Surface- Lost Islands Region

Empire of Night- Island of Andport

Jacob watched as the Bloodforged and her consorts escort the thirty cargo vessels filled with prisoners, wounded, and the dead leave for Anchorhead. Once there they would reload with supplies and materials to make repairs to the fortifications and Keep. In a little over a month, they would be back. Hopefully with the good news that the Empire was safe and that nothing bad was happening. By the time they were back, Jacob also hoped to have conquered at least one more of the islands, if not all of them.

"Well, glad that is over. Ready to go see our guests Captain Thorgron?" Jacob asked the Duergar who grumbled as Jacob smiled as the headed for the damaged Keep.

"Can I ask why you are keeping those two assassins alive and not executing them? If they had known you were here, they would have made strait for you lad." Thorgron asked as they made their way through the recovering town. Most of the apparent damage had been repaired, but the Keep and fortifications could not be repaired and scared the town and harbor.

"They are alive for now because I promised myself I would not make a snap decision when someone's life was on the line again. So people can grumble and be annoyed, but I will wait and make the decision to execute or spare someone's life when I am calm and collected. They have something we want and I have something they want." Jacob told the Duergar.

The Duergar considered the Vampires' words, "What are you going to give them what they want so bad?"

Jacob smiled at the Duergar, "Their lives of course."

"The men won't like that," Thorgron replied causing Jacob to chuckle as they walked down the steps that led to the cells below the keep. Two squads of Legionnaires were standing guard over the two assassins. Both were wounded and in need of healing, but neither one would die any time soon of their wounds. They had been healed just enough to stabilize their conditions.

"Ahh, so these are my two favorite guests. I am so glad you two decided to come. I have no idea what I would do without you." Jacob stated as he entered the small dungeon.

The Goblin sneered at him while the Beast Kin that looked like a panther or jaguar just stared at him. "What do you want half breed?" the Goblin stated causing the Beast Kin to snort and roll its eyes as it leaned back away from Jacob as it sniffed the air.

Jacob moved and palmed the Goblins skull and slowly lifted him up so they were eye to eye. Jacob slowly let his talons grow and dig into the Goblins skin drawing blood and whimpers from the smaller being. "I am no more a half-breed then you are an Orc. Now if you want to see which one of us is the bigger monster I would suggest you use your words more carefully." Jacob hissed out. Speaking with his fangs was difficult and gave him a slight lisp but the two assassins understood his point.

"What do you want?" the Beast Kin asked. Jacob studied the other occupant of the cell before releasing the Goblin that immediately scuttled as far away from Jacob as he could.

"I want many things. Peace on this world. The chance to raise a family without trouble. The Slavers Union to disappear off the face of this world. Chaos bound so tight she will never get loose, but just cause I want it to happen does not mean it will. What do you want?" Jacob asked as he moved directly in front of the Beast Kin and met his stare.

The Beast Kin studied Jacob seeing if he could take him seriously before responding. "Freedom, that is what I want."

Jacob smiled and nodded his head, "Freedom, I can help you get that. I can, but if I help you with that I would need something in return. Now if you are as smart as you think you are, you know what I need." Jacob replied as he studied the Beast Kin.

"You want to know about the defenses on the two other islands, correct?" the Beast Kin asked and Jacob nodded his head.

"If you tell us all about the defenses, troops, basically anything that will be fighting to keep us from conquering the islands of Ordstead and Yhedgan, if you do that, I give you my word that I will personally walk you down to the shore myself. You will be free and clear of the Empire of Night. However you will be Marked as an Exile, if you set foot into Imperial lands, you will die. Do we have an Accord?" Jacob asked the Beast Kin.

Surface- Lost Islands Region

Free Lands- Island of Ordstead

Broken Cliffs

Darren and a dozen other Rogues climbed a rope ladder up the Broken Cliffs. It was a back way onto the main island Shan'ja, the Panther type Beast Kin, had created when he first got to the island. Now Darren and a small strike group were scaling it to infiltrate the island and clear out one of the coves so they could land troops undetected. At least that was the plan anyway.

They did not count on several archers being spotted at the top of the cliffs though, and now Darren and his team would have to be careful otherwise they risked discovery and ending their one chance at a surprise attack on the main island. Jacob believed that if they captured the main island, that the last island would surrender without a fight. Darren didn't know if that would happen or not, but he could hope the other Immortal was right.

Darren checked and he had not been detected yet, but the closer to the top of the cliffs the more chance the archers there would spot them. Ten feet....five feet....in range. Shadow Jump...before the closest Archer could do anything Darren's knives were moving. Throat, kidney, and heart within moments the closest archer was dying and Darren was moving to the next archer.

Soon the twins were up and about. Derren smiled at the vicious little halflings as they ran off to deal with other archers while Darren began to scout the nearby wooded area. Jacob watched the shoreline intently as they waited for the sign that they had succeeded. Jacob half expected the infiltration team to fail, but so far the defenders had not responded. Suddenly Jacob got the message from Darren 'All Clear, bring them in' caused Jacob to smile and breathe easier as he sent out a message for the transports to move.

The whole Second Legion was present and waiting to land. It would stretch the Legion to the max to hold the beach attack the port and word off any attack from the Fortress of Vremburn, but Jacob was sure they could do it. The Dawn Guard and Captain Thorgron had insisted that they be first on the island this time. After some consideration, Jacob had acquiesced to his request.

The transport he was on lurched as the sail caught the wing and slowly picked up speed. They would be at the cove in twenty minutes. Within an hour they would have the Dawn Guard and two Cohorts on the island. The attack on the port from the ocean side would not start for another two hours, by which time half the Second Legion would be on the island undetected...Hopefully. The Pirate Lord watched the waves crash on the shoreline. The Fortress of Vremburn was located on the southern coast of the island of Ordstead. A small cove and several ships were moored there currently, but the majority of the naval power was currently anchored in the main harbor of the island to the east. Sebastion had been the Pirate Lord for the last decade, the previous Pirate Lord had run afoul of the Slavers Union had been deposed.

Now the same guild that had given him power was going to get him and the islands he ruled, destroyed. Greed had finally done in the pirates that had ruled these islands and waters for centuries. Sebastion could only hope that he could make the Empire pay for what they were doing. Sebastion had been tempted to use the Teleport Pads to shift some of his military strength to the island of Andport in a surprise attack, but if he used them. The Empire would use them as well. No, the best defense was to sit back and wait for them to come to him and hope they could fight them off.

"What will you do my friend. After the last Pirate Lord, you promised to bring greatness back to our people with the alliance with the Slavers Union, now we stand upon the brink of extinction." Sebastion looked at his old friend, mentor, and advisor. Against all odds, the old pirate had survived to old age and was one of the oldest in the Lost Islands.

"I will do what I can to protect our way of life old friend, but there is only so much I can do," Sebastion told him.

"What if it's not enough?" the old man asked. Before Sebastion could respond explosions destroyed the calm of the night. Sebastion immediately moved to the window the looked onto the main harbor of the islands and saw that two of the defensive towers at the mouth of the bay were on fire. Sebastion could see several Imperial ships inside the bay attacking vessels at anchor and docked.

"Rouse the garrison, we will leave half here and the other half will come with me to reinforce the port," Sebastion commanded as he moved to his armor stand to equip his armor and weapons. Jacob watched as General Ironbark and four Cohorts of the Second Legion headed straight for the port and the town there. Jacob, the Dawn Guard, and four more Cohorts would be deployed between the town and the Fortress to the south-west of the town and intercept any reinforcements sent to the port from the fortress along the main road between the two locations.

When they had left the cove, two Cohorts had already been deployed there to defend it from a counter-attack, but considering how many coves were located around the main island it was highly unlikely that a counter-attack would be sent there.

The few Geomancers with them were already creating a small ditch and raising a small berm before the main line of Legionnaires. It would provide little protection, but it might be the difference in victory and defeat. Scouts had been deployed along the road to warn them of any incoming resistance. Jacob quickly began checking his own personal Buffs to ensure he was prepared for the coming fight. The few Rangers and Battle Engineers added traps to the road and surrounding area. It would only slow and hurt enemy troops, but every little bit counted.

Suddenly explosions sounded from the harbor causing Jacob to smile. The naval bombardment had begun. The Legionnaires increased their pace at preparing the defenses, they were no longer worried about stealth now.

Ten long minutes later Jacob saw a large body of troops jogging down the road towards them. They were wearing all types of armor and weapons and no organization. "ON THE LINE!!!" was quickly shouted as the Legionnaires made last-minute preparations. Buffs were given out, shields and weapons checked, last-minute drinks of water, anything that might distract a soldier and get someone killed was taken care of as the Crossbowmen raised their weapons and sighted down the road.

Finally, the lead elements noticed the Dawn Guard and Legionnaires barring their way, but it was too late. With a shout one hundred crossbow bolts and a dozen, spells slammed into the oncoming pirates. Dozens died in seconds as crossbow bolts and magic ripped through them. Shouts and screams filled the night as the pirates died in droves. Suddenly hundreds of the pirates moved off into the road and around the flanks of the ongoing battle in an attempt to strike at the blocking forces flanks or rear.

A Cohort had been deployed on either side of the main road to protect the Dawn Guard and the two Cohorts on the main road. They guarding troops immediately engaged the flanking forces and blunted their attacks. Finally, the pirates managed to push through the charnel house the road was becoming and slammed into the Legionnaires' main battle line. Jacob watched all of this from the read with the remaining Cohort held in reserve.

Jacob ground his teeth in frustration but he had made promises so he kept them for now. They didn't need him yet, so he waited and watched. "Mages to the port side!! Full sail!! FIRE WHEN READY!!!" the rapid-fire commands came out quickly as the Barracuda twisted and turned as quickly as it could to avoid the return fire from the defensive fortifications. Already four of the watchtowers were smoking wrecks. Two more were still intact, but due to the Ballistas and Catapults located near them the Barracuda, the Dauntless and their escorts couldn't get close without risking severe damage. The Rapier had already pulled back to make emergency repairs.

The port side light up with fire as a Ballista Bolt slammed into the shield there. The half dozen mages supporting the shield collapsed as the shield did, but they had done their jobs. The Scorpions on the port side immediately returned fire, killing two of the Ballista crew and damaging the siege weapon. "I want those damned Catapolts out of action Sergeant!! They are the biggest threat to this ship and crew." Commander Treadwill yelled out over the other screams and explosions going on around them The burly Orc nodded as the Commander clapped him on the shoulder and headed for the steering deck.

"How we doing Captain?" Commander Treadwill asked as he joined the man.

"We got a half-dozen Marines and four sailers down due to flash burns. All the healers are helping with shielding the ship. The next close call could set fire to the mainsail and leave us dead in the water. HARD TO STARBOARD, HALF SAIL!!! the Captain called out orders throwing Barracuda serpentine maneuver to throw off their enemies aim as more Ballista Bolts and stones from the Catapults arced out to strike at them.