“So, it was as we feared.”

It had been three days since I came to Fort Coldmaw. Knowing that an enemy would show here, if they showed anywhere, I had decided to stay here, and help prepare the defenses as best I could. At least until we found out where the main thrust was coming, so I could go there.

The scouts had just reported in, transmitting their findings via sending stones. Unfortunately, the news was worse than we had hoped, but not quite as bad as we figured it would be. Which is why I was gathered around a table in the war room of the fort, looking down at a map of Frostreach.

Captain Whiterazor nodded to me, before looking back at the map. “Yes, your Majesty, it appears so. Without their leaders, the remaining frost giant tribes have been fighting amongst themselves to sort out who is in charge. However, they have not forgotten you, it seems, and they want revenge. Also, it seems that the elementals of the glacier march with them.”

“The giants I can understand. They have a reason for wanting revenge, and, without their elders, they are probably stupid enough to fall for whatever lies the archon has spread to them. But the elementals? What could possess them to form ranks with the giants and march away from the areas which grant them power? That is not normal behavior for their kind.”

“No idea, your Majesty. But, if I had to guess, I would say it is some kind of magic. Not so much getting them to sign up as driving them forward, like a necromancer with their army of the undead.”

“That… might be more likely than you know.”

All eyes turned to Sanvi, who did not look pleased at all. “I will not bore you with the politics of the higher and outer planes, but just know that the heavens and the lords of the elemental planes have not always been on the best of terms, and, at times, have turned to open war. And not just the heavens, but also the hells and the abyss. The wars between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ often find new battlegrounds and strange allies or newfound enemies in the elemental planes, as the different elemental lords fight their wars between themselves.

“Because of this, there have long been rumors of artifacts that were forged in secret to demand fealty from creatures of a certain type, much as how clerics of certain gods can command or turn away creatures of the elemental planes as though they were undead by channeling their gods’ power. Except, as these were weapons to use in war, the effects were far more potent than those temporary boons. The warsmiths created the Scepters of Elemental Rulership, which allows the one bearing it to control all elementals of its type within a certain distance, binding them to his will. This works even on those paraelementals which combine two primal forces, such as Earth and Fire creating a Magma Paraelemental, which could be controlled by either the Fire scepter or the Earth scepter.”

I breathed out heavily. “How deep is the level of control? And how wide is the range?”

“I do not know for certain,” Sanvi shook her head, sadly. “They were supposed to be rumors, nothing more. It has been over a thousand years since the last wars between the heavens and the outer planes, and, though there have been battles since then, none of the conflicts since have erupted into open war. Such artifacts would not be used on mere skirmishes.”

She took a breath, as she wracked her memory, looking for the answers. “I heard once that the scepters were like the Dominate Monster spell, but in a wide area. But I cannot recall the exact area, or how far the control extends. Perhaps a mile? I’m sorry, but that is all I can remember.”

“No,” I shook my head. “That is more than enough. We now know what we’re dealing with. More importantly, have a target. If the person holding the scepter goes down, then it is likely the elementals will turn on their ‘allies’. No one enjoys being forced to do someone else’s will, after all.”

Whiterazor grinned. “That’d turn the tide of battle right quick in the north. Though finding the person with the scepter will likely be a pain for whoever is tasked with that. Fortunately, our battle here is nice and simple. Just have to hold out and kill everyone that thinks they can take Coldmaw from us.”

I chuckled, and said, “What numbers are we expecting, in the north?”

“According to the scouts, at least five hundred frost giants, though they have that again in both ogres and winter wolves, and even a few young white dragons in their midst. It is a sizeable force, with most of the surviving tribes involved. Some fifteen or sixteen hundred in all. But the icy elementals swell their numbers to just under four thousand.”

I took a deep breath. That was bad. Not unmanageable, by any means, but it was still bad. “What of the east? What of the barbarians and the dragon there?”

“The scouts were actually met by the dragon herself as they crossed the border, as though she were expecting them. It seems that Meltharan has proclaimed her neutrality in this feud between the servants of Torm and Auril, and has no interest in allowing her people to be used as a foil for another’s schemes. So long as her domain is not violated, she will not intervene, one way or the other.”

I smiled at that. “Well, I guess it was worth sending those gifts and offers of trade to her lands when Frostreach was first established. Having one fewer enemy to deal with is a relief.”

Siora leaned in. “What did you send the wyrm that bought her neutrality, Mel?”

“Oh, that is easy. Meltharan has a bit of a reputation of being a scholar. Specifically, a scholar of the Twice-Born, and the worlds they come from. She hordes knowledge of the Twice-Born, and their stories. I spent several days speaking with her, and allowing her to go through my memories of my old life, experiencing them as I did.”

Vestele nodded. “Giving a dragon something for their horde, especially something unique and irreplaceable? That is a sure way to at least get them to stand aside, unless you do something to provoke them. Smart move, Mel.”

I just chuckled, and said, “I play with the cards I’m dealt, that’s all. Speaking of which,” I turned back to Whiterazor, “what of the south? How many are marching to face us, here?”

“Well, it looks like the neighboring lords have all taken up their levies and joined the crusade. They no doubt know how rich Frostreach has gotten, and how rapidly, what with the rare blue ice suddenly being in great supply thanks to the Frostmaiden’s blessing. The lords of Nearfall do not appreciate the loss of the lands betwixt the glacier and the crossroads.”

It was as he said. Half a day to the north of Coldmaw lay the city of J’Nast, which was located at the crossroads of two trade routes. However, the road running from west to east skirted the northern reaches of the Feyward Marshes and Strafsack Hills, allowing for Coldmaw to be the barrier to the south. Other forts were placed at the Feyhold River, which connected the Feyward Marshes to the Frostlace Lake in the west, and the Death Gate between the Strafsacks and the Fallen Mountain. But those forts were such that a hundred men could easily hold off a force twenty times their size, so long as they had arrows to spend, and there was no way to circle round them in force.

That was why Coldmaw was so important, and how I was able to capture Frostreach in the first place. The natural barriers made it an enclave from the rest of Nearfall already. I just cut them off and fortified, turning an enclave into a kingdom.

I chuckled, thinking back on that campaign. “Yes, well, if they did not wish for me to conquer it, then they should have left a stronger defense. They took the trade routes through J’Nast for granted, and that is how they lost them. Too bad for them.”

“Aye, your Majesty, but it seems that the lords were not happy with leaving things like that. The scouts report at least ten thousand spears march on Fort Coldmaw. And they noted three figures, in particular. Angels, not even bothering to hide their light.”

“That would be the three solars that I was expecting to fight at some point,” I nodded. “Yes, having them be the face of the rallying cry to combat the ‘wicked sinners’ would definitely go a long way to getting the common folk on board. Especially if they appealed to more than the followers of Torm. A few exaggerations about what we do here, ‘for the greater good’, of course, not as a cheap ploy to sway the ignorant, and the lords would have all the support they needed to launch a ‘holy’ crusade to enrich themselves.”

Sanvi nodded. “And if they are displaying themselves openly, blatantly drawing attention to the south, you can bet that my father will be in the north, guiding the giants and elementals. He is no paladin, so that allows him more leeway when dealing with ‘less reputable’ types, especially when he has a god giving him special dispensation for his hunt.”

“Will he aid the assault directly?”

“Not likely. Not unless he sees a chance to truly devastate the kingdom, or you take the field. It wouldn’t even surprise me to see him try and slip through the lines unnoticed. If the attack in the north fails, he’ll likely try to slip past the lines, and make for your palace, hiding amongst the staff so he can strike when you are weakest. Or go after your son and heir.”

“Since he knows that would hurt me, and force me to come to him, I assume? Yes, he’s the kind of twisted bastard who would do something like that.” I sighed. “Fine. Send word to General Icetongue. Tell her to take the majority of the army to the north, and deal with the giants and their army. The ground there is not as easily defended, and giants are stronger than normal soldiers. They’ll need the extra people.”

“And we poor sods here at Coldmaw, Majesty?” Whiterazor’s eyes were sparkling, since he already knew what I was going to say.

“We will just have to entertain a force of ten thousand with five hundred. I know, I know, it is the stuff of legends, but I dare say there are a few of the soldiers here who are up to some legendary actions. And we’ll need to start by further fortifying the field.”

“I thought you might say that, Majesty. So, second thing I did, after sending the scouts out like I was ordered, was have some of the lads start making surveys. We have a druid or two in the mix, so they’ve spent the last couple days using that Move Earth spell to create pit traps and trenches, while the rest started getting spikes ready to plant in the bottom.”

“Very nice, Captain. But I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that those pits will likely only delay the troops, especially if they have any casters of their own.”

“Aye, your Majesty. But the more they waste their casters’ spells on things like that, while ours are all fresh up, the better. And the spikes aren’t likely to kill any, I know, but wounded soldiers cost an enemy more. They scream and howl until they’re either treated, or put down, and either you end up losing supplies treating them, or you lose morale as the soldiers watch their friends get put out of their misery.” The snow goblin grinned wickedly. “Plus, unless they fill the trenches back in, they aren’t getting any siege weapons past that point unless they take them on the road itself. And we have the trebuchets already sighted on that part of the road, ready to unleash all kinds of ‘fun’.”

I nodded. This is why I left the military matters to the military. “Very well. Continue with your preparations as you see fit. Spread the word that I give my personal approval to any ‘fun’ the troops want to set up, so long as it does not compromise the defense, or dip into the food stores. The more we can break their spirit before they even get in bowshot of the walls, the better.”

“That’ll go over well with the men. They’ve been swapping stories, like all fighters do, comparing some of the crazy things they’ve seen in their time. More than a few have gotten some crazy ideas, when mixing the ‘civilized’ learning with the cunning of a ‘monster’.”

“That’s good,” I smiled. And it was. It meant that my troops were truly melding into one army, rather than an army of humans and an army of supposed monsters. “Then, the only question left would be how can I help?”

“Well, I know it is a bit of an imposition, but if you could maybe pop in the mess hall now and then, share some stories with the men? The humans, especially, only know you as their queen. They haven’t seen the real you yet. Maybe it’d be good to teach ‘em a thing or two, before the fighting starts? Might be a good way to keep morale up.”

I laughed, and said, “Sounds good to me, Captain.”