Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 07

Oliviran looked at them, "They are encrypted like mad!"

He nodded, "I am the only one who can remove them." Charlus held out the other set, "You disenchant them, they revert to this."

Their eyes went wide-eyed. Charlus looked at them. "If you want to start or invest in a business, start a new house. If you want to do something that will earn the wrath of this sword, then start a new house.

Ginnar and I signed our paperwork today to stay with House Silvertree. My work requires a degree of stealth. The blacked-out armor and no house insignias work for what I will be doing in restarting the Knights.

Continuing our father's work. I do not want to see another die from greed or corruption. Any questions for me?"

They were all quiet. He looked over, "Knight Paladin, you were there, they may want to talk with you privately as I probably scare the hell out of them at the moment. I did not kill him. The sword did."

Charlus looked at Gia, "Your assistance, please mother."

He walked back to the library and she followed him through. Charlus walked back and stopped, "Fuck, he just had to be a stubborn asshole about it."

She rubbed his shoulders, "You did what you could and Kora knows it. She could not believe it was her son that said that stuff. We, the mothers, have been worried for a while about him. It just fell on your shoulders and now we know why you were so set on things last night."

Charlus nodded and pulled his father's armor and hat. The hat was recovered with the sword when he got taken. He took his stuff off and she handed him a ring. "The alter self with the ability to summon the armor on." He nodded and summoned it on and put the hat on, "This is heavy."

She nodded, "It has a circlet that helps with diplomacy and proof against petrification."

Charlus chuckled, "In the Diplomatic Service, so it is fitting."

She handed him another ring, "Freedom of movement; no house insignia. There are a few that do have it."

He nodded, "Good, paralysis bolts fucking suck."

She chuckled and nodded. He grabbed a saddle and a bridle. She nodded, "Time to get a horse?"

He nodded, "Yes."

He thought, "Where is the Blade wielders journal."

He heard, "Quatarsia shelter. I will guide you through opening the secret compartment. Your father's journal is here in the master."

Charlus looked around and took his cloak off and found a few to choose from. She pointed, "I know you do not want to take everything of your fathers."

He looked at it and left it and then the belt and left it, "Those should go to the champion." He put on a house cloak with high-end protection and resistance in it.

She nodded, "Alright."

He thought, "How do I know what to ask for enchanting if she cannot tell me what she put on my necklace?"

He heard back from the Lady of Dreams, "What are you wanting?"

He sighed, "I am thinking about what attributes to increase. As bad as I was getting torn up, I thought about a constitution item."

Charlus heard, "NO. Your elevation to champion added a small boost to it and you will be hard enough to deal with the ladies in the future."

He sighed, "Mental and other physical attributes, protection, resistance, deathward, defending on my off-hand weapon, bonuses to stealth, acrobatics, lock picking, improved invisibility with command thought activated, backstabbing boosts, and immunity to fear is on the top of my lists in no particular order."

He heard laughter, "Alright there is some overlap but not much stay away from mental attributes. There is some draconic stuff in there as well."

He walked around and found another freedom of movement ring with nothing else on it but it had Silvertree insignia. He put that on for now. He walked out and wrote down a list of what he wanted. He walked up to Zirra. He handed the list to her with the plain freedom of movement ring.

She looked it all over, "This will take a while."

He nodded, "I figured as much I am going after a horse and the blade wielders journal. Father's is in the Master here."

He went to the master and secured the room. He pulled his journal. He stepped outside and they let him out the front. He walked over and activated the teleportation circle and appeared in the village. He looked at a man riding up, "Excuse me, would you let your horse know I am in need of one that is fairly stealthy."

The man chuckled, "Who are you?"

Charlus smiled, "Charlus Silvertree."

He chuckled, "There a reason I should?"

He pulled out a crystal, "You could explain to the Queen why you think it is a bad idea. This goes directly to her."

He sighed, "Message sent."

He rode off. Charlus shook his head. He got a bright white horse walk up to me, "You do not look particularly stealthy. I made a request for one that was stealthy."

He heard, "We got you wanted something as bright as possible."

Charlus smiled, "Asshole."

He heard chuckling. He had a shadow stallion show up, he looked at him, "Shi'Kitor"

Charlus heard back, "Shadow Killer. You strike from the shadows?"

He smiled, "I strike from the air, stealth, shadow, or from wherever. With swords or spells."

Shi'Kitor responded, "I like it."

He hooked up the saddle and bridle he rode into town, "Best speed."

He rode like the wind he pulled out his off-hand weapon and smacked the asshole flat across the ass with the flat of the blade. He yelped and gave chase.

Charlus thought, "Into the air." The guy stayed on the ground. Charlus thought, "Thirty feet up and slow." He got up on the back of the saddle as the guy came in range.

Charlus backflipped off, drew his main hand weapon in mid-spin, and did a triple spiral and landed on the back of the other horse. He brought both swords up on either side of his neck. He thought, "Come down Shi'Kitor."

He looked at the older elf, "You can guess what I can do to you right now. That does not count magic. You hear the name Silvertree, you will note we do not suffer fools. No comments on my age either. You asked for a hard time and you got one."

He got to a standing position on the back end of his horse and saw Shi'Kitor come riding up.

He thought, "Faster."

He sped up and Charlus flipped off and landed in the saddle and turned the horse. Charlus stopped, "Any questions?"

He shook his head. He thought, "Best speed."

He sheathed his swords. He heard him chuckle, "He is passing the word to the local Duke."

He thought, "Pass the word to my cousin Duke Strong Oak. Tell him he will know where to find the new wielder of the Silvertree Moon Blade."

He pulled up in front of the inn and went inside. He went straight to the fourth floor.

He found a wall he teleported to the other side. He went through the portal, "Set owner to me and my descendants. Set access to me and my descendants as well as Ginnar Silvertree." He went down and the sword walked him through getting the journal. He looked off to the side and there were windows.

He looked out of the window frame with no glass. He jumped out and did a triple flip and landed on the ground. Charlus got up on his horse as the guy got a couple of buddies coming out of the inn. Charlus shook his head, "I told you I will not suffer fools."

He rode forward a bit. He and his two buddies came out of the doorway toward him and drew weapons.

Charlus hopped up from his saddle and did a double somersault. The first one lunged at him. Charlus ran up his side and flipped over the next guy and let the two of them go to the ground. Charlus waved the instigator forward. He came in with back to back overhead swings.

Charlus blocked them off and then he cut the belt on his pants and smacked his blade so hard it stuck in the side of the building. As he bent over to pull up his pants Charlus flipped over him and smacked him on his bare ass with the flat of both blades.

He sent him to the ground face first. The other two got to their feet as the Duke rode in with 4 bodyguards. Charlus gave a sword salute.

The two came in and Charlus backflipped and kicked one in the face. He blocked with both blades the other guy. Charlus pushed his blade up and cut through his belt with one sword while blocking with the other. Then he did a duel sword strike and sent his sword into the wall next to the other.

The guy he kicked in the face charged him. Charlus rolled back and launched him in the air with both feet to land on his back. Charlus backflipped and stepped on one hand and held the point of his blade under his nose.

His first friend recovered enough to fix his pants for the moment and retrieved his sword. Charlus kicked the guy on the ground in the face and did a no-handed summersault backward. He held his blades off to the side. The Duke just watched. The three of them got back on their feet, "I warned you I will not suffer fools. You have yet to see me cast one spell."

The instigator laughed, "You have swords in your hands."

Charlus nodded, "I do not need a free hand to cast. Duke in your history do those from House Silvertree exaggerate?"

He chuckled, "No, but I have never seen anyone cast without one hand free."

Charlus nodded. He flipped toward the three of them came down on one knee and hit them with a thunder wave and sent them flying. Charlus sheathed both blades, "Now you have. Shi'Kitor over here. Did wise guy number one tell you what started this?"

The Duke shook his head. "I asked for a stealthy horse and he sent me one as bright as they had. I told that horse what I was looking for and Shi'Kitor came. I then rode past the asshole and smacked him on the ass with the flat of my blade for wasting my time. He gave chase. I embarrassed him on the road. I got what I needed from the inn.

I mounted up as him and his two-friend tried to show who was worse with a blade. Image how good I will be when I finish my sword training. I cast tier nine spells and am a mythic enchanter. I work for the Queen. I even offered to let the first asshole ask her."

Charlus pulled out the crystal, "Your Majesty, I hope your day is going well."

He heard her chuckle. "I heard some locals were having issues with you in Quatarsia."

Charlus laughed, "True, they require new belts to hold up their pants, Your Majesty. One decided to get cute with me when I asked for a stealthy horse. He sent me one that practically glowed. It went from him to him and 2 buddies.

They are still working on pulling themselves up off the ground and fixing their pants. I never hit them with more with the flat of my blade and one spell because the Duke asked for a demonstration, Your Majesty."

He heard the Queen laughing, "Gentleman. He works for my Diplomatic Service."

Charlus sighed, "I need to see my instructor when I get back. I have a new book for him to read. Very enlightening reading, Your Majesty."

He heard her sigh, "Then you better get headed back."

He sighed, "Your Majesty, one other thing. The teleportation circle worked going out of the city and into the Duchy. Did you authorize the shields to be down recently? Both in the duchy and the city?"

He heard her growl, "No. But I got an idea who did. Thank you for letting me know."

The crystal went dark. He mounted up and the Duke rode over, "Your combat skills are impressive."

Charlus nodded, "Only halfway through my training on that. I did learn my initial sword skills from a Grand Master Blade Singer. Brima Silvertree. She died in the last engagement out here."

He nodded, "Met her. She was a good lady and very talented. She said your Grandfather helped to build her skills."

He nodded, "Yes, he was a Master Trainer. I prefer two swords and this was sparring for me. If I wanted them dead, they would be."

He looked at Charlus, "How old are you?"

Charlus smiled, "51."

He looked at Charlus, "The champion?"

Charlus shook his head, "My Sister Ginnar, the Knight Paladin Sorceress gestalt, is the new champion. She is infertile so the blade went to me. It has killed once today already. My half-brother who tried to claim the blade.

He died from it knowing it was supposed to go to me. The champion told him, I told him, but his greed got him killed. The sword spent an hour going through my mind."

Duke Strong Oak chuckled, "I am sure it felt that way."

Charlus shook his head, "No, I have over 22,000 books and 14 base languages with all sub-dialects in memory. It had a lot to go through. Remember what I said about exaggerating."

He nodded, "You can do that and you are not a champion?"

He nodded, "Eldar could do it before he was a champion. The books, I never saw a reference to languages he knew. It is in our genetics and why working for the Queens Diplomatic Service was an ideal career choice. I need to get going. Thank you for the exercise gentleman. You want to get your shield adjusted and figure out who is messing with it."

The Duke sighed and nodded.

He moved off and teleported outside the main gate and rode into town.

Charlus rode into the palace district. Charlus pulled the crystal, "Hello wise one."

He heard him chuckle, "You know where to go."

He shrugged and teleported himself and his horse into the room. He chuckled, "Got a horse I see."

Charlus nodded, "Quatarsia. I even found a few locals who wanted to give me some exercise. It was quite entertaining for me and embarrassing for them. I came to see you about this." He handed him the documents. "I put the big one on top."

He sighed, "We will get those closed quickly now that we know where and who is involved."

Charlus nodded, "I claimed my family blade today. Was not given a choice. He wanted it, him, or me. The blade killed Serions."

He looked at Charlus, "Any noticeable changes?"

Charlus shrugged, "I did a leap from 30 feet in the air on one horse and landed behind the rider on the other. Later he and his two friends tried out my combat skills. Then they said I could not cast with two swords in hand. I gave a one spell demonstration and sent all 3 of them flying.

Just a thunder wave. The Queen was annoyed. I got out of the city using the teleportation circle. Someone lowered it without her authorization. The Duke appears to have a similar problem. Thought you should know."

He nodded, "A guard with financial issues taking bribes to lower the shields. The second time getting caught. She will have him in prison for a while and then kicked out of the guards."

He shook his head, "She should send him to the duchy security forces. If he is completely disgruntled, he could give away palace secrets. Assigned away from the shields. She should double up those on the controls so they know one of them is watching for illegal activity. Just a suggestion. How goes the hunt?"

He looked at Charlus, "We have been working tunnels and businesses. We are almost finished with that."

Charlus nodded. He got down and moved the display over Silvertree estates. Charlus counted, "Another twelve, no thirteen, necromancy in the estate." Charlus pointed it out. "They are targeting my estate. You want me to go in and take them out?"

He sighed, "You have to go home and we are short-handed at the moment. You got any support?"

Charlus nodded, "I will go by the church and get the champion. My sister Ginnar is the new champion. Announced in court this morning after I was forced to claim the sword early."

He scanned over it and it appeared clear.

Charlus nodded, "That is my solution. I will see you later, wise one."

He shook his head and let him out. Charlus teleported to the border and then to the church once he crossed the other side. He went inside. "I am looking for my sister, Knight Paladin Silvertree."

He pointed, "Backroom studying."

Charlus nodded, "Not for long."

He walked back to the room and she was reading. He looked at her, "We need to ride. Thirteen at the house. Take these glasses. I do not need them now."

She put them on, "Thanks, these will help."

She followed him out and went and got their horses. Charlus looked at her, "This is Shi'Kitor"

She nodded. "Nice, you finally got a horse."

He nodded, "Also the journals."

Her eyes lit up. He smiled, "You will be the second to read through them and then I will add father's information before letting the others read through the master."

She nodded, "I will find you in an hour. The way you read through a book is crazy."

He smiled, "We get in their Shi'Kitor, just find a target and kill it. Watch her back. The saddle and reigns will protect you from normal missiles and poison."

He heard back, "Good to know. You are going to be an entertaining friend. I liked your combat display in the town. Measure response without really hurting anyone."

He switched out rings and went invisible. He teleported them into the stable. They had two in horse stalls and two in the rafters. Charlus dimension doored into the rafters and took out the first one while Ginnar took out the second.

He dropped down into the stall and took out the one inside the stall that shot at his horse. Ginnar killed the other one on the opposite side, Charlus called out, "Left side cleared. I am going to the rooftops, you go for ground targets."

She nodded. Charlus dimension doored to the roof of the stable. He had one on each end of the roof. She came out one end and he drove his blades into the one above her. He looked back and his buddy had gotten up. Charlus charged at him and took an arrow in the shoulder. Charlus went in and sliced both his arms off.

Charlus kicked him in the balls and sent him off the roof. Charlus dimension doored over to the other roof and stabbed another one. He looked around the roofs and they were cleared. Charlus dimension doored to his warhorse and called over, "Mounted up." Enough information so she did not shoot him. We went off after another in the back corner.

He thought, "Hold up a second."

He teleported in behind the one guy and he shot at his saddle. He ran him through with both blades and heard the crack of his holy symbol.

Charlus teleported circle up 60,000 feet and then teleported himself back into the stable, "CHAMPION DOWN!" She rode into the stable as the other champion exploded above the district but high enough that it did not cause any major damage. He looked at her and whispered, "You killed him. I teleported him out to 60,000 feet and returned. They were orcs. One is alive but unconscious over there missing his arms." He pulled the arrow out and took that ring off.

Charlus walked over and healed his prisoner up some. He looked at Ginnar, "He will not bleed out now. Sword gives a lay on hands ability."

She smiled, "Now what?"

He smiled and pulled a crystal, "Instructor, we need a clean-up at Silvertree estates. I have one who wishes to talk with us."

Charlus heard him laugh. "Reports are coming in of an explosion in the sky."

Charlus nodded to himself, "The champion killed him. I heard the cracking and was near him, I teleported us up to 60,000 feet and then returned to my stable alone.

He exploded in the sky. That is 2 enemy champions off the field in 2 days. Add in a prisoner this time."

The Master Spy laughed, "Nice work Enigma. Thank the champion for her assistance."

He smiled, "You just did; she is right beside me."

She nodded, "He gave me his glasses as he does not need them with the sword."

He heard him chuckle, "The two of you are deadly together."

Charlus smiled, "We are each deadly, we just annihilate together."

He heard him laughing. "Nice job of saving the city major damage. Just a moment."

A few seconds later a couple of other agents came in and they pulled all of the bodies together and the prisoner. They looked at him with no arms and shook their heads. They tied his feet together. They teleported everything out.