“Are you insane?” Veldres said.
Ardoth continued walking. He glanced around at the empty seats, the City Monitors already evacuated. It didn’t matter that they were gone, he could control Detair by himself. Especially for what was needed now.
“Ardoth.” Veldres put his hand to his forehead. “You saw what just happened. We need to get out of here.” He looked at the Scrying Pool in front of him. Through the crystal clear water the land below was shown. A land covered with flaming wrecks and fleeing soldiers. “You can still see what’s happening,” he said in a broken voice.
The flying city of Detair floated far above the ground. It had been the headquarters and backbone of the fleet of airships before their obliteration. The assault of the Shroudlord wasn’t going well. It couldn’t even be called an assault; it was a complete rout. Whatever soldiers survived the crashing of their ships were being massacred and devoured by the Daemons.
It had to end this way, Ardoth thought. There was no hope from the beginning. Elbeth had been right and if he had listened to her earlier all those men below would still be alive.
He stopped at the Heart, the pillar of silver light that shone brilliantly in the middle of the room. “You seem to think that there’s hope for any of us to survive.” He shook his head. “No, there never was. Detair is finished. There is nowhere to run.”
“But there are thousands of people living here still!” Veldres nearly shouted. “Families, children! Give them time to evacuate at least! Let those capable of battle at least try to fight!”
Ardoth nearly laughed. “Fight? The Daemons destroyed an armada of airships. The combined might of all of Laenost. And guess how many we killed?” he glanced back at his companion. “None. This close to the source of their power we didn’t manage to kill one. Their attack on Delnast was bait for us.”
“Then we fight them there! We retreat for now, we can’t just-”
“Retreat?” Ardoth cut him off. “They are ignoring us for now because they’re enjoying the slaughter below. If we try to leave we’ll be dead in minutes.”
Veldres closed his eyes and bowed his head. “You don’t even know if what you’re suggesting is possible.” He said quietly. “I’ve been to the Core Heart as well. I know what Detair is capable of, and what you suggest simply isn’t possible. We wouldn’t do enough damage.”
The waters of the scrying pool rippled. Whatever was happening in the Black Keep was radiating power enough to affect the city leagues away. And whatever it was seemed to be driving the Daemons into a frenzy.
“Do you know why the Heart has its name?” Ardoth asked. “Because it’s actually not as complex as we pretend it is.” He turned to face Veldres. “It’s a tale told to apprentice magi when they arrive here, a legend passed down through the generations. Of course, the higher-ups know what the real Heart is.” He smiled. “Or do they? The stories are right, you know.”
A loud boom echoed through the chamber as Veldres stared. “You can’t possibly be serious.”
“Quite serious. The Core Heart is exactly that… it is the actual heart of Tulkus. It beats within the city that he loved enough to give his life for… sustained by Andellic.”
“Impossible! There is simply no way-”
“For the city to have enough magic to do what it does.” Ardoth finished his companions’ statement. “There is a Void Gate at the Heart of the city. Bringing in enough magic energy to keep this giant city afloat.”
The chamber shook. Elbeth was clearly having some effect down below. Her mission was a suicide one and when it was finished she would be eradicated. The shackles surrounding the Core Heart were there for a reason, and the output of magic if they got removed would be enough to destroy just about anything.
Which was precisely what she and Ardoth were counting on.
“It’s almost time.” Ardoth sighed. “Make your peace. I’ve already set the orders and once it’s ready… we’ll…” He choked on his words. He thought he was prepared for death, but when it came time to actually say it he found himself afraid.
Veldres stared at his friend as a whole host of emotions and thoughts raced through him. One came out on top. “I don’t want to die.” He said. And with that he was gone, using the emergency Transportation magic the city kept up.
“Just you and me, then.” Ardoth said. He looked at the Heart. “What else could I have done? Magic Emperor… I’m just a man like any other.” A tear rolled down his cheek. “And I failed. Your goal ends with me. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to keep everyone safe.”
A pair of bright silver eyes shone from within the light of the Heart. Their warmth comforted Ardoth and he found himself drawn to them. He closed his eyes as the light enveloped him, and then he was gone.
On the surface below it was pandemonium. Telte stared up at Detair from his hiding place. He held the Wardstone tightly as a Daemon flew past, counting on its magic to protect him from the monster’s sight.
Magic lines shone through the underside of Detair like glowing veins. The pulsing of magic intensified until it hurt his eyes to look at it, even from as far away as he was. The Daemons noticed it too and flew up at the city shrieking. The seconds ticked by as Telte waited.
Elbeth, he thought. Have you done it? He hoped against all odds that she might somehow survive. He blinked back tears. He hadn’t even gotten to confess his love to her. Although she probably already knew, he wished he could have said it.
A shockwave of magic radiated from Detair. The Daemons were probably killing everyone they could find up there. Not that any would survive anyways. Telte stood and began walking towards the Black Keep. Even if all went as planned, the odds were good that the Shroudlord would survive in some form. And he would need to deal the finishing blow.
A shriek tore through the air. More magic than the world could bear was being focused, and it was ripping through the sky. Without warning Detair shot downward in a ball of light, down at the Black Keep. For a moment the Shroudlords’ protective shield held up before disintegrating. Detair smashed into the Keep with a gigantic explosion of light both black and white.
Telte knelt and shielded himself. He couldn’t help but cry, knowing all those that had just died. More so that Elbeth was either dead or would be soon. When the waves of radiating magic faded, he started forward again. He shouldered his sword. It would end as it had begun, a mercenary finishing his last job.
Ardoth continued walking. He glanced around at the empty seats, the City Monitors already evacuated. It didn’t matter that they were gone, he could control Detair by himself. Especially for what was needed now.
“Ardoth.” Veldres put his hand to his forehead. “You saw what just happened. We need to get out of here.” He looked at the Scrying Pool in front of him. Through the crystal clear water the land below was shown. A land covered with flaming wrecks and fleeing soldiers. “You can still see what’s happening,” he said in a broken voice.
The flying city of Detair floated far above the ground. It had been the headquarters and backbone of the fleet of airships before their obliteration. The assault of the Shroudlord wasn’t going well. It couldn’t even be called an assault; it was a complete rout. Whatever soldiers survived the crashing of their ships were being massacred and devoured by the Daemons.
It had to end this way, Ardoth thought. There was no hope from the beginning. Elbeth had been right and if he had listened to her earlier all those men below would still be alive.
He stopped at the Heart, the pillar of silver light that shone brilliantly in the middle of the room. “You seem to think that there’s hope for any of us to survive.” He shook his head. “No, there never was. Detair is finished. There is nowhere to run.”
“But there are thousands of people living here still!” Veldres nearly shouted. “Families, children! Give them time to evacuate at least! Let those capable of battle at least try to fight!”
Ardoth nearly laughed. “Fight? The Daemons destroyed an armada of airships. The combined might of all of Laenost. And guess how many we killed?” he glanced back at his companion. “None. This close to the source of their power we didn’t manage to kill one. Their attack on Delnast was bait for us.”
“Then we fight them there! We retreat for now, we can’t just-”
“Retreat?” Ardoth cut him off. “They are ignoring us for now because they’re enjoying the slaughter below. If we try to leave we’ll be dead in minutes.”
Veldres closed his eyes and bowed his head. “You don’t even know if what you’re suggesting is possible.” He said quietly. “I’ve been to the Core Heart as well. I know what Detair is capable of, and what you suggest simply isn’t possible. We wouldn’t do enough damage.”
The waters of the scrying pool rippled. Whatever was happening in the Black Keep was radiating power enough to affect the city leagues away. And whatever it was seemed to be driving the Daemons into a frenzy.
“Do you know why the Heart has its name?” Ardoth asked. “Because it’s actually not as complex as we pretend it is.” He turned to face Veldres. “It’s a tale told to apprentice magi when they arrive here, a legend passed down through the generations. Of course, the higher-ups know what the real Heart is.” He smiled. “Or do they? The stories are right, you know.”
A loud boom echoed through the chamber as Veldres stared. “You can’t possibly be serious.”
“Quite serious. The Core Heart is exactly that… it is the actual heart of Tulkus. It beats within the city that he loved enough to give his life for… sustained by Andellic.”
“Impossible! There is simply no way-”
“For the city to have enough magic to do what it does.” Ardoth finished his companions’ statement. “There is a Void Gate at the Heart of the city. Bringing in enough magic energy to keep this giant city afloat.”
The chamber shook. Elbeth was clearly having some effect down below. Her mission was a suicide one and when it was finished she would be eradicated. The shackles surrounding the Core Heart were there for a reason, and the output of magic if they got removed would be enough to destroy just about anything.
Which was precisely what she and Ardoth were counting on.
“It’s almost time.” Ardoth sighed. “Make your peace. I’ve already set the orders and once it’s ready… we’ll…” He choked on his words. He thought he was prepared for death, but when it came time to actually say it he found himself afraid.
Veldres stared at his friend as a whole host of emotions and thoughts raced through him. One came out on top. “I don’t want to die.” He said. And with that he was gone, using the emergency Transportation magic the city kept up.
“Just you and me, then.” Ardoth said. He looked at the Heart. “What else could I have done? Magic Emperor… I’m just a man like any other.” A tear rolled down his cheek. “And I failed. Your goal ends with me. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to keep everyone safe.”
A pair of bright silver eyes shone from within the light of the Heart. Their warmth comforted Ardoth and he found himself drawn to them. He closed his eyes as the light enveloped him, and then he was gone.
On the surface below it was pandemonium. Telte stared up at Detair from his hiding place. He held the Wardstone tightly as a Daemon flew past, counting on its magic to protect him from the monster’s sight.
Magic lines shone through the underside of Detair like glowing veins. The pulsing of magic intensified until it hurt his eyes to look at it, even from as far away as he was. The Daemons noticed it too and flew up at the city shrieking. The seconds ticked by as Telte waited.
Elbeth, he thought. Have you done it? He hoped against all odds that she might somehow survive. He blinked back tears. He hadn’t even gotten to confess his love to her. Although she probably already knew, he wished he could have said it.
A shockwave of magic radiated from Detair. The Daemons were probably killing everyone they could find up there. Not that any would survive anyways. Telte stood and began walking towards the Black Keep. Even if all went as planned, the odds were good that the Shroudlord would survive in some form. And he would need to deal the finishing blow.
A shriek tore through the air. More magic than the world could bear was being focused, and it was ripping through the sky. Without warning Detair shot downward in a ball of light, down at the Black Keep. For a moment the Shroudlords’ protective shield held up before disintegrating. Detair smashed into the Keep with a gigantic explosion of light both black and white.
Telte knelt and shielded himself. He couldn’t help but cry, knowing all those that had just died. More so that Elbeth was either dead or would be soon. When the waves of radiating magic faded, he started forward again. He shouldered his sword. It would end as it had begun, a mercenary finishing his last job.