Fortress of the Night
Copyright © 2004, James L. Snyder. All Rights Reserved.

A small burst of violet light broke from the forest ahead, it's flash as quick to die as it was to appear.

Valeryx held his hand high, fingers outstretched, palm forward, a signal to his troops to halt. Much like the sound of a retreatring tide, the road they travelled upon fell silent, the chatter of the animals in the surrounding woods suddenly quite loud. They had journeyed for two days from the Plains of Minoacalas, and were now upon the road through Kievos, well within the Dragothan Empire. The flare from his scout brought him great discomfort, for violet meant that the enemy was not far ahead, and in great number.

"We do not fear them, my lord," he heard the voice of Grethalga next to him, hushed to be little more than a whisper upon the winds.

"It is not fear of them I hold, Grethalga," Valeryx turned his head slowly to look into the bright blue-green eyes of his most trusted commander. "It is a fear for Dracona. If elves lie ahead, that may mean they advance on other avenues as well. Do not forget Thysarlis commands the forces of Ewindia, and should the elves also come by sea into Dragons' Bay or through the Draconan forests to the north, they may come to Dracona unscathed, and while we might crush those ahead, it would not aid other areas of our home."

Grethalga slowly nodded. "I spoke with haste, my lord."

"You spoke with pride," Valeryx said, lightly patting his shoulder. "That is nothing to be ashamed of. These men fight well. But we must think of the Empire."

"If elves lie to the west, what then may we do?"

Valeryx stood for a moment. If the elves had already encroached into Kievos, he knew not what to expect. They must have come by sea, perhaps just south of Dragons' Bay, or else they had overrun the outposts bordering the elven territory of Ves'epia. Regardless, their distraction in Minoacalas had worked to their advantage, and now Valeryx knew he must find a way to turn that advantage into false hope. "Erdigras."

"The Mines of Kievos?" There was a tone in Grethalga's soft voice that disturbed Valeryx. "You know that the Caves of Erdigras are said to be haunted by minions of undead, and that a lich king rules the halls of the Fortress of Erdigras."

"I have heard the rumors, Grethalga," Valeryx said, trying not to smile too widely. "But rumors they remain. Miners from both Minoacalas and Kievos regularly mine those mountains. I would not think so strongly of tales of old. It is true that Enforcer Erdigras fell there four thousand and some years ago, but do not give in to thoughts of fear. The Mines of Kievos lead to the Fortress of Erdigras, buried deep in the mountains, but safely traversed via those tunnels. From there, we may exit on the back side of the mountains, be nearly in Dracona, and the elves none the wiser."

Grethalga let out a long sigh, and Valeryx knew he had resigned himself to his commander's wisdom. Valeryx smiled and lightly patted his shoulder again. "Do not worry, Grethalga. If there is a lich king within those halls, fifteen hundred men should be enough to dispatch it."

Smiling, Grethalga gave a nod to Valeryx. "You are right, my lord. Let us be on our way."

Valeryx walked a few paces ahead, bent, and made a mark in the dirt with his hands. At its completion, there was a brief flash of white light, and he ran his foot across the symbol enscribed in the dirt to be certain. He kicked a little dust over it, and still the symbol remained legible. His scouts would easily see it, and know they travelled north from the point, able to rejoin the legion.

He turned, and waved to the north. As the front ranks of his men began to lead the them into the woods, Valeryx took pace next to Grethalga. "It should not be more than a half day from here."

*     *     *

"Scouts to the front!" Valeryx called out. They stood now in front of the cave that led directly into the Mines of Kievos. "Be wary of collapsing tunnels, or of holes in the floor. We must travel swiftly, but with caution. Move out!"

Giving way to caution himself, Valeryx allowed the first three ranks of soldiers to march forth, led by the scouts, and then took pace, Grethalga at his side. As he passed into the darkness of the cavern, the secondary membrane of his eyes closed like a vertical set of eyelids. While not as bright as a torch would have been, he could make out the passage well enough -- and torches might attract attention.

He rested his hand on the handle of his mace as they continued forth. The rumors of Erdigras' death, reported by the remnants of his army, was said to have come by great evil, though no sign of battle had ever been seen within the mines. Valeryx could not deny certain facts, facts that disturbed him as he followed the front flank. He had not seen Erdigras in the four thousand years, since the battle that claimed his life, nor had his corpse been found. That none would enter the Fortress after his death bothered him as well, for it would be a shame to learn that the rumors were not just tales of legend.

The flank in front of him stopped briefly, and he came to a halt. A few moments later, they continued moving forward, and he knew they'd come to an intersection in the tunnels, and had stopped to decide the best course. If the Mines of Kievos were much as he remembered, there would be little chance to get lost within, for they moved fairly straight through the mountains, and came to a couple of passes outside, the last just before the Fortress of Erdigras.

*     *     *

Night had come, the sky above devoid of clouds, thousands of stars alive in the heavens. The smaller of the two moons was nearly full, save but a sliver, while the second moon was hiding in the void above. Valeryx smiled briefly, for ahead he could see the shadowy rise of the Fortress. He had never been within, but he knew it was not large, and finding the passage that led toward Dracona should prove easy.

Slowly he made his way to the front, standing but a short distance from the gleaming metal doors that protected the keep from the elements. He approached them slowly, wondering how it was that they were kept so well over the milennia. As his hand extended, reaching for the handle to the right, both doors flew suddenly open. A howling wind came forth, as if the maw of a great beast had opened to exhale, and Valeryx stepped swiftly back. He shivered momentarily as his ears made out a cacophony of laughter riding on the wind.

He turned to Grethalga, wondering if he too had heard, and by the look of fear in his eyes, he knew it had not been his mind deceiving him.

"Who is there?" Valeryx asked, his voice bold, stepping forth across the threshold.

"Beware all you who enter!" a voice called forth. "You who enter shall die!"

"Idle threats will not force us to yield," Valeryx said evenly. "We seek passage to Dracona."

Another gust of wind issued forth, and Valeryx waved his men in behind him. He had taken but one more step forward when, faster than his eye could follow, a figure rushed forth from the edge of his vision, and was suddenly standing in front of him. The skin of the figure was pulled taut over its bones, so black that it barely stood out against the darkness surrounding it. It wore a jewelled crown, and a long, tattered robe, and yet, its ears bore the familiar double-point of the Dragothan race. Staring into the black pools that must have once been the being's eyes, Valeryx remained calm, refusing to show weakness to something he did not understand.

"What business have you in Dracona?"

"I am Valeryx, Nemesis Enforcer of Emporer Goren Vex. We travel with haste, for the Empire of Dragotha stands in danger." Valeryx respectfully bowed his head, and then looked back into the ebon pools of the creature before him.

"So..." the being said, turning its head slowly to the left. "So... Goren Vex was named Emporer, and you have since become an Enforcer." It turned back and seemed to look directly into Valeryx. "It has been long since I walked as an Enforcer, Valeryx. Welcome to my fortress."

The creature stretched out its hands, and Valeryx took several steps swiftly backward. "Erdigras!" Valeryx exclaimed, realizing who stood before him.

"You may not pass. None may pass."

The being again phased forward, nearly in the blink of an eye, and was again in front of Valeryx. Grethalga quickly stepped between Erdigras and Valeryx, pushing Valeryx slightly back. "You will stand down, or be stricken down."

Before any could act, Erdigras slammed the back of his hand across Grethalga's face, and Grethalga flew back several feet, screaming and clawing at his face. Valeryx reacted swiftly, allowing instinct to dominate thought. He drew the mace from his side, and swinging in a circle, building up just enough speed, he slammed it directly into Erdigras' left side. There was a bright flash of light as the silver spikes on the end of his war mace tore through what tattered clothes he wore and met with the skin of the beast. Erdigras bent sideways in pain as he shrieked.

Those standing close to the battle stepped away, giving Valeryx the room he needed to maneuver. "Enforcer Erdigras, I do not wish your death, but I must pass to Dracona."

"You cannot kill me. You cannot defeat me!" It seemed to phase for but a moment, but quickly returned to a solid state standing right where it was. "What is this? What have you stricken me with?"

Valeryx could still hear Grethalga behind him, whimpering now, but he dared not let his attention stray from the creature Erdigras had become. He knew not why his mace had pained Erdigras so, but he dared not reveal that. "Will you surrender?"

"Never!"

Erdigras leapt forward, and Valeryx stepped to the side as he swung again, this time catching Erdigras in the chest as he dodged. Erdigras landed on his back, writhing in pain on the ground in another flash of silver light, shrieking louder than he had with the first blow. Valeryx swept in, and slammed the mace down upon the crown around Erdigras' head, a bright light exploding outward as Erdigras' skull shattered. A wind rushed outward from where the blow had struck, and when the light faded, nothing but tattered clothing and a broken crown remained.

Valeryx dropped his mace and ran to Grethalga's side. Grethalga lay curled up in a ball, clutching the left side of his face. Valeryx patted his friend on the back, and said, "Please, let me see."

Turning slowly, Grethalga removed his hand, and Valeryx shuddered openly. The flesh of his cheek was rotting slowly, already he could see his teeth through a hole that was growing slowly larger. "No." Valeryx turned and called out loudly, "Brother Zysharlin, quickly!"

The Dragothan Priest he had called for ran up next to him, and let out an audible gasp as he looked at Grethalga. "By the dragongods, what is that?"

"You must heal him." Valeryx stood to let Zysharlin closer, but he remained close, staring down into the fearful eyes of the great warrior that now decayed before his very eyes.

Zysharlin leaned in, but did nothing. "My lord, this is sorcery. My prayers cannot heal this."

"You will try!"

"My lord, if I touch him, I may spread that which is taking him."

Valeryx was about to order him to try anyway, but he stopped. Zysharlin had always been loyal, and the tone of his voice was not of fear but of despair.

"Fraxis, you will lead the men into the Fortress of Erdigras," Valeryx called out, knowing that the captain stood near. "Seek the passage to Dracona. It should be on a lower level. Once you have found it, send word to me, and we will depart."

"My lord," Fraxis responded. Valeryx never looked up, but he could hear the men moving on into the keep. "Go with them, Zysharlin. They may need your aid."

"My lord," Zysharlin answered, and moved swiftly away from Grethalga's side.

Valeryx knelt down next to him, and reached out to him. "My lord, you should not touch me," Grethalga cried out and tried to move away.

"I have not feared you in life, Grethalga. I shall not fear you in death," Valeryx said, and reached out, grasping hold of his hand. "These gloves should protect me, and if they do not, they are easily discarded."

Grethalga nodded slowly.

"I am sorry." Valeryx let out a long sigh. He knew there was nothing to be done for Grethalga, and he wished it was not so. "It was not to have ended as this."

"Death takes us all in time. Our lives are long, but not infinite, especially in times of war." Grethalga sputtered a little, and Valeryx watched as the creeping death began to move toward his left eye, and down toward his throat. "Do not grieve my passing."

Valeryx slowly nodded, and saw that Grethalga's eyes were focussed far away from him. "You were to have been the next Enforcer named." There was no more breath coming from Grethalga's body, but the rot continued to progress. "Farewell, friend. You fought always with honor."

He closed his eyes for what he thought to be just a moment, feeling a single tear roll down his cheek. He might have openly wept for Grethalga, but his men still passed by, and he needed to remain strong even in the face of such anguish. Grethalga had been invaluable as a soldier, but more, he had been as loyal a friend as one could expect in life. He would have exacted his vengeance on Erdigras, but such had already been done. Instead, he swore vengeance upon the elves, that they would pay for having entered into the Dragothan Empire with their minds set on conquest. They would pay in Grethalga's name.

"My lord, the passage is found."

The Enforcer looked up into the eyes of one of his scouts. Looking back to Grethalga, he had not noticed he had been holding onto air. Not but Grethalga's armor, weapon, and cloak remained. Time had moved far more swiftly than he would have liked. "Your pack, scout." He extended his arm up, and the soldier handed him his backpack. Carefully he folded Grethalga's sword in his cloak, and placed it in the scout's pack.

Standing, he returned the pack. "Guard that with your life. We may not bury his corpse, so we will bury that which he bore with honor."

"Yes, my lord."

"Come." Valeryx gave one final glance to where Grethalga had lain, but his armor remaining, and then moved forth into the Fortress of Erdigras. "We must hasten to Dracona."

*     *     *

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