Day Five. Early Morning.

Two obvious choices lay before me: fulfill Mariga’s task or Talon’s.

The druid wanted the Howlers forced into a bloody war with the Red Rats, while the captain wished to secure their allegiance for Tartar. Of the two envoys, I trusted Talon more, and if the choice I faced was one between the pair, then my decision would have been simple.

But in truth, my loyalty belonged to neither envoy.

It was only to the dire wolves that I was truly beholden.

If I convinced Hyek to ally with the Tartan legion, then this sector would be claimed by the Dark, and while the Tartans seemed a better sort than the Awakened Dead, I suspected they would no more allow the wolves to roam freely in the valley than the Awakened Dead would.

It did not matter that I felt a greater affinity to Talon and that there was something about Mariga that repulsed me. Nor did it matter that hundreds of the goblins would die. I had to see the wolves protected.

I had to convince the Howlers to go to war.

“You know already that I am no friend of Ishita’s sworn,” I said slowly. “I need your help to lure them here.”

“Why?” the shaman asked, his gaze fixed unerringly on me.

“To kill them,” I stated baldly.

“And why should I help you?” Hyek asked.

I jerked my chin down to the parchment still lying between us on the table. “Because of that,” I said softly, “and for revenge.”

For a long moment, Hyek did not say anything, then he shook his head. “My heart cries out to do as you ask, but my head says otherwise. The Awakened Dead may have abandoned my people, and me and my soldiers will likely be dead soon, but I must consider the fate of the rest of my tribe too—those in our home sector.”

The shaman sighed. “If I move openly against the spider goddess, she will wreak her own brand of justice. Not only will my people in this valley be killed, but the goddess will also see to it that my entire tribe is destroyed.”

For a drawn-out moment, the shaman’s response had me stumped.

I’d been hoping he’d be as bloodthirsty as the other goblins I’d met, but it seemed that to sway Hyek, I would have to dangle more than the prospect of revenge before him. It left me with fewer options.

“I do not ask you to move openly against Ishita,” I said finally. “I only ask that you summon her delegates to a meeting here and leave the rest to me. You may lay the blame for the killings squarely on me.”

Hyek chewed over this for a moment, still not looking convinced. “Then what?”

I exhaled soundlessly. I had no choice now but to play a card I’d been hoping not to.

I slid the second parchment in my possession across the table to the shaman. “Despite what you may think, there’s hope for your people yet, Hyek.”

Disinterestedly, the shaman picked up the letter Talon had penned and read it, only to inhale sharply a moment later when he digested its contents. “The god-emperor will extend his protection over my people?” he asked, with barely disguised hope.

I nodded. “If you ask for it. But there is a condition.”

The shaman blinked slowly, shuttering the emotions that had peeked through. “What does the Tartan envoy require?” he asked in a monotone voice.

“The god-emperor will not accept just anyone within his legions. You and your people must prove yourselves worthy first.”

Hyek nodded, seeming to accept my assertion without question. “How?”

“You must march out of the fort and meet the Red Rats in open battle. The captain will see to it that no Awakened Dead players interfere. If you face the Red Rats and acquit yourselves well, the god-emperor will accept your tribe’s pledge of allegiance.”

For a long moment, Hyek did not say anything. Then finally, he uttered the words I’d been waiting to hear. “I accept your terms, player.”

Your task: Forging Dark Alliances! has been updated. Shaman Hyek has agreed to pledge allegiance to the god-emperor in exchange for the Tartans’ aid in the Howlers’ war against the Red Rats. Objective one revised: Obtain Captain Talon’s agreement to the terms of the alliance you’ve negotiated between the Tartans and the Howlers.

~~~

Once Hyek agreed to my conditions, matters moved swiftly.

A guard was called and dispatched to the gate to summon Ishita’s sworn. I was tired and impatient to complete my business at the fort, but resting would have to wait until matters here were seen too.

While the shaman and I waited for the guard to report back, I idly turned to the Howler leader and said, “There is one thing I still don’t understand.”

Hyek was pacing impatiently up and down across the floor. At my words, he swung around to face me. “What’s that?”

“If you’re already allied with the Awakened Dead, how is it that they don’t own the sector already?”

The shaman snorted. “So you don’t know everything,” he muttered. “Our alliance with Ishita is an informal one only. Erebus promised to finalize our agreement after his business in the Netherworld has concluded.”

“I see,” I murmured, then asked casually, “And what business is that?”

Hyek threw me a sharp glance. “When can I expect the Tartan captain to formalize our alliance?” he asked, ignoring my own question entirely.

“As soon as you have defeated the Red Rats,” I replied smoothly.

Hyek scowled. “What assurances do I have that your captain will not betray me like Erebus did?”

“None,” I responded in a clipped tone. “But the captain is an honorable sort, nothing like Erebus. He will keep to his end of the bargain if you do to yours.”

The shaman was not best pleased with my answer, but he didn’t have the luxury of choices. Swallowing his displeasure, Hyek resumed his pacing.

“Although,” I added after a moment, “you probably don’t want to mention your dealings with Erebus when you meet the captain.”

“Why not?” the shaman demanded, pinning me with a glare.

“I haven’t told him about it,” I said simply. “He might take a... dim view of your previous allegiance.”

Hyek muttered something under his breath, too soft even for my sharp hearing to pick out. Whatever it was, I doubted it was complimentary to me.

Before we could resume our conversation, a guard stepped in. “They’re on their way, sir,” he said, saluting the shaman.

I rose to my feet and, sweeping my two letters off the table, stowed them back into my pocket. “I best be going then,” I said. I glanced at Hyek. “Don’t forget the plan.”

His face still dark with anger, the shaman nodded mutely.

Knowing that there was no time to extract further assurances from Hyek, I had to be satisfied with his response. Without saying anything more, I slipped out of the room.

He better not betray me.

~~~

Concealing myself in a side room directly adjacent to the shaman’s own chamber, I waited for the mages to arrive.

I was walking a dangerous path, one held up by little more than lies and mistruths. A single misstep and it could all come crashing down on me. But I could see no other way to accomplish the goals before me.

If matters went awry, the Tartans would number themselves amongst my enemies, and the god-emperor, I suspected, would be a much more difficult foe to elude than Erebus. But even if everything went according to plan, the Tartans might still be angered.

But there was no turning back now. I would have to live with my choices.

Hearing that tread of footsteps, I broke off from my musings to open my mindsight and study the ones approaching. It did not take me long to identify the pair.

It was Ishan and Worca.

I bit back my disappointment. I’d been hoping that Xrex, leader of Ishita’s sworn, would come himself. If anyone was certain to know the location of the shield generator, it would be him. Nonetheless, I had to contend with the two that had come.

The two mages strode boldly into the shaman’s audience chamber. With my ear pressed up against the wall, I listened intently.

“It is good of you to consent to see us,” Worca said diplomatically, even though I knew it was the shaman who had demanded they meet.

“Ha,” I heard Ishan mutter to himself. “Uppity bastard, summoning us like bloody commoners. Someone needs to teach him his place.”

“Where is Xrex?” the shaman asked. “I requested that he come in person.”

“Who in blazes do you think you are?” Ishan growled. “You don’t get to demand—”

He broke off abruptly, and I guessed his companion must have restrained him. I smiled. What had possessed Xrex to send the volatile human as his representative?

“Given the accusations levied against him, Xrex decided it might be in everyone’s best interest if he didn’t come himself,” Worca said. “Less chance of any... unfortunate accidents happening that way.”

“Then, the lizardman denies slaying my soldiers?” Hyek asked sharply.

“He does,” Worca said. “Whoever did it, it was not—”

“And does he also deny that you are allied with my enemies, the Red Rats?” Hyek demanded.

The resulting silence was deafening.

Even Ishan had nothing to say this time.

“Where did you hear that?” Worca asked after the silence had drawn on too long.

“You do not deny it, then,” the shaman said heavily. I heard him walk away and mutter to himself in a low voice that I was sure the other two players did not pick up. “So, it is true. We are betrayed.”

Realizing that she had erred in her response, Worca spoke up hurriedly again. “Forgive me, shaman. I was simply caught off guard by your words. Of course, we deny it. Your tribe is important to our faction. Whoever has been telling you these lies is only trying to stir up trouble between us.”

But Hyek was done listening. His footsteps had been the signal, and right on cue, a goblin warrior entered the room. “Sir!” he yelled in panic, “you must come immediately! One of the barracks is on fire!”

The shaman whipped about. “Lead on, soldier. I am coming.”

“We can help—” Worca began.

“No!” Hyek hissed. “I do not trust you two. You will both wait here, and when I return, we will finish our discussion.”

Not waiting for their response, Hyek and the goblin warrior strode out of the chamber, slamming the door behind them.