask any price for his services.

***

The field of battle was slick with the blood of a great many. Aldebaran nursed a cut he had taken across his mighty chest. Kava wiped blood from her enormous orange eyes. Mostly it was not her own blood, though she had hit her head pretty hard once to avoid a blade. The ground had not been forgiving to her skull. The battalion of Halz made sure their foes were down then slowly gathered. The Irregulars gathered together, taking stock of their situation.

Gierig joined the new group of Halz, a grin on his stony face. Ritter instantly was on guard as the battalion formed into ranks once again. One of the Halz soldiers stepped forward. A ragged scar marked his grizzled face. One of his eyes was blinded, showing as a pure white rather than the normal pure black. His crystalline hair was gray with age.

He spoke in the language of the dwarves, "You have recovered the Hammer of Ruin."

"Who are you?" Ritter asked.

"I am Grandmaster Befehlen Diamondheart, a general for the Foundation."

"The Foundation?"

"Yes," Gierig said, "While you Earthbreakers leave the home and search for an answer among these useless humans, the Foundation builds a better world for the Halz."

"I thought you were an Earthbreaker as well?" Ritter asked.

"No, my family line was banished. I am of the blood of the great leaders of Silveraxe that stood against you in the old days. I have walked the world above, dealing with a world without comforting rock. I called myself one of your traitorous kind as there was little other explanation for me to stride this land that would not rouse your suspicion. When I learned that the axe and the hammer resided in this world, I sent world to the Foundation."

"Yes," Befehlen said resolutely, "These weapons are the symbols of the great dwarven clans. Already we protect three other relics from misuse by humans. We know who you are, Ritter Platinum. Though the Foundation believes the Earthbreakers are foolish and misguided at best, we hold no hostility towards a fellow Halz."

"I hold all the hostility towards you that you need," Gierig snarled towards Ritter, "Now is the time to end this."

He took a step forward, axe raised. Ritter prepared his hammer. Noticing the shift in positions, the other Irregulars prepared for battle. A great many dwarven crossbows were leveled at the group.

"Stay out of this fight," Gierig growled in Nuvro towards the Irregulars, "You have been of great aid and you stand against the group Unity that has wronged the Halz. It was they who had paid to make sure you were there to be attacked at the auction. Their treachery shall not be mine any longer. However, this Halz must now face my justice."

"Then let us fight," Ritter said, his brow furrowed and his shield at the ready.

Enzi's Irregulars #0025

Gierig grinned as he charged forward. His axe slashed through the air. Ritter deflected the blow with his shield as he stepped to the side for a better angle. His warhammer crashed past Gierig's defenses and clanged on heavy armor. Gierig grunted, but no real damage had been done. The two Halz traded blows, each seeking an advantage or opening. Neither could land a solid blow. Ritter was surprised at Gierig's skill. He thought the quest for vengeance would have distracted his foe.

However, Gierig had perfect focus. Ritter wondered if their last combat had prepared Gierig for this. Another possibility flitted into his mind. Working together may have allowed Gierig to get used to Ritter and to properly focus his rage. It had made the treacherous dwarf far more dangerous than Ritter had anticipated. However, it was obvious that Gierig did not have Ritter's extensive training. Ritter waited and fought, learning his foes moves while Gierig slowly became frustrated.

When the opening came, Ritter swung with all his might. Gierig's armor caved in on that side. He hit the ground with a thud and his axe clattered across the rocky terrain as it slipped from his grasp. Gierig was beaten. He laid on the ground panting. Ritter's warhammer had not only damaged the armor, but had likely shattered at least one of Gierig's ribs.

"It is over then," Ritter said in Nuvro.

The general of the Halz forces nodded in return, "We shall take the axe and hammer and keep them out of anyone's hands. They will be symbols to inspire our people. We will survive, and we will do it without aid."

"I see no reason to stop you," Ritter replied, "I wish you luck in aiding our people. I shall continue my search out here for now. Hopefully one of us will find a solution."

"That is quite pragmatic," Befehlen stated, "But I would expect no less from someone with your background. I may think your quest to be pointless, but even I can admit my plan may fail. Perhaps we will meet again under better circumstance young prince."

As things began to settle down Ritter turned and moved back towards the Irregulars. He heard a yell of protest from Befehlen towards someone not to grab the Silveraxe. This didn't strike Ritter as odd. It was a dangerous artifact. It had to be handled carefully and it made Ritter relax to think that this Foundation group had their priorities straight on that. It was the eyes of his teammates that told Ritter that not all was right.

A growl from behind him and the odd looks of his fellows made Ritter turn. He saw Gierig rushing him with the Silveraxe itself. His eyes were consumed with rage. A fire burned in the black orbs. The power of the axe had let Gierig come at unheard of speed. He was ignoring his wounds, feeling no pain. It might have been shock or adrenalin. More than likely the power of the magical axe had given Gierig strength.

The manic Halz stopped his charge suddenly. Ritter wondered how that could be. Beside Gierig was Kava. Her axe was planted firmly in the weak spot in Gierig's armor. The rage faded from his eyes as he slumped to his knees. Kava ripped her axe from his side and kicked the bleeding dwarf to the ground.

"I told you there were debts you owed me," the vodyanoi croaked.

Befehlen's soldiers quickly and carefully retrieved the axe as the general spoke, "You have shown no honor Gierig Silveraxe. We shall not slay you, but you are not welcome among us."

It was another exile. Gierig was no longer welcome anywhere. Unity was his enemy. The Irregulars and the Foundation wanted nothing to do with him. He had nowhere to go. Ritter wanted to feel sorry for him, but it was a punishment of Gierig's own making. The Halz were tough. Ritter imagined that Gierig would survive the wounds he had been given.

"I will recover," Gierig gurgled, "I will have my revenge."

"Perhaps you should find a better reason to live on than revenge," Ritter replied as he joined Enzi.

Enzi and the five mercenaries made their way back towards their wagon. The group nursed their wounds and bruises as they set off. With Unity and a great many mercenaries after them, they had no idea where to go. Enzi was not deterred.

"Are you sure those weapons are safe from causing harm?" Enzi finally asked.

Ritter nodded, "Our people have a love for our culture and the well being of the future of the Halz. This drives our need for honor and trust among each other. Gierig is an exception. His lust for revenge blinded him."

Enzi nodded, "Perhaps it would have been better to slay him."

"Perhaps," Ritter agreed, "He may yet die from his wounds. I doubt it, we Halz have a strong fortitude against disease and infection. I imagine he will recover. But he has no friends or support. All those that hunt us now also hunt him, yet we still have allies. He is no threat to us. He showed that he had some of the honor of a true Halz inside him, despite his treachery. I could not slay him and deny him the chance to redeem himself."

Kava grinned with her overly wide mouth, "Yes, hopefully he comes back for more. I owed him for two, and only gave him one."

***

The foul smell seemed to seep into everything. The Tarvoni did not believe he would ever be able to get used to the stench of the goblinoids. It did not help that most of they land they lived on was swampy. The amount of filth they left around rotted in the moisture. They didn't care where they dropped their trash or even where they unleashed their biological waste. Their resistance to disease was remarkable.

As for the stench, the Tarvoni suspected that the goblinoids did not have much of a sense of smell. They had no noses, they breathed through their mouths. It made them almost sound like they were panting at times. It was unnerving to the human. The enormous creatures they rode, the creatures they called wargs, also had no nose. The Agonish called the wargs barghests. Rumors had said the barghests were able to take a humanoid form. The Tarvoni knew that wasn't true.

However, the wargs had a hairless humanoid face and their four legs were shaped and muscled in a way that reminded people of human proportions. Otherwise they seemed more like massive wolves. The Tarvoni suspected that lycanthropes had been mistaken for wargs at some point. In their animal forms, however, the lycanthropes appeared like a giant wolf. Even then, the wargs were much larger. The smaller goblinoids rode them like horses.

One of the goblinoids approached the Tarvoni and spoke in its own foul tongue, "You come human. They ready for you."

There were four basic types of goblinoids. This messenger was of the smallest type, what humans called a goblin. Goblins rarely had much hair, what hair they did have made them look like an animal with mange. They were scrawny, but were otherwise as large as a dwarf. They were the most numerous and bred like rats. However, the larger goblinoids often used them as slaves or as expendable soldiers.

Larger than the goblins were what humans called the hobgoblins. They were human size but were covered entirely with fur. They rarely lived in the swampier areas, instead making their homes in the hillier areas near the mountains. They trained griffins as their steeds and perhaps had the most skill with weapons. Their main competition for that was the orcs. Orcs were mostly hairless, like goblins. They were slightly larger than hobgoblins in height, but much larger in pure muscle.

Orcs were the brawn of the goblinoids. Their ferocity made them dangerous, even among the goblinoids. The largest of the goblinoids, however, were the bugbears. They did not have the raw muscle of the orc, but their bulk was considerable. They were the survivors of the goblinoids, living deep in the swamps. They were furred like the hobgoblins, but their fur was made for the water. They would often make their way stealthily through the swamps and ambush their foes. Their ability to hold their breath was unrivaled.

The Tarvoni was led out of the slightly marshy area he had been waiting in. He followed the goblin into the nearby hills. The majestic Nuvro Range blocked passage to the east, but caves and paths on the mountains made for a large number of places for the goblinoids to work. A hobgoblin shooed the goblin away and turned to address the Tarvoni.

"Gree," the hobgoblin said, "We know you have skills in summoning creatures. We have been training our pet that had been brought to us, but we no longer have anything worthy for it to fight. We also need something to convince those who stand against our crusade that the beast is unstoppable. The war with the humans is inevitable. We appreciate that your people see our worth."

Gree knew that his people had sent him here to help the goblinoids weaken the northern kingdoms. He had no respect for them. They were useful pawns. He suspected the goblinoids saw him in the same light. A pawn to aid their goals. However, the goblinoids were too divided to ever win. Their goals were pitifully obvious to Gree. However, as he was led to the creature that was being trained, he breath was swept away.

The egg that the Tarvoni had brought had been enormous. Sneaking it into Goblinoid territory had been one of the greatest subterfuges that the Abyss Cult had ever pulled off. Gree had expected a dangerous creature, but this thing was beyond his imagination. Greenish black scales glistened on the creature's hide. Immense leathery wings stretched out and knocked over some careless goblins. The immense flying lizard turned its head towards Gree.

The eyes bit into the Tarvoni's soul. This was a monster. Yet it was worse than that. It was intelligent and cunning. It had been adopted by the goblinoids and taught to be a weapon of war. Gree wondered how much sharper its mind might be if it had been filled with knowledge. Even without that, it was capable of learning and understanding.

Then it spoke, "This is the one to bring me a challenge?"

"Yes, great one," the hobgoblin beside Gree replied.

"I hope so, this is starting to get boring," the mighty lizard said in its booming voice.

The goblinoids words sounded unnatural from the creature's mouth. But this was a creature that Gree had trouble believing was real. He had thought the egg was from some ordinary monster that the lizardfolk had worshiped. Yet now he saw that the lizardfolk were correct. This was the offspring of a dragon. This child of a dragon, a drake as legend called them, was certainly powerful. Gree grinned as a number of terrible ideas flitted through his mind.

"Well then," the Tarvoni stated, "Let us see what you are capable of, mighty dragon."

***

Ritter looked out over the Disputed Lands. He wondered why he hadn't gone with the other Halz. If the humans were hunting him with the other Irregulars, it was questionable as to what use his experiment above ground would lead to. He realized his goal had changed, however as he looked over those he had fought beside. They were in trouble through no fault of their own. There was an enemy that needed defeated.

The Halz planned to do his best to make sure that the Irregulars would survive and prove themselves once again. Having a new goal comforted the dwarf. It gave him focus. The future was impossible to predict and he had no idea what fate had in store for him and his allies. However, as long as he could stand on his own two feet, he would not allow the villains to win.

Enzi's Irregulars would have their day in the light again. Ritter planned to see to it himself if it came to that.

Enzi's Irregulars #0026

"So we got to meet one of your nasty elves," Kava said, "If they are all like that, I can't blame you for your distaste."

"For a long time, the Halz thought of them as allies. We have several stories of adventures together. After their betrayal, however, research proved the hidden motives of the elves in each tale."

"I'd like to hear that," Kava said, "I love tales where people get fooled."

Ritter sighed, "They are devious. We had no reason to suspect that they only worked with us for their own goals and never for mutual aid. We had given them support for many of their endeavors. We thought it was a wonderful partnership. Let me tell you a tale that demonstrates the difference between what we thought was happening and the real truth behind it."

"Good, I'm bored," Kava croaked in reply.

"This tale starts with one of our females," Ritter said, "Her name was Freya Soulforge. She was the greatest smith of her time and was to be married to the heir of the clan. Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan. The great hall of Velindre was assaulted as giants broke through the great mountain walls. The terrible giants battled the warriors of the Soulforge clan and were quickly driven off. All seemed well. However, the great heir to the clan was missing, He had been kidnapped."

"The clan leader had several sons, however, and named his second son to be heir. If his first son had been captured, he would certainly die at the hands of the giants. Their first priority was to rebuild the mountain wall that protected the city, to make it stronger than ever. After that, vengeance would be sought against the giants for the attack and slaughter. Freya's marriage would now be to the new heir. This did not sit well with her, however. She had fallen in love with the first son. She would not give up on him. There are few things in this world as unstoppable as a Halz woman with a goal."

"I find it hard to believe your people would just give up on him and attach Freya to a different fiance," Eurysa hissed.

"This was when giants ruled the world above the ground," Ritter replied, "Militarily we were not match for them. What little we even knew of them meant we believed they kidnapped people in order to eat them. Our people felt that any lost were already dead, as any that tried to rescue them were slain or captured as well. Our vengeance was meted out in strategic raids, especially using our engineering skills to act as sappers on their buildings."

"As for a new fiance, that is not unusual for a female Halz. Even in those times when we were at our most fertile, only one in ten children was female. Keeping the population from shrinking was important to our kind, and most Halz women spent most of their young lives bearing children. A Halz who could no longer bear children often was too old to join in more youthful activities. Most end up as leaders of various sorts. Our teachers for most subjects are our women, their knowledge is invaluable. Those who are more physically inclined become the hearth guard, warriors who protect our youngest from harm. They are widely considered to be among the best warriors of the Halz."

"We had lived all our lives in the mountains, we knew nothing of how the world above ground worked. We were about to learn. Freya pulled out her personal armory. She had crafted the finest of weapons and armor for herself to hone her skills. Nothing like them existed anywhere in the world. She had perfected the art of steel, far stronger than our iron or bronze armaments of the time."

"Bronze?" Eurysa asked, "This must have been quite long ago."

Ritter nodded, "It is true. Although we do sometimes make ceremonial armors of bronze even now as a tribute to our past. The clan leader was determined that Freya would not leave, that it was too dangerous and would only result in the loss of another Halz. The fact that it was someone who was both a woman and with such excellent craft skills only made the desire she not be lost even stronger."

"The attempt to lock her in her room until she came to her senses failed. The guards were found unconscious the next morning and Freya was long gone. The great clan hold went into mourning for her loss. Her death was assumed as there was certainly no way to catch her. She knew all the secret ways, and even if she did not, there was a massive hole to the outside that the giants had created."

"Freya followed the trail of the giants. She found their encampment and saw her fiance alive in a cage. He was not the only creature caged there. She understood the tongue of giants, many of the Halz had learned it so that we could better defend against them. It is far easier when you know what your foes words and plans mean. She overheard that the giants did not eat people of any kind, they were using the various people they captured as labor. The Halz were valued for their engineering expertise."

"Even with the power of steel, Freya knew she was no match for the giants. Yet the news that her love was valuable to the giants and would be treated well meant that she had time to rescue him. Thus she began a quest to find people who would aid her in her quest. She visited the clan halls of the other Halz. Most thought her tale insane. As the creativity and inspiration of the Soulforge clan were quite often mixed with madness, Freya was easy to brush off in their minds. However, there were those in each hold who held out hope that their relatives remained alive. She slowly gathered a few boon companions to follow her."

"There was Gunther Goldbeard for one. He was a portly Halz who had turned to drink when his son had been stolen. He was not much use as a warrior, but Freya admired his determination. He gave up his drink and traveled with her on the quest to rescue his son. By his reckoning, he was of no use to his people as he was. The hope to see his son again drove him."

"Another was Ulf Silveraxe. He had no one to rescue in the most literal of senses. His family had been slain in a raid by giants. He was out for revenge. He had honed himself into a deadly warrior. Without Freya intervention, it was likely he would have gone on a suicidal attack. He was wise enough to recognize that as a team, the group might actually effect some real vengeance on the giants."

"Then there were the twins Barnard and Barrett of the Orcdoom clan. Like many of the Orcdoom at the time, they one one of a large number of offspring. They wished to prove themselves on an adventure, or at least to prove one or the other was the best. They had long been in competition with each other, as well as all their older siblings."

"Perhaps the most intelligent of the group was Klaus Stonehammer. He was a student of many fields and he leapt at a chance to study and document the giants. He figured that anything they could learn about the giants could eventually be used to defeat this ancient enemy. He was enormous for a Halz but had never believed in violence. Still, Freya valued his wisdom and his keen tactical mind."

"Dietrich Diamondheart promised a small retinue of warriors to aid the cause, but that he needed to see the situation for himself before he would commit his resources. The Diamondheart clan had long suffered some of the worst losses to the giants. If this was an opportunity to strike at the giants in a way that would cripple them, then his clan would certainly provide enough warriors to give the giants pause."

"Otto Platinum was the last of the Halz to join the cause. At first it seemed that none of my clan would join Freya. We had never been attacked by the giants and felt quite safe from their depredations. Otto had the wisdom to see past the politics of hiding. He had long felt that the isolationist tendencies of my people caused more problems than they solved. As Freya was leaving our great hold, he made a stealthy escape to join the company."

"Freya dared not return to her own clan hold. She feared they would capture her and try to hold her for her own good. All the other clans had deemed her words likely the ravings of the insane, only her status as the female of another clan kept her from being imprisoned by any of them. The rarity of our females meant a great many codes that protect them from harm, persecution, or prosecution by other clans unless there was a direct threat of harm to the people of that clan. Even then the role of justice was merely to capture the female unharmed and return her to her home clan for restitution."

"However, eight Halz with few warriors among them was not enough to rescue the heir to the Soulforge clan. Freya's first goal was to take the group through the land and show them what the giants were truly up to. Then she could have aid from the Diamondheart clan at the very least. All of the Halz were quickly shocked at how easy it was to travel through the land without being attacked. While each giant was mighty, they were relatively few and could not be everywhere."

"The group studied the giants and their movements for many months. Then in the far south they spotted something odd. The giants had taken prisoners, but they were not Halz. They were a race we had never seen before. It was the elves. Freya had found the potential for new allies in her quest. Finding the home of the elves would be impossible for Freya, but the elves found us first. They were suspicious of Freya, especially as our only common language was that of the giants."

"However, as they had lived above ground for all their lives, they had seen the giants take other Halz as prisoners. They agreed that being able to deprive the giants of their captives was a good plan. They wanted their own people returned as well and promised to mobilize a great many elves to aid the cause. For now they sent a mere three with the group to scout out the situation and to help convince the Halz to send more soldiers. The elves saw our great clan halls and met our people."

"They were astounded by our knowledge of smithing and engineering. Our people were amazed by their knowledge of nature and of the lands above. Even the Soulforge clan sent representatives. Soon Freya was leading a small army of Halz. They were joined by a small army of elves. Freya led a mighty attack on the fortress that stood near here, the ruins we now call Center Point. Most of the slaves were kept there. The battle was ferocious, but the giants were not expecting to be attacked."

"Freya had won the battle to free her love, but the war had just begun. The madness of the Soulforge clan had been manifested fully, but it was not in Freya. There is a reason I have not used the name of her love, the long lost heir to the Soulforge clan. It is because I do not know it. His name was scrubbed from all records and he was cast from the names of the Halz for all time. His madness had led him down a dark path. The attack on the Soulforge clan hold had not been random."

"He had led the giants there and they made a distraction so that he could escape. He had no love for Freya or his fellow Halz. His sole love was in creation. As heir to the clan leadership, he would have no time for engineering and construction. His duty would keep him from his true love. With that knowledge, he snapped. There were many paths he could have taken to flee his duty, but in his madness he chose the one with death and destruction. He wanted not just freedom, but to destroy his shackles without mercy."

"Madness runs deep in the Soulforge clan it is said. Learning of the betrayal of her love broke Freya. It is said the roar she unleashed that day could be heard across the continent. That is where this tale turns dark indeed."

Enzi's Irregulars #0027

Ritter continued his tale, "Freya's axe cut through giant after giant as she sought to reach her fiance. Her brave companions fell one by one as they sought to keep her alive. Finally she reached the one she had loved. It is said that blood poured from a hundred wounds. The villain was unharmed and ready for her. With a simple swipe of his weapon he beheaded the fair maiden. What was left of the small army retreated. Of her closest companions, only Barrett Orcdoom survived."

"Ulf Silveraxe carried her body away from the traitor and the giants, despite the wounds he took as he could not defend himself. The elves then rescued Freya's corpse and took it to be honored among their people for her work in freeing the elven prisoners. The Halz retreated, most of their forces destroyed in the great battle. Trade relations began with the elves and the Halz began to build a great army to honor Freya. Eventually an elven delegation arrived at the Soulforge clan hall with a magnificent coffin that held the remains of Freya Soulforge."

"She was honored there and her treacherous love had his named stripped from him. It was with this that the elves and the Halz became allies. The relationship was sometimes rocky as they were not Halz and we did not entirely trust them. Yet eventually our two armies joined forces and together we could fight off the giants. Life became much easier, especially as steel became common for both sides."

Kava snorted, "So where is the elven evil in this?"

Ritter sighed, "For many years we thought little of the ramifications of the incident. The trade with the elves brought rare materials to us and we provided iron ore to them. We did not think much of their quick mastery over iron and steel. We took many generations to perfect it. The loss of Freya's knowledge had delayed our perfection of the process for quite some time."

"After the elves betrayed us, our historians discovered many things. We had not paid much attention to the one thing that was missing from Freya's remains. Her armor and weapons. The elves had kept the steel to analyzed it with their magic. They kept a relationship with us so that we could provide the raw materials. They had many motives for aiding us. The release of the enslaved elves and the weakening of the giants we knew. Yet they had other plans from the start. They wanted to learn our technology and use our resources. Certainly we would have aided them if they asked. Yet they not only did not ask, they did not provide us with the information they had learned from Freya's equipment. The Halz could have mastered steel much sooner if they had been willing to share."

"That really isn't that evil," Kava replied.

"No," Ritter said, "It was just the beginning. As they learned more of us, they found more important things they wished to harvest from us. This was just an example that even when our relationship was at its most honest and pure, they still had a secret agenda."

***

Enzi's wagon sat near the Tarvo Forest. It was close to Hirkan territory. As spring had come, the Hirkans had begun to head southwards, following the great herds of Snow Elk as they migrated. Only the permanent trading center known as Kanea kept any Hirkans in the north. Those Hirkans stayed to protect their forest from being logged. Enzi was already in discussion with one of those Hirkans.

The Hirkan was quite large, as far as humans went. Most Hirkans were quite powerfully built. He was no match for Aldebaran, but the Hirkan towered over Enzi. The Hirkan had ragged blonde hair and was sparsely dressed. The Hirkans were used to colder weather, so any that remained further north as spring and summer came often shed as much as their clothing and armor as they could spare. It was one of the things that gave them a reputation as savages.

Ritter pondered that point. The Feergrus often went with very little clothing, but were not considered savages. However, he guessed that it was only one thing and that every culture had at least one thing different about them. Otherwise he assumed all of them would just all be the same country. The Hirkans certainly had a great many other reasons that people considered them savages. They did not build towns for one thing. Their attitude towards possessions was another. Since they did not believe in owning things they could not carry with them, that led to a great many misunderstandings where they would take things that were laying around. They were often called thieves and scavengers.

Enzi soon returned to his mercenaries, "We have a job."

"I hope we get to hurt something," Kava croaked.

Mayitso snorted. He kept giving glances towards the forest. He was uncomfortable about something, but it was hard to tell what it exactly was. The lycanthrope's communication skills were poor, especially since in wolf form he could not even speak in a human tongue. Eurysa and Aldebaran calmly sat and listened. Eurysa's calm came naturally to her. The minotaur's calm was practiced. He breathed carefully and kept his focus. Aldebaran kept himself under control as much as he could. He made it a habit.

Ritter had heard many hints that the minotaur had a terrible past because of his anger issues. He wondered if he would ever get the chance to hear the story. For now, though his curiosity disappeared as Enzi began to describe the Hirkan job. It seemed they were having problems with the Vashimi for a change. They were used to dealing with the normal threats from the Disputed Lands and arguments with the Tarvoni, but the Vashimi usually stayed hidden in their swamps.

This was definitely a mission for Kava. She knew the Vashimi and their swamps. The Marsh of Vashim was her home. The five mercenaries soon trudged off into the woods as Enzi remained behind with the wagon and the Hirkan. Being this close to the Marsh of Vashim also meant the group was quite close to the borders of Feergrus. Ritter wondered what that land was like. What he had heard of it was that it was mostly dry and barren. This made for quite a contrast with the Marsh of Vashim. Obviously the whole country could not be that dry, it made no sense as it was bordered by the ocean, a river, and a marsh for three of its sides.

As the trees of the Tarvo forest shaded Ritter from the powerful star Feras, he felt the chill of the spring. Summer would come soon enough but the group was headed southwards. Until they neared the swamps, he expected the temperatures to continue to drop. The evergreen trees that made up the Tarvo Forest held the chill well. The group traveled for several days until Ritter noticed the trees begin to change. The warmth of the marsh allowed for very different breeds of trees to survive. Deciduous trees were the first clue they were nearing the swamp.

Kava took the lead. Her caution was a warning to the rest of the group. Ritter was used to her rushing into situations. Yet here the vodyanoi was peering at every leaf as if it might jump out and attack her. It seemed it was for good reason. Spears flew from multiple directions as Kava rolled out of their path. A dozen Vashimi leapt out of every hiding place imaginable. Some came down from the trees. Some came out of bushes. Others leapt through the ground, obviously out of pits they had dug and camouflaged.

The Vashimi were extraordinarily pale and gaunt. While some had mistaken Mayitso's human form as Vashimi, seeing the real thing up close left a very different impression on Ritter. He could clearly see their veins working beneath the surface of their nearly translucent skin. It was ghoulish. Mayitso's human form was certainly far more pale than a Tarvoni or Hirkan, but not to the same level as a Vashimi. The Shimese people were just unnerving. It did not help that their noses were flattened, giving the a resemblance to a pig.

As the Vashimi that attacked were usually from the cannibal tribes, that also meant they would be adorned with horrifying mementos of their victims. These Vashimi were no exception to that. As they screamed, Ritter could see that they had filed their teeth into murderous points. It made them look like monsters. Ritter felt a few thrown spears bounce off his armor as he charged into battle. His foes wore no armor and used primitive weapons. Metal was rare among the Shimese people, reserved for their leaders and greatest warriors. However, that meant this battle was wildly lopsided.

Kava, Aldebaran, and Ritter's weapons slaughtered their foes with ease as Eurysa picked off the Vashimi spear throwers with her perfectly placed arrows. Mayitso seemed to be in his element in the woods, much as Kava would be in the swamp. The lycanthrope's fangs tore apart the wiry Vashimi with startling efficiency. Soon the Vashimi were dead and Kava declared the area was safe.

"Odd, this is a bit out of their territory," the vodyanoi croaked, "I expect some scouts, maybe a trap or two, but not an assault. This is unusual."

Mayitso snorted and then sniffed at the corpses and the ground. He growled and then moved off. The rest of the mercenaries followed. The lycanthrope had the best senses of the group by far, at least in hearing and smell. Eurysa's eyes might be sharper, but it was hard to tell. Soon the group saw what the lycanthrope had sensed. There was a Shimese village being built outside the swamp.

"Oh this really isn't right at all," Kava said, "They would not build here unless they had to. The Vashimi like to hide and the marsh is excellent for places to hide and camouflage. This part of the forest is too open for that."

"You can speak their language, right?" Eurysa asked.

"Ugh," Kava croaked, "I know several enemy languages, yes."

"Then we should question them," the gorgon replied.

"Oh that won't go well. This is a cannibal tribe. Though I suppose if we kill enough of their warriors, the others might be afraid enough to talk. If we can catch any before they all run away."

"Wonderful," Eurysa said, "Mayitso, do you think you can grab us a prisoner to have a chat with?"

The great wolf nodded.

"Get a female," Kava said, "Especially if she has children nearby. The males won't talk but their breeding females will be skittish about our power to slaughter her children."

The lycanthrope looked to Eurysa. The gorgon nodded as Ritter felt slightly ill to his stomach. At least the group was not actually going to hurt the children, but instilling that fear felt wrong to the Halz. Mayitso soon returned with an unconscious female Vashimi. She wasn't wearing any clothing and had no weapons of note. Her sharpened teeth were still dangerous, as was her ability to yell out. Kava sat on her chest and waited with an oversized grin. The vodyanoi's frog-like maw could be quite disturbing.

Eventually the Vashimi woke and Kava spoke in Shimese, "We need to talk."

The woman started to scream but Kava croaked, "I would not do that if you want your children to live. We can grab them as easily as we grabbed you."

The woman glared at Kava with pure disgust and hate, "What do you have to say, monster?"

Ritter could see the woman's reactions. He half wished that he could hear what the vodyanoi and Vashimi were saying. His rational side knew that he was better off not knowing what horrible things Kava was talking about. The language was nearly as abhorrent in sound as the Vashimi seemed to be in appearance. Eventually the conversation was complete.

"Well, this is an interesting problem," Kava croaked in Nuvro with obvious glee.

"If Kava is happy about it, than this can't be good," Eurysa sighed.

Enzi's Irregulars #0028

"It seems that the troglodytes are making some sort of move," Kava croaked, "They have driven this tribe out of the marsh. We probably just killed most of the warriors they had left."

"So it isn't an invasion into Hirkan territory, it is a flight," Ritter replied.

"Yes, and with no warriors, we have two fun choices," Kava said with a manic look, "We can slaughter the villagers. Or we can make their home safe by slaughtering the slimy lizards."

Ritter knew why Kava had grinned. Either situation appealed to her murderous streak. He imagined she would prefer killing the lizardfolk. They would put up a real fight. The vodyanoi's ploy with slaughtering the village was meant to get an immediate reaction to fight her most hated enemies. Kava was cunning and could be manipulative. The combination of a sharp intellect and an unrelenting lust for blood made her predictable, however frightening the combination might be.

"There is another option," Ritter replied, "We can actually try talking to the lizardfolk and learning why they are on the move."

Kava glared coldly at the Halz.

"You can speak their language, and most of the lizardfolk are not the kind to attack first if we come in peace," Eurysa said, "You know Ritter is right."

"Do you really think they would talk to one of my kind without fighting first?" Kava asked, "We had a bitter battle. As far as most of them know, they wiped out every last one of us."

"Oh I think we can pull this off and get everything in order," Eurysa said, "And don't think I won't know if you are sabotaging things."

"Hey now," the vodyanoi said, "I may want to slowly peel their scales off one by one as painfully as possible, but I am honest."

Ritter smirked. Kava was right about that. She was very honest. Bluntly honest, in fact. It was part of what made Enzi's Irregulars work. Each member could be counted on to do their part, even if they did not like it. Such dedication was expected among the Halz, but it had seemed quite rare among the humans. The group released the poor Vashimi woman after Kava said a few words to her. The mercenaries made their way towards the marsh.

Ritter felt the slight change in the ground before he noticed anything else. The softer ground was only one change. The air held more moisture as well. Kava had perked up considerably. The trees had begun to change as well. What grew in the swamps seemed to have drooping greenery. Between that and the vines and odd tangles of plants that made up the underbrush, the whole area felt alive with plants. It was almost overbearing. As the ground became more soggy the underbrush began to disappear, replaced by shallow pools of murky water.

The scent of sulfur could be found on the wet breeze. It reminded Ritter of the forges of his home. However, as the scent grew stronger, the Halz quickly decided it was nothing like home. Without the heat of the forges and the dry air of the caverns, the sulfur seemed to settle everywhere. Ritter expected it would take more than one bath to wash away the stench when this mission was complete. A horrific burping and whistling sound awoke the Halz during their camp that night.

All the camp was awake except Kava. When woken she laughed at the group's description. It was a sulfurous fumarole. The burping sound came from it erupting through the boggy ground. The whistle was the gas release as it continued afterward. While the group returned to sleep or watch, none but the Vodyanoi were able to get comfortable again. The next morning they slogged through the increasingly marshy area until Kava pointed out a light. The group crept closer and saw a large group of lizardfolk sitting in the remains of a Shimese village.

"This is not a war party," Kava croaked, "These are smaller males. They work the land to provide food for the tribe as a whole. Still, there should be more warriors. This strikes me as odd."

"Then let us learn more," Eurysa hissed, "Time to get their attention. Call out to them that we wish to talk."

Kava sighed, then made some horrific noises. Something about that language made Ritter's skin crawl. There was an odd power to it, something primal that made him feel an instinctive fear. He shook it off, the Halz had nothing to fear from primitive humanoids like this. They were powerfully built, but no match for the hardy Halz and their advanced technology. He watched as several warriors came forward. They wore no armor and carried large but simple spears.

There was some obvious shock among the lizardfolk upon their sighting of the vodyanoi as well as suspicion. They seemed most aggravated over Ritter, but calmed quickly as Kava talked with them. Their language was harsh and guttural, but the Halz was surprised at how well things seemed to be going. Kava was not exactly diplomatic, but he wondered if her simple, blunt manner might not work better with these savages. Finally the vodyanoi turned to the group with a slightly puzzled look.

"It seems some humans stole some relic of theirs," Kava croaked, "They thought Ritter might be a human at first. After some discussion, I got the point across that there are different tribes of humans, much like there are different tribes of troglodytes. The female they work under had ordered them to slaughter all humans in their path. As we are not humans, we are safe for now. They are pushing northwards to set up a major war camp in the far north. This area should be safe for the Vashimi to return in a few days."

"Won't they slaughter the Vashimi again on their way back?" Ritter asked

Kava shrugged, "I doubt it. Once they get their stupid rock back they will slaughter the people around it and forget about continuing revenge. Especially as discussion of different tribes filters through their people. They mostly ignored the humans as only the Vashimi were foolish enough to live in the swamps."

"This is over a rock?" Ritter asked.

"They call it a dragon egg," the vodyanoi replied, "But I've seen the troglodytes worshiping lots of silly things that are supposed to be dragon related. Many of the tribes are obsessed with this sort of thing. I figure they found a large egg shaped rock they couldn't break and worshiped it. It was probably a chunk of halzium or something like that. Some of the odd trinkets I have seen them worship are downright odd. Things they claim to be of dragon origin but obviously are not. At least obvious to those with an intellect. There is no such thing as a dragon. My people lived in these marshes for generations and never saw anything even remotely dragon-like."

"Well, other than letting the Vashimi and the Hirkans know what is going on, I guess this is all finished," Ritter said.

"Yeah, this was too easy," Kava replied in a depressed tone, "We barely got to kill anyone."

The trip back to the Shimese camp was surprisingly uneventful. Ritter strode in first, letting his armor take a few hits as Kava stayed behind him and yelled out what all she had learned. The rocks soon stopped pelting the Halz as questions came. The Shimese people quickly calmed and swarmed out to hear the news. Ritter was surprised at how human and peaceful they seemed. The tales of the cannibal tribes and their vicious and heartless nature seemed hard to grasp

It made the Halz wonder if they were the same as any outcasts. If they might share a kinship with Enzi's Irregulars. Life had not treated them well. They fought to survive. It was what all living things did. Ritter wondered if there was any way to bring all living things together to live in peace. He knew such a thing had to be impossible, but it was a beautiful dream. If it wasn't for all those who sought selfish desires, perhaps the world would be perfect.

Even that made him pause. How many of his desires were selfish? The desire to live was certainly selfish. The Halz may have been well educated with a strong background in complex subjects, but pondering on philosophy was beyond his comprehension. So many things seemed like they might be the correct path. So many ideas looked like they might bear fruit. In the end, every philosophy seemed to be flawed. It made him wonder if life itself was flawed.

Soon the group was on its way back towards the edge of the forest. The trip back to the wagon was also surprisingly uneventful. Ritter was wondering if Kava would ever get a chance to really satisfy her violent nature. Eurysa explained all that had happened to Enzi and the Feergrus man left to chat with his Hirkan contact. When Enzi returned, the wagon moved off towards the northwest. That quickly brought them into drier lands. Over the next few days the ground grew rockier. Ritter knew they had to be near the border to Feergrus.

"Well, now we can follow the border to Feergrus northwards. We should be safe here," Enzi explained to the group as they made camp, "I expect some jobs near the border to Agon. I am hoping to get a chance to prove ourselves to the people of the area after the debacle we had earlier."

"Hopefully it involves lots of violence," Kava growled.

The trip northwards was quiet for several days. However after five days the wagon rolled to a stop. Three Feergrus men were standing in its path. None of them appeared to be armed or armored. Knowing what Enzi was capable of, this fact only worried Ritter more. One of the dark skinned men stepped forward.

"Enzi's Irregulars," he said in Infernus with a deep, booming voice, "Exactly who we were looking for."

Enzi's Irregulars #0029

Enzi looked down at the three men, "Looking for us? This is a vast world to find us so easily."

"We were given a few acceptable choices of who to hire for this job, people that could truly be trusted," the leader of the men replied, "That we found you first is merely fate."

"I don't believe in fate," Enzi said.

"And I did not believe that you should be on the list of trusted mercenaries. I have heard many things about your group, but I will not question my superiors on their choice. They know more than I."

"You might be surprised at how often that is not true," Enzi said.

The man grunted, "We have a great need for your aid. We need someone to protect an acolyte as she travels to the coast and perhaps further."

"An acolyte?" Enzi asked.

"Yes, a young acolyte in service to the temple of Chasar. Her skills are extraordinary and she is headed to Ravalei as part of an exchange of young talent to learn from each other," the man stated, "However, she is threatened by Ahk separatists. To ensure that her protectors are not separatists that infiltrated our ranks, we were ordered to hire outsiders."

It was Enzi's turn to grunt, "Ahk separatists. I have a few scores to settle with them. We are in."

***

The Feergrus town of Zubayr was not a lot to look at. It was a border town near the Disputed Lands. But it was a starting place. Now Enzi's wagon would be riding down well maintained roads. This was a land that Enzi had long fled for the safety of himself and his family. It was unlikely that anyone would recognize him now, but he wore a cloak anyway. It would be about a day and a half ride to the next town, an equally small town called Golbahar.

After that Enzi would have to decide whether to head to the city of Tafresh or to Badarash, They would have to backtrack away from where they wanted to go if they went to Tafresh, but that would have to happen at some point. The rocky badlands made roads the only safe way to get anywhere. One could not always go exactly the way they wanted to. In the end they had to reach the city of Iskandar on the north edge of the Boneyard. Tacking southwest to Tafresh would put them on the edge of the Boneyard and then the group could just follow the roads that circled that dangerous place.

The Boneyard was one of the major tourist attractions in Feergrus, while also being a place people wanted to avoid. Creepy stories were often told of the place. Enzi had been there. It was merely a vast area where a great many creatures had gone to die. Ancient sun bleached bones had fossilized across the area. Great walls of bones had formed in some places. No one knew why so many creatures went there to die, but many myths were made up to frighten the superstitious. The real danger there came from the scavengers that lived there. Such a place of death attracted a great many creatures that were not afraid to gnaw on the recently dead.

Enzi decided he would go ahead on to Badarash and then make the southwestern trip from there, heading to Khaymah. From there they would circle the Boneyard, heading to Dashkotan and finally to Iskandar. In total, Enzi expected about a ten day ride from Zubayr to Iskandar. He imagined if there was a road straight between the two cities that the group could shave three or four days off their travel time. He decided he might as well make some use of the extra time. Feergrus had several laws that could hinder the group.

"Well for camp tonight we get to begin a discussion of rules and laws in the country of Feergrus," Enzi stated.

"Ugh," Kava croaked, "I don't do rules, you know."

"I will try to appear sad at your funeral," Enzi quipped back.

Kava snorted, "You are not that good an actor. Although I would totally pay to watch as the giant hooved furball over there cries his eyes out missing me and my awesomeness."

Aldebaran rolled his eyes as the rest of the mercenaries settled in to listen. They quickly learned that they would be encountering several odd things. Menial tasks in Feergrus were usually handed by mindless undead creatures raised by the necromancers of the country. There was nothing to worry, they followed the commands given to them mindlessly. They could be dangerous in large numbers, but the real threat would be whatever necromancer would dare disobey the laws of the land to bring harm using the undead. They were considered tools and nothing more.

A more dangerous thing to encounter would be a Feergrus panther. These large dark furred felines could easily kill or maim someone. There was a problem in dealing with them, however. Harming them was illegal, even in self defense. It was not uncommon to see them stalking through the great cities of Feergrus. Of course, not all the panthers one saw were actually panthers. Some of them were the Feergrus themselves, ones who had learned the ability to use magic to shapeshift. These sentient panthers kept the normal ones in line. The two species had learned to live together, although there were still accidents from time to time. The panthers were wild animals after all.

The next evening, Enzi went over the basics of the Ahk separatists. Back when the country of Feergrus was forming, there were two groups of people fighting to rule. One were the followers of the three deities. The others were the powerful necromancers that had planned to rule over a vast nation of undead. They were known for their chant of Adhabu Hatari Kifo. Roughly translated it meant pain, danger, and death. They thought that life was pain and that becoming undead was a release from the suffering. They offered immortality as sentient undead. Enzi could only speculate on the rest of their philosophy. Their forces had been crushed. However, that had not stopped their movement.

The Ahk separatists were a group that claimed to follow the ideals of the original undead necromancers. They wished to at least make their own country but their real goal was to usurp the whole world under their thumb, starting with Feergrus. They were one reason why the necromancers of Feergrus only created mindless undead. The highest ranked necromancers of the land learned the techniques for the more powerful sentient undead certainly, their knowledge was a weapon. It allowed them to more easily control or defeat such undead.

There were a great many cultural reasons why the necromancers did not raise people as sentient undead of course. The evils of the Ahk separatists were one. The other was how the Feergrus saw death. They believed their souls would continue on to serve their deities in the afterlife. Their bodies were now just objects. There were no graveyards or burials in Feergrus. The dead were sent to a necromancer to be used as a new zombie for work in menial tasks. Tying a soul into an undead body was seen as an insult to the deities and an insult to the country for the loss of another body to do the hard labor so that the people would not have to suffer.

Creating sentient undead was certainly possible, and had happened a few times. It was always for reasons of the greatest need and only at the permission of the highest religious authority. Rumors said that the greatest leaders of the church had been granted immortality this way. However, Enzi stated that he had met the three leaders himself and all three were definitely living beings. He could not speak for their mortality. They had rules for as long as he could remember. Enzi suspected the rumors were spread by the separatists in order to try and weaken the arguments against sentient undead.

***

Iskandar was a beautiful city. It sat to the north of the Boneyard. Mighty stone walls protected the city from the danger of the Feergrus Badlands. Mighty spires stretched towards the heavens. Feline carvings adorned walls and panther statues littered the area. The Feergrus people glided through the city, at most wearing breezy silken wisps of clothing. The sun bleached area did not feel warm enough to Ritter for such clothing or lack thereof, but he imagined the people were used to it. Those who felt a chill in the air gathered together to embrace and share body heat. It was obvious this could turn to much more very easily.

The culture of the Feergrus was very open about sexuality. The Halz shook his head. Ritter's people were very orderly about such things. Lines of inheritance were very important and women were very rare. The Halz could not wrap his head around the very open nature of the Feergrus. From what he understood, inheritance was derived from the mother. Women held many powerful positions in the land. It was the men who often got the terrible positions or difficult jobs that no one wanted to do. Enzi had once led soldiers in battle as a general, risking his life on the orders of the state religion. More than likely, several of the orders Enzi followed had come from a priestess before he had finally come to the attention of the very highest ranks of the government.

The wagon had rolled into town with no fanfare. Enzi had told the mercenaries that Iskandar was a training area. Here many children came to learn the ways of divine magic. Some became necromancers and practiced on the abundant bones from the Boneyard. Others became acolytes of one of the three faiths. The group was to meet an acolyte who had graduated and was ready for the next step. Instead of advancing normally, they would be headed to a port city and headed to Ravalei to train at the magical college there. The mercenaries were supposed to protect the acolyte while still in Feergrus.

While the Halz understood the fear of infiltration by separatists, he wondered if it would not be easier to slay the acolyte while in Ravalei. The Feergrus certainly did not have the military force in that land that they did here. Ritter suspected there was more going on than Enzi had been told. He bet good money that Enzi thought the same thing. Finally though, the wagon came to rest outside a temple dedicated to Chasar, the war deity of Feergrus.

Two templars guarded the gate to the great spire. They wore chain hauberks underneath an odd collection of thick plates. A large round plate hung on their front and backs and smaller plates at their sides. It looked highly flexible for the amount of heavy armor it provided. The pair also wielded odd looking polearms. They looked like the spears that the goblinoids had crafted to use for dismounting Agonish cavalry, except these were crafted with the care and skill of a superior blacksmith. It was still slightly unnerving to see humans wielding goblin spears.

One of the guards nodded to Enzi and spoke in Infernus, "Enzi's Irregulars. We have been expecting you."

Ritter grunted under his breath, "That sounds familiar."

"Rukiya Bora will be out shortly to join you," a guard stated.

"Bora?" Enzi asked.

The guards nodded. Enzi looked to his mercenaries and explained quietly that the Bora family had long been a rival to his own family. The Bora family did not have the fame, fortune, or other advantages of the Cala family. While the Cala family was comfortably seated in the highest caste, the Bora family struggled. They would devote all their resources towards their best hopes, trying to help them reach the apex of society so that hopefully they could drag the rest of their family with them.

Finally a tiny girl strode out of the temple. She could not be more than eleven years old. Her skin was flawless and unmarked, something that seemed impossible from a temple of the war deity.

"You? You are Rukiya?" Enzi asked, "You seem awful young to have completed the training of an acolyte."

The child smiled and spoke with a soft, sweet and innocent voice,, "Yes. They call me a prodigy. I will spend the rest of my time learning the ways of the Ravaleians. I don't know what all that means, but I can't wait to find out!"

Enzi's Irregulars #0030

From her appearance, Rukiya Bora was graduating from the temple four years too early. That meant she had to have beaten foes much older and larger than herself in combat. The fact that she appeared unscathed caused Enzi a great deal of worry. That either meant that she was exceptional beyond compare or that the Bora family had grown in power enough so that their daughter got an easy path through combat training. Both of those possibilities worried Enzi.

The Bora family were ruthless in their need to rise above their caste. While the little girl likely had little knowledge of her family as an acolyte in training was separated from their parents at a very young age, she might have feelings of being special if her family had indeed affected her trials. If things came too easily to a student, it was easy for them to be spoiled by it. Their overconfidence would be shattered upon the first time they faced a true challenge. Enzi wondered if the protection was to make sure that Rukiya did not dace such a challenge before she was truly ready.

The tiny girl had the air of innocence about her. She glanced across the inhuman mercenaries in the wagon and did not seem shocked at all. Ritter wondered if the child had been prepared with a description of the five warriors. Even with that, he doubted that any description would be enough to prepare a human for things as different as the members of Enzi's Irregulars. The vodyanoi gave a creepy overly wide grin full of teeth towards Rukiya.

Kava snorted and croaked in Infernus, "You seem awful calm little girl."

The little girl gave the amphibian a cold glare that sent chills down Ritter's spine as she calmly replied, "You would have to actually be a threat to me to cause any worry."

"Ooh, I like you," Kava said, "I can see this trip is going to be loads of fun."

Ritter looked at the odd accoutrements of the group's young charge. The clothing she was was little more than a few silken wisps of cloth wrapped around her. It was no armor, but it would certainly allow for easy movement. She did one one piece of metal, however. On her head was an iron circlet. Set in the circlet was a single black gemstone. The quality of the circlet was certainly not that of a skilled craftsman. It had obviously been hammered out quickly and cheaply. The Halz thought he could see rust at spots already.

Enzi had mentioned that circlets were the symbol of the priesthood. Ritter guessed that as an acolyte in training, the little girl therefore got the mass produced and cheap version. A nicer one would likely be made if she progressed to a higher rank. The Halz was not impressed with the little girl's attitude towards Kava, but she still radiated an aura of innocence. She was young, and likely had some overconfidence issues. Ritter hoped that her skills would not come to a test during the trip. He was worried the vodyanoi would provoke something. Rukiya took a seat in the wagon calmly. As they started to roll, she leaned back, The tiny Feergrus girl closed her eyes and began to meditate. Kava waved her one good hand in front of the closed eyes and Rukiya smirked.

"Just because my eyes are closed does not mean I don't notice things," the little girl said, "I have ears to hear you move, the sense of touch the feel the movement of air."

"Kava, leave the poor girl alone," Eurysa hissed, "This is going to be a long enough trip as it is."

"It will feel shorter with entertainment," the vodyanoi croaked.

The rest of the mercenaries rolled their eyes. Rukiya remained quiet as she meditated. The young girl remained still and quiet throughout the trip and even at camp she ate without a word. That meant she gave no complaint either, and for that all were thankful. A long trip with a child had the potential to turn into a nightmare. The wagon rolled along the road to the town of Balquan, then passed it headed onwards to Amarah. Rukiya remained as still and silent as ever, moving only when it was necessary.

Kava, however, was beginning to fidget. The urge to break Rukiya's silence was eating at the vodyanoi. Even Ritter could see that. There was no sign of any problems. Traffic on the roads seemed normal and no one paid much attention the Enzi's wagon. Ritter wondered if an attack would even come. On the sixth day out of Iskandar they passed through the town of Quom. It was a border town, near the Tarvo Forest that covered all the southern tip of the continent. At Quom, the Marsh of Vashim crept quite close to the borders of Feergrus. The forest that surrounded it was the only real border between the inhabitants of the swamp and the land of Feergrus.

Even the trees looked twisted. The moisture of the marsh battled with the harsh dryness of the rocky Feergrus badlands. The trees seemed to bear more relation to the few scraggly plants in the badlands than to the great trees in the eastern swaths of the immense forest. The town was rather nervous. That worried Ritter. He heard a warning given to Enzi about problems from the forest. Instead of the usual problems with a few overly brave Vashimi wandering out to try and capture some unsuspecting Feergrus for their cannibalistic hunger, this tale spoke of a larger threat. It seemed that the lizardfolk had begun gathering in great numbers near the border.

Ritter suddenly put several items together in his head. The mission to evict the Vashimi earlier had involved the lizardfolk moving through Shimese territory headed elsewhere. The logical answer was to Feergrus. Such a threat obviously was a drain on the military resources of the country. This would be a perfect time for separatists to attack various targets. The hiring of the irregulars made much more sense to the Halz. Not only were they trusted not to be separatists, they were a resource that didn't tap into military forces that were likely already stretched thin.

After the warning to watch out for potential danger and attacks from the lizardfolk, the wagon rolled onward. They needed to continue to the next town. They would pass through the towns of Cahriq, Jahrom, and Agadir before finally reaching the mighty port city of Ubayyid. First they had to reach the town of Cahriq. That quickly proved to be an issue. That wagon ground to a halt a few hours out of Quom. A Feergrus man stood in the middle of the road.

"I have been expecting you."

Ritter sighed and mumbled under his breath, "Again?"

Enzi grumbled as he replied back, "There seem to be quite a few expecting us wherever we go. It might be more important as to what you are expecting us for."

"I know more than the others you have dealt with. None of them knew who you really are, general."

Enzi's posture immediately changed and Ritter began readying his armaments as the mercenary company leader growled in response, "Just who are you then?"

"My name is not important, I am merely a servant of a grater cause. It is a cause you should join. You know the leaders of this country are corrupt. You have experienced it firsthand."

"You are one of the Ahk," Enzi said.

"Indeed," the man replied, "I know there have been issues between our group and you in the past. You were a powerful general for our enemy, do not blame us for targeting you."

"You didn't target me, you targeted my family," Enzi replied, "I have no love for the corruption in our government, but your group is far worse. Your vision for the world is a dark and grim one that I want no part in."

The man on the road shrugged, "So be it. While your talent would have been an invaluable aid to our noble cause, I expected this would come to this."

Enzi snapped the reins of the mighty oxen that pulled the wagon and they leapt forward. The man on the road merely smirked. Crossbow bolts and arrows flew. The oxen collapsed to the ground dead, sliding to a stop at the feet on the man on the road. Ritter grabbed Rukiya as the projectiles flew through the canvas. His armor and shield protected him and the Feergrus girl as the rest of the mercenaries made their own defense, leaping one way or another.

"Your protective instinct is admirable," Rukiya said to Ritter, "You may release me now, I can handle myself against such crude attacks. Thank you for your concern."

The Halz was not sure whether to feel insulted at the condescending tone or to be thankful that Rukiya at least was nice enough to thank him. He saw Eurysa slithering about firing arrows at their foes. Enzi, Aldebaran, Mayitso, and Kava were on the ground moving towards their targets. For Enzi, his target was the man on the road. Ritter leapt out of the back of the wagon and assessed the situation for himself. It was quickly obvious to the Halz that the team was greatly outnumbered and that many of the separatists were dug in behind mounds they had built up themselves.

An arrow flew towards Rukiya who was now unprotected. The projectile suddenly slowed as it neared her and she batted it out of the air nonchalantly. The separatists leapt from behind the mounds and charged into combat as the mercenaries neared them. Ritter quickly found himself fighting three warriors. Aldebaran, Mayitso, and Kava each found themselves against similar odds. Eurysa was having an archery contest with one of the separatists. The two were exchanging shots on the move, each trying to land the first hit. Their skills meant they could predict where the arrows would fly from each other. Two master archers trying to outmatch each other.

Of course, Eurysa was trying to move to where she could match her gaze with her foe. That would end the fight rapidly. Enzi seemed to have his hands full with his own foe. Whoever the leader was, he was nearly evenly matched with Enzi. Enzi had superior experience, but his foe was younger, faster, and stronger. However, the real problem was the three men who stroke towards Rukiya with grins on their faces. One tiny little girl certainly would be no match for three fully grown men with military training.

"Sorry to do this little girl, but you need to die," one of the men said.

Rukiya remained silent and merely kept walking towards the three without fear. The lead of the three charged in first to attack. Rukiya spun to one side with a flash of speed that shocked all who saw it. Her hand struck at the back of the man's knee. There was a sudden explosion of gore as the man's knee exploded and his lower leg flew several feet away. The other two warriors rushed in to attack at once hoping to overwhelm Rukiya. Her fist punched through the chest of the first with seemingly no effort. She glided away from her other foe as he attacked, moving with uncanny grace.

Almost immediately she was on the offense and her palm connected with the last man's chin. His jaw was torn off by the force of the blow as teeth and blood splattered everywhere. The three corpses laid in heaps at the little girl's feet. She was unmarked by any attack, although blood had splattered across her silken clothes and her face. By this point the other mercenaries had made headway on their own foes. Eurysa's foe sat motionless, stopped by her magical gaze. Enzi had transformed into his hybrid form and beaten his foe down. Mayitso, Ritter, Kava, and Aldebaran had hacked through most of the other enemies.

Ritter looked at the small girl and the incredible damage and asked, "What are you?"

Enzi's Irregulars #0031

"She's a war enchanter," Enzi answered, "Very rare. Likely the only one this young. Not a lot of people train that direction, it usually takes too much time to learn all the prerequisites to pull off the final step."

"Final step?" Ritter asked.

Enzi nodded, "Turning yourself into a living magic item."

Rukiya nodded, "That plus a few preparatory spells each morning while I meditated. These thugs were not a major threat. If I did not have to sleep, this trip would need no guards. Fortunately you are capable enough to keep watches during the night. Thank you for your help thus far. Hopefully this will be an object lesson to the separatists. Perhaps the rest of the journey will be quiet."

"They didn't have any casters or undead," Enzi replied, "Although their leader had impressive combat skill. I somehow doubt this is the end."

"I agree," Rukiya replied, "Although we can always hope. I see from your fighting that you were trained at the Temple of Chasar. A former general as well? That is interesting."

"A life long since past," Enzi replied, "I am not half the fighter I was when I was young."

"Still, I can see why you would be trusted then. An outsider, but one with known loyalties. It sounded as if you had no love lost with these separatists. I am impressed with the choice of your company as escorts."

Kava croaked, "Yeah, with me around, everyone gets impressed."

The vodyanoi flexed her stringy amphibian muscles. Rukiya giggled slightly before catching herself and returning to her stoic nature.

"I knew I could get through that armor," Kava said, "Don't ever let it get too strong."

Rukiya nodded, "That almost sounds like something an acolyte of Rakar would say. I may learn of that wisdom more deeply someday. For now, shall we continue?"

Enzi looked at the two slain oxen, then to the Irregulars, "I guess we are walking the rest of the way."

Ritter looked at the inhuman mercenaries, "This should be interesting."

"I am wearing a circlet," Rukiya said, "No one will question anything I do."

The group gathered their few meager belongings from the wagon and continued on. They might have been able to drag the wagon to town, but finding any oxen for sale would have been impossible. Such things could only be bought from the farms to the far north. It was far more trouble than it would be worth. Eventually the group reached Cahriq. The group got several stares, but with Rukiya leading the way, no one said anything. Enzi kept to the rear of the group.

There was some rumor in town about movement out in the Brackenwater Barrens to the east. Ritter wondered if that was the separatists. It sounded like an area that no one lived in, a perfect place for the rebels to hide and strike from. As the mercenaries continued northwest, they were moving away from that area and headed towards what was mostly a more heavily inhabited area. At least until they neared the Standing Stones. The group kept on guard as they made their way along the well traveled roads.

Ritter wondered what people would make of the abandoned wagon and the dead bodies between Cahriq and Quom. The wagon had Enzi's name on the side. It was too late to worry about that, the group had to move on. Losing the oxen had slowed them, though only slightly. No one in the group was out of shape. Rukiya in particular was in excellent condition for hours of exertion. The Halz wondered what her training had been like. It was obviously effective.

The trip to Jahrom was without incident. They did not run into any problems on the next leg of their trip until they reached the town of Agadir. A temple to the war deity Chasar sat there, and the priest in charge halted the advance of the group. He gave a suspicious look to the monstrous mercenaries and to the extraordinarily young acolyte.

"You will excuse me if I find your group rather suspicious, miss?" the man asked.

"Bora. Rukiya Bora. Acolyte of Chasar, on a mission from Iskandar to the port city of Ubayyid."

"Odd I had not heard of such a thing," the priest said, "Come with me into the temple and I will get this sorted out."

Ritter noticed the man wore a circlet much like Rukiya's. It had a single black gem set into it. However, instead of a crudely forged iron circlet, this was a finely crafted circlet of the purest gold. The Halz noticed that Enzi felt distrust for the priest, though Rukiya was unreadable. As an acolyte, Ritter was sure that Rukiya had to follow the orders of a senior priest. This felt like a trap to the Halz, but he didn't see any way out of it that wouldn't cause more trouble.

The group passed into the temple. The inside of the temple was frightening. Pictures of combat adorned the walls and weapons hung between them. Armor stands sat is strategic areas. This was like a barracks, but the Halz could feel the oppressive violent atmosphere choking the air. This was a place of war. Templars could be seen in training, keeping themselves fit. The sound of battle filled the area. The mercenaries were led to a small room. Ritter noticed all the walls and doors of the temple were reinforced.

"Just stay here for now, I will be back shortly," the priest said.

He closed the door as he left. It was a heavy iron door and the group heard the lock slide into place. The group was well and truly trapped now, but Ritter noticed that Enzi and Rukiya both looked relaxed. The rest of the mercenaries looked as unnerved as the Halz felt. The last thing a small group of mercenaries wanted to be up against was a force of superior numbers and good training. Especially since the enemy had chosen the battlefield. Ritter couldn't understand why the two from Feergrus were taking things so well.

"I can't go against orders, but you seem relaxed, what is your plan?" Rukiya asked.

"I'm thinking of kidnapping a young acolyte named Rukiya," Enzi replied, "All I need is enough of a ruckus to draw attention. If we can make the final push to Ubayyid, there are people there at the docks to aid us. This priest would have his templars after us anyway, might as well give you a cover."

"I'll try to look innocent and helpless," Rukiya said, "Most people believe that of me anyway. My youth has its advantages when it comes to disarming my foes' expectations."

"Solid iron door with heavy bolt," Enzi said, "Not sure even Aldebaran can break that down easily."

"Well, it just needs weakened a little," the young girl replied, "Then the kick down will make lots of noise to draw attention so they can see all of you carrying me off."

Rukiya walked up to the door and concentrated. There was a loud hiss as acid formed out of nothingness. She nodded to the minotaur. Aldebaran charge towards the door and kicked it with one of his mighty hooves. The door flew open with a loud slam. The minotaur hefted up Rukiya as she mimicked being unconscious. The group stormed out of the room and towards the entrance. Ritter and Enzi led the way, each tackling a Templar guard at the entrance.

The group left the temple as yells sparked behind them. Enzi's Irregulars made a run northwards along the road. As they reached the edge of town they settled into a steady march. They would have to push themselves to keep the distance between them and their foes. However, all the mercenaries were hardened to such things. The biggest worry was any warriors taking panther form. The speed of the panthers might let them catch up. Luckily, the number of people that could do that transformation were few. As the priest of Chasar had to have learned tactics, he would certainly realize that in the open and without superior numbers, any battle would not be in his favor.

However, there was one problem. Ritter's short legs meant he was slower than the average human. He was always surprised at how well Eurysa could propel herself with her slithering. It meant that the Halz was the slowest member of the group. If the enemy pushed as hard as they did, they would catch up. It was unfortunate that all were not as quick as Mayitso in his four legged form. The dusk turned to evening and the evening to night. The group was tired but an attack could come at any time.

"We aren't all going to make it are we?" Ritter asked finally.

"I don't leave soldiers behind," Enzi replied, "Besides, I have a lot more experience than anyone at that temple. I know a few tricks. The rest of you make camp, we will take a short rest here, then continue on in a few hours. I will go and make their pursuit a lot harder."

Enzi dashed off into the night and Rukiya looked to the group, "Just who is that man?"

"The leader of the Irregulars," Eurysa hissed, "He can get any job done. Just leave your trust in that."

The light of dawn awoke Ritter. Enzi was already preparing a quick breakfast to give energy to the group.

"Well, looks like we are still here," Ritter said.

"Oh yes, they gave chase too," Enzi replied, "And they believe they are still chasing us. We may pass them later today, while they are searching for our trail, since it appears we went off road a few miles north of here. They will be trying to pick up our trail again, or rushing to blockade our path. I have a few good plans for almost any situation. It has been a while since I have had to think up strategy on the fly. Usually I have plenty of time to plan."

"Then we have nothing to worry about," Ritter said confidently.

Enzi sighed, "That feeling is what worries me the most. This is too easy. There has to be something I am not thinking of. Something I can not be prepared for."

Enzi's Irregulars #0032

Naphar Bura looked at the corpses of the two oxen. Scavengers had already turned them into little more than skeletons. The yellow-orange dust of the badlands had tried to scour away any other evidence, but the Cleanser saw the stain of blood. The name on the side of the wagon was obvious. Enzi's Irregulars were up to something. Now they were out of their wagon and walking out in civilization. The Kurrot could not imagine that lasting for long before a mob rose up against them.

He hurried down the road. He did not want to miss the opportunity to end their threat. His presence might save a few lives. As long as there were enough lives there to finish the job. Naphar wasn't about to make himself a target until he was sure he was at such an advantage that his foes had no chance of defeating him. He felt it was a prudent measure. Some of the other Cleansers thought Naphar was a coward. However, most of them were now dead. It was a dangerous job and Naphar felt justified in taking his time to make sure it was done right.

***

"Bring me the leader. Leave the rest of the corpses until we find out what happened. Then we can decide on their fate."

"Yes, master," a Feergrus man replied, rushing off to do as he was told.

His master was an ancient monstrosity. It was an undead who had led the Ahk Separatists for over a thousand years. He was a necromancer of exceptional power, though his body was little more than a withered husk. His life was sustained through his vast magical power. He avoided physical labor as much as he could. He was sure his undead form could handle such things, but he thought it better to yet the younger and fresher members of the separatists take the risks. He could always raise them as undead later.

The master was quite surprised that this latest group had failed. It filled him with dread as to the answer. The man he had sent was an excellent warrior and he had taken a great many skilled warriors with him. The master assumed that it had to be an error or incompetence on their part. Even the worst fears for this mission meant that they group should have had at least some success. The leader would be able to answer those questions. Soon the corpse of the man was dropped at the master's feet. He spoke a few arcane words and used a few ancient gestures.

The dead body on the ground twitched and shivered. It gasped and coughed as it tried to breathe, despite no longer needing to. The newly raised ghoul worked to understand his magically animated body. The master was patient. He had lived for many years, giving his vassal a few moments to adjust did not even register. Finally the master looked down from his throne of bones and spoke.

"I have found you and your men slain," the master growled, "How have you failed me?"

"I apologize master," the ghoul said in a gravelly and tentative voice.

Finding his voice, the ghoul continued, "It is as we suspected. It was General Enzi Cala who leads those mercenaries."

"Even if he was more than your equal, you should have had more than enough men to grab the girl and bring her to me while the rest of you sacrificed yourselves for the cause."

"We attempted that plan. However, the girl is far more dangerous than we realized. She is a war enchanter."

"Impossible," the master replied, "I know the real reason they send her to Ravalei. They need a necromancer for that, though admittedly an enchanter's skills would come in handy. I can not believe she is both."

"Then perhaps she is not trained in necromancy. She certainly showed her other skills."

"Hmm, perhaps some false information has been leaked. Or this girl is far more exceptional than even we were led to believe," the master stated, "If this is so, then our mission is more important than ever. I will give you and your men one more chance. I will send some of my other undead warriors with you. You will be boarding the ship and bringing it back. Bring me Enzi Cala and Rukiya Bora. Alive or dead, it matters not."

***

Luck seemed to be on their side. Enzi had seen signs where their pursuers had left the road in search of them and no sign of their return to the road. The mercenaries and their charge marched on towards Ubayyid. Time passed quickly that day and the lights of the city could be seen as they finally had to pause to rest. The mercenaries were exhausted. If their enemies were ahead of them with some sort of roadblock they would need their rest for the fight ahead.

"So what do we do if they are blocking our way?" Rukiya asked, "I can't refuse a direct command. Keeping me held only depletes your resources, whether I am held by someone or on the sidelines."

"We don't need to fight them," Enzi said, "If we can't ignore them, we just need to delay them. We have allies in the city, perhaps more than you know."

"Oh, perhaps your family?" Rukiya prodded.

Enzi chuckled, "No, even if they lived here they could not aid me."

"Didn't you see any of them on this trip?" she asked.

"No, the last time we were near any was in Iskandar," Enzi said, "From what I know, my sister's granddaughter should be in training to be an acolyte of Rakar."

"From what you know?" Rukiya asked.

"I have been away from Feergrus for over twenty years. She would be perhaps thirteen or fourteen. If any of the information I have is correct," Enzi said, "I know you have guessed much. I am not exactly welcome in much of Feergrus, although the government has decided I am more useful alive."

"I would agree with that," Rukiya said, "Though the powerful gain powerful enemies. Much of your story becomes clear to me. I want no more information. It is easier to deny knowledge of things if you do not actually know them. A powerful enough priest could magically force a confession if they did not believe me."

Enzi nodded and the group worked to get some rest. Morning came far too quickly. The bleary eyed warriors awoke to face the final push to the docks. As they trudged towards the city, Enzi saw a glimmer of hope. He saw their enemies. The priest and his men were rushing up the road, the mercenaries were ahead of them. Enzi grinned, his day had just been made. Even if the priest had sent some of his forces ahead, they were not nearly enough to stop the mercenaries. Without the priest to give orders to Rukiya, the rest of the trip seemed like a cakewalk.

The exhausted mercenaries quickly lost ground to their foes as they made their way to the city. They had made it halfway to the docks when the priest finally got within shouting distance.

"Halt! In the name of Chasar!"

"Ugh," Rukiya grumbled as she ground to a standstill.

"No worries," Enzi said, "Sometimes it takes experience to notice something that others may have missed. I suspect our priest will shortly find himself in over his head."

The priest was panting, but grinned as if he had won. The path they were on was remarkably free of bystanders. The priest was too tired to make note of that being strange and merely took it as fortune on his side.

"You thought you could get away?" the priest snarled in Infernus, "Fleeing against orders, I would be well within my rights to kill you now. But I am a kind and generous man, I'll just kill your escorts and take you back with me Rukiya. Be a good girl and surrender."

"As you wish," Rukiya said with a bow, "Your orders may keep me from my mission, hopefully you will gain knowledge of it soon."

"You have no mission, not now or ever," the priest said.

"So you won't follow the orders of a higher ranked priest," a voice growled.

The priest looked around as a man dropped down from the roof of a squat nearby building. The man wore no circlet so the priest snorted.

"You are no priest," the priest said, "Get out of my business."

"No, but Balozi Dini is," the man replied, "And he gave you strict orders about this little group."

The templars with the priest all looked to each other at the mention of that name as the priest spit on the ground, "Templars, this man seeks to confuse you, slay him and these foul mercenaries!"

As quick as the wind, a dozen panthers pounced down from their hidden perches. The man who had leapt down earlier transformed into a hulking hybrid of man and panther. It was the same transformation Ritter had seen from Enzi. The priest paled at the fearsome sight as the panther corralled the templars. Even they could not attack the panthers. The hybrid leapt forward with blinding speed and with one heavy swing he ripped the priest's head from his shoulders.

The hybrid snarled at Rukiya, "You seem to be the highest ranking member of the temple of Chasar. I think these templars need your direction."

"Flee," Rukiya said, "Return to your temple. They have greater need of you now that their priest has betrayed them."

The templars backed off. Enzi imagined they would stop at the local temple for new orders and reinforcements if needed but even if the temple sided with them, it would be too late. The panthers gave slow pursuit to the templars as the hybrid became human again.

"Your mission is known to us Rukiya Bora," the man said, "Though you have questionable allies."

"They have proven quite worthy," Rukiya said, "And done well in their mission."

"Yes, they have been given special dispensation from the highest level," the man said, "Which is lucky for you, Enzi. I know who you are. I imagine you know what I am."

"One of the Shadow Guard," Enzi said, "I saw your trap."

The man nodded, "I imagine you did. Tales of your skills rank you among legend and myth. Even if they are overblown in the tales, I would expect at least competence. Go about your business. None shall bar your path."

Enzi nodded, "Let's get to the docks."

Enzi looked at Rukiya as they walked toward their final goal. Worry filled him. Dispensation from the highest level meant only one thing to the former general. It meant that Devis Lane was involved. Enzi could not think of any situation involving Devis which did not make him uncomfortable. He wondered what exactly Rukiya's mission truly entailed. He had gained Rukiya's trust, Enzi knew he would now have to learn more about what was going on. He had hoped not to get involved. Now he saw no choice but to dive in fully.

Enzi's Irregulars #0033

The docks of Ubayyid were well maintained. The yellow-orange dust of the badlands seemed to try to get into everything, but the salty air of the sea seemed to help keep the dust levels down. Most of the ships were made to hug the coast, they were little more than barges. However, there was one full size ship at the docks. The flag it flew was instantly recognizable to Enzi. It was a pair of blue waves on a white background. That meant the ship was run by the Rava Coast Trading Company.

That had to be the ship that would take Rukiya to Ravalei. The mercenaries employed by the Rava Coast Trading company were professionals. Enzi did not agree with a lot of what the company did, but he did have respect for their mercenaries. They were treated well and were known for their loyalty and devotion. There were few warriors one could trust more. At least as long as their employers like you. Crossing the business interests of the Rava Coast Trading Company was a good way to make your life more difficult.

Of course, Enzi did know one group that was even more trustworthy than the mercenaries of the Rava Coast Trading Company. The reasons were frightening, however. That group was the Shadow Guard of Feergrus. Each one was personally screened by Executor Devis Lane himself. As the secret police of the land, they were terrifying. A myth to most, but a horrifying reality to any that threatened Feergrus and its masters. Devis Lane could see into the minds of mortal men. He picked only the most loyal of people for his Shadow Guard. Even then he watched over them and made sure that circumstances had not changed them into someone he could no longer use.

Enzi was quite familiar with Devis and his methods. He had been the one that had spotted his own findings. He had seen how Enzi had learned the deepest secrets of Feergrus. Then Devis had moved to eliminate Enzi as well as all the sources he had found. Learning the secrets of Lord Glanar Dale were harder than ever. One would think that the simplest of questioning would have revealed the immortal nature of the country's leaders. Questions of the age of the leaders, their birthdays or birth dates were never available. Even immortality would not be considered a sin, however. Those that suspected it only saw it as proof of the power of the religion, assuming they did not think they were undead.

Public appearances by Devis Lane and Karrum Tamb helped dissuade most rumors, but only the highest ranked priests ever met Lord Glanar Dale. Enzi was sure it was the ones that were most likely to fall in line with Glanar as well. That ability to read people like a book by Devis certainly helped and Enzi suspected that Glanar and Karrum had similar abilities. Enzi could not imagine anyone could claim equality or superiority over Devis without some serious firepower to back up that claim.

Having the Shadow Guard in town was somewhat of a comfort as they would protect Rukiya. However, Enzi was worried as to why they were there in the first place. If they had been available to handle her transfer, they would have been involved sooner. Devis knew who Enzi was and knew Enzi had knowledge of the secret police. They had to be in town for another reason. Taking care of a traitor was just a side job. Enzi could almost smell the conflict on the wind. Something major was about to happen. Devis certainly had to know what was going on. The mobilization of forces worried Enzi.

This was more than just a border conflict with the tribes of lizardfolk. A concentrated effort would wipe that out quickly. Even if the Ahk separatists were making a major move as well, there was more than enough military force to deal with that. That meant one thing to Enzi. There was a major war brewing somewhere. The possibilities were endless. Enzi hated the idea of such large scale combat. He preferred surgical strikes. He liked his small band of mercenaries to take care of those kind of special situations. The only good thing about a war would be that all the attention that had been turned on the Irregulars now had a new focus.

As Enzi's Irregulars approached the Rava Coast Trading Company vessel, several heavily armed and armored men watched them. They wore the company symbol on the tabards they wore over their gleaming armor. The company spared no expense in equipping their mercenaries. Enzi knew they had excellent training as well. They were an authority wherever they went, thanks to their sheer might. A Ravaleian in the finest of merchant robes strolled towards the group.

"You appear to match the description I was given," the merchant stated in Ravaleian, "I assume this sweet young girl is our precious cargo?"

"Yes," Enzi replied in Rava, "We are here to make sure she has a safe trip to Ravalei."

"Then you need have no worries, we have several expert warriors to make sure the trip is quite safe."

"While I find your mercenaries more than capable, we will be coming with her," Enzi stated.

"Oh?" the merchant asked, giving a glance askance at the inhuman mercenaries, "I am sure that is not necessary."

"I am quite sure it is. I am sure our benefactors will pay you quite handsomely for the extra assurance that our dear Rukiya makes it to her final destination in one piece."

At the mention of compensation, the merchant looked over the irregulars once more. He waved his mercenaries off and showed the group on board. After the irregulars were on the ship, the Ravaleian hurried away. Enzi suspected he was off to confirm his payday. Most of the Irregulars looked rather uncomfortable with being on the ship. Ritter had never been on a boat of any kind in his life.

Kava spoke up, "So what exactly are we doing? Tell me we aren't headed back into Ravalei. Our last trip there did not end well."

"We won't have to worry about that this time. There are some major events brewing and the only way we are going to survive is to be ready for them. We are already in too deep in this. Trust me that I know what I am doing," Enzi replied in Nuvro.

Eurysa hissed, "You have a hunch again."

Enzi nodded.

Eurysa looked at the others, "Then let us settle in. We have a job to do."

Rukiya spoke to Enzi in Infernus, "You suspect there will be more trouble?"

"Much more," Enzi said, "We have gotten lucky so far."

Hammocks were soon set up for the mercenaries in the cargo area. There were no passenger accommodations for them, just a nice room for Rukiya. It was a small room, but comfortable none the less. After a few hours, the boat lurched as it set sail. Ritter immediately found himself off balance. The movement of the ship did not agree with the Halz.

"Ooh, lets get you topside quick," Kava said, hauling the ill looking dwarf by the arm.

"I'm surprised you care," Aldebaran said.

"It is a winning situation for me," Kava yelled back, "I get to see him suffering and I don't have to smell vomit in a cramped cargo hold."

The vodyanoi and Halz climbed the steps form the cargo hold and made their way to the side of the ship. Ritter then promptly ejected everything he had eaten in the past several hours. After a short while he sat down, panting.

"Didn't know that rocky skin could turn that color of green," Kava croaked.

"Halz are not made for the sea it seems," Ritter said between deep gulps of air, "I think I will just stay up here a while."

Kava nodded and headed back down into the cargo hold. Below decks, Enzi Aldebaran, Eurysa, and Mayitso tried to make themselves comfortable for the long trip ahead. Rukiya was having a much easier time in her tiny but well furnished room. The light of day soon faded to dusk. On the deck, Ritter wobbled about trying to get his sea legs. The motion of the waves threw off his balance and he could not seem to find his center. He wondered why it was so difficult. He had fought over rough terrain before. Certainly he preferred solid ground beneath his feet. He was a warrior and a proud Halz. He would not let something like this defeat him.

The sound of the waves lapping at the ship was soothing. The creaking of the timbers was unsettling. As an engineer and a Halz, he preferred the sturdy construction of metal and stone. Making such materials groan was a more difficult task. He was familiar with the sounds of those materials and their breaking points. Wood seemed far too fragile for his tastes. The sounds it made were unfamiliar to him. He had no idea when anything might be at its breaking point. A rough wave made him lose his balance entirely and the Halz decided to just lie down on the deck and try to let himself become one with the vessel and learn its movements.

***

They called them panther claws. They could be used in hand to hand combat, but their primary purpose was to cling to things and make it easier to climb. The ghouls had these blades strapped to their hands. They had dug them deeply into the wood of the Ravaleian trading vessel. The warriors clung to the ship's bottom, keeping out of sight below the water. The undead did not need to breathe. They never got tired. They could cling with all their strength and power forever if they wished it.

However, they merely awaited the darkness. One of the powers they gained as a ghoul was the ability to see in the dark. It gave them an advantage over the crew of the ship who had to see by the light of the moons or a lantern. As the stars came out to greet the world, the ghouls began to clamber up the sides of the ship. The noise of their climb was mostly hidden by the splash of waves and the straining wood of the vessel. The few who walked the decks on watch would not be expecting this form of attack. It had never been done before. That was why the Ahk separatists expected it to succeed. With surprise on their side, they believed the whole ship would fall with ease.

The ghouls climbed up to the railings, glancing around to spot the men on watch. Two guards strolled the decks with lanterns and a third sat in the crow's nest to watch for other ships or other oddities in the water. A pair of ghouls waited for the right moment, then slipped over the rails behind each of the guards. One hand muffled the guard's mouths, the other raked the panther's claws across the men's necks. They unceremoniously dumped the corpses overboard.

With that a flood of ghouls poured over the rails. One made his way to the main mast to climb up and take care of the man in the crow's nest. The job would be much easier if more people were caught sleeping. There was one thing that the ghouls failed to take into account. While they could see in the dark perfectly well for most things, they could not see color or detail. Laying on the deck near a barrel, a pile of rope, and other junk was an odd lump.

This odd lump also had the ability to see in the darkness. It was one he was born with deep in the mountains of Nuvro. This lump was a Halz, a dwarf warrior in full armor with his weapon by his side. He had been resting and recovering from his sea sickness and had been lulled by the rocking ship. He had noticed the odd sound of too many feet on the deck. He quickly assessed the situation from his prone position. As one of the ghouls passed near a lantern to douse it, Ritter could see exactly what he was dealing with. He was alone for the moment, but he did what had to be done. He leapt to his feet. The ghouls immediately noticed the motion but it did not matter.

"Alarm!" Ritter yelled out in a great bellow, "We are under attack!"

Enzi's Irregulars #0034

Ritter's hammer slammed down on one of the ghouls. There was a sickening crunch of sinew and bone. But the undead did not fall. It did not feel pain or suffering like a living creature. Ritter could not count on pain or blood loss to put a foe out of commission. The claws of the various ghouls slashed at the armor of the Halz. Ritter had raised the alarm but he could not see himself surviving the battle. He felt relieved that he had at least saved a few lives.

He was determined to go down fighting. He fought back with all his strength. It was not enough. Claws pierced his armor more than once. He felt pain as blood was drawn. One of the ghouls stepped into his vision as it blurred. He was familiar to Ritter. It was the same man that had attacked them earlier. Only now his features were sunken as his form had become gaunt.

"It is too bad little dwarf," the ghoul said in Infernus, "The wounds are not enough to slow a warrior like you much. It is the toxins that make a ghoul deadly. Can you feel the poison from our claws sapping your strength? You and your little band defeated us while we were alive. Now we have come back stronger and with extra help. You stand no chance."

Ritter grinned. The wounds hurt mightily, of that the ghoul was correct. However the one thing Ritter had learned of the humans was that few were truly strong in constitution. It would take a mighty poison to affect a Halz. The ghouls had paused expecting the wounds and poison to make Ritter too weak to fight effectively. He proved them wrong with a mighty swing that slammed into the head of the lead ghoul. The ghoul stumbled back as Ritter fought onward. He felt his warhammer strike true again and again, then he felt pain as claws found as opening again.

The Halz collapsed to the ground. Even he had his limits. He had killed at least three ghouls and disabled one or two others. It had to be enough. Then another ghoul hit the deck beside the dwarf. An arrow had pierced its skull. The real fight had begun. Knowing that, Ritter allowed himself to sink into the darkness of unconsciousness.

***

Enzi heard the yell of the Halz on the deck above. He quickly woke the rest of the Irregulars. He dashed towards the stairs as Aldebaran, Kava, and Eurysa grabbed their gear. Mayitso trotted along behind Enzi, not wanting to get too far ahead of the other mercenaries. Enzi saw the crowd of ghouls and leapt into battle. Mayitso was on his heels, but worked to protect the passage up to the deck so that Eurysa and the others could safely enter the fight.

The crew was awakened as well and a glorious battle began. The crew were little match for the ghouls, but when the mercenaries for the Rava Coast Trading Company finally arrived they made a huge difference. It took time to put their armor on, and without it they would have been easy prey for the ghouls. The regular crew had been little more than a distraction for the undead monsters, but that had helped Enzi's Irregulars in their job to eliminate the threat. The ghouls were powerful and well trained. The battle was not going well. Then Enzi saw the leader. The ghoul's jaw was dislocated from a warhammer blow but he was still recognizable to Enzi.

This was confirmed as the ghoul leader spoke, "Good to see you again. This time you are beaten. You had to transform last time to be a match for me. Now I am more powerful. Will you dare use that power in front of all these outsiders? Confirm some of the rumors about the Feergrus and their powers?"

Enzi narrowed his eyes, "If I have to. To get the job done."

"It won't be enough and you know it," the ghoul replied coldly.

The crackle of lightning filled the air and a bolt of pure electricity arced past Enzi and struck the ghoul leader in the chest. It left a giant gaping and smoking hole in the undead man's chest. He collapsed to the ground as small feet could be heard on the deck behind Enzi.

"Mere ghouls?" Rukiya asked, "How cute. Time to end this."

One of the ghouls rushed towards her and she stared at him and spoke coldly, "Stop."

The ghoul suddenly stopped and Rukiya grinned, "You may be an intelligent undead, but I am a very powerful necromancer. Go kill your undead friends now."

The ghoul turned and leapt into battle against his former allies as Rukiya shook her head, "It is extraordinarily difficult to force a living person to attack their allies. An intelligent undead is far more difficult to control than the mindless ones, but once you have control it is absolute. That they would send undead against a necromancer shows how much they underestimate me. It was a foolish move."

Rukiya took a deep breath and then began controlling one undead after another, turning the fight in her favor very quickly. Soon all that was left of the enemy were three of her slaves. Rukiya offered them up for anyone to do as they pleased but Enzi stopped anyone from attacking them.

"We should question them first and learn what other attacks may come,' the Feergrus man said.

Rukiya nodded and looked to the three controlled ghouls, "Honestly answer any question this man asks."

Enzi quickly questioned the three undead on the attack, who sent them, and what they knew. He learned that this was the final strike by the separatists. They had no resources to strike in Ravalei, especially if this force was destroyed. He learned that they certainly had underestimated Rukiya, assuming that her skills as a War Enchanter precluded any skill in necromancy. Both were paths of magic that usually took skill and a great amount of time to learn, but Enzi had seen that Rukiya had an exceptional mind. It gave the child a frightening amount of maturity. It made Rukiya seem quite creepy to most everyone she met.

The fact that she had been taught how to kill her enemies without any sign of remorse was what prompted worry in Enzi. Rukiya was a cold blooded killer. The priests of Chasar had turned her into an efficient killing machine. Enzi shuddered to think what such training had done to the psyche of a small child. It could not have been a happy childhood. Certainly his own brutal training had not been pleasant. Enzi then saw her end the undead lives of her three slaves without any care.

People moved through the deck cleaning up the fallen. A familiar shape appeared on the deck as bodies were cleared. An armored Halz lay on the ship's boards. Enzi rushed over to check on the dwarf. Ritter was badly wounded, but the Feergrus found that he was still alive. Enzi was surprised that the poison claws of the ghouls hadn't finished the Halz off. With the help of the rest of the Irregulars, the dwarf was hauled off to the cargo hold. They removed his armor and bound his wounds.

"After I get some rest," Rukiya said, "I'll see what I can do with magic. The battle left me drained. This one saved our lives. It is the least I could do to return the favor if I can."

It was easy to notice that the little Feergrus girl was correct about her condition. The mercenaries noticed her sunken eyes and her stumbling walk. Enzi knew that magic could be quite draining, especially if one used more powerful spells. Rukiya had certainly used a lot of power in that fight. Healing magic took a lot of power as well, it was why most priests learned regular methods to deal with wounds. It did not help that the human body had trouble handling such magic as well.

After magical healing, a person needed at least a day's rest to recover enough to accept that power again. Enzi knew a few healers who had refined their magical healing skill to be able to use such magic twice on a person. Such talent was uncommon, but the followers of Rakar were taught the methods. Not all could master it, but finding one of them to heal you was as close to an assurance of surviving a terrible wound as one could get in the world. For the moment, the group could only rest and hope.

***

Pain wracked his body. Ritter opened his eyes, wondering what terrible afterlife he had been drug into. Then he saw the faces of his allies around him. He would bear the scars of the ghoul claws for the rest of his life, but that was nothing to a warrior. Most of his allies shared such a reminder of combat. Enzi's largest scars were his leg and his face. Ritter had learned how Enzi had earned the scar on his leg. The fact that one of the leaders of Feergrus had cut the man's hamstring in a battle was brutal. Even with magical healing, Enzi still had a slight limp.

The scar on Enzi's face was still a mystery. It was his most obvious scar, one that crawled from under his right jawbone across his cheek, under the right eye and over the top of the bridge of the nose. Aldebaran bore a scar on his chest from a nasty wound he had taken a while ago. Eurysa had lost the head of one of the snakes that sat upon her head. Its limp body had been tied back and hidden in the tangle of other snakes however. Kava, of course, had lost her right hand and part of the forearm. The prosthesis she wore was a weapon and she had learned to use it effectively. She was as good with it as she had been with her normal hand and a regular hatchet.

Even Mayitso had a scar, though it was small. A silver dagger had stabbed the lycanthrope in the side. It was completely unnoticeable beneath his fur, however. The lycanthrope likely had the toughest hide among the group, easily matching the protective power of Ritter's own armor. All it took was a bit of silver to get past Mayitso's armor, though it was far more flexible and had better coverage than anything Ritter could wear. The Halz would have though that such a hide would have been hunted for its protective ability. Enzi had once mentioned that the lycanthropes were what the Feergrus called fey creatures. Some of their abilities were inherent to their life and faded with their death.

This meant that hunting lycanthropes was unproductive. It was one reason they still survived. Their numbers were shrinking, but most of them lived far from human settlements. Mayitso was still mostly a mystery to the Halz. The lycanthrope preferred to remain in his wolf form. While in that form, he was unable to speak. Even those few times he took human form, he did not seem to care for talking. Of course, the minotaur Aldebaran was little better at opening up.

"So now we sit on a boat for a week or two, right?" Kava said, "Someone entertain me!"

"I am more worried about what happens in Ravalei," Eurysa said, "Aldebaran does not have a good reputation there."

"Really?" Ritter asked.

The minotaur nodded, "That is where Enzi found me and brought me to a new path. Tales of my destruction there are likely only myth and legend to most, but seeing a real minotaur will make people rethink that."

"Well we seem to have plenty of time," the Halz said, "Why don't you tell me all about it and maybe a new solution will come to us."

Aldebaran patted Ritter's head and spoke in his gravelly voice, "You have proven a staunch ally. You should know exactly what I have been. What I may still be if provoked."

"Yeah," Kava croaked, "A monster. But we got plenty of that on the team. You fit right in."

Enzi's Irregulars #0035

"The tale of the minotaurs starts a long time ago. Even I am not sure of all the original details," Aldebaran stated in Nuvro, "But our most direct beginnings were on the isle of Casea."

Ritter had heard a few snippets of information about Casea while he had been in the Disputed Lands. Most of the mercenaries there thought of it as a mystical land of treasure guarded by ferocious monsters. Many of the men thought that if they could survive there long enough to grab some of the treasures, that they would gain riches beyond their imagination. Of course, there were others who said that any good loot had already been taken and that all that was left was horrors from a bygone age. The Halz was most interested to see if the minotaur could explain some of the real truth.

"The Caseans had found a lot of information and research on creating new creatures. They never had any successes until one of their greatest scientists devised a new method with the help of a few artifacts. I know little of it, but it allowed the research to leap forward. The isle of Casea long had a population of fey creatures called the satyrs. They were animals in nearly humanoid form. I have seen them, I would have just called them goat men if they had any intellect."

Eurysa hissed, "Were people would have hands, they have claws on terrible paws. They walk on two legs, but they are nothing more than vicious predators."

"The Caseans wanted to see if they could create something to counter the satyrs," Aldebaran said, "Something with the power of an animal but the mind of a man. They made several creatures, but most were failures. The melding of man and animal often meant creatures of terrible wrath and cunning. They worked to find a creature that had the right balance of animal power and human intellect. Eventually they created the minotaur. We were perfect for their needs. Powerful, strong, and fierce. Yet we were only fierce when roused to anger. It made us controllable enough to be useful."

"Yet that was a long time ago," Aldebaran said in his deep voice, "I was born far more recently. When I was born, Casea had long been ruined. A great flood had came to the island and the rest of the continent. The low lying coastal areas had been wiped out. Only the most vicious and sturdy survived. That included my people. Any humans that might have survived did not last long against the many creatures of the island. The satyrs, the giant ants, and many other horrors took over the isle of Casea. It also destroyed the Casean colonies on the Rava Coast. The Caseans that survived there eventually rebuilt and are now known as the Ravaleians."

Kava croaked, "And they still work on the crazy science."

Eurysa hissed, "Yes, but they were set back many generations and lost a great many items that had been crafted or found over the generations. They had to start from scratch without those aids."

"With the Caseans gone, my people worked to build our own civilization. We settled on the shore, as most of the worst things were far inland. Our race bred slowly. Having been crafted, it was lucky we could do so at all. Of course, the Caseans had carefully controlled that. It was easier to breed an army than to spend massive resources crafting us one at a time with a chance of failure. We had to fight off incursion from the satyrs that swarmed the eastern part of the isle. Giant ants covered most of the central part. Undead had formed in the southern part of the isle and were quite dangerous."

"The constant worry of those threats were our main concern. They should not have been. The Ravaleians came to reclaim their island. They wanted nothing to do with us. We tried to be peaceful, but it quickly broke out into battle. Their first ships was easily defeated and it fled back to the Rava Coast. However, the next ships that came were better prepared for the danger. We were soon fighting a war on multiple fronts. We were not numerous and we were eventually reduced to but a few."

"The small tribe of survivors stayed on the move, fleeing from danger. Yet we were hunted down and eventually the last few were captured and taken back to Ravalei for study," Aldebaran said as his gravelly voice wavered, "That is where I was born. I grew up in a cage, poked and prodded. I learned what little I am telling you from the other minotaurs. Each one died at the hands of the scientists until only I remained. What happened next is easy to predict. When the chance came, I escaped. I fought my way out and slaughtered anyone in my way."

"Yet that was not enough to make me a monster. It is what came next. I was free in Ravalei. I was uneducated and did not understand their language. I only knew the language that the other minotaurs had taught me. The Ravaleians never spoke while they worked on us. The silence was rather creepy. I was the last of my kind, alone and enraged. I had but one goal. To repay all that had been done. I rampaged across the land, slaughtering any I could find. It did not matter to me who they were. I slaughtered the defenseless without any regard. To me, even the human children were monsters to be snuffed out."

Knowing what I have learned now, I can not imagine how anyone could have seen me as anything but a slavering monstrosity that needed to be put down. It was all that I wanted. My people were dead, I expected to die as well but I was determined to take as many humans with me as I could. Yet this is where my tale intertwines with another. I met Enzi and tried to kill him, but found myself unable to move as if my muscles had turned to stone. He had another with him. A gorgon."

Eurysa nodded, "I could not let you slay him, of course."

Aldebaran returned the nod, "I agree. Though I was quite furious at the time. Though fury was all that I had."

Eurysa hissed, "It was quite disconcerting. I knew of your people but I had never seen rage personified like it had been within you."

Aldebaran continued, "From there it was a long process of gaining trust and finding a language to teach me. We had fled to Nuvroc as I was being hunted in Ravalei."

"As was I if you remember," Eurysa interjected.

"Yes, so Nuvroc was a safe place. I learned their language and learned more about humans and their nature. At first I though of the Nuvroc and Feergrus as different creatures and thought of the Ravaleians as the evil kind of human. That was a simplification that was wrong. Like all people, they had those that were good and those that are evil. I learned that I had not been examined by true Ravaleian scientists. The people that visited the isle of Casea and had captured us were tied to criminal organizations."

"Learning that I had punished innocent people for the actions of evil ones showed me what a monster I had been. You may say that I had every right to be angry. But can you honestly say that the slaughter of innocent children and unarmed citizens is not monstrous? I have sought to repay my debt since then, helping the innocent and the weak."

"So Eurysa was already with Enzi? Anyone else or were you the first two?" Ritter asked.

"Definitely the first two," Aldebaran said, "The only two for a great many years."

"Yes," Enzi said, "They helped me quite a lot in my nearly two decade journey of discovery. I formed the Irregulars out of seeing a need for such a group. Eurysa and Aldebaran were examples of those who needed help in a world that was against them."

"I don't imagine that Eurysa and Aldebaran both being found early was entirely a coincidence," Ritter said, "Especially after some of the things Kava mentioned about her knowledge of nature and Eurysa's inability to fit in her classifications."

Eurysa hissed, "You are right. Though you may be too smart for your own good."

Kava looked up at the mention of her name. She had heard the tale of Aldebaran before but the vodyanoi had not put everything together quite like Ritter. It might have been the delivery. Kava had heard the tale from only Aldebaran. The few small additions by Enzi and Eurysa had certainly stoked the curiosity of the Halz. The vodyanoi, of course, had not been paying attention at all.

"You might suspect that the gorgons were another fruit of the dabbling by Casean scientists," Eurysa hissed, "You would be wrong. Our existence came before their experiments. We were one of the proofs that it had been done before. My people were studied by the Caseans. They learned a lot from those they captured. We fought to avoid capture, to escape the spread of the humans. I suppose that without the pain my people suffered, then Aldebaran might never have existed. The two of us are kin in many ways."

Aldebaran snorted, "I only wish that neither of our peoples had been subjected to suffering and death."

"So if the Caseans did not create the gorgons, then who did?" Ritter asked.

"That I do not have an answer for," Eurysa replied, "There were only three of my kind left when I was born, and that was nearly ninety years ago. I only met the one who gave birth to me. She taught me very little before she perished. I survived through stealth, keeping my distance, and using my gaze if anyone got too close. Even with that there were still those that noticed me. Some hunted me, the rest merely fled. I only wanted to find a place where no one would bother me again."

"Good luck with that," Kava croaked, "Every place is pretty much got something in it. Plus the humans keep spreading."

Eurysa nodded as her snaky hair wiggled, "I had been cornered when Enzi found me. There had been too many. I didn't know if I was going to be captured or killed. Either way it would not have been good. It was in a quiet, dirty, dead end alleyway in a Ravaleian town. There was no one to help me. There were only my attackers and one homeless wastrel in a corner."

Enzi nodded, "A vagrant with no home and no purpose. The hunters didn't care about some worthless Feergrus man in rags in a dark corner of a dead end alley. It was a mistake on their parts. I awoke from my depression upon seeing the desperation of a gorgon. I defeated her enemies swiftly, then turned to try to speak to her."

"When I promptly tried to use my power on you," Eurysa hissed, "You luckily have a very strong will."

Enzi chuckled, "Yes. We spent quite a while learning to understand each other. Much like Aldebaran, you did not speak any human language at the time. We had many adventures in Ravalei. Things quickly became more and more dangerous. Rumors of you kept growing. We decided on one last mission."

"To take care of a rampaging monster slaughtering its way across the country," the gorgon reminisced.

Enzi smirked, "And take care of him we did. Transporting him to Nuvroc."

Aldebaran chuckled at that slightly. Ritter had not heard much mirth from the minotaur. Despite many years of good works, it was obvious he still blamed himself for the death of a great many innocents. The thought that both the gorgon and the minotaur were the results of ancient experiments in alchemy worried the Halz. He wondered what other things had been crafted. What worried him the most, however, was who had crafted the gorgons and left other proof of their works. The Caseans had been gone for hundreds of years. Who had come before them?

Enzi's Irregulars #0036

The Ravaleian port city of Calal was also the country's capital. It sprawled along the best harbor of the Rava Coast. Over a dozen vessels sat at the docks. Most were small coastal vessels, little more than barges. They could sail down the two major coastal rivers of Doulairen in order to bring trade inland. The Tranumea River marked the eastern border of Ravalei and split around the Siren Swamp and into Lake Hargis and Singer Lake. The Ago River helped define the borders of Agon, especially as it was split into dozens of rivers inland, although only a few were major enough to send a barge down.

Ritter stood on the deck on the latest vessel to enter the harbor. His stomach had mostly made its peace with the sway of the vessel, but the Halz would certainly be glad to get on solid ground again. The dwarf noticed the seemingly every ship in the port had the symbol of the blue waves on them. They were all vessels of the Rava Coast Trading Company. All except one. That one vessel was also perhaps the largest ship in the harbor. Something about it looked ancient. The wood also was extremely dark.

Enzi followed Ritter's gaze, "Ah, the Black Ship. The last independent vessel of any significance. She travels back and forth between Calal and the isle of Casea. The only vessel that does so now. Aspiring adventurers pay to be taken to the isle so they can attempt to grab some of the forgotten treasures of the isle. Few ever return, and those that do usually return empty handed. The ship has its own reasons for going to the isle. They harvest a massive load of a rare mold that grows on the isle and transport it back. Taking adventurers is merely a chance for a little extra coin for them."

"I imagine they take a good tax out of anyone bringing loot back too."

Enzi shook his head, "No, they always offer free rides back to the mainland. Anyone that has survived the isle gains their respect. Even if they gained nothing more than the humility of defeat."

The ship shuddered to a halt at a dock. A flurry of activity erupted. Ropes moored the great vessel as workers began to transfer cargo out of the ship to make room for new cargo. Rukiya made her way down the gangplank with the Irregulars at her back. A powerfully built young man walked up to them. He wore a mail hauberk of a familiar greenish black metal. Ritter's eyes were shocked to see halzium armor worn by a human. However, Ritter could tell that while the armor was expertly crafted by human standards, it was nowhere near as good as that crafted by the Halz.

The man gave a suspicious glance at the Irregulars with his glare remaining longest on the minotaur then spoke in Rava, "I am Captain Aurari Koto. I am the head of the mercenaries of the Rava Coast Trading Company."

"Captain Koto!" a voice said from the ship.

It was the delegate from the Rava Coast Trading Company, "We have arrived mostly safely, and only thanks to this mercenary company."

The mercenary captain raised an eyebrow, "You must tell me the details later. For now what is the plan?"

Enzi spoke up with a grim determination, "We get Rukiya to her destination and keep her safe. I don't thin this is over."

Aurari sighed, "It seems you have been of great aid to our concerns. I will see what I can do to make your life easier in town. People have low opinions of creatures like your allies. Especially a minotaur. There are a great many myths and legends about them and none of them are pleasant. I would suggest wearing them cloaks to hide their appearances as well. No offense meant, it just seems prudent for their safety."

Enzi chuckled, "They won't take offense. Not that any of them speak your language. Their appearance isn't popular much of anywhere, until people learn of their good deeds. Even then, people are often leery."

"I am more worried about people causing trouble. We are extremely short handed. Most of the best warriors in town have headed off to war."

"War?" Enzi asked, "What war?"

"The goblinoids have struck out in all directions. They took down a pair of our border golems a couple weeks ago. I sent all the mercenaries we could spare. I am afraid people will take advantage, but I would rather see that than to have people slaughtered by the nose-less fiends."

"I am surprised you are still here if things are that serious."

"I am sure I will go to war before the end of it comes," Aurari answered, "Few have taken it seriously yet. They think merely to replace the golems and wait it out like it is a small flare up. Rumor says that Agon has mobilized its army and that even the Kurrot are organizing."

"Well then, I will leave you to your duties. I need to take care of my own mission for now. Your sense of responsibility makes me feel better already," Enzi replied.

Aurari nodded in response, heading off to take care of business. Enzi quickly explained that a touch of disguise would likely aid their movement through the city. He provided cloaks for all the group. Mayitso whined at that.

"Yes, even you," Enzi said, "The Ravaleians have a good relationship with the Tarvoni, so the pale skin of your human form will not be out of place."

The lycanthrope grudgingly transformed into his humanoid shape. He slipped the cloak over his otherwise naked form. The motley crew trudged along with Rukiya as she made her way through the city of Calal. The streets were long and winding. It was easy to get lost as the roads would often come to dead ends or turn off into a useless direction. The freewheeling design of Ravaleian towns was enough to drive some outsiders quite mad. Enzi had been to Calal before and kept the group from getting lost.

It was helpful, at least, that each building was entirely unique. They each made their own artistic statement and each served as a landmark. The group was headed to the edge of town to a place called the Rinn Institute. It was a place of science. Rukiya would be working on a project and furthering her studies there. Enzi still wondered what that project was. It had to be something very interesting indeed to draw the attention of the Ahk Separatists.

The Rinn Institute was where all the cutting edge research was done. It was made up of several different buildings, each with its own project. If something went terribly wrong, it would only affect the one building and therefore the one project. There was also a central building for records and administration. That was the building that the group needed to stop at first. From there, Enzi was not sure what to do next. The threat of war worried him, but it also meant that a great many countries would become vulnerable as their soldiers marched off to battle. To Enzi that also meant that Rukiya would be much easier pickings for her enemies.

The group entered the administration building for the Rinn Institute. A bored Ravaleian woman sat at the front desk playing with some of her jewelery. Like most Ravaleians, she had numerous piercings and tattoos across her body. She barely acknowledged the group, which surprised Enzi. Even with their cloaks the group had to stand out.

"What'cha lookin' for?" the Ravaleian said with a flat tone.

The small Feergrus girl spoke forcefully in Rava, "I am Rukiya Bora. Your institute was to expect my coming."

"Oh that is nice dear," the woman said, "Lemme see what we got on the schedule."

Kava scowled at the woman, though it could not be seen beneath the cloak's hood. Enzi could feel the patience of several people in the room being drained. Enzi sighed and prayed that things did not get worse.

***

The actors on the stage were performing to their fullest. It made for a perfect distraction as the cloaked ghoul slipped into one of the balcony boxes. The Ravaleian theater could not see what was going on in the darkness above, but the ghoul's eyes could see just fine. The Ravaleian man in the box had a weapon in hand, ready to protect himself. The ghoul was an expert in stealth, he had ridden the vessel with Rukiya all the way north and had stayed hidden during the attack by his fellows. He was there to enact a backup plan. Despite the ghoul's skill in stealth he had not been able to surprise the Ravaleian man.

"Do you think you could slay me so easily, undead monster?" the Ravaleian hissed.

"I had hoped not," the ghoul replied, "We wish to hire the best. If you were not good enough, you would have never known I was here."

"Hire?" the man asked, "Why would you hire a mere patron of the arts?"

"You have a great many arts in Ravalei. The art I seek is assassination. I am no fool and neither are you. You can drop the charade."

"Admittedly no law enforcement would use the undead," the man replied, "Though most of our actions are technically legal under Ravaleian law. As long as we don't get caught."

"It would seem that would apply to anything. Not getting caught could make anything legal," the ghoul replied.

"Yes, but there is an air of legitimacy to our organization. The authorities let us do our work as long as we do not cause too much trouble. Being discrete is one of our specialties."

"I care little about how discrete you are," the ghoul growled, "I care only to end one life. She has escaped our attempts and is protected by most ferocious guardians. I can give you detailed information on them. Currently we believe she is at the Rinn Institute. She must be slain before she can complete her work there."

"Then all we need to do is discuss our fees," the man replied.

The ghoul pulled out two bars of solid gold and grinned, "Is this satisfactory?"

The man nodded, "Your target will be eliminated."

The undead monster gave all the details on his target and their protectors that he could. The ghoul left, feeling satisfied. The assassins had been paid. He knew that they would finish the job. No matter what it took, they would not quit until Rukiya Bora was dead. Nothing would stop them, especially not Enzi Cala and a ragtag band of inhuman mercenaries.

The assassin grinned as he took the two bars of gold and left the box seat. He made his way through the theater, disappearing into the shadows. He slipped through a secret door and delved into the depths of the basement. Several of the actors in the play were assassins. The theater made an excellent place to train someone to not be noticed. The man looked over the roster of his assassins. Infiltrating the Rinn Institute would take some skill. Getting past Enzi's Irregulars would take mastery.

The master of assassins picked out two of his most promising minions. He began planning. One of them would scout out the situation from the inside. She already had a job at the institute and could provide the information he needed. The other would do the actual job. To him it sounded like easy money. Certainly the outsider mercenaries would have some weaknesses to exploit. A simple distraction or two would be all his assassin needed.

Some would think that the Ravaleian man would feel some guilt over planning the death of such a young girl. However, he had taken far worse jobs. He did have to consider the conscience of the assassins he sent. He picked someone perfectly suited for this job. She had been subjected to several tortures in the hands of the Feergrus, having been a drugged slave for the Temple of Rakar. Her motive of revenge was strong. She always loved the chance to end the life of a Feergrus. He imagined ending a child's life would please her more with her strange views on life and revenge. After all, it was a life cut far shorter than normal. What better revenge could there be?

Enzi's Irregulars #0037

Rukiya looked over the pile of bones in the corner of the workshop, "Wherever did you get this odd collection?"

That Ravaleian in the laboratory with her answered, "We dug them up from a graveyard."

"A graveyard?" the tiny Feergrus girl asked, "What is that?"

"It is where we bury our dead."

"Bury?" Rukiya asked, "Do you not have enough necromancers you need to store them?"

"Store them?" The Ravaleian scientist asked, "Necromancers? No, we don't use the bodies of the dead like Feergrus."

"That seems a waste of resources," Rukiya said.

The scientist nodded, "Agreed, though not all would agree. That is part of why you are here."

"So what exactly did you need someone with necromancy and enchantment for?" Rukiya asked.

"You know some of Ravalei and its magics. Our main defense is in our mighty golems. I myself am one of the gearwork masters who crafts such juggernauts. The problem is that they take significant time and resources to craft. From what I know of your undead, they are equally as mindless as our golems but can be created quickly and in great numbers. However, they are far more frail. The project I wish to work on is to see if we can find a way to mix our magics. Can we create something as powerful as a golem that is also easy and fast to craft?"

"Interesting," Rukiya replied, "It is something to work on."

The gearwork master nodded, "With the war now upon us, we need this more than ever."

"Then let us get to work on finding a solution," Rukiya replied with a grin.

***

Guard detail had been quite boring. Trying to keep a bored Vodyanoi from going completely crazy had been consuming much of Enzi's time. The Feergrus man was glad that Captain Koto had kept his word. The group had not been bothered by the local authorities. Even the locals had not bothered them. He was aware that rumor of them had begun to spread. He expected the good luck to end far too soon. A plump Ravaleian man approached, almost as if on cue.

"Ah good day," the rotund man said in Rava, "You must be the infamous Enzi."

"You know my name?" Enzi asked.

"I have known of you for quite a long time. Your exploits reached my ears. Mostly because I am interested in the unique and different in the world."

"I am not sure I like the direction this conversation is going," Enzi said, sensing something about the Ravaleian that seemed less than pleasant.

"You should not think that way," the portly man replied, "I know you have a great many problems. I know quite a lot about you and your mercenaries. The dwarf and the lycanthrope are interesting but not that rare. Not like the others. The last vodyanoi, the last gorgon, and the last minotaur. It will not be long before people put the puzzle pieces together and realize that Aldebaran is the same minotaur that cut a swath of terror through the country many years before. I have a proposal to help keep them safe."

"Oh?" Enzi asked, "Why would you help us?"

"For my own benefit, of course," the Ravaleian said with a smirk, "As I see it, you simply have no other choice if you want them to live."

"Ah, now we get to the threat," Enzi said, "I knew something seemed off. I am not sure how you expect to pull this off by yourself.

"Oh, I'm not alone. I'm giving you a choice of your friends remaining alive or dead. I would rather they are alive. They will bring in far more customers that way."

"Customers?"

"Of course, they will make excellent exhibits in my circus. I would hate to have to only have them stuffed for view. But one way or another, they will be mine. Remember, it is your choice."

"I am thinking alive and out of your hands," Enzi replied, "I am certain I can make that happen."

"You can try, but the cost in innocent lives will be great," the Ravaleian said, "I'll give you some time to think about it. But don't wait too long. My patience is limited."

Enzi fumed. The fat Ravaleian man was far too confident. To the former general that meant that the man had all the allies he needed to survive an encounter. Enzi could tell this opponent had a sharp mind. He knew too much about the Irregulars. He likely knew their weaknesses as well. While Enzi was currently at a disadvantage, he was no slacker when it came to planning and manipulation. He knew what he needed to do.

Enzi sighed, "And when I make a decision? Just who are you? How do I contact you?"

"I am Zindaro Plam, of the Plam Circus," the obese Ravaleian said as he waddled away, "I will contact you, do not worry. Although my circus is at the far edge of town if you wish to visit. Your friends won't be the first I have kept safe from those who wish harm upon those who are different. It would be far too easy for the local populace to get all riled up, don't you think?"

As Zindaro strode away, Enzi sighed. This was just one more problem to deal with. He began to make his plan. He hoped he could call in a favor or two as well.

***

Captain Aurari Koto was rather surprised to find a short and heavily armored man arrive to speak to him. Ritter was one of the least likely to draw attention to himself in the city. Enzi had just had to wager that someone would be able to translate as the Halz did not speak Rava. The confusion soon started as Aurari spoke only Rava. Luckily, the large number of travelers in the Rava Coast Trading Company meant that an interpreter soon was found.

"Zindaro Plam?" Aurari asked, "Hmm, that is quite an enemy to have. He has a surprising amount of pull with the authorities. He even has ties with our company, as we have hauled a great many rare and exotic animals for his circus. He has allies in many places. Yet someone with that much money and power also gathers enemies. While the Rava Coast Trading Company will not allow me to aid you directly, I think I can offer you some alternative aid."

Ritter nodded, "We knew from his confidence that this would not be easy. Any attack he brings will be trouble for many innocents and we would rather not bring trouble to your people."

"He would not end his chase now, and you have people to protect. Leaving them would be as bad as staying. I understand it had to be a tough decision."

Ritter chuckled upon hearing the translation, "Enzi made it immediately. He would find a way to save everyone if he could. There was no way he would leave Rukiya unprotected. Hopefully your information will aid us in this endeavor."

Aurari nodded, "If anyone can stop this, it will be the guild. Strictly speaking they are not legal, but the authorities do nothing to stop them and they serve a greater purpose. I will have a representative contact Enzi as soon as possible."

***

The master of assassins smiled. Information had come to him that Zindaro Plam would be distracting the guards for Rukiya Bora. It was an opportunity his assassins could not miss. It was then that the greatest gift he could be given arrived. A representative from the Rava Coast Trading Company had arrived. After a quick discussion with the man, the master of assassins felt as if nothing could ruin his day. He was to send someone to meet with Enzi and discuss what they could do for him in the upcoming battle with Zindaro Plam.

With one stroke, the assassins could set the terms of their engagement. They would have intimate details of the guards beyond any that a spy could give. They could also get paid for being given what they wanted. It might require a few more deaths, but Zindaro was a prime target. If he could be given a little paranoia, the master of assassins thought that some very lucrative deals could be crafted in the future. It would require careful planning, but the master had not become the leader of the assassin's guild without a deft hand at such things.

Having the chance to manipulate things to go his way made things both much easier and more complex. He had a lot to work on and a short time to put it together. Luckily an old pro was in town. His talent for acting would be perfect for this job. He would be the distraction that kept Enzi busy and dealt with the fat nuisance Zindaro Plam. The master of assassins would call on the man known as the Blood Cat.

***

Enzi found Jasper Tims a rather unassuming gentleman. He was perhaps seventy five years old, nearly twenty years older than Enzi. Jasper was a Ravaleian man just shy of six feet tall. For his age he was surprisingly well built. Enzi was less comfortable with who he was representing. He knew of the Assassin's Guild in Ravalei, but had never thought of it as an ally. The Ravaleians were independent, proclaiming themselves a true democracy. Since that meant that every vote counted, that usually meant that no one agreed on anything and nothing got done. Real action was taken by the various organizations in the land.

If you wanted something done, you went to someone like the Rava Coast Trading Company. You went to the Rinn Institute. You went to the Assassin's Guild. Depending on what you needed, groups had formed to take care of business. Enzi was not sure how it had not all devolved into anarchy. Enzi supposed that the Ravaleian Assassin's Guild did have a code of honor. They did what they were paid to do. You could count on them to follow through, no matter what. Once they accepted a job and payment, they would finish it.

"I will go and investigate the circus directly," Jasper said in fluent Infernus, "I will see if I can determine when they will come and if I can delay it. Word will come back with any important information. Do not worry, we will keep you as safe as we can."

Jasper walked away smiling. Enzi had no idea that Jasper was known as the Blood Cat. He had been one of the best assassins in Ravalei for a long time. He was getting old, but that did not matter. He could get close to any target and eliminate them with subtlety. Someone like Zindaro Plam would be easy for him to manipulate. Such an ego had to be stroked in just the right way. Jasper had a lot of experience in dealing with people. He had mostly retired to be an actor in the theater that acted as a front for his guild. On stage he had honed his skills, wearing various disguises and becoming what seemed like entirely different people.

The bright lights and vividly colored tents of the Plam Circus were expected. Jasper had been to this circus before the last time it had stopped near Calal. There were several people walking about taking in the attractions. Jasper seamlessly melded with the crowd, examining everything he could and quickly identifying Zindaro's location. His stealth allowed him to spy on all that was going on with practiced ease.

"So what do we have left to take care of before we deal with Enzi and acquire our new exhibits?" Zindaro asked one of his henchmen.

"Gathering up the men will be easy enough, boss. We have the rumor sheets ready for delivery. Once people read them, this whole city will explode."

Unlike most of the continent, Ravalei had an excellent system of education. Nearly everyone could read. Spreading pamphlets would be the obvious choice to confuse outsiders who would not realize the significance. A mob would quickly form to deal with the inhuman monsters. It would be simple for Jasper to destroy the sheets of paper and delay the plans. It was a start. The professional assassin looked forward to throwing a few more monkey wrenches into the gearworks of Zindaro's plans. This was shaping up to be a fun assignment.

Enzi's Irregulars #0038

Delays had frustrated Zindaro Plam. The Ravaleian man had finally decided to take care of everything himself. He would have to hire some more competent lackeys in the future. Nearby, Jasper Tims watched from the shadows. Things were progressing as he expected. He knew that he could only delay the assault by the Ravaleian. It was enough, however. All of the resources sent by the Assassin's Guild were in place. They could not afford to delay any longer.

Soon Zindaro was waddling off towards the Rinn Institute with over a dozen henchmen at his back. Jasper followed behind them, ready to make his move when the time came. He wore a mask to hide his face, one that resembled the felines that he took his name from. He was not going to be one of the main combatants, but it paid to be careful. He wanted no one to see his face that didn't need to. If nothing went wrong, no one would see him at all.

The assassin who was set to take care of Rukiya Bora was known as the Quiet Knife. She knew the layout of the Rinn Institute well. The assassin who worked at the institute had given her all the information she needed. The Quiet Knife would be alone inside the institute. The insider had left. It would not do for them to be implicated in any way, and therefore the insider had gone home for the night with a nice sweet alibi. All was set for the big confrontation.

Enzi and the Irregulars paced around the doors to the laboratory where Rukiya was hard at work. Mayitso's ears kept a careful watch on what was going on inside while Eurysa's sharp eyes looked for approaching trouble. It was not hard for her to notice the approaching fat man and his flunkies. Zindaro was making no attempt to hide. He was coming for his prize and had no reason in his mind to fear them. That raw confidence worried Enzi more than anything. The former general saw that the portly Ravaleian had a large number of his carnival men with him.

Normally these numbers would not be a threat. Enzi wondered at their training. He hoped that Zindaro was merely overconfident of his chances. Enzi also wondered about the support for the Assassin's Guild. That was almost certainly not something that the circus master was expecting. Enzi would not allow his mercenaries to be imprisoned as part of a sideshow, nor would he let them die. He also had a job to protect Rukiya Bora. This would not be an easy encounter, but he hoped that it would go smoothly.

Zindaro's men moved to surround the Irregulars as best they could. Jasper kept out of sight, looking at the layout of the land for cover. He slipped behind one of Zindaro's men and with a quick move the assassin made the man disappear behind a bush. It was the first move and no one had caught the act. It was obvious to Jasper that Zindaro was no military professional. He did not keep enough track of his men and their numbers to notice they were one man down. Jasper did notice that Enzi gave an odd second glance at the battlefield. The Feergrus man might have noticed a slight change in the enemy force.

"Zindaro Plam," Enzi said in Rava, "I expect you are here for my decision."

"Of course," Zindaro said, "I would prefer this without hostilities or my new attractions being harmed."

"You don't have any new attraction and you will not be getting any. You have vastly underestimated us."

"Oh I think it is you that underestimates me," Zindaro replied, "We have some silver weapons for your lycanthrope friend and I can easily neutralize your archer's ability to strike at range. Beyond that we simply have superior numbers."

Enzi noted that the numbers seemed less. He thought that he had miscounted at first, but now a second foe had vanished without a trace. Doubtless the Assassin's Guild was doing its job. In the outbreak of violence, the job would be easier, but Enzi had no problem distracting Zindaro.

"Superior numbers versus superior skill," Enzi said, "You need more men than you have just to match us, let alone complete your objectives."

"All of these men are well trained," Zindaro replied, "And I expect I am nearly a match for you and your allies by myself. I was not so foolish as to test this theory so I brought more than enough manpower to make sure that I get what I want."

Zindaro motioned at his small horde of men then paused with an odd look. It seemed he was three men short of what he started with. At the dawning realization Enzi smiled and gave the word to the Irregulars. They burst into action. An arrow streaked towards Zindaro but it burst into flame as it neared him and was incinerated before it could harm him. The pudgy Ravaleian rubbed the small tome he wore at his side and grinned. The battle was soon engaged.

Silver weapons kept Mayitso at bay but the soft metal was little match for the rage of the minotaur and the armor of the Halz. Kava was enjoying herself, her hatchets chopping at enemies as she croaked in glee. Eurysa's arrows were useless, so she turned to her other powers. She turned her gaze to one of the men approaching her. He collapsed to the ground as his legs stopped moving as the forward momentum he had built up could not simply vanish. As Jasper made his fourth target disappear he watched for the Quiet Knife. With the battle in full swing, it was the perfect time for the assassin to enter the laboratory.

The man known as the Blood Cat moved into position to take on a fifth foe when he spotted his fellow assassin. She slipped silently and unnoticed into the building. As all was going well, Jasper Tims returned to his bloody work. He was only slightly surprised at a flash of something large flipping through the air. Zindaro Plam was a wizard. A powerful wizard from the looks of things. A blast of rocky splinters erupted towards Enzi as the Feergrus man leapt over the blast. He had transformed into his hybrid form, using his feline strength and speed to engage Zindaro.

Ritter found his foes quite skilled. It was understandable that Zindaro had confidence. His henchmen were competent. They did not match the skill of any of the Irregulars one on one, but the had the superiority of numbers. However, the dwarf quickly noticed that those numbers seemed fewer than he remembered. The work of the minotaur and the vodyanoi helped, as well as the gaze of the gorgon. Yet the foes were disappearing too fast. Ritter felt his hammer connect solidly with the man he was engaged with. That warrior hit the ground vomiting from the blow to his midsection. He would not be aiding the fight again anytime soon.

The fight seemed to be going for the Irregulars, although Enzi's fight with Zindaro was going far less well. Despite being overweight, Zindaro proved a dangerous foe. His talent for wizardry gave him a great many advantages. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with fire each time he used one of his spells. Most of his magic seemed to be based on using earth and stone, but he had a few fire spells as well. Supposedly magic could easily drain a person, especially powerful magic. Zindaro seemed to be handling himself quite well. He showed no sign of exhaustion despite the power of his spells.

Jasper watched the fight as it continued on. He could not directly interfere any longer without someone spotting him. He decided to be an observer unless something turned the fight against Enzi's Irregulars. The longer the fight lasted, the better for the assassin inside the laboratory. Jasper had not seen the Quiet Knife leave the laboratory yet, but he had been distracted by the battle. It was long enough that Jasper assumed she had finished by now and had escaped. However, letting the battle drag on as long as it could would give her more time in case something had gone wrong.

Jasper's cold brown eyes analyzed the area and the situation. The scent of blood wafted through the air. The battle was taking place outside the main city walls, although this was a well populated area. Still, this much scent of blood in the air made Jasper wonder if he would get to see his namesake. The Blood Cats of Ravalei were vicious beasts. Most people referred to them as land sharks. They could smell blood from miles away and when easting they entered a feeding frenzy. It was a terrible sight to behold.

Jasper had earned his title from his youth. He had been cornered once and had to fight his way out. Much like the powerful feline of the northern woods, he went into a killing frenzy and slashed his way out of danger. Then he did not stop. He was an assassin. There could be no witnesses. His killing spree did not end until the area was clear. The Master of Assassins at the time had dubbed Jasper the Blood Cat. It was meant as an insult. He was too reckless and only through raw violence had he remained an assassin in good standing.

Over the years, Jasper had improved. He planned ahead. He avoided detection. He used subtlety wherever he could. His dark eyes mixed with a healthy tan meant that he could pass as an Agonish man with ease. While the Ravaleians and the Agonish were not as closely related now as they had once been, both races still came from the same ancestors. Unlike the Nuvroc, the Feergrus, and the pale races, the Ravaleians were close kin to the Agonish. The Kurrot shared a similar legacy.

That had allowed Jasper to disguise himself in a great many ways. One of his greatest talent had become acting. However nothing was a challenge any longer. He was too old to do much anymore, but he hoped for one last great challenge. Something worthy of his skills. This battle and the events that led to it had been fun, but quite easy. Jasper did have to admit that knowing that, he still would have chosen to do this assignment. Annoying Zindaro had been its own reward. Jasper had quite amused himself with annoyances at the circus to delay the fat man.

Then Jasper saw them. Silent and swift. The light brown fur, the vicious fangs, and the never ceasing hunger betrayed their presence as they flitted towards the battle. A pack of Blood Cats had come. The elderly assassin made his escape. He had been paid to stop Zindaro, not the land sharks. Zindaro was losing and the Blood Cats would force his hand. Soon the battle scene was behind him and he was on his way back to the theater to report of his success.

***

The hall way to the main lab was silent as the Quiet Knife slid down it. Unlike Jasper Tims, she had no real name. She had been taken in as an orphan and raised as an assassin. She had earned a reputation for her silence. She never spoke. Some believed her mute. Her skills with a dagger had quickly became her second most well known attribute. Her title was her only name now, though she had been called a great many names over the years.

She entered the laboratory room where Rukiya was without alerting the two people inside. Rukiya was concentrating her magic on a collection of bones while a Ravaleian man was reading through some notes. Both had their backs to the doorway. It was bad form, but they were civilians, the Quiet Knife expected no more from them. She crept slowly behind the Ravaleian scientist to eliminate him as a witness.

"Do you really think these two magics will work together?" Rukiya asked suddenly, making the Quiet Knife pause and hide.

"All our tests have gone well so far, but we can not afford to delay any longer. The war needs this. We have to try."

Rukiya nodded, "As long as nothing interrupts the ritual, all will be fine."

There were two problems with the conversation. The first was that it became obvious to the Quiet Knife that the two scientists had not noticed her. The second was that the two spoke in Infernus, a language that the assassin did not understand. As Rukiya and the Ravaleian began their final spells, the Quiet Knife slipped up behind the Ravaleian and slit his throat.

Enzi's Irregulars #0039

The Master of Assassins was happy to see Jasper Tims return, "Ah, then your mission is complete."

Jasper nodded, "Things went quite well. No one saw me, but the effects of my aid was noticed by our client. He is a rather sharp one."

The other man returned the nod, "From what I have learned of this Enzi, I am not surprised. Have you seen the Quiet Knife?"

"I saw her slip into the laboratory unnoticed. I would have thought she would have completed the job and been back by now."

"As would I."

"Should I return and make sure that job is complete?" Jasper asked.

"No need," the master replied, "In the morning our spy for the Rinn Institute will return to work. She will learn what happened this night and report back to us. We can make a plan then based on the new information."

"Then I shall retire for the night. I have a rather important part to play in the next production and I could use the rest."

The Master of Assassins smiled, "As always, you do good work."

"I hope someday for a challenge. Something amazing. Until then, I think I will stick to acting."

***

Enzi spent most of his time avoiding magical blasts from the deep well of power that Zindaro seemed to have. Then he saw movement. The tawny hides that swept across the ground, slunk low and fast towards the carnage. Enzi knew what it was only a moment before the first leapt on one of the bodies on the ground. Powerful jaws delved into the body's cavity with a terrible crunch. The Feergrus man leapt back as one barreled towards him.

"Blood cats!" Enzi yelled in Nuvro, "Gather together and defend!"

A pair of Zindaro's men were swept off their feet by the pack of ravening beasts. Zindaro himself saw the battle was not going to be won with such distractions. The Ravaleian wizard stomped on the ground as he wove an enormously powerful spell. This one was enough to drain some of the wizard's reserves. A huge stone wall erupted out of the ground. It cut off many routes that people could take and gave Zindaro a clear path for himself. No one could get to him and he could walk away unscathed.

"This is not over," Zindaro yelled, "Fate is on your side this day, but I will have my prize one day."

Enzi's form shifted back to human. He could not hold the hybrid form any longer. The Feergrus man was exhausted from the fight and the strain of the magical form he had taken. The Blood Cats had entered into a feeding frenzy. Enzi motioned the Irregulars back towards the doors. The feline monstrosities mostly ignored them as they were too busy devouring the dead.

"We need to make sure they don't get inside the door," Enzi said.

Mayitso growled and put himself between the rest of the group and the large cats. As some of them finished their meals and started looking for more, a pair looked towards Enzi's Irregulars. The two trotted towards the group, their eyes barely comprehending anything as their noses smelled flesh. Mayitso drew in a great breath and let out a bone-chilling howl. That seemed to awaken the two nearing Blood Cats. Mayitso growled at them and raised his hackles. The two beasts turned and fled in the other direction, looking for other prey.

"Good job," Enzi said, "Now I just need some rest."

He sat down by the door. The lycanthrope trotted over by the door, then stopped in his tracks. His ears perked up. He tilted his head as if straining to hear. His attention was focused on the door, then he whimpered. Enzi noticed it too. No sound was coming from the laboratory. It was too quiet.

"Ritter, Aldebaran, Kava," Enzi said, "Go check out what is going on inside. The rest of us will make sure the Blood Cats don't get inside."

The Halz, Minotaur, and Vodyanoi slipped inside the building to investigate the odd silence. The dead silence of the hallway did nothing to reassure the mercenaries. Entering the laboratories was like entering a nightmare. The torches that normally lit the area were dark. Only the flickering light from the torch in the hallway lit the room. This mattered less to Aldebaran and Ritter who could see even in the deepest darkness. However, even Kava could tell things were terribly wrong.

The light showed the walls smeared with a viscous red liquid. It could be only one thing. It was blood. Pieces of flesh could be seen as well. Something had gone horribly awry. The three saw something move in the shadows. It was hard to process the image. It was terrifying and monstrous, even to the eyes of monsters. A gigantic collection of bones stood up and turned to look at the three mercenaries. The bones were splattered with the blood of its victims. There was obvious damage where it had been stuck with acid, but the bone golem was still in good shape.

The skull that served as its head opened its jaw as if to scream but no noise came out. To Ritter's eyes, it appeared to be in pain. Perhaps he was merely anthropomorphizing it. Perhaps it was rage. There were no expressions on bone. Only the dim violet glow that shone from the empty eye sockets gave it any kind of appearance beyond a regular skull. Ritter saw little chance of Rukiya having survived this from the mess he saw, but he knew the three had to search for her. The golem then charged at the three, seeking combat. The Halz knew they had to beat it, but they were in a poor position to do so.

"Move!" he yelled as he dove in the room.

The massive golem stepped over the dwarf as it charged. Kava rolled out of the way. The collection of bones crashed into the door frame and ripped through it like paper. Aldebaran was on the other side, his blade ready. He swung with all his might as the Bone Golem charged. The blade struck hard and the minotaur felt the impact reverberate through the weapon. There was a snapping sound and a small chunk of bone flew from the mighty construct.

However, this did nothing to stop its rampage. It swung out its arm and grabbed Aldebaran by his left horn. The golem then wrenched the minotaur off his feet and swung him through the air with ease. The golem charged back into the laboratory chasing after Ritter and Kava while smashing the minotaur into the wall. There was a sick ripping noise as the golem entered the room and Aldebaran did not pass through the solid wall. The golem flung something hard and bloody at Ritter but the Halz deflected it with his shield. As it skittered across the floor, the dwarf saw that it was a bloodied bovine horn.

He had no time to worry about that. The Bone Golem was on a rampage. Kava rolled to its side and hacked at it with her hatchets. They barely scratched the powerful construct. It swung one of its mighty arms towards the Halz. Ritter deflected it with his shield, but felt the shock of the blow through his arm. He didn't think he could pull that off too many times. He slammed his warhammer against his foe and heard the suddenly satisfying sound of cracking bones.

His weapon was specifically designed to smash through armor. While Aldebaran cleaved through tough foes with the sheer brute force he wielded with his two handed blade, the warhammer was designed to allow a similar level of force with a one handed weapon. Certainly the minotaur could do a lot more damage with his weapon by rending a foe in half or ripping off limbs, but the bludgeon had its own distinct advantages. With Aldebaran on the floor bleeding, it was up to Ritter to defeat this foe. Kava could not easily penetrate her foe's armor. Her style was suited more for lightly armored or unarmored foes.

An arm slammed down towards Ritter and the Halz danced to the side. It crashed into the floor and shattered the stone. The construct was tremendously strong. Yet the dwarf realized this fight was familiar to him. This was like fighting a giant. It was larger and stronger, but slower. It had little intellect and seemed to be nothing more than unleashed rage. Ritter could work with that. Now more confident the Halz brought his warhammer down once, twice, three times.

The Bone Golem was looking in fairly poor shape after that. Yet it did not stop. It did not feel pain. It did not tire. Kava did her best to distract the thing while Ritter moved in for the kill. The Halz climbed on the one last table that remained standing within the wreckage that the golem had wrought. He leapt with a mad yell and brought down his warhammer with all the force he could muster. The skull of the mighty golem shattered and the dim glow of its life seeped away.

The bones collapsed in a heap. The golem would threaten no one again. Instantly the vodyanoi rushed to the side of the fallen minotaur. It was rare of her to show that she cared, but Ritter had learned that the two had a bond as warriors, friends, and the last of their respective races. There was perhaps more there, but Kava certainly would never admit to that. Ritter panted as he made his way towards the pair. His shield arm was going to be sore from the blow earlier. Yet that was no comparison to the damage done to the minotaur.

Aldebaran's head was a bloody mess. His left horn had been torn from his head, but the Halz had no idea what he was looking at. He stumbled past, muttering that he would get help. Kava merely nodded, cradling the head of the massive minotaur in her arms. Soon Eurysa and Enzi were at the side of the fallen warrior. The gorgon looked him over and patted the vodyanoi on the head.

"He will live," Eurysa hissed, "Though that has got to hurt. It is like exposing a raw nerve at this point. We need to get him to a medical professional. Although someone that knows animals might be better."

***

The flurry of activity around the Rinn Institute was unusual. The man aiding Enzi's Irregulars often took care of the surgical needs for many of the scientists. He was familiar with medical procedures as well as animal dissection. He had looked over Aldebaran's wound. The minotaur was awake and is some pain. Being slammed into the wall had hurt him worse than having his horn ripped off, but the horn pain was a constant annoyance.

"Well, I only see one solution," the medical professional said in Rava, "We have to cut out the damage here. Otherwise what little is left of this will try to regrow a horn. What happens won't be pretty and is likely to curve back on you. We call this partial horn a scur. It will be an annoyance at best and a danger to you at worst."

After that was translated to Aldebaran, he grunted, "Then do what has to be done."

"I imagine this will be painful, but I will do things as quickly as I can," the Ravaleian replied as he began preparing his utensils, including a red hot knife.

Aldebaran nodded as he learned of the upcoming pain. He sat at a table and gripped it, ready for what was to come. The hot knife moved in, ready to slice nerves off and destroy the matrix that built up the horn. There was a loud sizzling as the hot knife met flesh. The roar of pain from the minotaur chilled the bones of the many gathered there to assess the damage. It was done. Aldebaran would now have only one horn.

Enzi's Irregulars #0040

"Odd that a man who is considered untrained to work on humans has all the right knowledge to be exactly what we need," Eurysa hissed.

"Yeah, its kinda ironic," Kava croaked.

"He probably knows more than a lot of doctors," Enzi stated, "His history of working on farms and then his time doing autopsies here mean a lot of knowledge of bodies and how they work."

The Feergrus man looked to the minotaur, "Get some rest. We will probably need to move out soon."

Captain Aurari Koto soon approached the group, "It seems the local authorities need my help to sort out all that happened here. I was expecting some violence from the situation you were in, but this golem thing was unexpected. It is a good thing you were here to stop it before it rampaged across the countryside."

"Yes, that thing was a menace," Enzi replied in Rava, "I am saddened by the loss of the people in the laboratory however."

"Nothing you could have done," Aurari replied, "Golem creation is a touchy business. If this had worked out, we could have mass produced several units to aid the front line in the war. Obviously this was a dead end for such research. The golem did not even leave much of its victims behind, we can't identify what was what. The experts looked at the research and determined everything looked good, so it is obviously a major incompatibility in our two different magics. It is yet another failed project while we move on to the next one. It seems the war will have to drag on for a while."

Enzi nodded, "I figure we should leave before someone finds a reason to blame us for this. Zindaro Plam would have a field day using this to turn people against us. We are mercenaries after all, perhaps we can help on the northern front."

"You have two choices then,"Head south into Kurrot and deal with incursion the cross Lake Hargis or come out of the Siren Swamp. Not a major front, but still important. The other is to head east into Nuvroc and deal with the goblins encroaching through the forests there. The Nuvroci rangers need a lot of aid. There is a significant amount of territory to cover there. Most of our support has gone there."

Enzi frowned, "I wish this could have gone better. There were no winners today."

Aurari replied, "That is often the way of the world. I wish you good luck. You have done what you could/ That is far more than what most people can claim."

***

The man who helped Aldebaran returned to his office. Another Ravaleian was there. This new Ravaleian was in his early eighties.

"You have what I want?" the elderly Ravaleian asked.

"Yes doctor," the younger Ravaleian said as he placed the horn of the minotaur on the table as well as the material he had sliced off of Aldebaran's head.

"Excellent. I had feared I would not get the chance to study one of these creatures in any way. Now I am one step closer to achieving a greater success with alchemy than even the finest minds of the Caseans."

"I can't imagine that is easy. They are planning to lock down the Alchemist's Stone after today's incident. Too many people around and not enough security."

"No one can stop Doctor Calind Vega. Come with me and you can be among the first to reap the benefits of my research. It is time to liberate the stone and use it to its full potential. Already I can feel my age begin to turn me towards my final days. I can not afford the luxury of patience."

***

Zindaro Plam sighed unhappily, "So the minotaur was damaged? That is unfortunate. There is too much trouble to deal with them at the moment, especially as I have lost so many trusted men."

"You can't let them make us look like fools, right boss?" a henchman asked.

"That is not a worry. They will pay a price for what happened. I want word sent to every mercenary and bounty hunter in this land. I want the minotaur and gorgon. Dead or alive."

"We will have to make quite an offer. The war is certain to keep mercenaries busy and well paid."

Zindaro nodded, "That is not a problem. I have more than enough gold. I want it done. Make it happen."

***

The woman had left work for the day and stopped by the theater. It had been an interesting day at the Rinn Institute. She dropped off a note behind one seat as she moved on to her own seat to watch the show. The note almost seemed to magically vanish as someone stealthily appropriated it and delivered it up to one of the private boxes. The Master of Assassins was there and he read the note carefully.

It told him of the incident with the Bone Golem and the suspected death of Rukiya Bora and her Ravaleian partner. The terrible conditions meant that it could not be confirmed who it was, but the project was certainly ended. That would be enough. The Master of Assassins assumed that the Quiet Death had been lost as well. The destruction of the bodies meant that her presence was unsuspected at least. The spy was an excellent tracker and had noted no sign of an escape by Rukiya or the Quiet Death, although the massive number of people that had been through the area muddled things. At this point the Master of Assassins did not care about such things. The mission was complete and the reputation of the assassins was secured,

***

The eastward road was long but Enzi's Irregulars made a good pace as they traveled. They traveled southeast so that no one could tell which part of the northern front they were headed for. They stayed out of the cities and avoided contact, keeping their cloaks on for anonymity. As they were nearing the Kurrot border, cloaks would not be unexpected. Southeast of the town of Levine, the group turned east and entered the forest known as the Barrier Vale. It separated the lush farmlands around Singer Lake and Singer River from the northern plains. It also made for excellent cover.

It took nearly two weeks of walking though the forest before the group finally had to exit it. At that point they had nearly two days of travel through the fertile lands east of the forest until they reached to town of Tranum on the Tranumea River. It was a mighty river at that point, fed by over flow from Siren Swamp and the Singer River. There were other tributaries further south, but as those all flowed through the swamp, they were part of its effect on the Tranumea.

Tranum was one of two places where one could easily cross into Nuvroc. The other was the town of Northbridge, much further to the north where it sat on the Rava Coast. One could certainly take a boat to some of the fishing villages in Nuvroc, but that also requires a much more northerly tack. The Irregulars needed to reach the south part of the area Nuvroc controlled. It was there most of the battles were being fought. Enzi figured they could do some good while staying out of more civilized areas.

For now the mercenaries enjoyed a walk through the farmlands west of the Tranumea. A calm and peaceful breeze blew through the fields. It was summer now, the harvest was still several months away, but the breeze made things feel almost like fall already. However, that meant something else entirely to Enzi.

"A storm is coming," the Feergrus man said.

Those words sent a chill down Enzi's back as soon as he said them. Wars were never a pleasant thing. Now the goblinoids had begun a new conflict. The Fifth Goblinoid War as it was sure to be called. The first two of the great goblinoid wars were legend only, based on tales and myths of times before the Revolution of Ago. The First Goblinoid War was supposedly one fought against by the dwarves and the elves. Talks with Ritter had confirmed that the Halz told tales of these times.

The Second Goblinoid war had come several centuries later and greatly weakened the elves and the Halz. That war had ended when the giants came down from the mountain to crush all resistance and rule the world of Doulairen. That myth had proven at least some of its truth, even if Ritter had not confirmed it. The Revolution of Ago had begun under the heartless rule of the giants. It had taken fifty six years to overthrow the giants and had taken a toll on the great hero Ago. King Ago the First died a mere three years later, though by then a calendar had been set by the birth of the nation three years earlier.

The Third Goblinoid War had begun in the year two hundred and thirteen. They had won, seizing the Throne of Kings in the city of Agonor. The goblinoids ruled for a brutal twenty two years, finally ending when the nation of Nuvroc discovered the western nations and came to their aid. A time of rebuilding came for many hundreds of years until the great flood came and weakened all the nations of the land. Luckily the goblinoids did not take the opportunity to attack then. It was likely that they had suffered a great many casualties during this time as well. Their lands were already low lying and swampy for the most part.

The Fourth Goblinoid War finally did come. It had happened in the year thirteen hundred and sixty four. This was well known to Enzi. He had studied the battles during his training. It was during this time that Feergrus had proved itself to the northern kingdoms. Most encounters before the war had been with the followers of Ahk. They had made sure that people had a low view of the dark skinned people of the badlands. However, the northerners were more than familiar with rival cultures and civil wars and quickly came to grasp with the truth of the situation. It had been a long time since then, as the year was now nineteen hundred and ninety seven.

The assassination of King Ago the Second in the sixth year of the great nation by a Casean arrow had launched a great war against the king's younger brother, the man who had founded the island kingdom to the north, King Casea himself. That civil war had ended five years later with the death of King Casea. Casea had no heirs while King Ago the Third was too young to rule. With no leader, the Caseans retreated to their island. A siege would have been impossible.

Enzi wondered what all had happened to keep the peace after that. The flood had destroyed a great many records, most history before it happened were either relics that had somehow survived or oral tales passed down by the bards of Agon. That was certainly a biased source and Enzi found it hard to entirely trust the words of only one side. His thoughts were broken by the feeling of rain pouring down upon his face. The cool droplets felt quite refreshing. It was almost as if it was washing away all his worries.

***

"Now comes the fun part," Enzi said, "Passing through the town of Tranum and over the bridge into Nuvroc. The last roadblock before we find ourselves diving into massive conflict."

"Can't we just go around?" Ritter asked.

Enzi chuckled, "Not without a boat or trying our luck at the town of Northbridge. Today you will get to see why Ravalei is generally considered the safest country when it comes to defense."

Kava nodded, "The great golem wall."

"What, a wall that is a golem?" the Halz asked.

Kava laughed with a mighty croak.

Eurysa hissed, "No, it is a great number of golems that stand shoulder to shoulder. They guard the border of Ravalei. You can only exit or enter Ravalei at a few cities along the border or by traveling around the wall with a ship."

"And the Rava Coast Trading Company controls the world's largest and most powerful navy," Ritter said, "Yes, I can see where this would make the Ravaleians a formidable foe. The sheer number of golems however. That boggles my mind."

Enzi nodded, "It was not always like that. It started with a few weak golems guarding the most dangerous areas. As more golems were created, they slowly filled in the gaps."

"That is why there is a whole section of the populace devoted to the creation of golems. They call them the leaders the Gearwork Masters," Eurysa added.

The motley mercenaries meandered into the town, their cloaks doing little to mask their oddness now that they were no longer at a distance from civilization. Enzi led the Irregulars down the winding roads as quickly as he could. Most of the townsfolk were too busy to pay much attention, but a small crowd was slowly gathering. Soon they reached the bridge across the Tranumea River. Several guards stood near the bridge and Ritter gaped at the mighty golems that blocked any passage into or out of Ravalei.

Here at dangerous border into Nuvroc the golems were made of iron. They were huge and powerful looking. They made the Bone Golem look weak and pitiful by comparison. However the Halz knew that the iron golems had to have been a major undertaking. As the group approached the bridge the guard gave them an odd look.

"Halt, what is your business here?" one asked in Rava.

"We are mercenaries headed out to the northern front to aid the war." Enzi answered.

The guard raised an eyebrow, "Why should we let you through?"

"Would you rather we stay inside your borders to distract your people and cause problems by our mere presence? Or should we go try to do some good by killing as many goblinoids as we can?"

The guard snorted, "True enough. You do seem like trouble and I would rather not have any trouble inside my country. You can go bother the Nuvroci for all I care."

The guard turned to the golems and gave an order. Two of the mighty golem shifted and moved. They opened up a path into Nuvroc. Enzi nodded to the guard as he passed by. The group hurried onto the bridge as many of the townsfolk of Tranum watched them scuttle by.

Enzi smiled as he looked over his Irregulars, "And now we charge head first into the coming storm."

Kava gave one of her creepily too wide smiles, "The first good news I've heard in a long time."

###

Discover more about the author - Steve Mossman - at Smashwords.com

 https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/almightysmoss
