Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 06

One asked him, "Where are the bodies."

He pointed, "In there in pieces."

He simply nodded, Serius went inside and secured the place and unsecured the portal to the training area. Brima flew into his arms, "What took so long?"

Serius smiled, "Everyone waits here a second."

Serius walked her over and opened the door to the one-room and her hand covered her mouth. Serius closed the door, "Worse at the palace. Yes, I went back. I will talk with you and Zirra in your room."

She nodded and disintegrated the bodies in that room. Serius walked upstairs. He sat on the edge of the bed. They came in and he sealed the room, Serius gave them the fifteen-minute condensed version of events. They sat there and looked at him like he was mentally unstable.

He ordered up some food. "This is where you tell me I am crazy for going back out and could have gotten myself killed. I am just a kid unable to take care of myself. This is where I tell you I did not get hurt at all, unlike the 14 Tieflings, countless guards, 20+ or more members of house Gold Sword, and let us not forget the carnage at the bank."

He finished eating. "I need to get back to Quatarsia."

She looked at Serius, "At least spend the night here?"

He hugged Brima, "For you. I was told by my sword to hug you for my father. He would have wanted that."

She cried into his shoulder for a good half hour. He went to his room and slept like the dead. He was at the falls again and he kneeled. He heard a chuckle and he looked up to see the Solar.

He smiled, "I doubt it is that easy. We will see more of you."

She nodded, "Likely. Nice distraction. You put a hurt on it."

He nodded, "Channeled a disintegration into the blade. I knew you were battling and I had 14 dead Tieflings. If you don't know, I think that creature is involved. Too many weird issues with these creatures."

She nodded, "I heard about that from the Lady of Dreams. Corellon Larethian was impressed with your actions. We are uncertain if he is involved, we are making no assumptions."

He sighed, "I wish he would do something about these do-nothing nobles."

She nodded, "I gathered he was very displeased with them. Especially a few Blade Singers among them. They are getting an ear full in their sleep I am sure."

Serius nodded, "I fear the humans have it worse. If they do, will you be there?"

She nodded, "If you need me, I will be there. I was hurt by it, moments before. You gave me the time to put together that blow. Then you healed me before moving on. I owe you at least one."

He smiled, "In that case, I will wait and claim it when I am an adult."

She laughed at him, "You know we could never be together."

He nodded, "I know, at least not for long."

She smiled, "That is true. You should return to the land of the waking. You have another full day ahead of you."

He woke up and memorized his spells and prayed and found a new ability. A smite evil.

He nodded, "He was pleased."

He got dressed and went down and ate some fruit and headed back and got his horse saddled up. He made his way through the security barriers and outside. A guard stopped him, "A package from the palace." He opened it and there were four pairs of those glasses.

Serius nodded, "Unblock teleport. He nodded and moved back. He teleported to the main gate.

He rode out and then down to the edge of Quatarsia. He rode the rest of the way in He tried to contact Majisa and got some guy. He sighed, "Sir Silvertree. Please ask her to contact me or send them to Quatarsia to meet up with me."

He asked, "Who?"

He smiled, "She knows who."

He let the crystal go dark and contacted the Palace, "Your Majesty?"

He heard her respond, "Just eating a morning meal."

Serius smiled, "I am heading into Quatarsia now. I got your package. I also heard some Noble Blade Singers are in trouble from my dreams last night. Thought you should be aware, Your Majesty."

He heard the Queen sigh, "I got word there was an issue with some wild elves yesterday. They were unable to get a hold of me."

Serius nodded, "I will check into it, Your Majesty."

Serius let the crystal go dark and thought, "Best speed. Let us stretch your legs some Regin."

They pulled up out in front of the inn and saw broken windows and the door was broken.

Serius went inside and the serving girl looked at him, "Where have you been?"

He held out his tube, "Protecting the Queen and court. It turned into a war zone."

She looked at the tube and handed it back, "The guys down here from yesterday are dead or fled. They were mad nobody could get them to see their chieftain. The Duke took a couple of good shots but the big one went out the window in two pieces. That was when the others fled.

Serius looked over at a guard at the table, "Would you let the Duke know I have returned."

He went upstairs and went inside and found they had Yellow Leaf tied to the table. He looked around and walked over and cut him loose, "He looked at Serius, "They are crazy. They said if you were not back soon, they would kill me."

Serius asked, "Point."

He pointed to the two by the table. Serius sighed, "Clear out get the Duke. Portal, stay open. You two outside."

He chuckled, "Why should I?"

Serius looked at the door out back and walked toward it and he stepped in front of Serius. His buddy behind him. Serius looked at him, "This is my home. Serius heard his friend draw a weapon. Serius rolled onto the table and set off a fireball centered on himself and they went running for the door, "Briefing room security activate!" The big guy got ran through his buddy stopped as he ran into a spike, "Seal portal." He looked over at Serius.

Serius drew his sword. "You wanted a sword fight. Bring it, 'little man.'"

Serius just insulted him and threw a set of manacles over to him, "Or put those on."

He charged at Serius with his sword Serius called out, "Deactivate security." He went with a thrust and Serius brought his blade down across the back of his neck. Serius went out to the falls to see 30 dead bodies. He checked the other rooms and they were alive. He waved them all out and sighed, "How did he get in here?"

She sighed, "The mage went to check on you and 10 of them came in. Outcasts. Our men worked to fight them off."

Serius nodded, "There are 30 dead in the back."

Serius checked the master and it looked like they slept in here. Based upon gear.

Serius asked, "Did the caster have others in the other shelter?"

She nodded, "Yes. He put one up before stepping out and sealed it."

Serius nodded, "They will get ejected out. Please get your elder and the other bodies out of here." They nodded and looked at the two dead men. Serius put his sword away after cleaning it. The others got ejected into this room and looked to see two dead wild elves. Serius looked at them, "I was held up in the capital. These two and eight others got inside. There are thirty dead in the back. Help them out. Portal open."

One of them looked at Serius, "How do we know you did not do this?"

Serius pointed in back, "Ask those working on bringing your dead out! I just got here. I also went in and saved you to kill you here in my own home? They had the mage tied to the table. They wanted me. I embarrassed this fool. Figure out who the new chieftain is and bring those bodies outside of the inn. The portal will remain open."

He went downstairs. "The big one was in my shelter after helping to kill 30. He is dead now along with his buddy. They will be bringing bodies down!"

He walked out front and got mounted up. He rode toward the keep and looked at the sky. The ash had stopped from the volcano. Two of the storms continued. Serius turned back to see the Duke riding toward him. He yelled over, "Quite a mess you left me with."

Serius looked at him, "You hurt bad?"

He shook it off, "Nothing serious."

Serius nodded, "Then the mess is yours and you left me with it. I left you access to my home. They are pulling bodies out of it. Ten got inside and killed 30. Two of them including the ass I called out were still inside. They are both corpses now. They are blaming me for not returning sooner. I was in the capital dealing with it being under attack."

He sighed, "Who attacked?"

Serius smiled, "Classified by the Queen. You will have to contact her to get briefed. It was bad."

He nodded, "How can I help?"

Serius pointed, "I need 12 casters with disintegration and mounts for starters. I need someone to get those wild elves moving toward their homeland. The first 2 miles are still getting rained on but it should have cleared some of the areas for them. He nodded and sent someone to get casters. Serius handed him his tube and he looked at it, "This is why she wanted you at the Palace or what you got after the battle?"

Serius looked at him, "Before the fight. After that, she called every noble into the room to do more. Then the battle started. It started at House Silvertree with a House Patron trying to disintegrate me. It went downhill from there."

He shook his head, "Your fault?"

Serius shook his head, "Unless you count being born or still being alive."

He chuckled. He pulled out his crystal to the Queen as they were alone and he got a briefing he did not want to hear. He looked at Serius, "Alright you got my day beat."

Serius nodded and rode back to the inn. He went upstairs and looked at the last few, "Go room to room. Those guys left some items in the master bedroom. I want it all gone because I am sealing this area off."

They went room to room and came back with a lot more stuff. They looked perplexed when the blankets disappeared on them. Just outside the shelter. Serius looked at them, "It will not exist out here." They nodded and picked up the few items they found. Serius stopped and picked up a ring and looked at it, "Not good. Necromancy."

They backed away from it. Serius sighed, "Seal portal to just the blade holder or the heirs of the blade."

It slammed shut. Serius went downstairs. He looked at the Duke after he mounted up. "The shelter is cleared. I will be back at some point but not for a while."

He nodded, "Going somewhere?"

He nodded, "Yes."

He just chuckled, "Not saying?"

Serius rode toward the pastures, "Send the mages my way you take them back to their lands."

He nodded, "Alright have it your way."

An hour later at a slow ride and the mages caught up to him. Serius looked at them, "Gather."

They gathered up and Serius teleported them as close to Fort Ash as the barrier would let him. He went forward and they followed. Serius pointed at the wall, "Disintegrate that from the bottom up, one at a time. They each cast one and there were 9 holes leaking lava. Serius flew up over the wall. He threw an earthquake down on the edge of that wall. It exploded into a river and poured into the hole.

Serius flew back. "There were walls of force inside the outer crust. They had to be destroyed first. They nodded, "How did you know?"

Serius smiled, "Jazzia cast them to save the dwarves when that road led to the dwarven homeland."

They nodded. He pulled out the crystal to Majisa, "Your Majesty, did you get my message?"

Serius heard a sigh, "No I did not. What did you need?"

Serius sighed, "First, the idiot fuck that is holding your crystal to deliver messages. Second, I will come to your location. Looking for my escort to human lands. I have done what I came here to do. You spoke with the elven Queen this morning?"

She sighed, "Yes, I heard you have a hard time following direction."

Serius chuckled, "I followed them. I told her I would go home and if attacked there all bets were off. My blade would allow for nothing less. I kept my word. All bets were off."

She chuckled, "Alright I have your escort at your usual entry location."

Serius looked at the mages, "You can let the Duke know what I did over here. It is to help with the drow in the catacombs in the tunnels below where that hole leads."

They nodded and smiled. Serius moved off and teleported to dragon lands. He had two of his uncles waiting for him. Serius nodded, "We are making a side trip first."

They nodded. Serius took them to just outside the Paladin compound. He rode forward and they walked.

He knocked on the big door looking human, "I am here to see the commander of the order."

He opened the door and they went inside. Serius rode forward and stopped. He went over to a grave marker and cleared the foliage. The man who opened the door looked at Serius, "A relative of yours?"

Serius shook his head, "No just a long-forgotten hero. The last grave my father visited before he was captured, and then killed a few days later. When a paladin of Tyr was Tyr's champion during the last major conflict."

He looked perplexed as a man in shining full plate came down.

Serius mounted up and looked at him, "Greetings Commander, I am in need of a couple of your paladins."

He chuckled and Serius extended his tube to him, "This is with the elven court." Serius nodded and shifted forms.

He looked surprised, "Why the deception?"

He smiled, "My father was the last champion. He worked with your champion on great terms. I am headed into the human capital and I need someone who can navigate your courts and respects the alliance we share."

He nodded, "The new Queen is not a fan of this?"

Serius shrugged, "I am not certain she is not under undue influence. We have found signs of Tieflings recently and we want to check it out without overtly threatening the court."

Serius handed him a set of glasses and he put them on and saw the two with him and nodded, "Understood. I will go. Squire, go and find Commander Wright. He comes from a sailing family."

Serius nodded. The man he called forth was a Tiefling.

He went white. Serius threw a disintegration at him and missed. He drew a sword and Serius thought, "Varus'Nor Left hand Moon fire on."

The commander drew his sword as did the two silver dragons. Serius rode up in the air and thought, "Spell turning." A spell came at him but was aimed at Regin. Serius threw a heal into him as the other three cut the Tiefling down."

Serius looked at the other men who looked confused and landed. He handed the other paladin a set of glasses and he looked over shocked.

Serius took the glasses back and looked at the Commander, "Non-detection item if I had to guess."

He went through and stripped everything off. It was now visible to the other paladins in the courtyard. Serius looked at the Commander, "We might want more than two."

He nodded, "Right."

Serius had a group of 6 and brought out 2 extra horses for the dragons with him. Serius switched back to a human form. The paladin looked at him, "Probably best."

He nodded and handed out two more of the glasses to those at the front of the group and they saw who they were riding with.

He thought, "Regin, I may say things to you that make no sense but the two dragons will hear and understand. Just repeat it to them."

Serius heard chuckling and the two of them nodded at him. They left the compound and spent two hours riding and Serius thought, "Made the right call stopping to see the paladins."

He saw a couple of smiling and nodding heads. They rode in the middle column with those two in front of him. They entered the city and rode toward the 'palace.'

They got off our horses and there were guards in front of the ugly Keep. They walked forward and the commander looked at the guards, "We are here to see the Queen."

He shook his head, "No. The Queen specifically did not wish to see any paladins."

Serius asked, "Why?"

He sighed, "Because one tried to kill her."

Serius nodded and walked forward, "You the guard captain? How long has this been going on?"

He looked at Serius, "Who are you to ask?"

Serius smiled and handed him a set of glasses so he could see what he was facing down. He started to hand them back, "These two and I are not paladins. Will you take us to see the Queen please?" He nodded. "The glasses will let you see the truth of things."

The guard walked inside and they followed and it looked like a Tiefling family reunion.

Serius looked back, "Commander you better come with your men."

He thought, "Lady of Dreams we have Tieflings everywhere. Also, some kind of demonic presence on the throne. I think Queen Rosenthrawl is dead."

He pulled out a crystal and spoke in elven, "Your Majesties. Things are very bad here."

As he finished saying the words the one on the throne yelled out, "Kill them ALL!"

He moved off to the side, the two dragons jumped into the middle of the room and changed forms. The Tieflings were caught off guard. The thing on the throne got up just as the Solar appeared in front of it."

Serius yelled out, "She is on our side. She is a Solar!"

A Tiefling hit him with a disintegration. Serius healed himself. He drew his sword. One came charging at him and a paladin ran him through. Serius jumped onto the slumping body. He smote the one behind him. He screamed his head off before falling Serius thought, "Spell turning."

Serius got hit by two more disintegrations. Serius turned one and the other hit Serius hard. He rolled into the middle of the paladins and did channel energy which exploded out from him to the injured. He thought, "Spell turning."

He looked over and they had a stack of casters in a gallery. Serius launched two acid explosions with one quickened. That caused the gallery to go silent. He looked to the other side and there were more. Serius nailed that side with two more. He stopped casting offensively and started to cure moderate wounds on the paladins as he moved forward.

He hit one dragon with a heal and then the other. He rolled behind the Solar and hit her with one. Serius dimension doored onto the throne behind this creature. He leaped toward it and it turned to strike Serius. Serius parried his shot aimed at him instead of striking him. Serius rolled up behind the fiend's legs as the Solar took his head off. She lifted the creature off of him and gave him a hand up. Serius nodded to her, "You looked pretty torn up."

She nodded, "He was using a chain sword on the one hand. If you had not parried that other shot, he might have taken your head off."

Serius nodded, "Slow motion strike, I saw him turning and thought a parry would be better." She nodded, "That weapon was vorpal."

He looked at the Paladin Commander, "Like my father, I am a champion to my god. Given this threat, a Solar was waiting for me to let them know. We should search the interior of this Keep. See if any royals are still alive. She nodded and shifted shape and size. The paladin commander nodded, "Thank you for healing my men."

Serius nodded and walked back. Serius picked up the crystal. "Your Majesties, the entire court including the thing posing as the Queen are dead. We are going to search the Keep."

He heard Queen Goldeagle call out, "Stop. Majisa sent another 12 dragons to help. Wait for them."

He sighed, "Yes, Your Majesty, the Solar showed as well. She claimed another head."

Serius walked forward and looked at the fiend's hands and looked, He pulled the rings off and pulled off the one that altered the form and put the other on.

He took it off, "I am a hundred percent certain that the Queen is dead. I found one of those necromancy rings. I will keep it to get it purified, your Majesty."

They heard the thud of the dragons landing outside and the one guard went out to let them in and inform his men. Serius looked at the other one and it was dark magic. Serius looked at the Solar, "Your thoughts on this ring?"

She shook her head, "Put it down and I will destroy the ring." She held her hand over it and it was gone.

The body had already returned to its plane. She looked at Serius, "You are still one up on me."