The Prophesy: Book 2 - The Right Hand of Destiny

 

The four boys exited the stall of the stallion only to be hailed by one of the horse grooms.

"Hey there, you four!"

"Shit! As if we needed a zealot to deal with!" muttered Enron as he turned around to look at the sixteen-year old boy walking towards them with a look that didn't bode well for friendly relationships.

"What were you doing in Alhambra's stall? If anything happened to the horse, I'll have your ass whipped!"

"Right! And if you even tried anything, I'll have your head served to the orcs on a golden platter!" answered Harp.

"Harp! Cool it! We need the guy!"

"What for, Sitar?"

"To find the baron, damn it!"

"As if you stand any chance of meeting the baron, twerps!"

"How about using your eyes to look at something other than your belly button?" Paschal replied.

"What is there to see other than four little trouble-makers?"

"There, I'll admit guilt! We spell trouble, for people who misjudge us, from dukes to orcs! How about asking us our names? It might be more intelligent then spitting on us like an enraged dog!"

"Names mean nothing! No more than clothes, for that matter! Mom keeps telling me that vestments are the best way to hide who you are, not a display of quality."

"I know that saying: Robe doesn't make clerk! However, if you look at us, you will notice a few things: One, the quality is first class, we are wearing armour, and we carry weapons. That should make you think twice before continuing the confrontational attitude."

"Weapons? I see swords of comedy, and one that only welds a stick!"

"I'll show you a stick!"

"Harp! No! This is a barn, and there is dry hay! We don't want to start a fire!"

"Oh! Sorry, Sitar, I am getting pissed and you know me! It's not good to piss me off!"

"Yes, I know you. That's why I will deal with this. Keep your fiery temper under control! I'm sure we will have occasions for your frustration to explode constructively later!"

Paschal and Enron smirked as they looked at Harp.

"You two better not say a word!"

"Who? Us?" the two answered in tandem.

"Let's deal with this now. I see a steel rod there. Take it and try to hit me with it!" suggested Sitar.

"What for?"

"You will see for yourself this is not a sword of comedy!"

"I don't want to hurt you!"

The comment brought an explosion of hilarity from the four boys.

"Try as you might, you won't be able to hurt Sitar, Montue, God of War of Atlantis!" Enron explained.

"That just proves to me you are nuts! I never heard of that Sitar Montue!"

"We haven't heard of you either, yet you are!"

"Come on, we don't have all day! I must reach the baron shortly!"

"Sure! Sure! Let me get that rod, but don't complain if I break a bone!"

"Yours or mine?"

The groom fetched the six-foot steel rod and gripped it like a staff. He moved to hit Sitar on the hip but Sitar moved out of the way and, applying a quick push on the boy, sent him sprawling in the murk.

"What the hell?"

"Judo! An art I introduced in a long-lost country, Siam."

The boy stood up, took the steel rod at one end and tried to strike Sitar at the head with it, to no avail. Sitar used Excalibur to slice the rod into six one-foot long segments so quickly the pieces flew in every direction. The boy looked at the residual one-foot stomp he had left in his hands and dropped it, because it was becoming hot.

"Holy shit! What happened?"

"Excalibur can slice just about anything, that's what. Now do you believe us?"

"I have to, that blade could make minced meat of me!"

"That's true. Orcs found out the hard way. Now, to get to the baron."

"I'll get you there. There are secret passages to the baron's keep from here, and you would be in the place without having to cut your way through the guards. We need them, you know! Especially my dad."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why especially your dad?"

"Oh, he is shift commander, and he should be in charge of the shift until two hours after prime. I don't want him to get in trouble! He is stubborn, and could well try to test you and lose a few limbs in the process!"

"That's a reasonable assumption. Some people did test us and lost limbs!"

"Harp, you have a way with words!"

"What do you mean?"

"Some lost bowels, arms, legs, and heads. There has been a pretty bloody war going on."

"Don't I know it; we have lost numerous members of the guards as we tried to push back first the orcs, than the hunters and their ugly allies."

The groom brought them ever further inside the fortress, using dark, rarely used passages, going up and turning left and right.

"You seem to know this place pretty well!" Paschal commented.

"Well, before doing the murk work, I used to explore this place from top to bottom. It was fun to sneak into rooms and see all those old places where no one ever went."

"I can imagine. If my memory serves me right, we are going to the core control room of the Atlantean fortifications. It should have control crystals of orichalque, coded by colour. Hidden below the floor of the control room is a passageway to the store room of hibernation capsules, and their power supply."

"What? How did you know about the colourful room we are headed to?"

"I am Paschal, Imhophet, Grand Architect of Atlantis, and I designed this building."

"That is impossible! It's so old we have no idea who built it!"

"There you are both right and wrong: It is old, well over seventeen thousand years old, and you are wrong: it is the Atlanteans that built this building, according to my plans."

"Paschal, the only way to convince him is to activate the trap."

"You may be right, Harp. We turn left here, and walk up that flight of stairs, to get above the canister storage bin."

The groom was beginning to worry about who these kids were, and wondered if he should have brought them through these passages.

"Ah, here we are! Let me see. To test the condition of the power circuit, it's this combination: red, red, green, red." Paschal pressed the four crystals in sequence and a gentle hum could be heard as first one then another and another red crystal turned first yellow then green.

"They are all functioning. Remarkable after seventeen thousand years of sleep!" exclaimed Harp.

"Yes, let me check the load." Paschal touched the control crystals and this time the combination was red, green, red, and red. Gauges, which had been dark on the far wall, came to life, to the amazement and fear of the groom.

The three gauges began climbing up towards the ceiling, first in red, then orange, then yellow, and finally green. All came to the top and the left and right walls slid down, opening bank after bank of controls.

"The time capsule controls! They are accessible!"

"Can you check the individual capsules?"

"Yes Harp. Let's see, green, red, red, red."

As the combination took effect, an explosion of colours travelled the two walls, finally settling into a uniform green.

"All are go! This is marvellous!"

"Let me tell dad!"

"Tell dad? How do you plan to tell your dad, he isn't here?"

"Telepathy!" replied Paschal, as Harp informed Harold of the good news.

"Have you found another control room like this one? For that matter, there should be five of these. From the number I see on the wall, this is labelled R4. The others should be R1, R2, R3, and R5. Each controls the same number of hibernation cells."

"I don't remember, but I've not covered a quarter of the innards of this place. After all, I had to grow up and I didn't want to get lost."

"That's understandable. We'll deal with the issue once we have talked to the baron. Let's get moving. If the throne room hasn't been moved, we should be able to reach it using the short hallway we passed to the left of the entrance, climb up another long stretch of stairs, end up in front of the door of Theses, behind the basalt statue of the person. Pushing on a lever will turn the statue on its axis and get us in the hallway leading directly behind the throne room."

""There, you lost me. I have never seen any lever, and that passageway seems to lead to a dead end."

"Do not worry, I have just about recovered the plans in my head. Follow me!"

This time it was Paschal that led the boys along the passageways. After ten minutes of climb, they reached the dead end.

"Harp, lights please?"

"Sure!"

Harp lifted Bata up and the tip began to glow, first gently, then with ever more intensity, bringing everything in view as if the sun was rising.

"See that hole about eight feet above ground level? That is where the lever is!"

"No wonder I never found it! Last time I came down this way I wouldn't have been able to reach it!"

"Let's get going, Paschal! We have been in this place for at least an hour!"

"True, Enron." Paschal moved, slid his hand in the hole and pulled on the lever. Weights and counterweights could be heard moving and suddenly the wall in front of them began moving, at first slowly, then with more speed.

"There we are! Let's get in the hallway beyond the statue. I need to push it back in place after we are out."

"Let's hope the noise did not attract attention, Paschal."

"Yes, let's get moving! The control rooms are too precious to be known by too many!"

The five boys moved into the hallway leading to the throne room, and Paschal climbed on the statue and pressed on the right eye. He then jumped back to join the boys as the basaltic piece moved back in place.

"Next, the throne room. It's left of here, right around the next two bends. I planned for the need to defend the entrances to the control room."

"By the way, you never told us how you found the first control room?" Sitar asked.

"I was being pursued by a cook who didn't like me stealing some food for my sister, and I happened to climb up on the big cat statue and lean on the left eye. It moved and I quickly figured this was a good hiding place from that creep. There was a table on the other side, and I climbed on it trying to figure out how to close the door. It was a red brick that was sticking out. I found out about it by leaning on the wall as I heard the steps of the cook coming down the hallway."

"The big cat is extinct. It's a lion, from very far away. You were lucky."

"Yes I know; that bastard was one mean man. Someone got even with him, I heard."

"Here we are. The throne room is just beyond that wall. See these holes there? They let people in here see what is happening on the other side; it's a safety measure. Look at that mirror, over there; it lets us view who is sitting on the throne, since we are behind it. Is that the baron?"

"Yes, Paschal. I remember him from his last visit at the Royal Palace, some years ago."

"I hope he remembers how you look, Enron. We don't want to lose another blue blood asshole."

"I've changed, Harp, considerably! I was a weakling remember? I suggest once we are in the room we proceed to a demonstration of power, all four of us."

"Who the hell are you? I see my dad talking to the baron right now; if I can smooth things out it would be better!"

"If you say so. Well, I'm Enron, Prince Regent of the Elvin kingdom. On my left is Prince Sitar of the Wolf Throne, Montue god of War of Atlantis. On my right is Harp of the Wolf Throne, Mage Merlin of Atlantis, and beside him is Paschal of the Wolf Throne, Imhophet, Grand Architect of Atlantis. Do you think that this will help?"

"I don't know. To be honest, I'm scared stiff, and I only believe you because of what I have seen!"

"That's ok. Scepticism is not a bad thing, as long as it doesn't turn into stubbornness."

"Open that door, Paschal; we will have more time later for philosophy lessons!"

"Yes let's see. This is going to be noisy; there is a table in the way of the door, according to the lateral mirrors. Sitar, I suggest you and Harp go first to stop any stupid act!"

"Ha! Finally some action!"

"Hey, stun the dumb Asses, Harp. We need them!"

"Hold it! Hold it! Let me try something first!"

"What, Harp?"

"Levitation. If the table is not bolted in place I can move it out of the way."

"Give it a try!"

"Let me focus, Paschal."

The five boys looked at the reflexion of the table in the mirror and saw it gradually rise up.

"Enough Harp! Let's not make them panic more than necessary! If they see a flying table we won't even be able to open our mouth to speak!"

"Right! Where to, Paschal?"

"The door slides forward a foot then moves left. Move the table to the right three feet. That should be enough."

Harp did as asked, and settled the table against the wall in its new position.

"I hope your memory is correct, Paschal! Did you take into account the fact that we are behind the wall, not in front of it on the other side?"

"Yes, Harp, I'm not an architect for nothing."

"The more I see you guys at work, the more scared I get!"

"I guess you talked to orcs lately?"

"No, I don't think they have much to talk about except their stomach cramps!"

"Keep quiet, while I open the door."

Paschal pulled on a low-hanging strand of mithril, and the wall moved forward a foot silently and slid left two and a half feet. The boys slipped through the opening quietly, listening to the discussion in the room.

"Should we close the door?"

"Not yet. If we have to retreat because some idiots go nuts, I want to be able to do it quickly."

"Good point, Sitar. Let's invite ourselves to that war meeting."

***

The five boys emerged from behind the throne, but no one noticed them. The groom boy moved to his dad and touched him on the hip gently.

"Dad?"

"Not now, Alaric, I am busy!"

"Dad, it's critical to what you are doing now!"

"I said not now! Don't you see I'm in conference with the baron?"

"Yes dad, and what I have to tell you impacts on what you are discussing!"

"Don't bug me with stupidities! By the way, how come you are here? I'll get the sergeant that let you in without permission!"

"He doesn't even know I'm in here! How could he be blamed?"

"What? He sleeps on his shift?"

"That, I can't tell, but he didn't see me! Neither did I see him!"

"That nails it! The fucker abandoned his station at the door!"

"I doubt that, since we didn't come through the door, dad."

"That's impossible, there is only one door!"

"Dad, that door is noisier than a troop of orcs charging. Did you hear it open?"

"Well, come to think of it, no?"

"Finally! Will you listen, now that your brain is out of the single track it's been following?"

"If you do not want a spanking, little brat, it better be good!"

"I brought company. May I introduce you to them and them to you?"

"Company?" The man lifted his head from the map he was studying, and looked around. He spotted the four boys that accompanied his son, and immediately noticed they seem to hold themselves very professionally, with weapons at the ready. His expert eyes revealed these boys were not playing; they knew how to use their tools. He backed off the table to be able to use his sword more effectively.

"Keep your hands on the table, sir. Where I can see them. Alaric has yet to introduce us, and I would deeply regret to have to behead his dad because of a misunderstanding!" Sitar stated.

"Dad, do what he says, on your life! I've seen that kid at work!"

"Commander, I asked you a question?" spoke the baron, still in his bubble.

"We have visitors, my lord, I have yet to know who they are."

"What visitors?"

"I was going to find out, my lord."

"Well, what are you waiting for, shouldn't you be going to the battlements to see who is paying us a visit? I hope it is the royal army. We need their intervention!"

"They are in this room, sire! Right behind you, for that matter!"

"What!" The baron literally jumped up and knocked the map table down, as he looked behind.

"Good morning, baron Dionysus." Enron replied. "I hope our surprise burst into your war room is well received!"

"What? Who are you? How come you know my name?"

"If the shift commander had let his son do the proper introductions, it would have been easier. I am Enron, Prince regent of the Elvin Kingdom. Dad is south of Byblos."

"That's impossible! I remember Samson had a son that should have been disposed of because he was weak!"

"Others thought so too, baron; their heads are now on spikes in Elvin Woods, if the orcs have not eaten them yet. Things change; adjust!"

"Especially Franz of Sophia!"

"Franz? What happened to him?"

"He got shortened by a head!"

"Well, that is good news. I never liked the viper."

"Don't insult vipers. Even the rats didn't want his company."

"That, I gladly believe! But who are you?"

"Let Alaric do the introductions. I don't like showing off," replied Harp.

The other three princes exploded in laughter, as Paschal replied, "Don't you believe him; he is the biggest show off the Earth has carried!"

Alaric quickly introduced the four princes, to ever widening eyes and mouths.

"Do you believe them, Alaric?" asked the baron.

"Yes sire. They demonstrated things to me without doubt. Paschal, Harp and Sitar clearly showed to me things I thought impossible; and Enron must be whom he claims given he is accompanied by these three princes."

"I can prove who I am, baron. Get the evacuation decree."

"I have it, sire," a counsellor said as he took it from under a pile of maps.

"Parchment! Wax! Candle! Fire!" stated Harp, deciding to show off.

The four elements materialized on the table, to the surprise of the baron and the others.

"One point for prince Harp, Sire!"

"Alaric!" his dad exclaimed.

Enron quickly melted the wax with the candle and produced the Elvin royal seal. He then rolled it in the soft wax and let it cool.

"Compare the two seals, baron."

After a few minutes, the baron moved the order and the newly sealed parchment to the others. The two parchments quickly passed from hand to hand, and everyone examined the seals.

As it returned to Enron, he gave the virgin parchment back to Harp, who immediately burned it. "No empty parchment with a royal seal should be left around," he explained.

"I have to admit the seals match perfectly. I even recognized the gold. So, before Alaric says it, point for Enron," the baron stated, smiling, as Alaric blushed deep red.

"Now my turn to prove my point!" exclaimed Sitar. "May I invite the best of you to a sword fight?"

"Dad! Don't! I've seen that sword mince a steel rod!"

"Do not worry, Alaric, I won't use Excalibur. I have a war trophy I took from an orc general yesterday." With a flick of the hand, Sitar materialized the sword in his left hand, as he handled Excalibur to Harp for safekeeping. "I can't handle Excalibur to any of you, gentlemen. It is tuned to the Royal Throne of the Wolf and its direct vassal, the Throne of Nature. So, who shall face me?"

The baron decided to do it himself. He was not going to back away from a challenge, even if it seemed preposterous. The two moved to the centre of the courtroom, and took position.

"We stop at first blood, baron?"

"Yes!"

The two began turning around each other. The baron quickly realized this was no ordinary boy. The kid knew what he was doing. As the swords met, he was surprised by Sitar's strength, and how he seemed to flow around his blade. Sitar seemed to run away, yet not so either. The flow of movement was so flawless the baron wondered why he had not yet been disarmed. Some of the moves the boy employed were so far advanced that the soldiers in the room whistled in admiration. The baron was panting heavily, while the boy didn't even seem to sweat!

"I will draw blood on your left arm, baron, just above the elbow, at the end of the next sequence."

"Why are you telling me that? You know I will do all I can to protect that part of my anatomy!"

"Exactly. I want you to have no doubt. Here goes."

With that comment, Sitar took the offensive, and quickly out-manoeuvred the baron, forcing him to take ever more strenuous postures to protect his body. As sweat was dripping from his nose, he saw the kid back off.

"Tired?"

"No, baron. Look at your left arm, just above the elbow. I told you I would draw blood there, and I did."

"Uh? I felt nothing!"

"Nonetheless, look."

"He is right, Sire. I can see a fine line bleeding just above your left elbow," Alaric's dad informed the man.

"Damn! I didn't even feel it! Point for Sitar, Montue god of War."

"Last but not least, baron, my turn. Follow me!"

"I wonder what will happen next?"

"Oh, a simple thing, baron. See that statue there? It is myself. If I exercise a pressure on the pen, like this, the statue moves and opens a secret passage. I designed this place."

"Well! I never knew of this!"

"It was not common knowledge. The original baron of this place knew of the secrets, but from what I have found from Alaric, most have been lost! I must admit that seventeen thousand years is a long time."

***

"Now that the presentation have been done and the formalities are out of the way, Prince Enron, how do you plan to implement the evacuation so announced in your decree, since your dad is way south of here?"

"I have another more pressing question, Sire. How did you get in the citadel?" Alaric asked. "I didn't know there was a passage to the outside from the stud farm!"

"Alaric! Your manners!"

"Don't blame your son, commander. It's the first question I should have asked! He shows more brain than most of us! And his comment about a secret passage to the outside is amply justified!"

"There are passages, baron," explained Paschal. "However we did not use them. We used teleportation to get from the rear line of the royal army to Alhambra's stall. I wouldn't worry about these passages if I were you. They have been hidden for seventeen thousand years and it would be very unlikely the orcs or crocodile priests would find them, especially since they are booby-trapped one way."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the booby traps are deactivated when you open the door to leave the keep, but if you try the other way around, you end up as food for cockroaches."

"As for your first question, we plan to teleport everyone out of here."

"But, Prince Enron, who will protect the place?"

"Alaric, you do ask good questions. There won't be anything to protect when we are done. Consider this: if we can teleport people, we can also teleport buildings. In fact we will teleport the outer city first, keeping the outer walls intact, back to a fallback place. Our current fallback place is Eloise. To help things out, I have another decree that should be implemented by noon at the latest."

"What is it this time?"

"It's a curfew. I want the streets of he lower town clear of any strollers, except your units, baron. Harp? You have the list of conscripts? Start moving them as soon as the curfew is in place! Baron, can we go on the external fortifications? I want to assess the situation de visu."

"Certainly, Prince Enron. Gentlemen, you have your orders! Alaric, you come with us while your dad sees to the curfew implementation."

"Enron, I am going back to the stud farm. We will start to move the horses out to the proper location right away, since they are already confined to the barns. I will also move the cows, and other farm animals to a location in Astor."

"Fine Harp. What about canines?"

"I have ordered them to move out of the houses and regroup in parks silently. The only exceptions are pregnant bitches and those who have pups not yet weaned. They are moving in the barn or their owner's home, waiting for them to be moved."

"You seem to have done this before?"

"Yes, baron, and it gets boring!"

"Paschal, you know what to do!"

"Yes, Enron. Map the magic field so it can be moved to our fallback position with the Atlantean keep. I have been on it ever since Alaric has been guiding us around. This one is a bit more complex than the others due to the contents."

The baron sensed he missed something, but he was too busy thinking about all he had learned to dig in. As the baron and his privy council looked on, first Harp, then Paschal and Sitar vanished.

"This is teleportation, baron. As you see, we have mastered it."

"I see that. Let's get to the battlements."

"Alaric, Sire, I'm following you. It is Paschal, the architect, not me. I have a tendency to get lost."

The Privy Council quickly left the room, and, indeed, opening the big door was noisy, to say the least.

"I am sure Harold would be furious!"

"Who is Harold?"

"King Harold of the Wolf Throne, Pharaoh Horus of Atlantis, dad to princes Harp, Paschal, Sitar and Ian."

"The more I hear, the more I believe I'm dreaming!"

"Do you want me to pinch you?"

"No, the burning sensation caused by Sitar's blade is enough to remind me I am not dreaming!"

***

The three progressed rapidly through the keep, exited the drawbridge and entered the lower city, moving towards the lakefront. As they walked through the town, they could hear the criers proclaiming the curfew as the military units moved to take position to close the streets to the public.

The sun was slowly rising above the eastern mountains, revealing the lake and the huge orc army that seemed to be camped right at its doorstep. Enron surveyed the scenery, impressed by its organization.

"Is this normal? I thought the lake would still be mostly free of ice this time of the year?"

"No, prince. The lake has taken really early this year, and the ice is now thick enough to support orcs, crocodile priests and hunters alike. We have seen battles between the hunters and the orcs on the ice almost every night for the past month. At night you see the fires of the hunters on the far shores; there is a line of fire along the dam, I think it is orcs."

"I wonder why they haven't assaulted this place yet? They could overrun it easily."

"We have wondered the same thing. We saw a huge column of orcs move behind us and enter the forest, moving south, about two weeks ago."

"We met them, they lost their commanding general to Sitar and, we estimate, well over two hundred thousand soldiers. They must be rather demoralized near the dam, we rained their losses on them!"

"That was the strange cloud! Well, you fed them too, if my idea of orc diet is correct. They were weak from lack of food, now they will be ready to deal with this place."

"For what it will serve them. An empty city is an empty larder."

"What's that shimmer I see up the lake?"

"We have no idea."

"Sire, if I may?"

"Alaric, any idea from you is as good as any. Be my guest!"

"Well, sire, I remember from school pictures of glaciers. That looks like a glacier front."

"A glacier front! No wonder they all are moving south! How much do you think it progresses from year to year, Alaric?"

"Maybe a mile or so, but it could speed up."

"And that's at least four miles from here. I need to have a closer look. Do you have a falcon?"

"Yes, Prince. But why?"

"I will fly it, like I flew the owl that delivered the evacuation decree. Send someone to get the bird."

The baron remembered the strange behaviour of the owl and he finally understood why it acted the way it did! He turned around and hollered for someone to get his best falcon. It took half an hour for the man carrying the bird to reach the three men, who had retired within a tower to cut the cold.

Enron quickly took control of the bird and flew off the falconer's arm. Everyone closely watched his every move.

"Is he sick?"

"No, falcon master. Look at how he handles his arms; it is like he is a falcon. Even his hair on his hand mimic feathers! He flies the bird! I marvelled at the owl; now, I marvel at the Prince! Can you imagine that fine control of another body?"

"I have never seen this before, Sire!"

"There are many things you haven't seen, falcon master. I have met so many surprises in the past hour and a half, I am not sure I'm still alive."

The falcon returned and landed gracefully on the falconer's arm.

"I have seen what I needed to see. This is indeed a glacier. The base is barely touching the lake as it moves forward pushing the earth like a giant plough. There are hunters all around the lake, and I have noticed there is what seems to be borrows along the lakeshore, which are protected by high concentrations of hunters. Have you seen any crocodiles around lately?"

"Come to think of it, no, not since winter settled in."

"I think they are hibernating. The hunters protect them from orc attacks."

"That would make sense. Have you seen everything you need?"

"Yes, let's go back down. We will eat something, I haven't had breakfast yet."

"Neither have we. Do not expect royal feasts. We are on restricted military diet."

"I doubt this will be a problem for us. We have been on military campaign diet for six months, except when we have guests. By the way, Harp just finished moving the farms south, staff and all."

"Already? But it's barely an hour since we left the council room!"

"He is efficient. Let's get to your quarters. I figure Harp will be hungry. We have been busy all night, and it's been three days without sleep. He will eat, but not much, I guess."

The three rapidly returned to the keep. As Alaric was getting ready to return to the barns, Enron signalled for him to follow them.

"But I must go take care of the horses!"

"They aren't there anymore, Alaric. The barns are now in Eloise, and most horses have been moved to the Royal army."

"Well, I should report to dad, then, so he can assign me a new job!"

"Your job, for now, is to help me, young man!"

"Me? Help you, Sire?"

"By using your brains. At least, you do not seem to be stuck in gutters like the old dinosaurs that populate my council. Follow me. Alaric, as of now, you are part of my Privy Council."

Alaric followed the baron and Enron in his private apartments, to be met by his wife and children. As the family got ready to head to the dining room, Paschal, Harp, and Sitar popped in front of them, to the amusement of the baron's kids, but to the panicked cry of his wife.

Quick introductions followed, as the baroness hid behind her husband in fear. Harp quickly materialized a good breakfast for everyone.

"Frankly, Harp, you need to change the diet! I am tired of military rations!"

"This is a military ration? Surely, you are jesting! We have been going on one tenth of that for months!"

"Well, the time of rationing is over. We will supply everyone in the army with the food they need. We have been doing that for the past six months anyway. Anyway, here is what I have found. First, there is a glacier four miles off. Second point: hunters occupy the lakeshore; they are protecting crocodile priests in hibernation. Third, the dam is occupied by orcs as well as the alluvial plain just below. The orcs are busy eating their fallen comrades like there was no tomorrow. Harp?"

"All livestock are now in southern Astor, with pregnant mares and those feeding calves; I also moved the staff, minus the conscripts, which now are facing the strictures of the royal army. I have also moved the dogs, the horses, and other animals that are incorporated in the army. Only left are the puppies, the bitches and those expecting."

"Sitar?"

"I have accompanied some units in the seedy sections of town most susceptible to cause trouble, and dispatched some hot heads. The rest are now with the royal army."

"Paschal?"

"I have finished the inventory of the outer city. I will have to leave a few buildings behind since they are part of the outer wall. I will evacuate those first. Mom is waiting for our signal to get the sick to the hospital. They are waiting for them. I will move them right after we finish breakfast."

"What about the keep?"

"That will take some time. Let's get the outer city out of the way. Since it's not visible from outside, what we are doing isn't detectable by the orcs."

"Good point, Paschal."

"What about my family?"

"It will be evacuated on Eloise."

"But I don't want to!" piped up the eldest.

"This is war, young man, and you will be evacuated, to get trained in the art of defence. Do not worry! You will not be sitting idle. Annabelle is a tough queen, and she is commander of the legions. By the time your dad sees you again, that baby fat will have melted to be replaced by muscles!"

"You say, Sitar, that he will be trained?"

"Yes, baron. As soon as a child can walk, he or she begins training. A knife can disable, be it handled by a man or a toddler. We are fighting to the death!"

His wife bleached considerably at hearing Sitar's assessment.

"Lady, it's so they can protect themselves and their siblings. Better to know how to fight than end up in an orc belly!"

"Everyone fed? Back to work."

***

The princes, the baron, and Alaric returned to the council chambers, just as the new commander took his shift.

"How is the curfew implementation progressing?"

"According to my predecessor, there were skirmishes in some quarters, but a whirlwind of a blade took care of the hottest heads. If I may say so, Sire, the boy to your left fits his description perfectly."

"Well, Sitar, your reputation seems to have spread!"

"As long as it's honest!"

"Will we be on time?" piped up Alaric.

"Yes, sir. We have almost finished, and we are almost two hours ahead of time. Another ten minutes or so, and everything should be in order."

Just as he was saying this, a trumpet was heard.

"Sorry, sir, that trumpet is the signal telling me everything is done."

"Then it is time to go to work. Harp, Paschal, move the buildings. Sitar and I will move the conscripts that escaped the first pickup." Follow us three blocks behind!"

«Mom! We are ready to move things to Eloise. Are you ready?»

«Yes, Harp. I have found a clear area and flattened it. It covers about sixteen square miles, four to a side. Francesca is ready to receive the sick.»

As Alaric and the baron watched, amazed, from the keep's battlements, entire buildings vanished, transporting everything inside minus the varmint. Rats, mice, and other undesirables suddenly found themselves in holes where basements used to be. The lower city quickly vanished to the astonishment of the baron's units. The only things left standing were sparse buildings sharing a wall with the outer fortification.

Enron appeared beside the baron.

"It's done. Move your units back inside the keep. Have your staff stand in the inner courtyard. They are next! Include your family! No one is to be left behind! I have to go help my brothers booby-trap the buildings left standing!"

Enron vanished as the baron ordered the horns to call in a fallback to the keep. The military units, being disciplined, obeyed immediately, although they could not understand the reason for this. Twenty minutes later, the inner city was silent as every living soul was now in the keep.

Alaric had taken seriously his nomination to the Privy Council and had ordered a census of the household staff. It turned profitable, as three children were reported missing.

"We cannot search the whole place, Enron. It is huge!"

"Has everyone been moved to the inner courtyard?"

"Yes."

"Sitar, take the top of the triangle, Harp, the bottom left, Paschal, the bottom right. Let's see if we can detect them across the entire structure. Elves have a specific mental signature. Filter out those in the yard first, then any life form. Once you have located them, I will go pick them up."

The process worked as Enron has envisioned. The three missing teens were exploring down below, and the three princes guided Enron to them by telling him where to go. Fifteen minutes later the three boys were with their parents. The courtyard was suddenly emptied of everyone except the military units.

"Time to join your units, baron. Alaric, once you have been teleported, you will find yourself with the baron. Remember you are part of his council. Do not go running around. Baron, we will move you close to your duke."

"Fine Enron. Will we meet again?"

"Certainly, as there will probably be a general council of the kingdom as soon as we can enter Aden."

***

The baron quickly moved to the courtyard, followed by Harp. As soon as Harp saw the baron was with his men, he transported them to the Elvin army position down south.

«Everyone is out of the way, we can move the castle!»

«Very well. But first, let's go on the outer wall and see how things are with the orcs. »

The four princes materialized on the tallest tower and looked down on the lake.

"This gives me an idea!"

"What, Harp?"

"See, the ice floats on the lake water. What would happen if it suddenly sank to the bottom?"

"You are devilish, Harp! I can see the flood! The hunters would be doused, their fires put out, the crocodile burrows flooded, and the orcs on the lake would drown! Marvellous! Bloody marvellous!"

"Glad you appreciate the idea, Sitar."

"And they would be too busy trying to stay alive to look at what is happening in the city!"

"Right Paschal. Let's do it!"

"We need to exert a uniform pressure on the ice, but not touch the orcs It will be tricky!"

"Let's join!"

"On the count of three!" began Harp. "One Two Three!"

As the princes gently increased the pressure on the ice, its edges began to fracture. The water, pushed out of the way by the slowly descending ice, began to spring like geysers around the entire shore of the lake. The water rose inexorably, extinguishing fires, flooding every hole and borrow, as the orcs in the middle of the lake tried desperately to escape their fate. The water overflowed above the ice and violently rose along the dam, licking the foundations of the outer wall. It took less than ten minutes for the lake to break over the dam and flood the lower plains. It was a total success.

"Back to the keep. Let's get this out of here!"

"All right Paschal. We proceed as before."

"Yes, Harp. Enron and Sitar, with me! Five minutes to the move!"

"All right! Go!"

Everything went on schedule, and the four princes returned to the royal army slightly before sext.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be evacuating Nineveh?" Samson asked.

"Done deal, dad. We even managed to destroy an entire orc army."

"You will have to explain that to me at the evening meal."

"We have all the explanations you can ever want. It's the Black Hand Horde that will have difficulty understanding what happened to its base camp!"