Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 07

He smiled, "When was the last deposit?"

She looked, "Two days ago."

Charlus looked at her, "Transfer another two million to Gia Silvertree and another million to Zirra Silvertree."

She made the transfers. She looked at him, "Why are you giving so much away?"

He smiled, "I am required to keep my personal accounts to below 10 million as the Queen just threw 4 more medals around my neck today, I figured I better make room. I have not been able to get to the bank recently."

She shook her head, "Who made that rule?"

He smiled, "My grandfather Jarronus Silvertree as part of his will for the house. Both Duke and the House Moon Blade Wielder." She nodded.

He looked at her, "What is the Silvertree trust looking like?"

She looked at it and her eyes went wide. He smiled, "Your expression says it all. She wrote it down for him. He held out the piece of paper and let it burn in his hand. "It does not matter; it is for future generations. To promote a lifetime of service. I work for the Diplomatic Service."

She nodded, "You got four medals for that?"

He nodded, "Something about negotiating a peaceful invasion from Storm Giants and helping them to see that the ships in distress were infested with a common enemy. Seven mountain fortresses that flew in to attack us left. Then an eighth arrived we could work with."

She nodded, "Thank you then. My husband works for the army."

Charlus nodded, "My sister was the champion. I know she liked the troops who worked for her."

He walked out and mounted up and rode toward the main gate. He contacted Trillia, "Anything new?"

She chuckled, "Not in the last few minutes. Why did you want my mother's name?"

He smiled, "I transferred 1.5 million to her, 2 million to you, Kora, Gia, and a million to Zirra. Then another million to Kora for my sister."

She chuckled, "Your kidding, right?"

He smiled, "No. I am required to keep my account below 10 million. The 4 medals she put on me today were not in the account and I had almost double that in the account.

I sent 5 million back to the main trust."

She was quiet for a second, "That is probably more money than she has ever had. Let alone me."

Charlus nodded, "Yours will double when we marry."

She chuckled, "What?"

Charlus smiled, "Brides get 2 million those that have children get another million and those who have young children and retire from the field get another 4 million on top of that. Given all of that and the trust is still growing with no money-making assets. I am ready to come home."

She chuckled, "The door is open." He teleported to the base. He looked at her, "The Queen wants me to head up some diplomatic efforts in lands we have not explored yet."

She sighed, "What does that mean for this place?"

He smiled, "Nothing these bases are in support of the Knights. We have a network to rebuild."

She nodded, "You wanting me to go with you?"

Charlus smiled and got down. "I can be back here in a crystal contact away or you can be right beside me. The choice is yours. I got another warning last night about being too much for one wife."

He shook his head, "We will see what you think."

Charlus moved over to a console and looked at the human side for necromancy. Charlus sighed, "There must be a thousand or more there."

He moved up to the southern end of the land bridge. "Another thousand there."

Trillia looked at Charlus, "What are you looking at?"

He pointed and went to the other console and looked.

Charlus sighed. He went through levels. He went to the palace and looked through and saw two walking. Charlus opened a crystal, "Your Majesty?"

He heard her sigh, "You snuck out."

Charlus looked at the movement, "Get my family and yourselves in the War Room now. You have two necromantic signatures coming toward you. Not mild. More like rings. Save those that are there, Your Majesty."

Charlus heard her getting people moving. She called out, "Get Stern."

Charlus pulled a crystal, "You secure?"

He chuckled, "Yes wise diplomat."

Charlus yelled, "Cut the horse shit. Palace fourth floor check it now!" He was quiet for a moment, "I see two targets."

Charlus sighed, "So do I. I had the Queen secure the crowd in the War Room. Open the city and palace. I will head straight there."

He sighed, "Low profile."

Charlus smiled, "I can open the War Room to let them know the coast is clear."

He sighed, "Open." He looked over and she nodded.

He appeared on the fourth floor invisible having switched rings. Charlus looked over at the 2 'humans.' One very old in military garb. The other had one foot in the grave and could have been his son and also military.

Charlus went across and hit the older one with the paralyzing blade. He cut the throat out of his aid who had the other types of rings on with a dragon now trapped inside of it. Charlus turned to see him slit his own throat; the paralysis failed. General Rosenthrawl if he had to guess.

Charlus dimension doored out into the hall. He held up a stop signal as he removed the invisibility ring. Charlus signaled one down and one still up. One guy peaked inside and pulled back as the lightning flew. Charlus flipped into it and cast a disintegration and nailed him but not hard enough.

He charged Charlus and Charlus threw a force web. It caught him but only slowed him down. Charlus moved up the hall away from the stairs. It crashed into the doorway, cracked the walls and ceiling supports. Charlus dimension doored back into the room.

Charlus cast another disintegration as it blasted the elves toward the stairs. Charlus threw a third and it still continued to move. It left the room through the broken wall. Charlus went out and followed it. He cast a scorching ray at its ass. The blue Dragon finally tried to head back toward Charlus.

Charlus dimension doored on its back and drove both blades in and twisted them. His off-hand weapon snapped. He got whipped away, smashed with a tail attack, and slammed into the railing over by the staircase. He broke several supports on the staircase and several ribs. He groaned, "Fuck that hurt."

Charlus dimension doored back up and behind the dragon. He fired an acid explosion at him. That fucked up his day. He pointed his head at Charlus and breathed lightning on him. Charlus jumped forward and ran his blade through the top of his skull. Charlus twisted a hole in it until it stopped moving.

Charlus calmed his eyes. He went out and the two that came in were already dead. He went up and tried to pull out the broken blade with no success. Charlus finally cut it out. He contacted Stern, "Your 2 are down. The second target is down. I pulled the rings and stored them."

Stern sighed, "I am on my way."

Charlus looked at the portal, "Secure portal two hours." He waited for Stern who appeared. He looked at Stern, "You just called me, you got two dead and two wounded casters who just teleported out for healing. I got knocked across the area by the tail of the dragon toward the end of the fight. The casters were Blade Singers and they finished him off."

Stern nodded. Charlus walked over, "Unseal portal." He opened the portal and stepped inside.

He looked back, "Seal portal." He looked at the Queen, "Your room, Your Majesty?"

She nodded and they walked back. Charlus looked over and activated crystals and crumpled to the floor.

She looked at him, "What happened?"

He looked at her, "Two dead agents. Stern just got here himself. He will tell you two casters; Blade Singers went for healing. That part is the only false part. I got slammed by a tail attack at the end, that part is unfortunately very true. I wanted you to know they were the ancient human army general Rosenthrawl and a man that looked like it could have been his son but one foot in the grave with him."

The Queen gasped, "The Queen's brother and nephew?"

Charlus nodded, "I told you the areas we needed to look at. We got a thousand+ targets in human lands, another thousand+ on the south end of the bridge, and at least 300+ in dwarven lands. Knew it was too easy. They are going to launch an attack from those fucked rings."

Charlus looked at her, "You want me to give Queen Rosenthrawl the heart attack or you?"

She sighed, "You tell her." He stood up and had blood pouring from his side. He held up a finger, "Just a second."

Charlus worked his way out of his armored shirt and she saw his shirt was soaked in blood. Charlus took it off and threw it in the shower area. He looked down, "Any clerics out there?"

She looked at his side. "Can it wait?"

He rinsed off his side really quickly in the shower. He used the lay-on-hands ability to slow the bleeding but did not fix the ribs. All of his healing potions were smashed from the impact or in a bag of holding that would not open in this room.

He looked at her, "I used what the sword had for healing. It will buy me some time, but I got several broken ribs if I had to guess and they are in that lung."

He grabbed the shirt and willed the armor in place. Charlus walked out, "Your Majesties, could we see you back here."

They walked in, "I got back to Base 1. I did a scan of the area. I found around 300+ necromancy signs in dwarven lands, another 1,000+ down on the south end of the bridge, and the same for the human kingdom at a minimum.

Then I checked the palace and I saw 2. I warned the Queen who got you all in here. They identified the 2 who came in as human military officers; a very old human general and what looked like his son."

Queen Rosenthrawl passed out on him. He started coughing up blood. He called out, "Unseal portal."

He hit the floor and was out. He laid on his side at the falls. Corellon Larethian stood over and knelt next to him. He shook his head, "Your trip is delayed."

Charlus nodded, "That general was not fucking normal, the dragon not the old man."

He nodded, "That blue had been touched by the abyss. Gave it extremely high damage reduction to physical and magical attacks. A little older than your uncle. He is going through the town and surrounding area with 200 dragon riders. He is bringing them down a dozen at a time. Most were half-dragon infiltrators. Spies.

The army at the southern-end started casting up the new true seeing and saw the latest arrivals from the humans where almost all dragons and half-dragons. The results were not nearly as good there. They lost a third of the force before bringing the last one down a few hours ago.

Mostly humans lost, over 380,000 of their forces died. Not counting 43,000 lost in their navy. If it were not for the dragons saving some of them, it would have been even higher. 39,849 elves died in this conflict thus far. The humans were ill-equipped to take on half-dragons let alone dragons.

The enemy wanted the ships freed and were under orders to wait for the rescue but you turned the rescue into the annihilation. Then they got new instructions it seems. To destroy the army on the southern bridge. Then to get the leaders all together at the celebration.

Queen Rosenthrawl died a few hours ago. As you predicted, it gave her a heart attack. The new King Rosenthrawl wanted to know how this got missed. Queen Goldeagle informed him that all efforts to deal with the Queen Rosenthrawl failed to get a field marshal in place.

At the insistence of her younger brother, they kept the dragon presence to a minimum and away from his encampment altogether. They were led to the slaughter by their own rulers and they were heavily infiltrated.

Their insistence on not using our assistance to aid in removing the infiltration was also noted. They both had glasses to see them, they both chose to never wear them. The good news is you are seen as wounded in the final seconds of the fight. The diplomat who saved the royals by ordering the evacuation into the War Room.

The Guard Captain and guards were killed by a human necromancer. It looked like he was killed by the court wizard before the general and his second ran him through. They teleported in for the celebration."

Charlus sighed, "That holiday package was a great idea."

He nodded, "Yes. Queen Goldeagle is beginning to see that now. Time for you to return to the land of the living."

He awoke with his mother staring at him, "Glad to see you are still with us."

Charlus nodded, "Next thing on the list is a constitution item."

She chuckled. "I have your bride to contact and to let the Queen know you are awake, it has been almost 4 days."

She stepped out. He looked and they took his clothes and armor. He was naked in the room with no food and held captive. He opened the door and was the only one in the War Room. He went to the table, sat down, and ordered up food and drink.

Gia came in and looked at Charlus, "You should still be in bed, my son."

Charlus looked at her, "That is why you took my armor and clothes? Why you did not bring me food first? To keep me in bed?"

She nodded, "Alright I should have brought in food before leaving you."

He sat there and continued eating. The Queen walked in with his bride-to-be surprised to see him out of bed but given he was eating it was expected to a point. Trilia threw an arm around him and he pulled her into his naked lap and she looked at him, "Was told they were keeping you in bed for a few more days."

Charlus laughed at that and nodded, "Just means I walk through the palace and town naked."

Gia shook her head. Charlus looked at the Queen, "Forgive me for not standing to bow, Your Majesty. With her on my lap, I am ready to salute."

The ladies laughed. Queen Goldeagle looked at Charlus, "You saved a lot of lives here. Including my own."

Charlus nodded, "That dragon was abyssal touched according to Corellon Larethian. He brought me up to date. The new King Rosenthrawl tour the carnage at the southern end of the bridge?"

She nodded, "We saw to it with his new general. A former captain and current lover of his. He has a wife to produce heirs. He has two sons as a matter of fact and she is expecting. Now if they are his or another remains to be divined. Different eye colors and hair colors would lead us to believe one of them is not his at the very least.

Charlus looked at her, "Divine which one is and which one is not. Also, check his fertility with our clerics. I am betting he cannot produce heirs. In which case size up his wife, find out who her lovers are. If he is as incompetent as his mother, and one child is his, then work to choose the other child when the time comes. Then you know which one gets his grandmother's Holiday package."

She nodded, "I was thinking back to your comments on her and the general. Then your comment about not listening to champions concerns. It had me second-guessing things. Majisa is happy, the chromatic dragons were not."

He looked at Queen Goldeagle, "Dragon champion has not appeared in this conflict yet."

She nodded, "Not lost on your uncle. He is in dwarven lands."

He sighed, "Where he will find it then."

She looked at Charlus, "You think so?"

He nodded, "Helping the drow, they lost their champion early in attacking our home. You should get your forces in place to help fortify unless there is another eruption from two dragons exploding underground."

She walked out and got on a crystal. He kissed Trilia and she moaned into his mouth. He backed off and Gia laughed, "Will get him some clothes before he starts ripping your clothes off."

She stepped out and grabbed a pack without leaving. She looked at him, "I know better than to leave you the ability to lock me out."

Charlus smiled, "Did you get a wedding dress."

She smiled, "Wearing my mother's dress. Then it will be mine."

Charlus looked at her, "We will need a small barrel as well."

She looked at Charlus, "For what?"

Charlus sighed, "All of those fucking rings. He said a large bucket but that was before this latest round of catastrophes."

The Queen came in. "Majisa is pulling the champion back and the Dwarven King is getting set to destroy the lower tunnels."

Charlus looked at her, "You cannot stop fate. She will make the request. The champion will ignore her request. Running headlong into the under dark if need be."

She looked at Charlus and walked toward the shelter entrance when the roof outside collapsed from a violent earthquake. He worked his way to his feet and got dressed.

He grabbed his sword and Trilia's hand. He disintegrated the debris out front. He looked at the Queen. "It is not that I receive visions on these things. After reading that journal, I know the history of champions and he has lasted longer than most. I killed 4 in this conflict and nobody knows it because that is the way it needs to be."

Charlus threw out a wall of force and took them all out and down to the front lawn. He opened the shelters from his grandfather's day on the front lawn and set Gia and Queen Goldeagle to full access. "You will need a military presence here, while repairs are made. A place for your guards, and repair crews."

Charlus took the Queen up to her secure shelter. She opened it and saw her family. She looked at her guards, "Get an assessment. The War Room is cut off."

She stepped inside. Charlus teleported Trilia and him down to the stable. He got her horse. He called Stern, "Need the teleporters opened all the way."

Charlus contacted Base 1, "I am knocking loudly."

Stern responded, "You are good to go. Could not reach the Queen."

He responded, "In her shelter, War Room is cut off after that last quake. Ceiling collapsed. Damage extensive."

He heard from Base One, "Door is open."

Charlus teleported them in and looked at him, "Give it to me straight."

He hissed, "Do not know, the dragons are not responding!"

Charlus pulled out a crystal to Majisa, "Majisa Status? What do you need us doing?"

She responded, "Chaos here. Dwarven lands appear to be destroyed except for the top 10 levels. Your uncle is dead. He was 20 levels down and had engaged before I could get him to pull back. It looks like the volcano is falling in on itself. We see it filling in into the areas between level eighteen and down. I cannot reach your Queen."

Charlus sighed, "The room outside the War Room collapsed when the quake hit. It still had structural damage from the dragon fight. This made it much worse. I evacuated us to the front lawn and then took her to her secure shelter to be with her family. I opened the shelters out front for the military, royal guards, and construction people. Stern has the city. I will get with the military and get them helping to evacuate the Dwarves."

He looked at the map and pulled out a crystal, "General!"

He responded, "Finally someone answers. What in the hell do you need us to do?"

Charlus sighed, "I am leaving this crystal here and open. Trilia is going to guide casters, with coordinates to get in and help evacuate the dwarves. Levels 11 and down are believed destroyed but she will send a few in if she sees a pocket where survivors might be located. Get them to Quatarsia, coordinate with the Duke to open up the teleport access for an evacuation. The Queen is secured. Coordinate with Stern and Base 1.

They will coordinate with Majisa, Queen of Dragons. I am headed to level 4. I can save more lives there." He set it down as he thought, 'Lock open' to keep his crystal up and functional. A feature nobody knew about yet.

"Open the door and keep people moving. That crystal will stay active."

She sighed and nodded. He teleported to level four and opened the outer shelter. "Open all portals. Set controls to myself. You two! Direct people in here! Half of these caves are coming down."

They nodded. Charlus opened the door to the forge, "Out of the forge!"

A dwarf looked at Charlus, "Who are you the one to be giving orders?"

Charlus yelled out, "Force wall up around forge! Set security controls for me."