Dragon Alliance Dark Storm : Dark Storm (4 page)

“We will let the council know when we have more positive news regarding this situation. The elves will also continue to support the training of the new wizards and the creation of dragonstone weapons, as well as the supplying of dramites and aloras salve healing components, especially with a major conflict on the horizon. I would advise caution, for my elegant wife is seldom wrong in her visions, regardless of how your political winds shift,” he warned the council. “The elves, as always, will support the Alliance, both in commerce and in war,” he finished.

“Thank you, King Denaris; the relationship we continue to have with the elves has been our blessing. King Drekar, what do the dwarves say?” Becknor asked.

“My good dragonrider, the dwarves are well and busy. Mining in the Ferranor Mountains is yielding steady deposits of iron and several veins of gold, silver, and copper. We haven’t been finding as many precious gems, both the ones for fuel for the dragons and the pure ones for dragonstones as we would like, but Talinor is still our biggest gem producer, and Draden for mithril. We are also aiding your smith guilds as well as your stone and construction guilds for block and cement. Your demand for these goods has risen to new heights.

“As for this pending war, the dwarves are ready to muster at least five legions within days and another five a few weeks afterward. We envy our cousin Ordin and his fight with the giants last week and look forward to battle. Speaking of combat, I will personally be at your senate gathering that is to convene soon. The cowardly Enlightened have gone too far!” Drekar exclaimed with irritation. “This arbitrator battle we are fighting with the Tekend Clan and the nature purists over the Shadow Mountain is causing words of reprisal among my kin. I will do my best to keep them under control, but your justice system is very slow and often not balanced.”

“King Drekar, as always, the Alliance and the dragons appreciate the support from our dwarf allies, and we will stand with you and your people in the legal confrontation with this misguided section of our population. With that reminder, we will address the issues of this territorial dispute and of the gathering dark forces in the Fire Mountains. Captain Mkel, how is Keystone Weir and Draden prepared?” the dragonrider general asked.

“Sir, so as not to rehash our earlier conversation and the battle at Handsdown, I’ll address these matters succinctly. While I can’t totally answer for Colonel Wierangan and the regiment, I am almost certain they are battle ready, for they have been working well with the weir. As for my garrison, Dekeen’s elves, and Ordin’s dwarves, they are all angry at me for them missing the fight in Battle Point. We have our rangers patrolling in the Gray Mountains to keep their eyes on the fire giants and just conducted a successful full-scale exercise with the Draden Regiment. Our heating and cooling crystal production level is good, and we just created one dragonstone weapon for a Battle Point officer and one wizard staff for our Freiland partners. The after-battle report has been disseminated through my seeing crystal for all to view. A word of caution to all, the enhanced or demon chromatic dragons are much more powerful than their standard kin, but still not to our strength,” Mkel answered.

“Excellent, Captain. Colonel Lordan, how says Eladran Weir?” Becknor asked.

“General, Eladran always stands ready. Our rangers and centaur scouts have been working with Captain Mkel’s rangers and elves in establishing a reconnaissance screen along the Gray and Fire Mountains.”

Eladran Weir was unique among the Weirs in that its organic garrison or legion was all cavalry based, and they also had a battalion of heavily armed but highly mobile centaurs. This legion that Colonel Lordan put together comprised one battalion of heavy paladins and one battalion of medium cavalry, who could fight dismounted as well as mounted. They wore banded or scale armor and employed spears rather than the long lances and other weapons carried by the standard Alliance infantry. The third battalion was a light cavalry configuration, which was basically mounted archer troops, who were trained to fight and fire from horseback—a trick Colonel Lordan had learned from his time in Battle Point before he became a dragonrider; he had drawn experience from the northern horse clans in the unsettled lands. It was a new experiment in the Alliance to have horse-mounted archers. Their fourth battalion was composed of centaurs who resided in the forest outside of the weir. They did have quarters within the fortress and stayed there on occasion though. This unique battalion had two companies of heavy centaurs with breastplate armor, shields, lances, and hand and a half swords. The other two companies were armed with heavy composite bows with extreme range and almost the same accuracy as elves and heavy two-handed swords or huge spiked clubs for close combat. He also had a land dragon battalion, light catapult battalion, sapper battalion, and support battalion. His centaurs had a treaty with elf chieftain, Haldrin’s clan in Lucian Forest.

“Our centaurs have an axe to grind with the fire giants, who drove them out of their lands just to the east of the southern Gray Mountains and killed many of their kin. Talonth, Fieranth, and Killenth, along with our copper and brass dragons, are also all on top wing and ready for whatever the Morgathians and giants throw at us, but we are getting a little thin from covering both the Alliance’s southeastern corner and eastern border,” Lordan said.

“We’ll start to make plans to get a legion over to help you secure the eastern border, Colonel,” General Frankrest offered.

“Thank you, General; it would be much appreciated,” Lordan replied.

General Becknor spoke up. “That is a good place to start. With the cooperation of the army, we will increase our presence on the eastern and southeastern border, especially with any spill-over of the increasing conflict with the Shidanese into our neighbor, the Ismer Emirates. To remind all, we are giving a makeshift metallic dragon wing to Battle Point, which will not only increase their strength in the remote city but also provide them better reconnaissance and oversight. In regard to the growing conflict at sea, we are sending a young but fearless bronze dragon to Freiland—Turanth. While he and his rider are relatively inexperienced, they are eager, intelligent, and ready to prove themselves. The dragons we are sending to Ian will also help us control that area and provide a direct connection back here to monitor the Shidanese. With the Morgathians remaining ‘officially’ quiet, I fear they are in a planning stage of something. Unfortunately, the Enlightened senators are keeping our hands tied with their petty squabbling in the senate,” Becknor said in summary.

“As for the war on and under the seas, we will continue to support all Alliance naval forces. The Dragon Council will not tolerate the loss of a single Alliance warship at the hands of those sea devils or the pirates. We will also speed up the production and delivery of the repeating crossbows and the levitating crystals to the weirs and then the Alliance Army,” Becknor explained.

“Are there any comments on this plan? Further details will be worked out in subsequent meetings with the individual weirs and Alliance legion commands,” Michenth added.

All in attendance, including the metallic dragons, nodded in agreement.

“We must next address the issues that we think the Enlightened senators will attempt to push us on before hearing from the rest of the weirs. First is their proposal to cut veteran benefits and to squash Captain Mkel’s initiative to aid mind-scarred veterans and their widows and children. Mkel, I assume you have prepared your statements in case you are called to testify before the senate?” Becknor asked.

“Yes sir, Jodem and I have reviewed and rehearsed my speech, and I am ready if called upon to defend my position,” Mkel answered.

“We have faith in you, my son, but never underestimate your opponents. The Enlightened senators’ tongues can strike like a wyvern’s tail stinger and deliver just as deadly a venom,” Michenth stated.

“Yes, I understand, Lord Michenth. I will do my best,” he answered.

“He is ready, my lord,” Gallanth addressed the arch dragon.

“I know; he rides a good dragon,” Michenth answered Gallanth with an almost discernible smile on his immense jaws.

“You will not be alone, young rider. We also have senators on our side as well,” Becknor added. “They might also attempt to make something of your fight at Handsdown. We heard rumors of this. Again, we are prepared, but that will be Michenth’s and Gallanth’s job, as well as our arbitrators. Do not worry.”

“The Enlightened Party officials will likely propose arms restrictions on the civilian and citizen population and for the weirs to give the heating, cooling, and lighting crystals for free. In their arrogance, they will likely call for the elves to donate the ingredients for the aloras salve and the dramites. They might also push for civilian voting privileges. While some of these are strictly issues for the senators to deal with, we will be dragged into the fray no matter what,” Becknor explained.

“As far as the issue of disarming the people, sir, this is a direct violation of the Second Article of the Alliance. The weirs do not condone this and will never enforce or allow this to happen in our jurisdictions,” Therosvet spoke up forcefully. His voice carried substantial authority as the capital Weirleader. While he answered to General Becknor, he still controlled the immense fortress just like all the other Weirleaders controlled theirs.

“That sentiment is mirrored among the dragons as well,” Valianth echoed his rider’s address.

“That is understood. Are all the weirs in agreement?” Becknor asked the council. All Weirleaders and dragons acknowledged with a resounding yes. “Excellent, now as for the weirs donating the dragon-enhanced crystals and stones that we produce, we already give one in ten of these commodities to the Alliance Trinity Church for charity; it is their job to disseminate them. They do not even discriminate as to who is a believer or not. That is not our or their nature. Again, the answer to the Enlightened will be no. The modest amount we charge for these stones and crystals, along with our own mineral wealth and the treasure taken from the chromatics is our major source of income that keeps us apart from the funding the senate supplies the Alliance Army and Navy. Their shortsightedness would lead to more taxation to support the forces assigned to the weirs; we know an increase in taxes is of no issue to them and would also allow them more say in weir and dragon affairs. The answer again for this will be no, the First Article of the Alliance specifically addresses weir autonomy, after citizen rights and responsibilities,” Becknor explained.

“They also have no say in elvish matters. We are a separate kingdom within the Alliance; this is absolute,” Denaris spoke up.

“Or the Dwarves. POE jackals,” Drekar echoed.

“We thank you, friends. As far as them wanting to give voting rights to nonveterans, sir, that should be a senate debate, unless we or our dragons are asked to render a judgment after the Grand Arbitrators Council rules, if it ever gets to that point,” Therosvet stated.

“I agree, my friend, but you should be ready to give our official response on the issue if asked; Michenth, I am sure of your voice on this,” Becknor answered.

“Freedom without responsibility is akin to building a fortress on a bed of clay,” Michenth firmly answered.

“Yes, sir, Valianth and I will also prepare a statement,” he responded while writing a note on a piece of parchment.

“Thank you, Colonel. Master Apex Wizard Hestal, what say our esteemed magic users?” the apex wizard of the Wizards’ Council and perhaps the most powerful wizard in the Alliance stood up. Hestal was a unique wizard in that he was built more like a wiry fighter than a typical magic user. He, like Jodem, did not sport the traditional long beard of Alliance wizards. When the last apex wizard passed away, both he and Jodem were considered for the position, but Jodem took himself out of the running, mostly to stay at Draden and look after Mkel and Gallanth after Jmes was killed. He also didn’t want all the headaches of being there at the Capital Weir and the politics associated with the position. Hestal was an extremely intelligent man and was on par with Jodem as far as being a formidable wizard. He personally sent over a wing of chromatics to their demise during the Great War. His medium-length gray hair was well kept and accentuated his sharp but noble face. He stood just over six feet tall and was well muscled for his age. His wizard’s staff was of a simple nature, being made of solid elm wood with mithril wire wrapped around the top half and securing the large diamond dragonstone at its head.

“Thank you, General Becknor. Michenth, Dragons and Riders of the Alliance, Friends and Comrades, I want to first give thanks for this momentous gathering of all the forces of light in the Alliance. This unprecedented meeting can only spell good tidings for our efforts to preserve our precious freedoms and the Alliance itself. The Wizards’ Council has been busy both overseeing the training of our young apprentices and performing missions ourselves in support of the weirs’ forces and Alliance military. The information that Jodem extracted from the drow witch has been perplexing and has kept us contemplating these puzzling issues. It is also apparent that the Talon Covenant has been experimenting with dragon blood and dark crystals. This was demonstrated by the appearance of these demon and berserker dragons and two new evil draconic species, the talon dragons and those man/dragons or dragon spawn as they called themselves,” the master wizard explained as he raised his staff, which projected images of the battle at Handsdown and the talon dragons that Gallanth had slain.

“While the gold dragon Gallanth and Captain Mkel felled them rather handily, they seem to have the potential to breed even faster than the chromatics, so the advent of our avenger dragons will come none too soon. The dragon-spawn, as they call themselves, half-man, half-chromatic dragon creatures, did prove effective as a quick but strong striking force. We don’t know how many of these they have, but likely they are working on many. Their attempt to counter our land dragons with these snake-like dragons, or behir creatures likely did prove a disappointment to them. Battle Point’s land dragons defeated them easily even with more than a three-to-one ratio on their side. While still dangerous, they were no match for us.