Pyrox sneezed loudly making Marika raised her head.

- “Hm? Are you cold Pyro?”

- “Na! Pyrox is always hot! Also name is Pyrox! No Pyro!”

- “I think Pyro sounds cuter…”

- “C..c..cuter?” pyromancer looked as if fairy just offended his great ancestors “PYROX IS NOT CUTE! PYROX IS A MAN! MANLY MAN! SECOND MANLIEST MAN AFTER BIG BOSS!”

- “Great. Another person with Zari-issue. Well, if you are all right then let's continue. See? These herbs are pretty pricey – they grown usually in humid and hot environment so you can’t really find them in Neira. We are lucky!”

She was about to pick the herb, but before her hand reached the weed she squealed quietly and fell on her butt.

- “MISS MARIKA! EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?!” insane mage shout in the sky like a madman

- “Haha, sure I am. There was a bug under a leaf. It bite me. not painful at all, I was just surprised and…”

Yet mage already jump at the flower. He quickly picked already mentioned insect between his fingers looking at it angrily with bloodshot eyes.

- “… you little vile creature…” he barely whispered at the tiny creature with pure malice “… you dare not only to frighten miss Marika, you dare BITE HER?! Termination of your whole race won’t be enough!” Then he turned his head to fairy saying “Fear not, miss Marika! I will protect you!”

And a powerful explosion shook the air as fairy-biting-monster got turned into molecules.

- “My hero…” Marika said with a bored tone rolling her eyes. “…W..wait, what are you doing?”

Because Pyrox wasn’t done yet. Apparently he wasn’t joking about eradicating the whole race of fairy-biters. He started running all over the clearing waving his hand in all directions causing multiple explosions to turn green scenery into conflagration.

- “H..Hey! Stop joking around!”

- “PYROX ALWAYS SERIOUS!”

- “B…but!”

- “ALWAYS! SERIOUS! DIEEE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!”

Fairy was indeed taken aback, not in a good meaning, but still – taken aback.

- “OK! ENOUGH! STOP IT!”

- “DIEEEE!”

- “YOU ARE DESTROYING THE HERBS!”

Poor little fairy was trying to stop the mad-mage from destroying the place that was a nice source of her pocket money and spot she used to relax, unfortunately Pyrox lost himself in his frenzy.

Eventually he stopped panting heavily. In the end he looked back at his little companion with the purest smile on his face

- “See? No bugs! You are safe now!”

A branch of partly burned tree broke and fell on the ground behind him. Veins was pulsating on the fairy’s forehead.

- “Miss Marika? It’s ok now! See? Safe! It’s safe! Nothing will hurt you with Pyrox aro…UNA-A!”

A tree grabbed him by the leg and lifted him up in the air turning him upside-down. Angry fairy… Mad fairy… absolutely furious fairy approached him, grabbed his cheeks between her palms and brought her face a bit closer to his. While looking him deep in the eyes she hissed quietly.

- “Now. We will discuss about things like [mission’s priorities], ok?”

Poor pyromancer. He wanted to do good.

Same time. Council of Mages.

Doors to the Council chairman’s office were opened a little. Then, in the gap made by the opening a redhead appeared.

- “You send for me, senator?”

- “Indeed Ruby, come on in.”

Witch entered the room as she was told and approached the table. She kept standing. She was far too low in ranking to casually sit. She needed to wait for a request first. Still, the chairman was a polite person and she didn’t have to wait long for that

- “What are you doing child? Sit down! Don’t make me beg you!” older man said with a polite smile “In the end I want to use you a little” he pointed at the papers on the desk close to the young witch.

She quickly picked them up and started quickly reading the topics.

What she noticed at first were huge red character on top of every file saying.

“TOP SECRET”

“ACCESS LEVEL OMEGA”

Or

“EYES ONLY! NO RECORDING MAGICAL TOOLS ALLOWED!”

- “I want you to tell me what you think about them.”

A new dungeons started appearing. The news itself isn’t anything weird, they would appear all the time, the problem is that not so many at the same time. Also, newly formed dungeons usually were “weak” – small, rarely having more than just few floors with pathetic creatures lurking in and with treasures of such a poor quality that barely anyone wanted to be bothered by picking them.

Here, they started appearing like mushrooms after rain, sometimes even two in same location – side by side with corridors merging together.

Another document stated that few artifacts (especially those in the council vault) lose their effect and at the same time some became much more powerful.

Another file – plenty of rouge-dark mages guilds emerged and started acting like bandits. Well, bandits would attack smaller villages for gold and supplies, bandit-mages were riding smaller libraries and lesser branches of the academy to steal their books. Bandits would attack people to steal their belongings, bandit-mage attacked people to use them in their experiments.

Another one – this one not strictly-magical-related. Beastkins started acting… violently, especially between each other. Two groups formed – one, the one that kept living the way they used to, far away from societies in their hidden villages and the second one – some lesser tribes started merging together attacking first one. Apparently it is somehow related to their political and religious differences.

- “I… I have no idea what to think about these… I mean... I can’t…”

- “Find anything that would connect those cases?”

- “Yes.”

- “It is easier than you could imagine. But before that… how is your friend doing?”

- “R..Richard? Um, good I guess. His family has lately lots to do and…”

- “Oh. No, that’s not what I mean. I am sure we know about nobles more than they would like us to know. I am asking about your friend that learned together with you from Hanna.”

She clenched her hands in fists. Of course. It is always about him. She kept proving herself all the time. She was breaking her own limits, wasn’t sleeping at night studying. She finished five-years-long lessons sessions within a year. Her thesis was honored and added as chapter in one of the books… Yet somehow she wasn’t remembered as Ruby – the brilliant one but Ruby – Zariel’s friend.

At the corridors of academy people would laugh at her. “you fought three against one, yet lost?” she would challenge them, and beat them. Yes, in dueling she was in top five on the year.

Do you think that they would treat her better after that? That they would say “wow, you are strong?” no. Instead they said “damn, that Zariel must be one hell of a mage to beat her…”

She wasn’t mad at Zariel. She couldn’t ask him to be weaker… yet still, all she wanted was recognition! And here, she stood in front of Senate chairman about to assist him. She thought that she was here because of her achievements.

But no. She was here because she knew Zariel.

- “Sir, I don’t know. We meet rarely. I am pretty sure he doesn’t like me… not to say that he hates me. Is that all, sir?”

She wanted to leave already

- “Calm down, you spoiled child.” Senator said with bit harsher voice “It’s not about you, me, council. Our role as magicians, and Senators – for yes, I picked you so you could gather experience and with time join our ranks; is to protect people we are responsible for. Council is the backbone of this land. And all the previous documents you just read and Zariel called Whiteraven ARE RELATED. They are a part of a bigger picture – our bloody job.

As it was said. There are dungeons emerging. It is our job to evaluate them – judge if they could threaten people living in villages and cities around it. We have to fight back dark mages and take a closer look at artifacts.

In same time we have to pay attention to our neighbors – how they act. Will they be our friends of foes? I show you lots of possible threats yet all you heard was the name of Zariel… Maybe you are still too young?”

Did she make a mistake? Or is chairman such a skilled negotiator that quickly showed same event from different point of view? She was told by Hanna to never fully trust the Senate.

- “Tell me, how does council evaluate dungeons?”

- “They would hire high-rank adventurers and go together with them on ride to gather data…”

- “Is Zariel considered high-rank adventurer?”

- “A..actually not. Las time I checked he was C-rank which is considered…”

- “Tis’ but a formality. Just for him quest’s ranks are being lowered so he can partake in them.”

- “Then.. yes?”

- “Now. Darkmages. How does council deal with them?”

- “Would send one of Sentinel…”

- “Yes. But Sentinels are not just a butchers. At first they have to watch the rogue- guild to consider if they are a threat. There are many lesser parties of magicians that villagers are calling an evil-guild, despite the fact that they are just practicing dark arts away from capitals to not harm anyone. In that case we are leaving them be – watching them, but not killing. In the end they can find something new on their field, and every knowledge is precious. Sentinels are usually joining the guild, winning their trust, working with them. If they are dangerous, they are erased from the inside. That’s why many of Sentinels are dark-mages. Like Daralon. Now, is Zariel – as dark mage, a material for Sentinel?”

- “..Yes.”

- “Now, use your own brain, lass, artifacts?”

- “As with dungeons and dark mages – someone that have knowledge about curses and lived as adventurer would be great in evaluating spells attached to the items…”

- “Exactly. And beastkins?”

Here Ruby stayed silent

- “These two battling factions hate each other because of who they consider to be their spiritual-leader. One of them worship a beast-kin that can change his form however he pleases. Ring a bell?”

Redhead witch just nodded

- “We are at state of war, we have inner problems, and our neighbors are uneasy. We – the Senate – have to gather tools to protect our people. And Zariel, just like Daralon – is a wildcard. We don’t want to use them – we want to HAVE them. Just in case. We tried recruiting him into alchemists guild, into Sentinels… in the end we managed making him an Ambassador. The problem is, that he is barely working for us.”

… But… Zariel is a person… N..not a toll. Yes, he is frightening. She in envious and jealous of his talents and possessions… She already betrayed him once and earned his anger. She was justifying herself because of the heat of the moment…

.. yet in the end she knew that she would do the same. That’s just her character, she hates risking what she got.

- “What would he do?”

- “As our worker? Just usual things. As alchemist he would craft potions. As Sentinel he would hunt rouge-dark mages. As Senator he would work for the well-being of our country… till the day his special abilities would be not only needed, but required. Wildcards are not to be used till the moment they are really, really desperately needed”

… that sounded better. Still, is he telling truth? Should she trust him?

She set up her mind.

- “What do you want me to do?” She wasn’t going to repeat same mistake twice. She will work for the good of the people, but not the way he wants her to. Yes, she in an insecure coward. But not a willing backstabber. All she can do is to learn as much as she can and warn Zari.

Red Mountains.

The army was marching in steady tempo – which means horribly slow. They weren’t moving right at enemy, instead they kept picking some longer, yet wider routes. Reason? Fastest paths were too narrow. If they would want to travel through them they needed to break their formation. In case of an ambush they could lose a terrifying number of soldiers this is why the Ironblood leader was forced to use the safer path. Queen didn’t like the idea – she would say that they were giving them more time for preparations. Ironblood just replied that if they would pick the faster routes there would be no dwarf left to fight alongside her at the battlefield.

Queen could only clench her teeth in anger and follow. In the end she gave command over the army to him. I didn’t like the old clan head of Ironblood. He was overly proud and was thinking only about his own profits, still, I would probably advise her the same thing.

After two hours we reached the first passage – the one Ironblood would pick for an ambush. Indeed. Valley allowed only one squad to march at the time. Cliffs on the both sides of it were truly perfect for our enemies, even just few archers troops set there could bleed our forces dry. This is why before forcing his people inside Ironblood send around hundred of goat-riders to scout the area ahead and eventually clear the passage.

But there was no one there. Another “dangerous place” was completely safe too.

- “I don’t like it.” One of advisors in commanding [camp] said aloud “Greenskin are stupid, but not idiotic. Their inability to build a decent building never meant that they would refuse using opportunity to ambush someone. They LOVE ambushing – when you are weak and small it is your only opportunity to survive…”

- “Could it be that they have left their camp?” another one voiced his thoughts.

- “Highly unlikely.” I raised my voice “They were protecting it far too much to just abandon it. Also, how many times have you seen goblins with pickaxes? They were doing something important for themselves there. I would advise proceeding with caution…”

- “I will not take orders from any beardless kid!” general Ironblood hissed in my direction.

As answer I just shrug my arms are returned to my businesses – scratching my ravens under their necks.

- “So, your orders?” another dwarf asked the general

- “… greenskins probably didn’t change their location. Proceed with caution.”

I turned around my head to hide my wide smile from the enraged dwarf. No need to pick fights in the day of war.

The sound of dwarfs marching in perfect unison resonated through the mountains. Location of our forces were known to anyone in two miles radius. We didn’t mind that. We wanted to confront the enemy on the solid ground – where ability to coordinate movements of squads and much, much better equipment would give us an advantage over their numbers.

In the end we reached the huge open arena in the mountains. Indeed – it was a place that could hold a battle between two armies. Still, we found out why there was no ambushes on our way here.

- “Holy f…” all advisors said in awe.

- “That’s a… fort?”

Indeed, it was. Made quickly mostly with wood, here and there only reinforced with iron and clay. Still, a fort is a fort. Eight five meters tall towers protecting a long four meter fence. The walls were green from goblins carrying bows swarming it.

On the ground, right in front of the fence they put sharpened sticks that were pointed in the direction of our forces – to slow our charge down.

Some guttural shout could be heard from behind the walls. It was a shout in language I already heard – goblin language. What it meant I could only wait to see?

The gate opened clumsily and the enemy forces left it. Hobgoblins, trolls, ogres were running outside taking their position between the traps and the wall. At first hundred of them left it, then two, four, eight.

Our forces counting around thousand of footmen, two hundred of goat-riders and same amount of bear-riders were quickly outnumbered.

I could already see forces thrice as big as our… and who knows what was still hidden behind those walls.

- “Are those our ballistas?” someone growled angrily behind me.

I hear that they raided and plundered few dwarfish cities – food was not their only target. They brought quite a few war machines with them

- “They can’t possibly know how to use them!” one of advisors yelled

- “Oh, I am sure they figured it out.” Once again I cut between their conversation “They would never build it, yes, but I doubt that they would bother bringing artillery with them if they couldn’t use it. Some of their shamans are pretty intelligent. Maybe they won’t be able to shoot with accuracy as big as you, maybe they won’t be able to shot five bolts per minute… but on battlefield you just have to keep aiming at biggest crowd, ain’t you?”

- “DAMN IT! It was not supposed to be a siege! We don’t have machines and…”

- “Oh, but you have two machines, general.” I casually said.

- “Ha?! Where?!”

- “I am pretty sure you can use Gisele as battering-ram, I am sure that if she would smash the gate with her head few times it would eventually crack open… and I will humbly take the role of artillery…” I said snapping my fingers making sparkles dance around. “Just do your best, general. Feel free to order me around.”

At first man was furious, I am sure he wanted to spit few toxic words more, yet in the end he just nodded.

- “Set rangers on position. Aim at the enemy walls. First line into the battle, we will most likely lose them, prepare 2nd and 3rd line to follow. Goat-riders should be able to climb those walls – if infantry would make a contact with enemy under gates, they would charge in, get behind the walls and butcher the archers…”

- “That would work only if there is no more of them hidden on the other side.”

- “Why do you think so?”

- “I don’t see their leader. Big-ass red ogre or oni. But we will check it for you, right, boys?”

I asked my raves that flew in the air trying to circle the battlefield.

- “They will scout the ground when your soldiers would focus attention of archers on themselves.”

- “I don’t like risking life of my boys for some bloody birds!”

- “These bloody birds are information providers. Do I have to teach you how important datas about your enemy are?”

He once again faced the battle field

- “FIRST LINE – MARCH ON!”

He yelled. A horn of dwarf rang in the canyon. First line composed of 75 dwarfs started marching once again.