Richard Knaak - Scales of the Serpent

Uldyssian decided that he could not rely on their assistance. It was up to him and those who stood with him to survive this struggle.

Night came again, the last night, by his calculation, before they would sight the lands surrounding their target. Somewhere to the northeast—so he was told by one of the Hashiri—stood the vast capital. As Uldyssian sat down by one of the low fires, he marveled that its masters outwardly appeared oblivious or unconcerned about the struggle going on. Uldyssian knew that such could not be the case, that they were actually keeping avid watch to see if the victor in this conflict would then be vulnerable.

So much blood…it won’t end here…it’ll go on and on and on …He wondered if he should just seek out the angel Inarius and ask him to start the world all over. Maybe that was the best course after all…

Uldyssian shook like a dog, trying to jar loose such vile thoughts. He felt ashamed for having even wildly considered them.

Serenthia joined him by the fire. “Are you all right?”

“No,” he returned bluntly. “But that never matters.”

She was taken aback by his reply. “Uldyssian—”

“Forgive me, Serry. It’s nothing. It’ll pass. It’ll—”

Uldyssian leapt to his feet. Once more, he had that sense that there was something not quite right in the vicinity. He turned in a circle, studying each direction carefully. Back along their trail, Uldyssian almost thought that he noticed something…but then did not.

Coming to his side, Serenthia asked, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

He did not answer, instead considering the facts. They were within striking distance of the main temple. The Triune certainly had to know that their arrival was imminent and that there would be no negotiation. Lilith wanted this confrontation. The Triune had even entirely abandoned Istani, where he would have expected that Lilith would have at least forced him to spill more blood before reaching her.

She still wanted the edyrem. That was also a fact. Uldyssian and his followers would face no ordinary battle. Lilith would have something particular in mind…

Once more he checked the region surrounding them. Yet, again, there was nothing.

But what if nothing was more than it seemed?

“Serry…the others need to be alert. Please tell them to be prepared for my command…”

“For what?”

“I don’t know.”

She asked no more questions, instead turning to silently spread the word. As Serenthia reached out to the others, Uldyssian concentrated on the general area where he had momentarily believed that he had sensed a presence.

There had to be something wrong. There had to be a reason for his wariness. It was more than merely nerves.

He focused hard, trying to draw his will into the task as much as possible. This time, Uldyssian could not simply give up. He had to keep searching, even if it took him all night.

Perhaps that was what Lilith wanted. Perhaps she desired Uldyssian so exhausted that he would make crucial mistakes. Maybe all he sought out beyond the camp was one of her illusions.

No, it has to be more …Uldyssian sweated as he pushed himself harder. There was something out there, something worth much effort in hiding—

And suddenly, it was all there to see.

As if a vast blanket swept back by a powerful wind, the truth revealed itself in one rapid layer after another. Through his mind, Uldyssian saw a row of familiar armed figures slowly but relentlessly wending their way toward the encampment through the thick underbrush. Behind them materialized another row and another and another…and on until it became clear that an army had been secreted from him.

Peace Warders …

The Triune’s soldiers were not alone, either. Uldyssian noted priests among them, priests of all three orders. They were the ones casting the elaborate cloaking spell, but he sensed Lilith’s hand in its making. Such a casting was far too advanced even for these senior acolytes.

So at last the truth about Istani was known. Lilith had arranged their vanishing, only to have them—and surely warriors from Kalinash and perhaps even the supreme temple—gather nearby. While Uldyssian’s concentration had been upon the enemy ahead—even with his attempts to sweep the trail behind the edyrem—they had followed, awaiting the moment to strike.

That moment, it appeared was to be tonight.

Serenthia! Uldyssian silently called. She answered with a questioning note. He quickly filled her in.

But as he did, the son of Diomedes discovered that he had erred. Within the invisible ranks, a priest’s mind abruptly closed itself from him.

Instantly, the entire army vanished from Uldyssian’s second sight. He had just enough of a last glimpse to see the Peace Warders pick up their pace.

They had noticed him. The attack was coming.

The enemy is behind us! he told not just Serenthia, but everyone. Behind us! Ready yourselves!

It should have made absolute sense to Uldyssian that Lilith would send her forces against him at night, not daylight, when most would attack. Worse was the veil of invisibility that added to the darkness. The edyrem could defeat this foe, but they would need to be able to see them in some manner.

Or did they? Uldyssian knew the approximate location of the Peace Warders. That, in truth, was enough with which to start…

He had no time to summon the aid of the others. Uldyssian clapped his hands together. As he had done once before, what sounded like thunder rolled forward. This thunder, though, was a sound wave so powerful that it tore the nearest trees from their roots and sent leaves and vines scattering.

It also, he knew even without seeing, struck the first ranks of the Peace Warders with equal force.

Once again, the blanket blew back. The Triune’s minions were revealed to him. The first row lay completely scattered, the two behind it in various levels of disarray. Yet, those farther back, those who had not fallen, only looked more determined, more ready to spill the blood of their master’s enemies. Charging past the fallen, the temple’s servants waved their weapons…

But they would find themselves a foe more than ready for them now. He felt Serenthia, Timeon, and the other “commanders” of his army letting him know that those in their charge merely awaited his word. However, just as Uldyssian was about to give orders, he felt another presence. Rashim’s distant mind reached out to him, the Hashiri’s thoughts desperate.

Beware, master! Rashim called. Beware! They march from the main temple! Look ahead!

With the Peace Warders almost upon them, Uldyssian dared not take the time to question Rashim further. Instead, he tore his thoughts from the oncoming attackers to the direction in which the edyrem had been marching…the direction in which lay the supreme temple and Lilith.

There, he saw with dread that the Hashiri had been speaking the truth. Like those who had followed the edyrem, these, too, had been expertly hidden from even his sight until now…

There was another army—several times larger than that they were about to face—sweeping toward them, an army composed of many Peace Warders and priests, yes…but also something more terrible.

Morlu…hundreds and hundreds of morlu…

“We have lost…” Rathma uttered again. “We have lost…”

Trag’Oul was oddly silent. The glittering stars shifted this way and that and in their centers a brooding Mendeln caught glimpses of a multitude of lives. Some were of the past, others of the present. Whether any were of the future, the dragon would not say.

And that boded ill, too…