Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 10

They walked into the throne room and the King came in 10 minutes later. He called out, "New blade wielders please step forward and take a knee."

The three of them walked forward. They got in line based upon who activated first. The King walked down the line. "I Knight you Champion of the elven people, Sir Silversong." He repeated it for Moon Bow.

He got in front of Lerian, "Duke Silvertree, I Knight you as Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian and the elven people. I also conscript you in as a general for the military. I conscript the other two blade wielders as commanders working for Duke Silvertree."

He looked around, "Much was revealed about the loss of these three wielders. There remain questions that still need to be answered. As such these 3 will head to the front following this meeting. To show the troops that the blades are in the hands of Knights again. That a Champion had been put back onto the field.

The loss of the 3 previous wielders killed thousands of the enemy, including 2 enemy champions. While saving thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of our people from death with a protracted, and prolonged war. As such I am declaring them heroes of the Eleven people.

I am awarding them all medals for heroism. Given to their estates. I am also awarding the Silverleaf Medal of a lifetime of service to Verinus Silversong, Champion of Vandria Gilmadrith.

Being a Champion of Vandria Gilmadrith leads to a short life. He fought and repelled many attacks in the 12 years he spent on the field as one of my generals. Please rise Knights so the court may welcome you."

They all stood to a round of applause. The court seemed happy to hear the Gods put another champion on the field to end this war. The King sat down. "Continue with your works Knights."

They bowed to the King and walked back to their families. The other 2 came over and looked at him. Moon Bow shook his head, "You probably know more than I will ever know."

Lerian looked at him, "It was an honorable way to go and my sister and your sister died the way they wanted. Side-by-side in a battle that made a major difference. Watching the back of the champion on the field. They helped to make sure that enemy champions did not escape the area. They took out 2 enemy champions including one dragon champion. We got work to do."

A page walked over and gave them their paperwork including their orders. Lerian's simply said, "Follow the Gods' direction and keep me informed."

Lerian chuckled and showed it to the other two. They had orders to, "Watch the champions back and follow his direction."

They walked out together and mounted up and rode out to the main gate.

Moonbow took them to the South end of Quatarsia. Lerian held up a hand, "Hold a minute. Find my new mount, my friend."

He heard back, "He is eager and on his way."

They watched as a fast and nimble horse came running up the road toward them and came to a stop. A shadow steed but very dark. He had a pair of white crescent moons in the center of his forehead. Lerian looked at him, "Drakon'Sira, Knight of Dreams."

Lerian heard back, "I like the name, in honor of the Lady."

Lerian smiled, "Yes in honor of the Lady."

He moved his saddle and bridle onto his new mount and his old stallion ran to the herd. Lerian looked at him, "He is headed off to stud."

Lerian heard back, "He has several months before that happens. I fucked them all as the head of the heard."

Lerian laughed. "I got the new head of the herd."

Moonbow nodded, "My mare knows it. She said as soon as I am out of the saddle, he is going to fuck them all while we are off talking or whatever."

Lerian mounted up, "We need to find the general in charge. Best speed."

They rode fast and hard across the land bridge to the south and to the fort on the other side. Two guards upfront held up hands, "You need to go through your chain of command."

Lerian smiled, "I already have and these 2, they work for me."

Lerian handed him his papers and he looked up and then at his stallion. He nodded, "This way General Silvertree."

The other guard snapped to attention as they rode inside. He looked at the men in the courtyard. "Where is the commanding general?"

He pointed to a second-floor corner. They dismounted and Drakon'Sia went to mounting the mares as promised. Lerian looked at the man, "That is the new head of the herd. If he wants to fuck every mare in here, he will do so."

The man looked at Lerian, "Who are you?"

Lerian moved his cloak back and the other two did as well. He saw the three Moon Blades, "Understood."

They walked upstairs. There was a guard in front of the door. "He is in a staff meeting."

Lerian nodded and handed him his papers, "I am a part of the staff."

He looked at Lerian and opened the door. General Strong Oak was irate, "I cannot believe we lost 3 Moon Blade wielders in one unauthorized strike!"

Lerian looked at General Strong Oak, "Authorized by the Gods, General."

Lerian tossed his papers on the desk as he looked over the three new wielders. He read his paper, "Champion of Corellon Larethian?!"

Lerian nodded, "Take it on faith when I say they died from orders from a higher power than you, cousin. They have all been recognized as heroes of the elven people and the fallen champion received the Silverleaf medal as well. Did you read the last page concerning my orders?"

He flipped to the last page and then handed his papers back. "What did you need to know."

Lerian walked around the room, "You have been the general through how many conflicts?"

He looked at Lerian, "Every 60 years or so for the last 400 years."

Lerian nodded, "Anything unusual with this engagement that you have not seen in past battles?"

He looked at Lerian, "One thing. They have shown more reverence to their dead pulling them and in some cases ours off the field."

Lerian looked at him, "This entire conflict?"

He nodded, "The last 7 years of it anyway."

Lerian nodded, "Was this noted?"

He sighed, "I put it in a report 7 years ago and have referenced the fact that they have continued to do so."

Lerian sighed, "Where is the dragon general and field marshal?"

He looked at Lerian, "He is with one of the champions. The other dragon champion was the Copper Dragon. He fought, died, and exploded further behind enemy lines fighting another Dragon champion. The one to Bahamut, a Silver Dragon, returned to the Dragon Capital to tend to her injuries and report in. She has been in and out in this conflict with a second dragon champion on the field."

Lerian looked at him, "I need someone to teleport us to the dragon capital and for you to contact them. Let them know we are coming and to cooperate as much as they are allowed to with a General of the Elven army. That is also the champion of Corellon Larethian."

He nodded, "I will get one of my wizards down to you."

Lerian walked out and Silversong asked, "The bodies are important?"

Lerian nodded, "That should have stuck out as signs for necromancy. An undead army being built."

He sighed and shook his head as they gathered and got on their horses after Drakon'Sia returned from the stable area. Lerian looked at him, "Get them all."

Lerian heard, "Some are with foal already but I got the few who were not. Mostly stallions here."

Lerian smiled and mounted up. The wizard came down and teleported them to the Dragon Capital entrance. Lerian looked at him, "We can get back, just needed the new location. He nodded and teleported away."

Lerian rode up to the guard, "I need to see your champion, your General the Field Marshal, and your Overwatch system."

He looked at Lerian, "I do not know if they will give you access to Overwatch."

Lerian looked at him, "Note the last name. My family put it back online for you. I know enough about it that would make them cringe. I need them to do some targeted searches with your General and champion present. May we move on and you can pass my request forward; time is lives."

He nodded and handed Lerian his papers back. They opened the gate.

Lerian called out, "Best speed!"

They rode to the palace and they had an escort waiting. They were taken into the council chambers. Lerian sighed as they waited. They flew in a few minutes later throwing rocks everywhere. The one in the center was a Silver Dragon today. He called out, "Why do you want access to our Overwatch?"

Lerian looked at him, "You wish for me to discuss your Overwatch capabilities to everyone here, Your Majesty?"

He looked at Lerian, "Just answer my question."

Lerian nodded, "Your system has the ability to pull up centuries of magical signals and auras. You can analyze trends that the elven system does not have by design. In this case, I need to know what has been done regarding the field reports from the front?

The entry in regards to the enemy pulling bodies from the field? If there is an increase in necromancy activity? If so, where? They could be building an undead army. Has Null entered the field, your Majesty?"

He looked at Lerian, "How do you know of our capabilities?"

Lerian smiled, "General Silvertree, Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian, your Majesty. Also a Duke. Did they not tell you who was coming?"

He sighed, "They told us Duke Silvertree."

Lerian nodded, "I inherited the title with the blade. Assumed just hours ago and am following my orders."

Lerian stuck out his hand with the tube and they reached across and took it. He switched to an elven male form in full plate. He looked through and read his orders and nodded. He handed Lerian his tube back. He looked at Lerian, "Your Gods tell you of this capability?"

Lerian shook his head, "No, but I am an enchanter with access to draconic mythic spells. I have spent the last 9 years enchanting and I can read what your system can do. There are also references in the blade wielders journal about expanded capabilities the elves do not need.

The dragons should have Overwatch of those abilities. I want to know if you have been looking over this anomaly in this engagement. Considering they normally leave the dead to burn or rot. Unless it is some general, they wish to venerate, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "Our general and intelligence officer would have the answer to that question. Guards! Take them to the command center in Overwatch."

Lerian bowed to him as did the others. They followed the guard into an area that was heavily guarded. It took an hour to get through all of the security to get into the Overwatch room. They had an 'elf' that looked like a general. He looked at Lerian, "I am the field marshal in this campaign."

Lerian nodded, "I am the new champion of Corellon Larethian who was sent with questions from my God that your system or people can answer. Regardless this was the place to come. General Strong Oak at the fort has reported for the last 7 years that the enemy has been collecting dead off the field.

Where are those bodies going and have you been tracking the enemies' path into the area? Where have the bodies been going back too? Are they building an undead army to throw against us? As Null has yet to enter the field, I am willing to bet a million gold pieces we have a Draco-lich out there."

He looked at Lerian, "What would make you say that?"

Lerian sighed, "Null became interested in us for blocking his people's progress on Draco-liches. Yet he has not sent a champion for the last 8 conflicts. What have his people been up to during that time? The reference in the blade wielders journal called out the tools were gone. Because there was no place on this earth to keep them safe.

Charlus destroyed a relic and set it back to the hells for a thousand years. Gods can track their relics. If he discovered the location of the relics they used before? HIS relics, then it is highly probable they have been making a Draco-lich or 12.

A sure sign of this is if we are picking up an increase in necromancy activity behind the enemy lines. Could we just perform the scan and pull up the data along the hordes' travel paths? If any site shows necromancy or massive numbers of teleports out of the area to move bodies, if so to where?"

He walked over and talked to someone who worked 3 different consoles and the General looked over the data.

He walked back to them, "We see signs of necromancy about a hundred miles from the front. There has been a plethora of teleportation activity to 6 different areas of the world. They have areas nearby that are shielded from scrying. I have set watchpoints on those 6 areas."

Lerian nodded, "They needed dwarven and elven body parts. I am guessing here but the one a hundred miles out is for their dead. While the circles are our dead, they pulled off the field. Some of whom may have been alive enough to work this ritual with.

Add in you had a gold dragon who escaped that was rogue. His work on Draco-lich experiments here leads me to believe he did not leave empty-handed. The captured intelligence on the process of doing this change. Do you still have it or did he leave with it?"

He looked at Lerian, "That is a question from the council."

Lerian nodded, "Contact them please and ask the question. Are you planning a strike on this facility where they are generating undead? Also, the likely location for Null's champion and the drow champion who have yet to show in this conflict."

He walked off into a back office. An hour later and he came back, "I have been told it is too early to tell about this facility and anything to do with the creation of Draco-liches is dragon business."

Lerian nodded, "Activate your crystal to the Elven King, please. We need to follow my orders and keep him informed about my activities."

He sighed and King Goldeagle answered, "I am secure."

Lerian smiled, "Your Majesty, Duke Silvertree. I am with the Field Marshal. I asked my questions regarding unusual activity in this conflict. The enemy has been pulling bodes off the field for the last 7 years. That information was forwarded in the reports but appears to not have been followed up upon.

They were pulling more than their own off the field. They pulled some of our dead off of the field, or near dead we do not know. What we do know. There is an increase in necromancy activity a hundred miles behind the enemy lines. No plan to strike at this time.

We also know that there has been heavy teleportation activity between that location and 6 other locations. I asked about the rogue gold dragon who was involved in Draco-lich activities. If he took their confiscated intelligence on the process by which they created Draco-liches with him when they left.

Those 6 locations that go out have areas that are shielded from scrying. I have been told all business in regards to Draco-liches is dragon business. I disagree with that answer. The one was taken down over the lava field by Jazzia to stop the advance on the dwarves when they had to flee their homeland.

The eclipse war where the Metallic Dragons attempted to flee the area instead of engaging. It was Mercian who took out the 3 dragon champions that appeared on the field. They appeared out of drow lands. No drow champion and no Null champion yet and we have necromancy activity we are not acting upon the information.

Then there was Eldar who dealt with the ancient relics and the tomes went to the dragons from the lich who used the Eternal Forge, which was Knights activity that Eldar coordinated. As those rituals involve the sacrificing of our people and the dwarven people the argument they are making is flawed.

I think it is time to have a conclave to discuss what is and is not 'Dragon business.' We need to strike that site right fucking now, Your Majesty. Remember we were told weeks or days. If we want it to be days, we have to be bold and hit them while they are reeling.

Take out any undead now before they send them to the front lines in waves. Those areas are not shielded for necromancy. We have not extended our Overwatch or defensive structures to accommodate our human allies' new location or our own expansion efforts. We have a lot to discuss, your Majesty."

The King sighed, "Field Marshal, anything he said inaccurate?"

He looked at the crystal, "He does not know if we have been tracking this previously or not, your Majesty. I cannot speak to Knight's history, the council could. The rest is accurate."

Lerian looked at the Field Marshal, "I will ask then, were you tracking this previously and if so when were you going to inform your allies about this threat?"

The Field Marshal just realized Lerian put him into a trap. He sighed, "We had not been looking for that trend."

Lerian looked at him, "Then what I said about our dead or near dead was accurate."

He nodded, "Yes."

Lerian heard the King Goldeagle kind of growl out, "I want a meeting in the war room with the heads of the Alliance military Command Generals. Also, a representative from each government that can make decisions. I encourage all champions we have in this conflict to join this as well. I want them here in 2 hours."

Lerian walked away and mounted up, "See you at this meeting."

He nodded. Lerian called out, "Best Speed."

They took off out of there and Moon Bow rode up next to Lerian, "If I said lost 200 years what would you say?"

Lerian nodded, "500."

He sighed and nodded, "I heard what was told to us all. Our family was present at the palace, they all heard it. While you were in the room."

Lerian nodded, "Good, then there is nothing more to say on that is there."

He nodded and they got to the front gate. Silversong teleported them to the main gate of the Elven Capital. They rode to the Palace at a double-time pace. They arrived just as the King had returned to his throne. There was no line so Lerian approached.

Lerian bowed, "Your Majesty, in order to comply with your orders getting a communication crystal with you would help. Also, one to the elven and alliance Overwatch. It would be helpful. Access to the Alliance Overwatch would be welcomed as well. I do own those systems."

The King nodded, "Here is an orange crystal to me. I will get with the commander in charge of those systems to get you what you need. You know where the war room is located?"

Lerian nodded, "Yes, your Majesty we were heading there next."

He looked over, "You are bringing them along?"

Lerian smiled, "Their orders were to follow my directions and watch my back, your Majesty. As such, I want them watching my back as this may become more confrontational."

The King chuckled and nodded. Lerian bowed and left him to deal with the 2 nobles who came in as they headed to the fourth floor.

Lerian looked at them as he searched for and found the entrance to the room. Made easier by the location of the uplink crystals. General Strong Oak who they had spoken with earlier was already present. He looked at Lerian, "How did you get in here?"

Lerian smiled, "Seal portal." The portal closed.

Lerian looked at him, "This shelter, just like all of your defense system shelters on the south end of the kingdom, were linked to this sword.

While the ones on the northern border were linked to the Moon Ray Moon Blade. They were built and tied to the wielder of the blade. Unseal portal. Open portal. The King looked at Lerian, "Can I have access to my War Room?"

Lerian smiled, "Yes, your Majesty. I was just giving the general here a better understanding of what this blade is capable of doing with the secure shelters here and to the south."

He nodded, "Your sister did as well. Jazzia and those who followed tied the ownership to the holder of the blade. It does serve a practical use."

Lerian nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. I was unsure if that was still the case after the sundering. I have not seen my sister's journals as of yet."