Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 10

King Goldeagle nodded, "She checked into that and they are still tied together."

Lerian thought, "Varus'Nor, why does that still work?"

He heard back, "Those spirit fragments still remain, they are just no longer tied to a rune. Those four remained behind but not the others. Now I understand why. She kept Jazzia's gift to the sword. Jazzia's fragment had been bound with hers on that rune. Same for the other recovered abilities. I think that is how they lessened how much she left behind."

The others arrived and Lerian let the Dragon Field Marshal explain what he had already stated. The member of the council of metallic dragons looked over, "We do not have enough information on the situation."

Lerian looked at him, "Could you explain what information is missing to allow a strike to occur? In your eyes anyway."

He looked at Lerian, "We do not know the source of power they are using. The entity behind the creation."

Lerian nodded, "Would a strike not answer those questions? You sent a strike team against necromancers before and captured a storm giant relic and killed off all of the necromancers. How does this differ? We were at war with storm giant flying mountains that tried to take us out during that encounter."

He looked at Lerian, "We are more cautious now."

Lerian smiled, "You are more cautious because the 'source' could be a Draco-lich. You want to keep us in the dark if the rogue gold dragon is involved."

He looked at Lerian, "I did not say that."

Lerian looked at him, "You did not flat out deny it either. Did the rogue gold dragon take material on creating a Draco-lich when he left?"

He looked at Lerian, "That is a dragon business."

Lerian looked at him, "No it is not. Some of the information you held was captured through Knights' activity. As such with the Alliance being the foundation by which the Knights were restored. You have a responsibility to tell us if this information has been stolen.

It involves the sacrificing of dwarves and elves in the experiments and this was kept from us previously. That information and the process resides in those documents. If you lost that data you were supposed to be safeguarding it affects us all; not just dragons."

He looked at Lerian, "I disagree. Dragon business."

Lerian looked at King Goldeagle, "If the Dragon Field Marshal refuses to address the problem then I say we go it alone. Send in elven strike teams and gather what intelligence we can from the site, including anything on Draco-liches and maintain it ourselves away from Dragon oversight as they refuse to cooperate."

The council representative looked at Lerian, "In times of war all military operations are conducted through the sitting Field Marshall!"

Lerian looked across, "Your Majesty, we have a few options here. Do nothing as the dragons have done in this regard, remove the Field Marshal which would be disruptive with the war still going, regardless of his failure to act or inform you of this trend. Else give me a mercenary charter. I will do this outside of military authority with my own strike team instead; reinstitute the Shadow Riders to do what the dragons refuse to do."

The dragon council member looked at Lerian, "You cannot do that!"

Lerian glared at him, "I answer to the Gods, not you! Where is your champion on this issue? She was encouraged to attend. I am betting she would agree that striking this target needs to be done!"

The representative jumped up, "She chose not to come. It was not required!"

Lerian looked over at the King, "Your Majesty, make it required so we can get an answer to that question. If he doubts the word of our God maybe the words of his God should be heard in the matter. If she is even aware of this meeting and what it is about? I somehow doubt they informed her before sending this representative to try and stonewall our investigation into this lack of openness we are getting from them."

The representative stepped out of the room with a crystal and across to the other end. Lerian could hear his conversation clear as day. "This fucking Silvertree is wanting to take a mercenary company against the target if we do not strike! He wants our champion's input. They cannot tell one of us from another. Send someone to act as the champion."

Lerian heard a response, "You think that would work?"

He sighed, "It will buy us time to figure out how best to handle this situation."

Lerian heard a sigh from the other end, "I do not like misleading an ally."

Lerian heard the representative respond. "It is either that or we tell them what we know."

He heard a sigh, "I will decide shortly. The champion is here now. She believes we should just tell them. I will contact you back in 2 minutes."

He came walking back in Lerian, looked over, and shouted, "SEAL PORTAL!"

The King looked at Lerian, "What are you doing?"

Lerian looked at the Dragon representative. "Every now and then a God grants certain gifts. Like the ability to shoot an elk in the dark through the heart at 120 feet or hear the heartbeat of a child in the womb. I heard your entire conversation. I can tell a true champion from a fake one.

He is contacting you back in just a minute. You might as well tell him to send the real champion with the information you do not wish us to know. Trying to delay us will not work. Your contact on the other end said he did not like 'misleading an ally.' I say you don't do it! Else I will ask if you are an enemy of our God and act accordingly!

Your suggestion to try and fool us does not bode well for your participation in this discussion and is one false step that could lead to the recommended removal of your Field Marshal if you continue this course! Unseal portal. You can answer your crystal in here and tell him I heard the entire exchange. Else you can go out there and play at damage control as a diplomat would with your own kind."

He walked out and answered, "The Silvertree who says he is a champion said he heard our entire conversation."

The voice on the other side chuckled, "Then assume he is the champion. It does not matter. I am sending our champion. Stand down."

Lerian looked at King Goldeagle, "He has been ordered to stand down, your Majesty. They are sending their champion."

He came back in, "Our champion is coming to address the issue."

King Goldeagle looked at him, "You were ordered to stand down."

He looked at Lerian and sighed, "Yes."

20 minutes later and 3 more arrived. Lerian looked over, "Do not identify which of you is the champion. I wish to show your 'representative' something. Your draconic non-detection aura which you can raise and lower would allow me to see which of you is the champion. But there is another way."

Lerian walked up and hugged the first one and then the second. The high-pitched squeal kicked off. Lerian backed up, "Hello champion."

She smiled, "I do not see an aura on you." Lerian dropped his non-detection and then turned it back on. "You have a high non-detection on."

Lerian nodded. "Divine non-detection, given after one of the previous champions was hunted for 3 years BEFORE he became an adult by a demonic godlike entity."

The silver champion nodded, "He is a champion."

Lerian looked over at the representative, "Assume if a Silvertree tells you they are a champion that they are. We don't want that kind of attention unless it is true. That is your best course of action. You can always ask to see their holy symbol."

Lerian pulled off the top of his armor and the symbol glowed like moonlight."

He sighed and nodded. Lerian put his armor back on. Lerian looked over, "None of this dragon business shit he has been throwing around. What is going on?"

She looked over, "Our Overwatch system has picked up at least two possibly more large necromancy symbols that could indicate a Draco-lich. They were not anywhere near the battlefield.

They were not considered relevant to the current battle until you came in asking questions. They are concerned if we attack that location, we will have a battle with a Draco-lich on our hands. Worse case. Best case they just know we can see them."

Lerian sighed and looked at the champion, "Overwatch and its capabilities are known to them. Your Rouge gold dragons were informed that we could repair their Overwatch system or build our own before we found out they turned.

It is safe to assume they know you can see them and just do not fucking care. That is why they have scrying being blocked. That location near us is a threat to our current war and needs to be attacked."

She nodded, "I agree with you."

Lerian looked at him, "I never asked for the distant end coordinates to these teleporter sites or areas of non-detection. I did not ask about necromancy signatures there. I asked about the champion for Null and that facility. Both of those are Alliance concerns. You going after Draco-liches is dragon business if you choose to make it dragon business.

They show up here it is Alliance business and expects us to ask WHERE IN THE FUCK it came from at that point as it is now a threat to us. I will say this revelation bodes well for another attack in 30 years. When they have more necromancers trained to raise up undead.

With the bodies they have been pulling back for years they will have a living, an undead, and newly dead set of armies. Ready to step onto the field. When our army routes them back they need to pursue. Give them no room to breathe. We can teleport fresh troops forward to keep the pressure on. This will force a confrontation or buy us more time. Possibly both. Did the gold dragon escape with information on creating Draco-liches?"

She nodded, "All of it including the personal journals of Lord Regal which had information about where the relics went."

Lerian looked over, "Any more objections to this strike? If not, the Field Marshal has plans to do and I have a bed to go and find."

This got a few chuckles. The King looked at Lerian, "Thank you for the demonstration on how a champion can identify one another. We have this covered. Did you wish to be a part of this strike?"

Lerian looked at him, "I would expect it, but that depends on the plan. I would hope we would have Elven War Horses and dragon riders in this assault. That teleport blocker relic would be a nice addition to any plan. Just contact my house when you are ready, Your Majesty."

He nodded as Lerian bowed to them. Lerian walked out with the other two blade wielders following and they smiled at him. They got out in the hall and Moon Bow looked at Lerian, "You had that council member squirming."

Lerian nodded, "What they get for sending a copper to represent them."

He chuckled. Lerian looked at the guys, "Meet me at House Silvertree in the morning. I will let the guards know to expect you."

They nodded. They mounted up and he teleported them to the palace gate. Lerian rode off to House Silvertree as they each went their own way.

Lerian pulled up to the guard, "It is Duke Silvertree now. I have House Moon Bow and Silversong Moon Blade wielders coming in the morning. Please have the guards contact me when they arrive. They are allowed on the grounds, not in the house yet. I got to get things in line with the Patron first."

He nodded and called in for them to open the doors. Lerian rode inside and through the door. He walked over to the library, "Set access to myself, the Patron, Kazzara, Melody, Cresena, and Millia Silvertree."

Lerian had a crowd forming in the main house. He walked over and picked up the box of personal items from his sister, "Long day. The fort at the front, Dragon Kingdom, and then back to the Palace. I will work on shuffling a few rooms. I will get my wives' charges to move into this wing and training out of the training wing.

Make it easier for her to adjust with the children. I have no big plans for forcing any other changes. The patron still has their job to do and I have one with the military now.

I have house Silversong and Moon Bow who will be visiting on occasion, as their Moon Blade wielders are assigned to me. This is Drakon'Sia my new stallion and the head of the herd. If you see him fucking mares it is to be expected."

They chuckled. He looked around, "I have more questions than answers at this point. If you want to write them down and consolidate them, I will try and figure out which ones I have answers for and which ones I need to make something up for."

They chuckled. Lerian walked into the Blade Singer Quarters with his horse. He set the box on the table and took his horse into the back and unsaddled him.

He looked at him as he walked over and opened the pasture, "Keep pasture open. The mares and foals are out this way. The unseen servants will provide food automatically, including apples to the horses in there.

I could not get them to respond to psionic communication but got them scheduled to just do it. All of the mares are carrying at the moment but if you want to spend time with them that is fine."

He went into the pasture and joined the mares. Lerian walked into the dining area.

Lerian had 2 wives and 2 grandmothers waiting on him. He held out his arms and got hugged, He thought, "Set my wives and grandmothers on the list not to harm. As well as any of my children."

He heard back, "Set, my champion. You did well with the dragons."

Lerian looked at them and Melody looked at him, "We swapped rooms around. The other candidate came back and moved into another section as did several others. Making room for your growing family."

Lerian nodded, "I want you to move your charges in over on this side Millia. When you are doing academic stuff, you are fine here. I added both my wives to the library access list. You ladies are still in place as is the patron. I need to go through her personal effects and look through her journal. Are we the only ones here at the moment?"

She nodded, "They wanted to give you the night to set your changes."

Lerian looked at his wives, "500 years of her life. She sacrificed it to restore additional abilities back to the blade. She saved over a quarter of a million elves. She knew the blade would go into my hands. I was called out directly in the will.

I need to adjust my gear around some but I am mostly set correctly. Once I put on the armor of the champion in the morning. I have to go back to the Palace and probably the front tomorrow. We will see what they come up with for an attack plan.

I will eat in the room tonight reading through this. The Gods have restricted that knowledge but they let me tell you about it because of our open and honest relationship."

Lerian picked up the box and took it to the room. He sealed the door and recovered the blade wielders journal and then unsealed it.

He opened the door and Cresena looked at him, "You locked us out."

Lerian smiled, "There is a secret compartment in the room. The blade wielders journal was stored in that location. The blade leads you to it in one of the shelters. It is one of those things that cannot be revealed. Cannot be accessed without the blade."

Cresena nodded. He went back to leaving the door open. He ate and read through Vessan's journal. Some she wrote directly to him. She loved her wife and she loved Lerian. She was happy he went with her choices for wives.

Vessan did set up the third candidate to the former house cleric who married out. She had several major battles and quite a few commendations than she held back on him knowing about until now. She died as a general and when approached about the dreams of a fight by the other champion against an orog champion with her and her wife watching his back; she knew the day had come.

She reminded him she lived a full life, just not a long life. It took him less than 2 hours to add her accomplishments to the journal. He added in what it was shown of her final battle to the journal as well. That took an hour by itself as he went into great detail. He searched through her personal gear and most everything was destroyed by the blast.

She set nothing up for a funeral because she said it was unlikely a body would be recovered. She was right. He stripped down and slid into bed. He was out before the wives came in. He was at the falls and he saw Vessan. He sat down at the water's edge.

She looked at Lerian, "I hope you're not mad at me."

Lerian shook his head, "No, you made a bargain to get something back to the sword for future generations. I respect the decision and bargain you made."

She smiled, "Yes, but there was more to it. I had to get you married, fucking, and having children as well. I am glad I did not get any pushback from you. I also had to stay alive for six years, at least.

Brenna had 9 years at least. It made sense once she realized who the blade wielder was going to be. Your help with the chieftain made her happy. It was a deal-breaker on the tribal name. You cleared that last hurdle for her blade to get abilities back. Your wedding rings will change over by morning. They have always been there, they were just hidden. Thank you for adding in my last battle as well."

Lerian looked at her, "You lied to me about only a couple of commendations. You had 38 not counting the one from your death."

She nodded, "Did not want to seem like I was bragging. I rarely drew the sword. Varus'Nor would constantly ask why did the Gods insist on me?"

Lerian smiled, "He knows. He was given the information. All of the additional runes required an explanation. Having a God speak through you was an odd sensation. Varus'Nor called you very selfless. He was humbled by what you did for him and future wielders in the family."

She nodded, "First I had heard of it. I am betting he did not wish to be detected on the material plane."

A voice behind them called out, "Remain seated, yes, he did not want to be detected. He did not want them knowing he had a champion on the field still. Your symbol alerted you but you did not become champion until you drew the sword and got your non-detection from it.

You did well with the dragons today. We were a bit foolish in that regard, we know the enemy has spies and the information will filter back. Some will doubt it, putting one on at the end of a conflict is unusual. You will go on the assault with the other two Blade Wielders. One of them will not make it back. You are to bring the blade home."

Lerian looked at the Lady of Dreams, "Haven't those families suffered enough? Wielder for a day. What if I did not take them?"

She sighed, "Then there would be an almost certain chance that you would not make it back."

Lerian nodded, "Then, that is what I will do."

She looked at him, "No, you will take them. The Silversong blade did not get into the right hand. He was qualified. The fact is the assault will not be for several days. The new wielder will be of age then. We could not time it right to get it to her directly."

Lerian looked at her, "Did he know?"

She shook her head. "If it will make you take them, I will inform him."

Lerian looked at her, "If they volunteer. I will not lead them there to die within days of getting a blade. They were qualified. Why is this other candidate more qualified?"

She looked at Lerian, "We told him the blade would pick him but he should pass on it. He ignored us."

Lerian sighed, "Why did you tell him it would pick him? Would you be sending this other in with me?"

She sighed, "No. He will die while he has the right heart, he does not have the right skills. There will be another battle in a few weeks that will kill him and you if he does not go. Provided you beat the odds."

Lerian nodded, "Why did you tell him it would pick him? Because it would add another rune to the blade?"

She sighed, "It was a thought. He was not destined to have a long life. He was one of the least talented Blade Singers in his class. He knew he would be hard-pressed to get Grand Master status. Yet he wanted to make a difference. This gave him a chance to do both."