He spun around to face Melandrac. “This changes everything.”

Melandrac didn’t look convinced. “You are saying you have the queen of the Dokalfar out there with you. Why would the queen be fighting with the likes of you? Whatever you are.”

“Why the hell would I lie?” I said, frowning at the awkward bastard. She is fit and well and helping me run my little powerful army. An army which I want to use to help you guys. Unfortunately, we're still vastly outnumbered on our own so but if we were to coordinate our attacks, like I said. Well then, I think we have a real chance a fucking Justice up here. I mean guys, unless you're hiding something really well, I said looking around the stinky depressing circular courtyard that surrounded the castle, then what else could I want from you?

“Your deaths? Nah, they’re coming soon anyway aren’t they? Oh, I know maybe I’ve come for all of your food. I mean I could go on about all of the things it looks like you have that I might want, or you can just believe me and get the fuck out of here.”

“I do not know if you’re being serious,” Melandrac replied. To which I waved my hands in the air exasperated about getting you all out of here, yes. About you having a single thing of value to me. No. Apart from your selves and the chance you might Join my army as we march south to our town. There are others we want to help as we go.”

“I believe you,” Loric said flatly before Melandrac could reply. And if the Queen is here, then we would follow her into the darkest parts of the Nideland.

“Great. Thank you.”

“I will reserve judgment until I hear more of your plan,” Melandrac said. “We should sit and speak together. As you so callously pointed out, I'm afraid we can't offer you any food supplies are very low. There is clean water available.”

“I’m good, thanks. Lead the way.”

Melandrac spun on his heel and marched off towards the castle. His Drengalfar guards created a spiky corridor for me to walk through. Though Loric and his Dokalfar entourage walked alongside me with much less mistrust. As we moved, I took in the people with a little more attention. Sitting huddled in corners around the castle looking starved, scared and quite frankly ready for the end. It was a sad sight coupled with the smell of despair. In this case, poor sanitary conditions, and unwashed bodies.

The whole place was different to what I’d expected. I thought it would be a town with houses within the walls. Instead, all I saw was the towering grey stone castle, a wide circular courtyard that ran all the way around the castle, and a few buildings against the wall that defined the outer edge of the court yard. They looked like workshops that had supplied the castle at some point, and they offered poor refuge for the fort’s inhabitants.

As I went through the castle doors, having to duck to enter, there were even more people inside. Crammed in and sitting around almost lifeless. While eyes opened wide at my monstrous appearance, they barely moved more than a shuffle in response. Yeah, this palace was in much worse condition than I’d first thought. I really looked at the elves again. All were almost frail looking, though it showed most on the Drengalfar, whose armor showed the comparison of what they had once been.

It was a depressing sight as kids who should have been running around with bundles of energy sat huddled into their parents, weak and almost lifeless.

A small part of my mind asked why they didn’t just surrender. The larger part of my mind had already answered. Justice were a bunch of brutal bastards, and they would happily kill every last soul in here.

At the back of the ground floor was a pair of wide double doors. Melandrac led us through into another room, this one with a large table, and filled only with soldiers.

I was directed to a seat, and shook my head. “That seat isn’t going to hold me. “I’ll stand.”

“That is well, now please, tell us of your plan Demon.”

The looks of the soldiers in the room turned swiftly from fearful to intrigued in a heartbeat and the thought of a plan. Sadly, I had to disappoint them.

“Melandrac. I didn't even know if any one still lived when I teleported in here. I’d heard there were two and a half thousand elves in here, of which close to two thousand were able to fight. I’d also hear there were only around three to four thousand surrounding you. Yet I come here and there are closer to seven thousand troops outside and honestly, I can’t see two thousand elves fit to fight in here. You all look knackered.”

“Your assessment is correct,” Melandrac replied. “We fought in the early days of the siege. Until two days ago, there were only approximately four thousand troops surrounding us. Another three thousand appeared and now our main priority is holding the shield up until we cannot any longer.

“Yeah, I can see that. I half hoped to coordinate with you guys, but I don’t think we can get you out in one fell swoop. We’re going to have to come up with something a little less smash and grab. Honestly, though, I should probably speak to Danivra about that. She has more… finesse.”

“And you can leave whenever you want?” Loric asked.

“Uh yeah, sure. But I can’t teleport back here for twenty-four hours.”

Loric smiled. “I think we can wait twenty-four hours for a plan.”

“Gimme a minute and I’ll speak with her,” I replied and closed my eyes more to block out the crowded room of hopeful, fearful stares.

“Hey guys,” I said, contacting Danivra, Sania and Grigor. “These guys are proper fucked to be honest. Starving weak and ready for the end.”

“So, no use in battle, then?” Grigor asked first.

“Some of them will be, but they’re not at their best.”

“How many fighting people do they have?” Danivra asked.

“Good question. One sec,” I replied feeling like a dickhead for not asking that already.

“Melandrac. How many people do you have fit to fight?” I asked the severe looking Drengalfar Commander.

“Seven hundred Drengalfar and five hundred Dokalfar. Not all of those are soldiers, and not all of those are fit enough to fold a spear for longer than twenty minutes.”

I nodded to him gratefully for the depressing numbers.

“It’s not great, guys. Thirteen hundred fighters, most of which are too fucked to fart.”

“That really isn’t good. It doesn’t seem possible.” Grigor said.

“A coordinated attack is of little use, In that case,” Danivra added. The only way I can see around this is if we whittle the numbers down with stealth attacks and luring them away from the walls.”

“What about digging a tunnel to get them out and we run to the Palathi Peaks?” Sania suggested out of left field.

“Would take time, but that’s not a bad idea, Sania,” I replied appreciatively.

“It is an excellent idea. But the land beneath the surface is already occupied by protective owners,” Danivra pointed out.

“Fuck. The Nideland. Still something I should check out. Maybe we could dig something that doesn’t encroach on their territory?”

“Anything beyond simple drainage and building foundations, would most likely be considered a direct assault on their territory. Perhaps they would forgive us, as Darkness has put them in your debt for the way they treated us.”

I mulled over the idea for a moment. “I’ll have a word with these guys. If it means we can save them, then it’s worth the risk.”

“Good luck, Lord Clive,” Danivra said. “We will work on a plan to reduce Justice’s numbers without becoming overwhelmed.” She didn’t sound overly convinced with that being possible.

“Great. See you guys soon hopefully with some kind of plan.”

I refocused back on those around the table. “The best we can do with our numbers outside the walls, is to try and draw them away in smaller groups and reduce Justice’s numbers. That’s gonna take time and more importantly, these fuckers can portal all over the place so it’s not an ideal plan. Interesting idea, though it has pitfalls. Can we make an escape tunnel for you? Admittedly, we’d have to avoid entering the Nideland.”

Loric shook his head. “There is a tunnel. In the basement. It leads into the Nideland.”

“It is locked, and we are forbidden from breaking through,” Melandrac added bitterly.

“You’ve had contact with the dwarves?”

“Only once,” Melandrac said. “We’d attempted to survey where the door led, but found it inaccessible. We left it for a time, but as the troops of Justice arrived, we inspected it with more urgency. After causing a lot of damage. The door opened and a squad of powerfully armed and leveled dwarves appeared. They told us in no uncertain terms that we would not be permitted to enter. Since then, it has remained locked.”

It was hard to control my irritation at the thought of the dwarves having access to this fort and offering no aid as children starved to death.

“Show me,” I snapped, with more force than I’d intended.

Melandrac didn’t seem to mind. His gaunt face looked curious if anything, as he stood.

I was led back out of the meeting hall and down into the basement of the castle, and it wasn't too dissimilar to one we had back in Far Reach. We headed through a few separate subterranean rooms and finally down another flight of stone stairs into a wide-open room, dimly lit by the flickering torches the soldiers who had accompanied us carried. The torches on the walls were lit, bathing the area in an orange glow and I laid eyes on the badly damaged Oak door in question. Black scorch marks burnt into the door and damage to the stone around the frame showed the evidence of the Elves' efforts.

From what I could make out, it was a different design to anything else in the castle, and clearly dwarfish in design. I could only assume that it had magical properties, considering the elves here couldn’t break through.

I banged on the door with my spiked demon fist with as much force as I had, which would have probably been enough to knock a house down back on earth. They were just lucky I didn't use my Immortal Shell hand, which I was sorely tempted to do as we waited for a response.

Of course there was no answer and I banged again, demon hand first. They could have three strikes. Then I was bringing the big gun out. On this second attempt, I shouted.

“This is Clive of Far Reach. I know you won't help anyone, and I turned down your offer of assistance, but I have since spoken to Grimstrom and I at least forgive his part in the way you treat me. Not that he really had a part. I'm cool with Darkness too. It's just the dwarves of Agorak I have beef with after the shit you pulled when I was in your tunnels. Now’s the chance to make amends.

There was no reply. I gave it a minute and then my third and final demon hand knock. Shouting again. “Next punch and this door disappears. Are you bloody listening to me.”

A troubled gruff voice came back. “Yes. I’ve sent for my superior, so settle yourself down.”

There were gasps and hushed chatter from behind me.

“Why do they answer you?” Melandrac demanded. “They would not give us the time of day. Offering only warnings of our demise should we attempt to breach the door again.

“Well, like you just heard, mate. Me and the dwarves have a little bit of history. I'm absolutely sure they're still going to be total pricks, so I doubt we're going to get you guys into the Nideland and away from here, but I'll ask them and see what kind of a deal we can come up with.”

There wasn’t much else to say after that. Nothing to do but wait. I told Sania and the others what was going on, then waited and waited.

Finally, I banged on the door again, going against my earlier threat. I didn’t smash it with Immortal Shell though I wanted to. “Are you taking the piss in there?” I shouted.

“Someone is on their way,” the Dwarf behind the door snapped impatiently.

He answered, so that was good enough for me and I continued to wait.

After another ten minutes, the door finally swung open and to my other surprise there stood a very neutral looking Egard.

“Well, would you look who showed up,” I said, trying to hide my surprise that it was Dwarf Nemesis who had been brought.

He let out a long-suffering sigh. “Look, Clive. Unless you're willing to travel the tunnels back home, there’s nothing I can do for you here.”

“Sure there is! You just don't want to,” I replied without humor.

“While we have our own problems, you know fine well that’s an order from Darkness. He will not interfere in the current war for the surface. If these guys suddenly disappear, Justice are gonna know who helped them. So no, not happening.”

I stared at him for a while as I worked through my thoughts. While I was happy to push the burden of decision on others, I thought knew better. This was one of those moments where I had to do something, because doing nothing was worse than useless.

“But we can go through the tunnels? All of the people with me outside?”

“Yes. That’s the deal,” he said, his beard quivering with suppressed annoyance at me.

“Well, what about this? I use your tunnels to get my people in here? Because honestly, Egard, while you say you're not involved, it's seriously unfair that you have a fucking monopoly on all of the tunnels and basically the fucking ground. Because one of my plans would be to dig a tunnel to get these poor fuckers out of here. But we can’t, can we?” Because then we’d be encroaching on your territory. Normally I wouldn’t mind, but Melandrac here, told me that you threaten to kill them all if they set foot in the Nideland.”

“Again, my hands are tied. They go underground. It’s tied back to us.”

“Yeah you said,” I replied dourly. “So, how about my proposal? Let us use your tunnels to get in here. If you do, I let our history drop, providing you don't fuck with us.”

“I don't know Clive if I'm allowed to offer that. You’ll have to give me some time to find out.”

“That's fine. Go ask the big boss man. Do you know where I’m camped for when you return?”

“Of course I do. We’re keeping an eye on you,” He said flatly. “Until you're safely back in Far Reach I’m stuck out in the tunnels.”

“My heart bleeds for you. Now run along and let me know when you know.”

He stepped back silently. Meeting my eyes before slamming the door with real vehemence. If looks could kill, I’d just been hung drawn and quartered.

Irritating Egard filled me with a warm glow inside. As I turned to face the eager watchers, I smiled wide.

“Okey dokey, guys. You heard where we are at. If you’re alright with it, I’m going to bring my army into your city. We’ll bring what food we can, but there’s not a lot out there because it's a barren shit hold up here. Once we’re here, though, I don’t expect to be hanging around for very long if you get my drift.”

“Drift?” Loric asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, as Melandrac started to talk again.

“We did not agree to this. I do not feel comfortable about your army coming within our city.”

“Melandrac,” I said patiently. Honestly, I understand you giving it the big’ with the false bravado and everything. You’re trying to feel like you’re still in control. Even if it’s only a little bit. But the truth is that you guys are so many kinds of fucked here, and your choices are dying, or we rescue you and all your kids and shit.

So, while I understand where you’re coming from, just tie a knot in it, Will you? I haven’t got the time or energy to convince you anymore. If the Dwarves let us through we’re coming in and we’re saving everyone we can. That’s it.” As I spoke, I made eye contact with all of his men. I wanted them to all hear and understand, so if Melandrac decided to be a dick, and accidentally died. There were others ready to step in, having understood what had happened here.

“I am ready and willing to take a chance,” Loric said. Easing the tension of the room.

“Good to hear it. I’m going back to my army now and one way or another I’ll see you all soon.” With those words, I activated my return.