Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 10

A massive conspiracy to commit Regicide. You will be busy. Now back to work. Divide the city into thirds and report all activity and find out where they want you to focus."

Lerian stepped back with the group. He called out deactivate. He teleported them into another cavern. "Activate." Lerian walked over and opened up three shelters. They looked at the area of light and what was on it. Lerian looked at them, "Any guesses as to what this is?"

Millia looked at him, "Where you ran off to work on enchanting? For what, I have no idea."

He nodded. He walked in and pulled out 6 portable displays and took them with him. He looked over, "Jennasi, come over here a moment." She walked over. He pointed. "Push that up." She did as he did the other side. They repeated that another 17 times, 6 in each shelter.

They walked out of the last shelter, "Set security walls, set security spike fields, set LAVA wall. They watched lava pour down and out the door to disappear into nothing.

Lerian looked at them, "Always working to improve the security."

Cresena looked at him, "What is it?"

Lerian looked at her, "What the dragons do not want to see operational. Next week they may force my hand. Global Overwatch system. Gods' Eyes."

He looked over, "Deactivate." He called out, "I am knocking."

Lerian heard, "Thank the gods it sounds like a riot out there. The door is open. Lerian teleported them inside. He looked at him, "Activate. Monitor the situation. You see any problems call inside. Do not become foolhardy. The Capital is under Martial law."

Lerian activated the teleporter blocker. "Any attack on the buildings will be answered with force, but get us involved."

He nodded. "Understood. Thank you for pulling us off the grounds."

Lerian nodded, "Ladies take all of this in."

Lerian called Right Eye, "Give me all the activity you are seeing on Silvertree estates."

Lerian heard back, "An invisible asset just left there. I am seeing nothing."

Lerian called out, "Portal open. Activate shield Security walls up, Activate security blades. Activate force wall generator."

He heard back, "Wow, Silvertree estates has its own shield?"

Lerian smiled, "It does now. The estate is locked down. Guards can check the grounds. The controls have a force wall generator on it as well. No arrows will come in, nobody can walk in, and nobody but me knows how to teleport in."

The guard shook his head, "Someone has been busy."

Lerian smiled, "My sister said to enchant. She did not say what to enchant."

Lerian asked, "Is Overwatch being responsive?"

He heard back, "For the moment. They are deploying city guards all over the place. Word is the army is coming in and someone is circulating a rumor the King was killed."

Lerian smiled, "Take it as an unsubstantiated rumor. At least since I saw him."

He heard a laugh, "Understood but it is chaos out there." Lerian let the crystal go dark. "This goes to Right Eye and Left Eye of the Alliance Overwatch which I own. This one goes to the King. Any contact send word into the house. Do NOT delay."

He went inside, climbed into bed, and went to sleep. He heard Charlus, "You did great. I should have worked to pull that money back but I did not want to take away from the widow. Thank you for passing the house rules along."

He thought, "Charlus, we each have our own chaos. I think the dragons are interfering with what we are getting back outside of elven lands. I will prove it if that is the case."

Lerian heard, "I know you will. Nice work on the house shield. Tell Kazzara I said so as well."

Lerian awoke to a screaming wife as Cresena came crashing down on his chest. He felt like he was in a river of seed. He looked at her, "How many?"

She smiled. "All four of us 3 times each before you woke up. You have been out for almost 12 hours."

Lerian nodded, "Spoke with Charlus."

Lerian rolled her over and pulled out and went into the shower. With four very playful women. He was just about finished washing up when Kazzara came in, "The guards need you."

Lerian nodded, "Charlus said nice work on the house shield."

She smiled, "You activated it?!"

He nodded, "The estate is secure. Global consoles are active with all the security. The only thing not active is the uplink to Gods' Eyes."

She looked at Lerian, "What drove this?"

Lerian looked at her, "3 years ago they had an outage between Dragons' Overwatch and Alliance Overwatch. Now our detail on things like necromancy is fading in and out."

She rolled her eyes, "Charlus worried about them trying something like this according to the warning section that was added to the journal."

Lerian sighed and nodded at her. He dried off and studied his spells up to fill in the holes. He dressed and took his mobile displays with him.

He walked outside and put the three into a bag of holding. The guard handed his crystals, "The King wants to see you and the other two started calling."

He nodded. "Lower teleport." He asked. "What about your house shield?"

He smiled, "Left Eye I need access."

Lerian heard, "Door is open. Lerian teleported into the 'head' of Alliance Control. He walked up "What is the problem?"

He looked over, "We are watching the front and they appear to be in full retreat. Thought you should know."

Lerian nodded and went over to Right Eye, "Problem?"

She sighed, "They are becoming non-responsive at Overwatch. They answer but they do not seem to do anything."

Lerian walked over to Left Eye, "Give me the crystal to Overwatch."

He handed it to Lerian. Lerian looked at him, "Send anything through Right Eye until I get this communication situation resolved."

He nodded. Lerian teleported in front of the palace to a small army of guards ready to attack. One called out, "The city is on lockdown."

Lerian pulled the crystal, "Your Majesty, I am in front of the palace and heard you wanted to speak with me."

Lerian heard him sigh, "Yes Commander Goldeagle was also overseeing Overwatch. They have stopped communicating with your system from what I am being told."

Lerian smiled, "I need a directive for me to assume command. Also, one that allows me to move about during this Marshal law so your guards out here do not do their job and kill me."

Lerian heard King Goldeagle chuckle, "Guard Captain, let him pass he is crucial to the events here."

Lerian looked at the Guard Captain, "Duke Silvertree, General."

He nodded and let Lerian past. He went inside and was directed to his audience chamber.

King Goldeagle sighed, "Keep it informal, can you fix Overwatch?"

Lerian nodded, "Most likely, I have to get into it first. That requires the orders giving me command over it and telling them to let me in. I will find the problem from there, likely problem children."

He handed Lerian the papers and contacted them, "Lower the shields your new commanding officer General Silvertree is coming up."

He heard, "Shield lowered. Lerian teleported up outside to eight men ready to fight, "My orders I am assuming command here."

Varus'Nor alerted, "DANGER!"

Lerian saw two casters casting and he threw up a force wall quickened. Then another as the first fell.

Lerian called out, "Subdue those two!"

The other 6 were at a loss.

Lerian sighed, "I did not get in here by accident!"

Lerian threw up another that was quickly destroyed. Lerian called out, "Next I will have to unload on you."

One was being subdued. Lerian threw a scorching ray and quickened one on the one guy standing. Lerian disrupted his casting and finished him off with a magic missile. Lerian looked at them, "What houses are they in?"

He gave his orders to the guard at the door. He heard one guard speak who read his papers, "Silverbar and Silver Ring."

Lerian nodded and walked over. He summoned up his swords and cut the head off the one they subdued.

Lerian looked at them, "Silverbar has been destroyed. Silver Ring is down to the blade wielder with the rest of the house destroyed. All of Goldeagle, except the King and the blade wielder. All of New Moon and Silversong except for the blade wielder and their families. If any work here, then kill them!"

They went inside and 2 others were killed off in the ensuing battle. Lerian looked at them, "What is the problem now. Work with the army and guard units you have been assigned. No outside guard right now. I want all stations manned!"

One elf held up a hand, "I am with House Gold Drum; small house. What is going on?"

Lerian explained it to them and got them back to work. He took four sets of communication crystals. Lerian looked at them, "Point out the sections you lost contact with. He pointed to three spots on the map in the moon district. Lerian nodded, "THIS crystal is to me. You better fucking answer. Nobody comes up except me unless you get direction from the King."

They nodded. Lerian pulled out the crystal, "Need to leave."

He heard, "Access granted. Shields lowered. Lerian walked outside and teleported in the 'head' again. He walked over to Left Eye, "Your crystal back."

He nodded. Lerian smiled, "They should be much more responsive."

Lerian pulled the crystal to the King, "Your Majesty, nobody cleared Overwatch of those houses. Four dead problem children. They are working again and I am off to reestablish contact with 3 units whose crystals were destroyed."

He heard the King Goldeagle sigh, "Thank you."

Lerian looked at the crystal, "There are no outside guards at Overwatch. They are locked down to respond to only you and me, Your Majesty."

Lerian heard a chuckle from the King, "Thank you for including me."

Lerian let the crystal die out and teleported west of Silverbar.

Lerian arrived in the middle of army troops who went to attack. Lerian yelled out, "General Silvertree who is in charge here?"

He had a man walk over, "Orders."

Lerian handed him his papers and he snapped to "Captain Rain Water."

Lerian nodded, "Communication crystal to Overwatch."

He sighed, "The last one cracked."

Lerian smiled, "Two members of that house worked in Overwatch. They are now dead. Overwatch is secure. Get to work Captain, I have two others to deliver."

He teleported out this time half-mile south of his target as it was at the Academy. That was a good thing as the Academy looked like a war zone. He found an army member crouched down, "What is going on here?"

He looked at Lerian, "It is like the entire Academy is fighting us."

Lerian nodded, "Army wise...who is in charge?"

He looked at Lerian, "I am all that is left of the army that came here. The royal guards were the first to go."

Lerian cast up an anti-magic field on himself. He walked through a barrage of magic, Lerian called out, "House Goldeagle except for the King, House Silverbar, House Silversong, House New Moon, and House Silver Ring all have death warrants for Regicide.

Moon Blade Holders and their families were the exceptions. If you are not of those houses and you continue to fight you will find that you will forfeit your own life and that of your house! Send a representative, not of those houses and he or she can see the directive to purge these houses."

He had 3 instructors he knew who came down. Lerian looked at them, "They conspired against our war effort, to kill the King, and assassinated 4 Moon Blade holders while attempting to corrupt 5 Moon Blades."

Lerian held out the missive. They walked forward and read it. Lerian looked at them, "If I act against the kingdom and the best interest of the elven people this blade will kill me."

He drew his sword slowly. "I am General Silvertree. You know me. You are conscripted into service with the authority to conscript others. This is not an attack against the Academy but an attack against corrupted elements that the King has ordered be taken down to wiping out the line."

He gave one a crystal, "To Overwatch."

He pulled out a Crystal, "Your Majesty, I have three instructors here who have been misinformed as to what is going on. I gave them the missive and conscripted them into service with the authority to conscript others as they decimated the army and royal guards who came to the tower."

The King sighed, "I will pardon them and any that work for them in their crimes in this matter. Follow the missive or face execution!"

The three of them sighed as the crystal went dark. One looked at Lerian, "Some are just children."

Lerian nodded, "Yes, But the level of corruption was bad. You want to take prisoners and bring them to the palace to face judgment? On an individual basis? Then do so. But they must be restrained in suppression manacles."

They nodded. Lerian walked away and the three of them teleported back inside. He heard the fighting and teleported to the third location outside House New Moon. They bought a massive house with that money and had a large estate. He was outside the gate. He saw a group of guards and army looking at him.

Lerian walked over, "General Silvertree, my orders, a new Crystal for you to Overwatch. What is the issue?"

He looked at Lerian, "We need Overwatch."

Lerian pulled out his portable display, "Right Eye, Display one over House New Moon. 300 feet in depth." They watched his display. "That is us. Plan accordingly."

He worked out his plans and allocated his troop. Lerian nodded, "That is all."

Lerian took his display, "Use Overwatch. That was Alliance Overwatch, I command them both now."

He nodded and moved. He called out "Right Eye. Need access."

She sighed, "The teleport access is only controlled through Left Eye. One of the crystals got damaged or taken at some point."

He nodded, "Left Eye Need access."

He heard, "Door is open."

Lerian got there and pulled out a new teleport blocker. Activate." He located and picked up the other one for now. Charlus's enchanting book on creating these things would likely come in handy if he had to make another.

Lerian looked at Left Eye, "Teleport blocker is replaced. New crystal."

He walked over to Right Eye. "Teleport blocker is replaced. New crystal."

She smiled, "That was 3 years ago when it went missing."

Lerian nodded, "Let me guess, did you have dragon visitors during that outage."

She nodded, "Yes a few."

Lerian nodded, "No dragon access for now unless I authorize it."

She nodded, "We have two scheduled to come in tomorrow."

Lerian shook his head. "The city is under martial law. The crews will just need to keep working. Nobody in or out. I have orders to be able to move around. Else you could be killed or arrested."

She nodded, "I will contact them."

Lerian nodded, "I will. Give me the crystals to them."

She handed him two, "I am contacting you to inform you the Elven Capital is under martial law. All-access and movement into the city are being blocked. Any questions refer to the Palace. This is General Silvertree. Also, Dragon access will be curtailed until I have had a chance to figure out what is going on at Dragons' Overwatch that is affecting our displays."

Lerian heard one, "Understood."

Lerian heard another reply, "I can get there."

Lerian smiled. He put the other teleport blocker up, "Active." He walked over to his. "Deactivate. Security walls up entry security activated."

He repeated it on Left Eye. Lerian smiled, "Teleportation is blocked coming in but if you can get here it would be an interesting trick. Five minutes later he had a copper dragon in the area, Lerian walked over to him, "Hand over the crystal you used to deactivate the teleporter and get the fuck out of here for stealing. Hand over your crystal for here as well as your time at Overwatch is over."

The copper looked at Lerian, "You cannot lock dragons out! It is against the Accord."

Lerian smiled, "Read it again. During a time of martial law, crews will not swap out. You stole the crystal to have access to this chamber but the systems are behind security walls with defenses active. They are set to work only for the crews on duty and myself. Commander Goldeagle was killed trying to claim a family blade. Then all of the elders were killed.

There is a purge going on. Crystals or you are in violation of the Accords."

He handed Lerian the crystals and left. Lerian activated his crystal which had 3 crystals. One that he carried.

Lerian contacted the King, "Your Majesty you might hear from the dragons. I just kicked a copper thief out of service here. Informed them we were under martial law and they were not allowed entry. He stole one of the teleport access controls and let himself into the cavern.

I stripped him of that crystal for Alliance Overwatch and the teleporter. I took it a step further and replaced the teleport blocker here. I got communication crystals to those spots Overwatch lost contact with. Anything else you need of me?"

The King sighed, "I have the council on another crystal complaining about being locked out."

Lerian smiled, "Your Majesty, it is in the Accord. Are they asking to violate the

Accord? Regardless, theft of equipment from here is grounds for removal. If they want a compromise then get me access to Dragons' Overwatch so I can figure out why our displays are going out for only specific data."

The King sighed and relayed the request. He asked, "Can you get to the Dragon Kingdom?"

Lerian smiled, "Yes, your Majesty." He sighed, "Examine the system, find the problem, Report back and bring a dragon representative back."

Lerian smiled, "If we are operational, I will bring one back. That depends on what I find, Your Majesty. We may have to bring it down to correct the problems."

The King sighed again, "Bring a representative back to the palace if that is the case."

The crystal went dark. Lerian walked over to Left Eye, "Get second shift up. If I ask for lights out you are to use the two far ruby controls and shut the workstation down."

He nodded. Lerian repeated the request at Right Eye. Lerian teleported out to the cavern location outside the city and then teleported up to the gate of the Dragon Kingdom. Lerian looked at him, "General Silvertree. I am expecting to be taken to Dragons' Overwatch."

He looked at Lerian as he presented his papers. He handed them back, "Step through your escort will be here."

Lerian nodded and stepped through. Lerian had a silver dragon show up she sighed, "You are causing quite the stir. Your ancestors called me Glimmer."

Lerian nodded, "Several entries in the family journal referencing that name. You do Glimmer."

She smiled and teleported them into Dragons' Overwatch. Lerian looked over, "You have a local display show an area with a strong concentration of necromancy. Then bring it up on a two-dimensional display."

She nodded to the guy at the controls and he did what was asked, "Left Eye surface scan on display one of grid 364 Gold. He pulled out his portable display and looked at what we had versus what they had. "We are missing more than half of the entries, a lot more."

He looked at the operator. "Pull the panel for our access crystals."

She looked at Lerian, "Why?"

Lerian sighed, "Because I need to see if there is any damage to them to explain the difference in data."

She nodded to the guy and he pulled the panel. He looked at them and saw that half of them had been replaced. Charlus had numbered the crystals with an in and out the connection. Lerian looked at her, "I have never tried to teleport to the end of a crystal but it probably would not do any good. Right Eye and Left Eye lights out." He watched all of the crystals coming into their system going dark. All of the outgoing remained lit up.

Lerian looked at her, "You put something into place to filter the sensitivity of the data we are getting from Dragons' Overwatch. Your outbound crystals have been replaced. They are located somewhere else. These connect to that while whatever it is connected to filters either by an operator or in general to reduce our level of data."