Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 03 Pt. 02

Travious broke in before he disconnected, "We need those glasses with the Magister at each academy and the captains of each of these ships. If we have any extras could you get them sent out this way?"

He laughed, "I have six pairs I can send you and I will send one to each of the academies. I will dispatch the ones to the embassy now via a courier."

He smiled, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

He looked at her, "Can you get an assembly of your students together. I want to find out if there are any more. Also, I need to speak with them about traveling to the Elven Kingdom if they are elven or elf-blooded."

She nodded, "I will call the assembly. I will meet you downstairs. I am grabbing a few wands first."

He nodded. He went downstairs and stood off to the side near the door watching students walk out and he spotted another. He grabbed her arm and spun her against the wall. I snapped her arm at the wrist while holding her other hand and breaking all of the fingers.

The Ambassador yelled out, "Hold, he has his reasons."

He looked over as the Magister came out and Travious told her, "Borrow my glasses."

She nodded and she looked. "It is a massive red."

He glared, "Gia go to the embassy and get the Countess. Be sure she has her glasses."

He looked at the Magister. "Hold this one for me and put my glasses back on." She did so.

He looked at the students. "Bring them all out."

The rest of them came out and that was the last of them. He looked at students and teachers, "The Academy was infiltrated by two dragons using necromancy rings. Come over and do detect magic and look at her hands. The students identified the ring is on the hand I broke at the wrist. He looked at them. "I will be taking this one away for questioning."

He looked at them, "I am Knight Paladin Silvertree, Champion of Corellon Larethian. I am a protector of the elven people. As you can see, I take my job seriously."

A few nodded. "I called the assembly for another reason. But if it is alright with the Magister, I would like to take this one back to the embassy for questioning and execution. Part of our Paladin code requires this."

She nodded, "We will see you again in a couple of hours. Thank you, Knight Paladin. I will send the other one over as well."

He nodded to her and shackled the hands together and walked him back toward the embassy with Gia riding inbound with the Countess.

She looked over, "That is the King of the Red dragons! His wife really rules. She uses him like a puppet. He killed the Black Dragon your father captured out here before we could question her."

He looked at her, "Any chance of getting intelligence from this one?"

She shook her head, "No you might as well kill him."

He called out, "Wait! I will tell you something you do not know if you promise not to kill me."

Travious looked at her. She responded, "I promise not to kill you."

He sighed, "Matroxxxa is loose. He is gaining followers. My brother was successful in becoming another Draco-lich from the forge. He left a few months before you took the forge with three necromancers who know the process. I do not know where either of them is at."

Travious nodded. "Anything else?"

He shook his head, "Karti'Ros right-hand Moonfire on."

Travious swung around and cleaved his head off. He looked at her, "I did not make the promise."

She nodded, "I know. Very clever. Very disturbing news. We should return to your embassy."

He threw the body upon his shoulder and they rode the rest of the way back to the Embassy. The Ambassador carried the female head of the elf-blooded woman who had resided in the ring. Travious looked at the Magister and invited her inside with this body over his shoulder. She walked inside. "The other body is waiting."

He looked at Bree, "Please strip them down and find anything of value. Do not stick your hands in any pockets to be safe."

He touched her, "I just gave you another delay poison."

He looked at Bree, "Another shelter." She cast one up and they entered it. She looked over, " I used my magical focus for that one."

He nodded to her, "Thank you." They walked inside. "Hand the Magister your glasses. He gave them to her.

I would like to introduce you to the Countess of the Moon. Also known as The Queen of the Silver Dragon's and starter of the Eternal Forge. Next to her is Baroness Majisa Silvertree. One of my wives. Also known as Lord Regal's youngest daughter. She is a Princess. Lord Regal is, of course, the King of the Gold Dragons."

She nodded. "The Elven kingdom is helping to create half-dragons for when the Dragon kingdom returns in 75-85 years. It will seem like days to them. Apparently, they are in some sort of temporal anomaly. Still fighting. We will have a full-on war when they return. We are preparing for this."

She nodded, "This is all classified. I know."

Travious smiled, "The fact they are living among us will be known in about 10-12 years when we start training the young at the academies in Quatarsia. There will be a royal proclamation at that time."

She nodded, "It is never dull with you Silvertree's. My father is very happy your grandfather spared our family. Thank you for your trust."

He nodded. "The ship that was first destroyed on the attempt to reclaim the forge was the Silverbar. Followed by the Guardian. My father recovered Silver Moon and her sword but refused to use the word 'save' with so many deaths. From what my mother told us. I did not know if you knew that."

She shook her head, "No I did not know a ship had been named after my family."

He smiled, "Something my father did. He named his flagship after my Mother. The Silver Rose."

He stepped out of the portal and opened the crystal to the King, "Your Majesty, sorry to bother you again at this hour. I know it is late where you are at."

He chuckled, "I was just talking with my mother about your last message. She said you are becoming a real dragon slayer."

Travious chuckled, "I captured, interrogated, and executed the King of the Red Dragons. He had on one of the rings. We captured his body as well. The information he provided is one Draco-lich escaped. The first to succeed from the forge. He said it was his brother. Also, a dragon known as Matroxxxa is on the loose and gaining followers. Countess, you want to tell us about this one?"

She looked at him, "He is a hybrid, he was imprisoned deep below the city. When the homeland left it is possible, he escaped. It was that far down. He is an ancient half-blue and half-red dragon. We could not get enough votes on the council for his destruction.

Not with imprisonment being an option. There were a few chromatics on that level as well. They may have escaped but they are nowhere near as dangerous as this one. If he unites the chromatics under him when they return, we would be hard-pressed to put them down on our own."

He looked at her, "He would need someplace remote with little use of magic. He would want to eliminate a place that has the ability to bring down dragons. He would want to destroy them. The two groups we visited. Have you contacted the Queen of the Griffon Rider's, your Majesty? Your mother at least spoke with them in the past."

He sighed, "Not yet but I will in the morning with my mother. They have talked a few times. You ensure that forge is secure."

He nodded, "Yes, your Majesty. Is this hybrid Dragon of Royal blood?"

She looked at Travious and nodded, "Yes he is, from both lines."

He looked over, "Magister you have a horse." She nodded. "Gia and Bree with me. I am taking the Magister and Countess of the Moon is going to take us to the ships now. I will have to visit the academy in the morning hopefully."

The King responded, "Going with just three for support?"

Travious chuckled, "The students here would not be well geared. If she has a couple of other instructors who are good in a fight then we could take them along."

The King sighed, "Do what you need to do."

Travious looked at the Countess, "I want you in the middle of all the horses. You can teleport straight back. If there are any on the ship, I do not want them to see or injure you."

She nodded, "I agree, I will bring us in at three thousand feet and you can arrive that way."

He smiled at her, "We should head to the tower. Will report our findings in your morning, your Majesty. Unless something tragic happens."

The Ambassador piped in, "I am going as well. My father trained with his Grandfather. He respected him for what he did. I can handle myself as a trained Battlemage."

The King chuckled, "Very well. Just do not take more than 6 total!"

The crystal went dark and they undid the security. The courier was waiting. Travious walked over and took the package from him. He looked at me, "They are to the Ambassador!"

Travious nodded, "You want him to hand me the package? Did you note my shield courier?"

He looked at it. "Knight Paladin?"

Travious nodded, "The King sent this at my request to the embassy. Why would he do it in the middle of the night?"

He nodded. The ambassador waved him off, "He is right it was something he requested."

Travious handed a set to the Magister. She smiled and put them on. Travious looked at Bree, "Anything good?"

She smiled, "All high-end gear on both of them a slip of paper with numbers, letters, and symbols on it."

She handed it to the Countess. She looked at him, "It is one of ours. It will take days to crack it."

He asked her, "Let me look at it please."

She handed it to him and he stared at it. The ink began to move. "Countess."

She came over and watched the ink move on the page and letters in draconic formed up. He looked at her, "I cannot read this. But it changed."

She looked at it, "Somehow you removed the cipher! That should not happen."

He nodded, "I was told I would pick up a few new abilities the last time I spoke with the gods. Like an innate ability to cast feather fall on me if needed."

She went into the ambassador's office and wrote something down. She brought it out to him and handed it over. The ink moved on the page and spelled out 'Silvertree' in elven."

He looked at her, "Could come in handy apparently."

She nodded, "VERY! I need to contact some of my associates!"

He nodded, mounted up, and kissed Melia and Majisa. Gia rode over and stole a kiss as well and then one from each of the ladies.

He looked at the sun while they rode off to the Academy. Getting close to mid-day. "We will need to eat before we leave."

They all nodded. He looked at them, "The Magister's Office. My home away from home we have set in their can feed us."

She laughed, "You destroyed that table."

He nodded, "It will repair itself." She nodded. "Besides, the dining room is around the corner from there if it has not finished. It was not touched by my experiment. We can go out and sit while the horses graze. Do you have a horse Magister?"

She nodded, "Yes one. All the teachers do."

He looked at her, "Where do you keep your tack?"

She pointed at the tower, "We have a storeroom."

Travious looked at her, "What are the names of the teachers you are looking at bringing?"

She looked at me, "Faria Silvertree a cousin of yours. She is a snow-elf moon-elf. Then there is Jaros'via Goldbar."

He looked at her, "Is he as uptight as the other bankers?"

She chuckled, "He is fairly mellow for a Gold-elf. Given he wanted to do training all the way out here. Believe he is estranged from his family."

---

The Dragon Queen got in touch with several of the Draconic couples out here. She had them all on crystals and spoke psionically to all of them.

"The Knight Paladin developed a new ability. He can hold an encrypted document and it will cause the ink to shift and reveal the contents. I have seen him do it twice. They also know of the Draco-lich escaping, I have not been questioned about it. Lastly, Matroxxxa apparently escaped when our Kingdom left.

We now have a good idea as to who the leader or leaders of the forces will be against us. Also this hidden champion out here that we have no clue where he is located. The suggestion for relocating our dragon assets is in the works. We will want to move you all as soon as possible given these threats."

She heard one response, "How did you gain this information."

She thought back, "The champion captured and executed the King of the Red dragons while he wore one of those rings. He was in the Elven Academy in the Far East. They are making a play on elven assets by doing this. They are also searching for the forge.

Getting it recovered is a top priority now. We have confirmed 11 half-dragon dragon riders thus far. That means we need lances and the forge to create them. The three couples working that need to continue. He is talking about coming out that way.

The elven Warhorses are psionic and can fly. You will know when he is in the area. Do not reveal yourself unless I contact you first unless they are in actual danger."

She ended comms with them.

Only her and Amy could initiate comms like that with dragons, at least that they knew of.

---

Matroxxxa hissed out in his underground cave. Two of his agents kidnapped the King and Queen from their bed chambers. "He stared across at the two scared humans, "I love the fact humans are so short-sighted. Let me tell you what is going on right now." As two necromancers slid necromancy rings onto these two hands. "I have a force of 648 chromatic dragons laying waste and feeding on your griffons right now and your male population.

You killed one of my mates. You allowed it to happen regardless. Now you did not know she was one of my concubines. You, Queen, are beyond the years to breed. Your daughters and granddaughters, on the other hand, will become part of the breeding stock for us to create a half-dragon army for the return.

We will let some of your humans continue to breed for a while to generate more females and to feed the slave population with farmers. Most of your men will be consumed. Along with your Griffons, every last one of them.

Those that die or go infertile from giving birth to my horde will be consumed, as you are simply food. You two, for now, will live on. Your bodies will as the rings we put on you will destroy your minds and trap your souls. You will be the face of your people who will submit to our efforts as a slave society starting with your own daughters. Those words will come from your own lips as you will order your society to submit.

You are in the caverns below your great city. We have been here quite a while trying to decide when to take you out. The elves' visit has confirmed they are looking for the Forge. One of your other handmaidens already confessed what you told her in your bed, they seek the forge and wanted trainers from you.

We will find it and bring destruction to all non-dragon races who fail to yield and submit to being our slaves and food. We thank you for turning your back on the rest of the world and making it easy for us to conquer your people."

His enchanters finished the final incantations to seal those rings, suck in the souls of the king and queen and store their bodies for use. Two new necromancy rings. They put them on and Matroxxxa smiled, "Now my King and Queen, go and signal the surrender of your people and get our dragons breeding the females. We have no time to lose!"

Those two left. He smiled, "The dragon wards on that elven ambassador ensured he could listen in on the secure conversation. He did not know where the forge was located and he would wait for his agents to contact him. The ones in the Dwarven Kingdom had informed him of the King's announcement.

That they were going to have the forge as part of an agreement and it would be open to all of their allied races. He could snatch it from them there when the time came as well."

His agents contacted once a week like clockwork. He now knew the two at the academy were gone. One was not his but belonged to Blornaxian, the Draco-lich's younger brother who led that group.

He felt reassured that all was going well. His agents on ships kept crystals stored and had set times to contact them. They would have to wait for those times to come about in 2 days, to give this elven champion a thank you for giving them the forge location.

Blornaxian looked across at the hybrid, "You will run out of food and breeding stock unless you get warlord Kan Tri to increase the numbers to make this victory assured."

He looked over at the Draco-lich, "We have an alliance for now. Your younger brother made them aware of both of us. He did not give up our location because he did not have it, he was pathetic and weak. We share some assets, do not think for a moment you are in charge! You are not. Most of those dragons follow my rule. The older ones seeing death heading toward them is another matter.

Regardless we want the forge for weapons and you need it to fuel creating more of your undead kind. We both have a use for it and the forge will support both. We capture the forge and then go after the master enchanters we need. We can have it all. I rule over the living and you over the undead. Remember our agreement."

Blornaxian looked over, "There is still the gods champion on the field. We both know as long as he is on the field he rules over us both. I refuse to deal with it directly. 5 millennia as a god's champion and he is unstoppable."

Matroxxxa nodded, "That is true, for now, but he is not a Chromatic Dragon either. It is a tough sell with the younger dragons to broach them to follow him and he knows it. Still, we send some to aid his armies when the time comes and we will have what we need in these lesser races for breeding stock. We have spies everywhere and other locations to use when the time arrives. We can be more decadent in how we gorge ourselves for now."

He looked over and saw the 100 palace guards, all males, and started feeding off them one at a time. He started with the one who seized his mate. Being sure to chew his food in front of them. Clothes, manacles, and all. He wanted to suck the marrow out of every inch of this lot for the death of his consort. He still liked to fuck, even if he was infertile, he was Dragon Royalty.

---

Travious thought, "Shi'Drakon have their horses meet us at the tower by flying in."

He heard him chuckle, "Surprise students and faculty."

He smiled. He watched as the students were filing out right on time. It had been two hours. They saw them approaching but their eyes turn toward the sky as the horses flew in."

The Magister looked at Travious, "How?"

He smiled, "Ask your horse mentally."

She looked at him and he nodded.

Travious looked at the students. "As you can see the horses have revealed a few new tricks. Shi'Drakon here is the head of the herd and felt it was time for this ability to be revealed. They are a lot smarter than you thought they were. Two of those horses belong to instructors here. I am taking them with me along with the Magister on what we hope will be a short trip.

One of my jobs as a Knight Paladin is to try and get the disenfranchised elf and elf-blooded people to return or visit the Elven Kingdom. My wife Gia is going around and doing quick divination spells and if you will step out if she taps you on your shoulder.

He waited for her to walk the line and there were fourteen She then grabbed two and took them off to the side. She pointed to the ones out front.

He looked at them, "Those out front raise your hand if you know what elven house you are associated with?"

One raised his hand, "Silvertree."

He nodded. "To you and the other thirteen. Hello cousins. I had an uncle who was a bard out here who let us say was a 'love them and leave them' kind of guy. He was seeding this entire area. A few have traveled here since then. But the fourteen of you are of House Silvertree. If you wish to come to visit or to stay, we would love for you to return to the Elven Kingdom.