Silvertree Chronicles Book Nine, The New Era, (Enhanced Edition)

Synopsis: Charlus's brush with death took him from the shadows and into the light; when he wished to be seen. He eventually added the Daughter of Butterfly as his fourth wife, Violet Silvertree.

***Inspired by multiple fantasy environments. Not endorsed by any of them. © EmotionalStorm August 2020. This story cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com without the prior authorizations in writing from the author and EmotionalStorm must be credited for this work.

Author's Note: For those who have not read my bio, please note I write as a form of therapy for a Traumatic Brain Injury. I know the English majors will probably encounter issues that annoy them. If these are your focus, instead of the story itself, then this is not the story for you. I am not and will never be a professional writer.

I do it to tell the story, for those who wish to read them. I originally submitted this story back in September of 2018. I have worked to try and improve my writing style while struggling with this issue. I have added some editing software and written a few other stories. Now I am revising and editing this earlier work to try and bring it up to a higher standard from what I have managed to learn over the last few years.

Prologue

Trilia had 31 children, and 1 who died that was stillborn. Rose had 28 and Primrose had 27. Violet had 12 before dying in childbirth herself. Of 98 children born alive, Charlus was forced to put to the sword 6 of them for corruption. That weighed heavily on him. 33 remained to support the house while the 59 others went on to form or married into other houses.

Over the next 643 years, the house grew into the largest house in the Elven Kingdom. The sword taking the lives of another 373 family members, further down the line in his branch or in other branches. All before hitting the capacity to make the trust insolvent. 37,935 family members who remained. Spawning over 43,000 new houses along the way. Over half of which failed. Charlus died at the age of 731.

It was at the reading of the will for Charlus Silvertree that the sword made its way into a new wielder's hand. The 'will' specifically stated that the sword could be assumed ONLY by one of the 4 youngest eligible adult Silvertree house members from his line. Varus'Nor revealed the final relevant clause of Jarronus Silvertree's years earlier and was incorporated into Charlus's will to finally be revealed.

Septa 15th 9286

Mercian Silvertree was one of the few surviving or remaining members from Violet Silvertree, the Arcane Archer Ranger Gestalt from the human champion of Mystra known as Butterfly. Butterfly lived well into her 80's and died off the field at home while working as an instructor at the Academy. Many from Violet's line had formed into various new houses or married into other houses.

The fact she was a champion to a human god was never widely known. She had been predicted to die years earlier to Asmodeus's champion that Charlus had faced down. Another champion never got close enough to her in her lifetime to directly oppose her.

Yet she gave Mystra several heirs to take up the mantle in the future and played a significant role in molding them in the right forms of magic. For that blessing, Mystra was pleased with Charlus's intervention. She had blessed his wedding to Violet even by ensuring she had enhanced magical genetics for her future children to inherit.

Mercian had a hard time sleeping that evening. He missed his elder Charlus, having never met Violet in life. Charlus always managed to find time for family, even as his mother Hermina worked to start an enchanting business in a saturated market of enchanters.

Having lost his father 20 years earlier during one of the many border skirmishes. He found himself walking in the Palace district and looked up at the Overwatch system. Charlus was next to him in this dream. Was this a vision of the future or the past he did not know.

But these words were spoken to him. "When the time comes, the blue eyes of our ancestors will reveal the location of the Knights legacy. Your legacy. The answers lie there."

---

King Goldeagle's day started in turmoil as there was a breakdown of communication around the world, particularly being reported in Dragon lands, that nobody seemed to be able to answer. He sent for Charlus who had retired years earlier due to failing health to try and gain answers.

Instead, he was informed of his passing. Three days later after his funeral, the King had those in attendance who were specifically called out in his will. His 20 surviving children still in the Silvertree Family and the 4 youngest adult children within his own branches.

King Goldeagle was in the Fourth-floor conference room given the number of attendees that were listed as being required for his will reading required the larger room. He looked around as he walked in, "We keep these things informal. I will jump right into this as I am dealing with a few crises at the moment.

Charlus's 'will' expressly called out that only those here should be in attendance for his will reading. I am thankful he kept it small and not all 37,000+ House members as I would have required the front lawn if that was the case."

A few of the Elders in attendance chucked at that comment. He cracked the seal on the will and opened it up.

"To my family all of my love. With the dissolution of hereditary titles, which I was in favor of, I can dispense with naming an heir to that horrid thing. I proved in my life, with hard work, those titles could and should be earned and not inherited.

By those who truly did not seek them and worked for the betterment of the elven people and not for the sake of power alone or for personal agendas not related to the Elven people. The eldest in the family will become the Patron of the house as is customary and he has known of this for some time now.

I will also inform you that Jarronus Silvertree's final will clause was given to me when the family trust became insolvent. Day-to-day security will be paid for from my own holdings. There is more than one would expect.

Think of all the times I got attacked over the years. Once the trust became insolvent, all restrictions on the blade wielders account, and Patron's account, formally Duke's account, became obsolete. The Sword's special purpose to eliminate corruption in regards to owning businesses have been removed and known for over 2 centuries.

The sword will still compel the wielder to go after corruption when identified. However, by now the house should be large enough with a corruption-free base that they watch after each other. There are 4 of my heirs in attendance who happens to be the youngest of the adults.

One of whom will become the new wielder of the blade. That wielder will be led to the sword that nobody has been able to locate by my design. One last mystery for my family to resolve. One final Enigma. Most of the things I created in my life pales in comparison to my children and my family; my greatest achievement.

The defense systems around the Kingdom and the Kingdom's Overwatch system are my next great achievements. This will and testament will be only a few weeks old at most. Many things will become clear. To the King, my apologies for the chaos you are left with.

I was under divine direction during my enchanting efforts. Everything I built that had highly complex encryption will have stopped working within days of my death. The crystals I built for the dragons in this case. This was not a plan to sew chaos, though it will likely have that consequence.

When the gods granted me the ability to craft my understanding of encryption into devices, they were all set with a contingency; a two-part contingency held under a draconic-non-detection crafted into them. The survival of the 4-part Alliance formed the backbone of the Knights as part 1 of that contingency. The second part dealt with my being alive.

As the Alliance fell into an unsustainable state over 50 years ago. That contingency was already met. If you are reading this then my death has occurred. The communication crystals, dragon workstation crystals, and diamonds in the sky used for global monitoring by the Dragons Overwatch have failed. All of them destroyed in fact.

This was by the direction of Corellon Larethian and Bahamut in regard to keeping the Alliance together. They both saw the need and this as the means to pull it back together if it ever failed. As you know the Metallic dragons withdrew from the alliance first.

Against the direct advice of their God Bahamut, which you did not know. I was informed to add that fact to my will. Something Bahamut foresaw happening with his own kind or his own followers if you will. Followed by the dwarves after the human kingdom dissolved itself after becoming insolvent, yet again.

Those with titles moved off to establish new Kingdoms were likely the plans of human gods, it is hard to say and I was not advised upon that. Several are out there that formed from that kingdom but they moved further away. The dragons cut off the Knights Overwatch from accessing Dragon's Overwatch immediately upon leaving the Alliance.

Suspecting that I was the only one who could duplicate their network. Not what Majisa had in mind when her son took over after her death. I still say her death was extremely suspicious and likely the result of nefarious activity in Dragon Lands.

What they like to call, 'Dragon Business.' In this they were shortsighted. I always had a contingency when I turned over control of this system to them. The means to recreate this system does exist but can only be done with cooperation.

Metallic Dragons, Dwarves, elves, and humans. Like the forge which was deactivated when the Dwarves withdrew from the Alliance; something the dwarves could not correct without asking for our help and admitting a problem existed.

Which they refused to do; let alone acknowledge that the forge was shut off and inaccessible to all member races including themselves. Remember, even at my age I could get in and shut it down. Accessible only by the blade wielder. The King is reading this wondering why I would do this.

He has to remember that sword at his side is like the one that has been by mine for almost 700 years. A creation of Corellon Larethian first. A promise to the elven people to protect them. The defense systems and Kingdom Overwatch are still functional.

I ensured they were re-enchanted before stepping off the field for those that had both enchanters who died. They did not use the same complex encryption I used elsewhere. They did not contain the contingency or non-detection to hide it. They still protect the elven people.

At least before the expansion as we did not build into the new areas, even though I had recommended it. Sorry your Majesty, but you rejected my advice in that matter and that was short-sighted of you.

Your grandmother should have better prepared you for listening to a champion's advice in matters as it will likely bite you in the ass if I had to guess. I suggest you think strongly about that when the next champion surfaces.

I suspect other enchanters will one day be able to do that, but not likely in your lifetime. This is a guess on my part, but an educated one on the history of champions. Bahamut stated that if his people turned from him that mythic spells would be cut off from them, and US.

The books with it would show those spells had slowly disappeared over the last 2-3 days. I recreated the books without any of the necromancy spells and stored them away for this eventuality by divine direction. Even if they had the books.

Until they learn them again from an elven caster, another teacher, they would be useless to them. Not necessarily an enchanter. That would depend on the will of the gods. To balance the field mythic spells are not accessible to the elven mages who can cast them.

Not until the Silvertree House Moon Blade is reclaimed. They would need to get them from the master books I created yet again. My estate goes in its entirety, from my personal gear, control of the main family home including the library, armory, and all expansions, and my bank accounts for the new wielder of the Moon Blade.

The Gods stopped talking with me centuries ago. My path set and having done what was asked of me. I had exceeded their expectations. A new champion will be named. If my request is granted it will not follow the blade, but again...that is not guaranteed.

The library wing is sealed as you will discover and my personal gear is inside in the far corner of the armory. As I moved into isolation I stored it all away and locked it down to just the Blade Wielder.

This will only surprise the 4 young adults at the table, one of whom is the next wielder and one will likely become the next Champion. The goal and mission I have for the Blade Wielder and the Champion will be to get the Alliance reestablished. What the Gods decide for each of you, is another matter altogether.

Charlus Silvertree, Duke and Knight Protector of the Elven People."

The King looked across, "This explains the multiple crises I am being contacted about. Now I have to figure out how to tell dragons that their system is destroyed by the demands of their own God."

The youngest of the four stood from the table, "You don't, Your Majesty. It falls to the new holder of the blade to deliver the message."

The King looked at him, "Murnian is it?"

He shook his head, "Mercian, Your Majesty."

He looked at the boy, "Are you the new wielder of the blade?"

Mercian looked at the King, "Possibly. If the dream I had is true, but I would need access to our Overwatch system to know for sure."

The King looked at him, "Why?"

Mercian looked at him, "There is something hidden in it that will get me the location of where the sword might be. Something he built into it but never activated because it would be picked up by the Dragon's Overwatch is my best guess. The question is to you, Your Majesty. Is this lead I may have worth investigating?"

He looked at the boy, "Anybody else has a place or thought on where to start?"

He looked around at the quiet room. The King sighed, "We shall see what you find."

New Beginnings

Mercian followed the King to his Audience chamber. He sealed the chamber and pulled a crystal, "Lucian, your presence is needed." The 'man' on the other end did not reply and a female elf appeared in the room. She looked over, "Your Majesty this is most irregular."

He nodded, "Take Mercian Silvertree up to Overwatch. He is searching for something that may have been hidden in the system by its creator. Something we may need now. Consider it an order."

She looked over, "Of course, Your Majesty. How much access does he have?"

King Goldeagle looked over, "If he finds something, teach him the controls to see if he can find what he is looking for." She sighed and nodded. She walked over to him and they were inside the sphere on the land outside.

6 guards immediately looked to jump into action until she raised a hand, "King's orders, Stand down."

They resumed their positions but watched him as she went over and unlocked 7 of 12 locks to get the door open. They walked inside and he saw the 3 consoles. All positions manned. He looked at her, "I need to look over the consoles."

She waved him forward and he walked into the middle of the room and looked around.

He watched them activating different gems to change the elevation or rotate the display. He looked at her, "This piece was added later correct?"

She nodded, "When he expanded what we could detect with it. He added those 3-dimensional displays."

Mercian asked, "Any of these gems that you do not use?"

She looked over, "On that console, we do not physically manipulate four of them. Two yellow tear-dropped shaped topazes and the two oval sapphires."

Mercian looked over the configuration and the two topazes looked like they formed the shape of a nose, it was centered between the other two other consoles. The ovals pointed down and slightly away from the other two consoles. He put his hands onto the two sapphires, one on either side of the topazes, and found they would turn outward.

He turned them until they went from straight up and down to sideways and just beyond that but not by much. They both lit up and aligned with the other two consoles. They made a face as the sapphires turned into bright blue eyes on this face.

The displays in the rooms suddenly had more information displayed upon them. Lucian walked over and looked at the information, "It is displaying abjuration magic. There is a lot of it in the city. But it is new. Do you know what you are looking for?"

Mercian sighed, "I am looking for something out of the ordinary that I can access."

She chuckled, "Come here this is one of our two-dimensional displays."

He walked up to it like he had worked it all of his life.

He pulled a crystal, "I am knocking."

The response came back, "The door is open."

He smiled, "Close the door. Change in plans."

He turned to her, "House Silvertree. Protected from entry, scrying, and teleportation. I had him drop teleportation to get a fix on that image signature. Something I could teleport into but is otherwise shielded."

She nodded her understanding of what he was doing. He went through and searched the city and then started searching underground. He stopped the display, "That is one of the caverns they found a dragon in long ago right? One of the neutrals?"

She nodded, "I believe you are correct. We have never monitored them for abjuration before. I cannot say if it is new. There are a few of them.

He nodded and looked at the others and went back. "I think that is where I need to go."

She nodded, "I do not know how much air is in that area."

He nodded, "If I am right, it will not matter. What happened to the Knights workstations when they got disconnected from the Dragon's network? I know Charlus owned them. Family knowledge he talked about often."

She looked at him, "I was not working Overwatch when that occurred. I do not know what Charlus did with them."

He pointed, "I am betting they are in that cavern. As I said, he owned them outright."

She looked at him, "Can you teleport into there?"

He nodded, "With a scroll. I have a few. Battle Sorcerer silver dragon blooded obviously."

She smiled, "I will take you down. Why does a battle sorcerer carry a bow and sword?"

He smiled, "I am also a Master ranger."

She nodded, "Interesting, I heard about your family being full of gestalts."

Mercian nodded, "Everyone in my generation is one. I believe it is true going back to before Charlus."

Lucian nodded, "He will be missed. Looks like he left us one last gift."

Mercian went to pull out a scroll and she held up a hand, "Outside and we have our procedures. I will take you down there. I am curious."

They walked outside and she signaled someone. Then they were inside a very dark cave. He brought a staff around from his bracelet. He lit up the crystal to give them light. The light reflected off the clear crystal quartz gemstones in the surrounding walls.

He held up his hand to signal her to follow him. He had them move over to the outer edge and they walked the length of it.

Mercian pointed over. "That looks like where they came in at previously. There are slight drag marks on the ground. Sorry, ranger tracking skills if you will. They disappear over there. They divide off. I am betting he has secure shelters in here."
Lucian nodded, "If he did not set access to us, we will not be able to open them."

He walked over and extended his hand to the spot on the left and got nothing. He moved to the right side and a portal opened. He walked inside and Lucian followed, "This is a different design."

He nodded, "Triple blades and triple walls. Like his encryption. Walls down."

She chuckled until they got further in.

They found half of the workstations for the Alliance Overwatch.

He nodded, "The other half is probably in the other shelter."

She sighed, "If so, we do not have access to it."

He nodded, "Not yet, the sword is the key." He walked back to the master bedroom and stopped dead in his tracks. She looked over and saw what he saw. The family Moon Blade sheathed in the frame of the bed.

He looked at her, "This kills me you have to let my family know where the blade is located."

She nodded, "Good luck."

He walked over to it and set his staff on the bed and grabbed the sword. He fell against the bed while holding the sword outward. He fell into a sitting position as it probed the deepest recesses of his mind. Finally, he heard, "Why do you seek the blade?"

He responded back to the sword, "My Elders will. He wanted to see the Alliance Overwatch become Operational again. For the Alliance to be restored. I wish to try and make that happen."

The sword asked him, "You swear to work to keep corruption out of your own when it is identified? Even if it means working to disown or potentially having to kill a family member because of their actions? To face my wrath if you fail to act?"

He thought back to the sword, "I know of this grim task. I hope the family remains strong. Where I find rot on the tree it will be cut away, one way or the other. I swear it."

The sword responded, "I find you worthy Mercian Silvertree. I am Varus'Nor. I have the following abilities locked in over the years.

Intelligence, telepathic, and Moon Fire. Built into the blade at the beginning and unchangeable. Summon to either hand, immunity to mind control. Immunity to fire, electricity, and poison. Evil dragon and undead bane. Spell turning, Dragon vision, Danger telepathic warning, teleportation circle, lay on hands ability, and a divine non-detection and disease immunity added by Charlus. All locked by the gods or a former wielder.

Also, the God ability added which I do not have access to and cannot confirm. Your mind is not as full as Charlus, but he was unique. A collector of information. I do miss him. I spent more time with him than any other wielder."

Mercian thought, "Can I add paralyze. I know it was one he was considering at one point."

Mercian heard Varus'Nor chuckle, "I have it set Arcane Tracker. Are you alone?"

He thought to Varus'Nor, "No Lucian is with me. She helped to get me in here."

Varus'Nor responded, "Let her know she needs to leave the shelter. You have much to retrieve."

He looked over at Lucian, "I am alive but I do need to ask you to step outside the shelter. There is more hidden here that I have to access and Varus'Nor requires me to be alone to do it."

She nodded and he followed her to the portal. He looked at the portal, "Set portal access to myself and my heirs and the Silvertree champion."

The sword chuckled, "You think the sword and champion will be separated?"

He thought back, "The will alludes to that possibility."

He walked around and opened all 11 compartments.

---

Lucian got on the crystal, "Your Majesty, are you secure?"

He responded back, "Yes. Did you have any luck."

She chuckled, "Actually, yes. We are in a cavern far below the palace. Overwatch now picks up abjuration magic. Which it did not before. He found the controls on the upgraded piece added to that system. It activated the tracking of abjuration magic.

He compared signatures to find something hidden from scrying but open to teleportation. It was like he had worked with the system before and that led us to the cave. There are shelters here.

One he could open and it contains half the consoles to Alliance Overwatch. We could and should reclaim them but he has mentioned twice they are owned by Charlus and now by him. He controls access to them.

I suspect the rest is in the other shelter, but the sword is the Key and he successfully claimed the sword. That was located in the shelter he could open. The sword was sheathed into the wooden frame of the bed. He had little choice but to claim the blade to get it out.

From what notes I have Alliance Overwatch is useless though without the Dragon's Overwatch as it is built to connect into the other system. If their system is down it buys us nothing until the Dragon's system is repaired and the Alliance is operational.

This will require some diplomacy, your Majesty. He needed to kick me out to obtain some items hidden in the shelter. No idea as to what those are, as of yet, Your Majesty."

The King sighed, "I want those workstations reclaimed for the Elven Kingdom. We might have to get sages involved if the dragons do not cooperate. We will see what he comes out with. But I want our property returned."

She sighed, "Your Majesty, He is likely to claim it is his property. It was never bought by the Diplomatic Service, Charlus refused to sell it to them. That is well documented. It was always owned by him.

If his estate called out that everything he owned went to one person, it is likely going to create tension in getting it done. You might want to check on what was bought and what was not bought in your predecessor's journals, Your Majesty."

The King was irritated, "I do not care. It is a monitoring system for the world to provide intelligence to the elven people, it should be owned and controlled by me. See that it happens."

---

Mercian was loaded down with gear. He found the sheath and an amulet in the last compartment. He thought, "What do you know of this amulet?"

The sword responded, "It will adhere to the chest of the champion once they are identified."

He looked at the symbols, "There appear to be three deity holy symbols and a new one I am not familiar with. It looks like a pair of arms swinging two swords."

The sword gave a happy chuckle, "That is the last amulet created by Zirra before she passed on. The new symbol was not part of the description Charlus gave me. A neutral dragon told him the Gods had a plan for him. After death. He may have become a deity or some kind of elevated champion.

That is a question for the Gods. Hold onto it for now. See what the gods say when and if they contact you. You use two swords. He helped to train you in sword combat and acrobatics. That is within you."

He stored the amulet away and he went over to the portal. He extended his hand and it opened. She still waited. She looked at everything he carried.

She shook her head, "He had all of that hidden in there for you?"

He nodded, "Apparently."

She chuckled as he stepped out. "Close portal." He walked over to the other location and the portal opened. He looked at it, "Close portal."

He looked at her, "Another day."

She nodded, "The King is waiting for us to return." He nodded and stepped next to her. They appeared in the audience chamber.

He looked at Mercian with the bags of gear and the sword around his waist. He sighed, "Well I was briefed that you found out how to turn on abjuration and you located the storage space of our other Overwatch stations. At least half of them."

Mercian looked at the King, "With all due respect they are Knight assets built and paid for by my family. In shelters constructed by my family. Secured by Charlus when everyone gave up hope of getting the dragons to reconsider their stance.

His estate was left to me. I have not had a chance to go through everything left behind for me yet. It will take me at least the rest of the day to get through this stuff and determine what the plan was to bring the Dragon Overwatch system back into operation.

Then the Alliance system back up and operational. If that plan exists in these bags, Your Majesty. The Gods put him on a course a long time ago. Until I get a chance to go through all of this, I can only say I don't have answers yet."

Varus'Nor responded to his statement, "Well put. You can tell him there are answers in those bags the only thing you do not know is what the questions are yet."

Mercian sighed, "Your Majesty, Varus'Nor told me the bags contain answers but I have to figure out what questions they answer. I will need time."

He sighed, "I do not like it but I understand. Do you have any insight into the champion?"

Mercian looked at him, "I know the amulet for the next champion was already created, by Zirra. As to who should wear it; that is something I have yet to receive guidance upon, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "I want you back here midday tomorrow to brief me on what you do know."

Mercian bowed, to the King and he unsealed his office. Mercian left and got on his horse.

---

The King sighed, "I want that system and I want it housed with our Overwatch when you get it. He can argue elven law but I am the King."

Lucian bowed to the King, "We will do what we can to get it. I will place agents in there to try and gain access to those shelters but I should warn you. They have heavy security that rivals the security of your shelter, 3x over at least. You may have to look to buy them from him, your Majesty."

The King waved her off and she went to put together a strike team to set up monitoring of that cave. She teleported down and turned off the scrying blocker in the cave and then returned to Overwatch.

---

Mercian teleported all the way home not even bothering to get mounted. He looked at the guards who contacted the inside to open the door for him." Mercian walked into a large audience waiting for him. Hermina sighed when she saw he was alive and then scared when she saw the sword.

Mercian looked at everyone. "He set it up so there was no choice but to claim the sword. It was sheathed in the frame of the bed in a shelter. I am going to the library to go through all of this stuff and figure out this part of the greater plan. I do not have any answers beyond that. Ask me in the morning because I will probably sleep and eat in there as well."

Mercian walked toward the library. He had a Great-Uncle Ferin Silvertree looking to follow. Mercian looked at him, "Don't even try it right now."

He looked at Mercian, "What gives the right?"

Mercian looked at him, "Charlus willed the right to the blade wielder. Ask the elders who were at the will reading."

He looked over and he was motioned back by the Patron. Mercian entered the library taking his horse with him. "Seal library. Set access to the blade wielder only."

He went down and went through his journal, ten bags of gear the plans he had written up. He went into the armory and switched out his gear for his and tagged everything. Rolled out the blankets from the pack and went to sleep. He was at Silent Falls; He had not been there in years since his last hunting trip in that area with Charlus. He looked around and saw the image of Charlus.

Seven generations removed and he still found time for the children. He looked much younger. He looked at Mercian, "I am glad to see Varus'Nor found you worthy. I will save you time. Yes, the bags contain exactly what you think they contain. There is another location that contains the Dragon Books. Varus'Nor can take you to it and provide you access.

Only get them when you are ready and do not ask about them until you are ready. You can access the shelters below the surface directly from the palace district or Silvertree estates. You can expect to be monitored. The amulet is yours to decide. Know this, the sword will make you hunted.

That holy symbol will make whoever wears it hunted. The choice is will it be someone else hunted with you or just you. You want to know about the fourth symbol. That is harder to explain."

Mercian looked at him, "They are making you some sort of revered champion or minor deity. The sword alluded to something for you in the afterlife."

He smiled, "I guess it is not that hard to explain. More the revered champion. The first in the modern ages to live a full life. I give no spells. The symbol they gave me, you have seen. It is the arms with dual swords striking from the shadows. He has no deity for a spy, assassin, or diplomats. I was and am a protector of the elven people. I struck where and how it was required."

Mercian nodded, "The enlightened unerring weapon."

Charlus smiled, "He has me now to talk with heroes, Moon Blade wielders, and Champions. At least initially. We will see how it goes."

Mercian sighed, "Given the deception that was done last time in hiding you initially I think they will find us to both be champions and hunt us equally. Well, me more so because I have the sword. I know you wanted the champion separated from the sword. Is that still the case?"

He sighed, "I am not allowed to advise you on that decision either way. Both ways have risks. You have free-will over the matter."

Mercian looked at him, "Zirra built the amulet, was it for someone in particular?"

He laughed, "Zirra never told me. I will tell you that there were 3 others in the room with you. The amulet will work for any of the 4 of you only. The youngest."

Mercian sighed, "Is there anything you can tell me about the amulet?"

He looked at Mercian, "One thing. If you are wanting to have a normal sex life with only one or two partners then the amulet will work best in that case. It will help to refocus that energy. That is the goal anyway.

Children should go down to one or two and you will have to work at it. It will not hit every time. I cannot say the children will be true of any champions, but for the others, it should hold true.

That is the hope behind it, yet we will not know for sure until it connects with the wearer. Too many gods involved in the influence of our family over the years. This trait will be picked up by all of the children of the champion."

He nodded, "That cut the field in half as I know Karrena and Gerogus are both into same-sex relationships and that gift would be wasted upon them. That leaves Yennen and me. He already has three wives. That would make me the best candidate. I will talk with all three of them. Will a second champion enter the field?"

He smiled, "If things go well, there will not be a need for a second champion. Possibly for several centuries. I am glad the trust was done under my watch. That was a burden I do not wish upon anyone. 380 Silvertree lives taken by the blade under my watch. One before the blade was in my hand but still under my watch. I drove the house into fracturing with each generation.

You can tell your Great-Uncle Ferin, in front of the Patron, everything in the armory is for use and not for sale. Sale of anything in the armory will cause the sword to seek the life of the offender. He will likely cross the line. I have been concerned about him for a while but he stopped from crossing it while I was alive.

Leave the staff and bracelet to another. Between the sword, bow, and your spells you will be formidable enough in the field. Use the wand storage bracers instead. I always found those useful. With access to divine spells for healing it would be a great choice for you. Time for you to start on your path. Return to the eyes and store the stuff away as you see fit.

I left you two of my teleportation blocking devices that are different. It is in the black bag. That bag should be kept especially safe. That crystal has draconic teleport blocking, scrying blocking, camouflage, Draconic non-detection, and spell turning.

It will move around the room at random, including adjusting heights, It is tied to the blade like the shelters, and anyone who attempts to handle it will find it potentially lethal. It was built for that room as it's backup was.

You have two of them. Do not let the King force you into relocating it, if only for those security features. Trust me, he will try as he doesn't like taking advice from champions. Once activated, it will be damned near impossible to locate except to your dragon eyes."

Mercian awoke dressed, prayed, ate, and packed everything up that was still out. He saddled up his horse after feeding him. He thought, "Today I will find time to get you to pasture."

He heard, "It would be nice to run with the herd again."

He led him out, and yelled, "Seal library!" As his Great-Uncle Ferin tried to sneak in. He looked at Merican, "They said you control access, not what is in it."

He nodded, "Except what was specifically left to me. I got additional guidance last night. I would like the Patron, Karrena, Gerogus, Yennen, and you for a private meeting."

Mercian left his horse and went to the falls carrying all of the stuff. They all stayed at the main house and Hermina, his mother, walked in with them and Mercian nodded to her, "Close the doors please."

She did so. Mercian looked at his Patron, "I was visited last night by Charlus. Something tells me I will be seeing a lot of him." They looked at him wondering where he was going. "He is not a deity but he is a revered champion. The first of the modern age to live a full life and accomplish the goals set out before him."

His Great-Uncle Ferin scoffed, "So much for his Knights."

Mercian looked at him, "The Knights exist, it is the Alliance Overwatch that came down and it was an expected move. That is why the dragons are in an uproar, there Dragon Overwatch is all but destroyed."

He looked interested. Mercian looked at them, "The only reason you are here uncle is to deliver this warning. Anyone who takes from the library or armory and sells the asset is subject to the wrath of the sword. For stealing from the house. It is there for use, not for sale. That means when I open access it will be to the Patron and myself only.

He will document anything removed and by whom. If you are taking armor you are leaving armor. Everyone is outfitted when they go to the academy or when they become an adult. They pay for their own modification but it is house property as it is house-branded gear. Not for sale. You still eager to get in there now?"

He stormed out and Mercian closed the door and looked at the Patron. "That is the one and only warning. I was told to give it to him specifically and that he was likely to ignore it. The warning was to be given in front of you to warn the others.

I have the amulet for the next champion. It is for one of the four of us. The youngest 4 at the will reading. The only information I was given is that it will curtail your sex drive or refocus your energy. It should reduce the number of children going forward, not necessarily for the champion for the other offspring created.

A normal sex life was the goal. It will channel that energy. The effect is hereditary and a shot in the dark as they are not certain it will work that way because of all the gods involved. I know 2 of you are not looking at children at all so that is a gift wasted. Yennen you have 3 wives. Will they be happy if your sex drive got cut in half?"

He sighed, "Probably not."

Mercian looked at them, "Whoever wears it will end up putting it on in open court and be just as hunted as I am by our enemies. Anyone interested in being on the run for the rest of your life, please speak up now. I will get you a good cleric."

They chuckled. Mercian sighed, "Ultimately they left the decision in my hands. I know what the will stated and I know an aspect of what it does. Our house is targeted enough. They put two champions in and they will just assume it is the case again. This way all the attacks; correction the majority, are aimed at me. I am the logical choice unless 1 of the 3 of you object and wish to join me in this effort."
It was quiet. Karena hugged him, "Thank you for not pushing it onto one of us. We talked last night about why we were at the will reading. We discussed this possibility. We agreed with you before you even walked in here. Doing it in an open court will definitely take the heat off of all of us. You would be the first to do it."

Mercian looked at his mother Hermina, "You knew when I walked in with the sword that this was the likely outcome."

She nodded. Mercian looked at the Patron, "Dealing with corruption falls to us. You monitor, I enforce."

He nodded, "I do not envy you that task."

Mercian walked out after hugging his mother. He walked down to the library, "Set library access to the blade wielder and the Patron Silvertree."

Mercian looked at him, "Let anyone who swaps out gear know. They will be required to show they still have it. Else the Psionics in the house, including you, will be turned loose to get the answer."

The Patron nodded. Mercian walked out of the house and nodded to the guard who undid the teleport. He was in the cave. He saw shadows moving and he did not get a danger sense. He looked around. "I have eyesight better than most dragons. You will teleport out or I will start unloading on you for trespassing. One of the shadows revealed themselves.

A guy from the Overwatch. He looked at Mercian as he spoke, "The King sent us to see about the feasibility of getting the Overwatch system."

Mercian nodded, "You can tell him you failed or I will. I will activate a teleport blocker in thirty seconds. Entering my home, yes, I count it as my home, will get you killed."

He sighed, "No reasoning with you."

Mercian nodded, "I explained this to the King already. They are useless until we get the dragon's issues resolved then they will become operational for the Alliance, but owned by the wielder of this blade. They are my property. Remind him I hold the keys to the draconic mythic magic and ask him when will a shield have to be reenchanted? Or part of our defense network?"

He nodded and left. He looked at the other shadow. "You got four seconds left." He left.

He walked forward. He opened the shelter and walked inside with his horse and sealed the portal. He activated the shelter teleport blocker. He stored everything where he found it. He called out, "I activated the teleport blocker in the shelter. He stepped outside and watched as one guy snuck in, "Security walls up." The walls went up. Merican looked at them trapped between walls.

He sighed, "Turn off food access." He looked at them. "Spikes and blades will start any second unless you identify yourself."

Lucian looked at him, "Orders."

He nodded, "I will see how badly he wants you back."

She teleported to the portal entrance. She looked at Mercian, "You cannot keep the King out forever."

Mercian nodded, "True. But he is not the one trying to get inside."

She shook her head and teleported away.

Mercian sighed, "Seal portal."

He pulled the invisible teleport blocker. He put it against a wall. He pulled the crystal, "Activate."

---

Lucian contacted the King, "You secure, your Majesty?"

He sighed, "In my audience chamber. Did you succeed?"

Lucian sighed, "No. He spotted us all, locked out food, and threatened to turn on the security blades in the shelter. Teleportation into the shelter is blocked. He also wanted to remind you that he alone has access to the mythic books to fix the shields when they start to fail.

He said the cavern is his home and he will unload on trespassers, Your Majesty. He is still in there. He does not know we opened up scrying in the area. I will try and sneak back in when he teleports out."

The King hissed, "He may force me to arrest him. If he keeps that up."

Lucian sighed, "Damned, he is blocking teleport and scrying at the moment but has not left yet. I will try and time it."

---

He went around and made light permanent on different walls. Lighting up the cavern nicely. He was quick about this, "Deactivate."

He teleported out. "Activate."

---

Lucian contacted the King, "Damned it. I made it in, but scrying and teleporting out are both blocked and I am not seeing any crystal that is doing that. He added lights to the wall. At the moment I am trapped in here, Your Majesty."

The King was in transit to the throne room, "I will talk with him soon likely. Hold tight and keep searching."

---

Mercian walked into the palace and got in line to see the King. He did not look amused. He reached the front and the King went to call for a break.

Mercian interrupted him, "Your Majesty, I am here now to make a couple of announcements. This is in regards to your new champion and guidance to share with the court."

He sighed and nodded. "Your Majesty, first Charlus did not pass on as expected. He is in the service of Corellon Larethian as a Revered Champion. The first champion to live a full measure of life in this age. He will be contacting heroes, champions, and Moon Blade Wielders. He did not call you by name but your very position and the sword you carry speaks to being a hero of the people. I have brought you the proof of this as well."

He pulled out the amulet, "The last amulet crafted by Zirra at the direction of the gods. A symbol was added to it in the bottom left. According to Varus'Nor, it was not a part of the original design that was stored."

Mercian put his hand behind it and so King Goldeagle would see it. "A pair of arms reaching out from the shadows striking down with a pair of elven long swords."

He looked at Mercian, "How do I know this is real?"

Mercian took the necklace and put it on. Everyone covered their ears as this one was especially loud for some reason. He pulled off his armored shirt. He looked at him, "Because I am the new Champion to Corellon Larethian. I have a mission which we should discuss in private, Your Majesty."

Mercian put the top of his armor back on and the King sighed as he thought, "Now he is the champion who I will have to deal with in this matter. The gods are having fun with this I see."

King Goldeagle looked at Mercian as the ringing stopped, "Take a knee."

Mercian did as he asked. He looked at Mercian, "I knight thee, Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian and Protector of the Elven People. Please rise."

He looked at Mercian, "I believe this is the first time a champion has done that in open court."

Mercian nodded, "Yes. It needed to be done in open court to recognize Charlus and settle any doubts now, Your Majesty."

King Goldeagle nodded, "Private audience now."

He walked and Mercian followed at a respectable distance. They entered the room and the door sealed. He looked at Merican, "You have a member of my Diplomatic Service trapped."

Mercian nodded, "There is a teleport blocker that has an activation crystal to it. He worked to perfect it over time." He listed off the capabilities Charlus built into the device. "It is potentially lethal if you happen to grab a hold of it."

He pulled a crystal, "Any luck finding an escape?"

He heard her growl, "No he locked it out remotely."

Mercian looked at him, "She ready to teleport out, Your Majesty?"

Mercian pulled a crystal, "Come straight here, please. Deactivate."

She appeared. "Activate."

She looked at him about ready to spit fire at him. Mercian looked at her. "I am Corellon Larethian's new champion as declared and demonstrated in open court. That device is lethal to the touch unless you have my Family blade, as in being the owner of it."

She looked at the King who nodded, "Yes, very loudly I might add. I know he was talented in crystal enchanting but you expect me to believe it has all of that?"

Mercian nodded, "Unexpected noise. Normally when the necklace is put on and it is an enchanted holy symbol it merely attaches, Your Majesty."

They heard a voice, "He is correct. Normally that is how I do things. Unless I wish to stress a point."

They all took a knee for Corellon Larethian. Corellon looked at Lucian, "You are not needed for this discussion."

She was gone. "Rise the two of you. First champion, bold and daring move to do it in the middle of the open court. Ensuring word will spread that you are the target for the enemy. I know why you did it. To try and protect your family.

Also, to let the King know he should respect your mission. The mission that deals with the very equipment you are wishing to steal from him. That crystal and its backup are very real devices. Relic level devices. Your efforts on that equipment better end now.

He has shown considerable restraint in not killing intruders as he said he would do and would be within his right. He is working to protect the Elven people. Support him instead of trying to rob him of HIS property. The Champion will ensure it is in any signed agreement going forward so we do not have to keep repeating this discussion with future rulers.

The Queen of the day paid for the Overwatch over the empire, Charlus offered to expand it for you and you turned him down. Now you are more reliant on the Knights system getting into place sooner rather than later. She did not buy the Knight system, the Champion Charlus insisted it would be owned and built by him. To follow that blade. Just for days like today."

The King bowed, "Understood."

Corellon Larethian disappeared. She reappeared just like she had not moved. She looked up, "He is gone?"

Mercian nodded, "I cannot keep the King out but Corellon Larethian can make that demand of the King. That is what you missed. No more entry into that area unless I leave it down for a long period of time. Else I will ward it to the nine hells."

She looked at the King, "Monitor but stay out of the area. What do you need from us Knight Champion?"

Mercian looked at him, "Your Majesty, I have had courses in etiquette and diplomacy. I need diplomatic orders to go and see the Dragons. Send Lucian if you like as well. She is a part of your Diplomatic Service."

He smiled, "I will have your papers within the hour. Lucian will bring them and your orders to the main gate. Then the two of you will travel to the Dragon lands and see if you can put that issue to rest. What do you plan to do?"

Mercian looked at him, "From a diplomatic perspective inform them of what I know, how to correct it or we go it alone and build a global system ourselves, Your Majesty."

He looked at Mercian, "Why do we not do that straight away?"

Mercian sighed, "This breakdown was an agreement between Gods to bring the Alliance back together. To let them know that they are acting counter to Bahumut's wishes in the matter. Then it will be the dwarves' turn in order to get access to the forge opened back up. Then all of us finding and reestablishing a connection to a human settlement to activate the forge.

It has to be close, have a master smith, and willing to work with us. I will need Charlus's will as well, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "She will bring it to you at the gate." Mercian bowed as the King released the door. Mercian left the audience chamber and then the Palace. He looked at his friend, "We have to be at the main gate in an hour."

---

King Goldeagle looked at Lucian, "You cannot control him. Direction to me was to support him. Try and keep negotiations civil if possible. Something tells me it might get heated with the way the dragons have been getting vocal."

Lucian bowed, "I will try my best but Mercian does not seem to be very compromising. He is rather 'matter of fact' about things."

The King nodded, "I am seeing that myself."

She bowed again and left with the paperwork after it arrived.

---

Mercian hopped on and teleported them to the palace gate and then to the main gate.

Then to the edge of Quatarsia. He sighed as they entered, "Send me a horse stealthy and nimble in the woods. Not afraid of magic or dragons."

He pulled his brown saddle and reigns that cost a small fortune to have made off of his horse.

He heard, "You take care champion."

She ran off as a medium warhorse came in with a deep copper color to it. A black mane and legs. Mercian thought, "Wow. You are a beautiful mare. Anama'Losgadh."

He heard back, "I like the name. Burning Soul. You have the heart of a poet."

He saddled her up, "The saddle and reins are enchanted to protect you from normal arrows and poison."

He heard her, "Good. Now I just need to not get hit by other things."

He chuckled. He mounted up and teleported them to the main gate as Lucian arrived. She handed him his papers. She looked at him, "I take the point in the discussion."

Mercian shrugged, "Until they try and dismiss us, and then I will say my peace."

She sighed, "He said you would be difficult."

She teleported a respectful distance from their gate. She looked at Mercian, "New horse?"

Mercian smiled, "I was told I would be monitored."

She sighed, "Even more so now."

Mercian looked at her, "I have a divine non-detection."

She nodded, "I was told."

They rode up to the outer gate. Lucian looked at the copper dragon on duty, "We are here to see your leadership. Diplomats from the Elven kingdom answering the request for any knowledge on an enchantment issue they are having."

He looked at Mercian, "You the same?"

Mercian nodded, "Except I would like to also see any surviving sons of Jazzia Silvertree as well."

He handed him his papers, "Family."

He looked at Mercian and his dragon-blooded features. He contacted the palace. He came back, "Your request to see any Silvertree relative has been denied. An escort will be here shortly."

Mercian looked at him, "In accordance with our agreed-upon diplomatic code I have a right to know who denied the request and the reason."

Mercian looked at him, "The council denied the request. You will have to ask them why."

Two hours later and a security detail of 6 dragons arrived. All gold dragons. He smiled to himself and thought, "They sent gold dragons because of my silver lineage. This is not confrontational at all."

They rode into the Palace to a large room and stopped in the middle. A forcefield went up around them and 5 metallics, 3 of which were gold, flew into the chamber. A copper and bronze joined them on the outer edges.

The one in the center looked at them and spoke out, "What do the elves want?"

Lucian started in, "I am Mariana Silver Reed of the Kings Diplomatic Service. We came here to provide information on a communication issue you inquired about, Your Majesty."

He looked at Mercian, "A Silvertree. You must be a relative of Charlus who we requested to be turned over to us."

Mercian looked at him, "I was a relative of his but he died the day your communication issues started."

He looked at Mercian, "You did not call me 'Your Majesty.'"

Mercian looked at him, "As per dragon tradition no introductions were made, this does not appear to be the council as there are 3 Gold Dragons here. I would have no way of knowing which one of you held that title, Your Majesty. I was told we would be seeing the council."

He looked at Mercian, "This is the Council and you will refer to everyone as 'Your Majesty.'"

Mercian nodded and said nothing. He looked at Lucian, "Give us your information."

Lucian pointed to Mercian, "Mercian Silvertree has the information, Your Majesty."

Mercian nodded. He looked at Mercian, "Well then you tell me what you know."

Mercian looked at him, "You have had a complete failure of your Overwatch system. All of your high-encrypted crystals fractured. An examination of the diamonds in the sky would find they are no longer there, all destroyed.

Your access to draconic Mythic Magic has been cut off and your books on the subject have either disappeared or gone blank. You can call me Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian, appointed messenger for him and Bahamut to a lesser extent, Your Majesty."

That irritated the hell out of him, "What makes you think you are a messenger for him?"

Mercian looked over at a guard, "Charlus Silvertree's will. You forgot Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian, Your Majesty."

He looked at the guy upfront and he signaled to drop the shield and the guard took the papers and they were right back inside of the Force Field. He read the contents of the will into the record and to the council. He looked at Mercian, "How do I know this is not some elven trick?"

Mercian shrugged, "Ask Bahamut, Your Majesty. You once again left out calling me by my title. We did not have to come at all. We came to work to get the Alliance reestablished.

To get the mythic magic back into the hands of ALL of the Metallic dragons. As they are not all represented here that portion of my mission is on hold. Who denied my request to see the offspring of Jazzia Silvertree and why, Your Majesty?"

He looked at Mercian, "I denied your request. I want those books!"

Mercian looked at him, "That is the fourth time you have neglected to use my title. I must assume that we have moved to informal communications. You are required to provide a reason with that denial. As to your question. I do not know where they are at. The Sword does. I have not and will not ask the question. Not until we have reached an agreement or come to a total impasse and you request us to leave."

He looked at Mercian, "You did not call me, YOUR MAJESTY!"

Mercian looked at him, "You have never called me by my title which would be proper court etiquette in this situation. You went informal and I went informal after your fourth failure in court etiquette. Especially when dealing with diplomats.

The first time I explained because your council has representatives of each metallic species. Brass and Silver are missing. This is not a fair representation of your kind to discuss the matter any further. If this forcefield were not up we would have ridden out of here by now."

He growled, "They are lying. We should execute them."

The bronze looked at him, "While I agree his diplomatic skills need work, we risk war if we attack them. They are here under diplomatic orders. If what they said is true then we lose mythic magic for, potentially ever."

The Gold King looked over, "Bring in one of our neutral interrogators!"

Mercian nodded and looked at Lucian who looked ready to shit, "They can, that would be a violation of the non-aggression pact with the neutrals. His only saving grace at the moment is that I am not with the Diplomatic Service.

I have diplomatic orders to deliver a message from the Gods. I have delivered it. They attack you, that is a whole other matter. Then our King can declare war over this. Bringing an end to the non-aggression treaty with the neutrals as well."

She looked at Mercian like he was trying to get her killed. The Gold King yelled at Mercian, "You will address this body, not each other."

Mercian continued to look at Lucian, "The only way that is happening is if they send me back or you back. You want to make a bet on which one of us he decides to keep around?"

She glared at Mercian but said nothing now because she feared for her own life if she even spoke. The Gold King roared out, "Get her the fuck out of the capital!"

They lowered the shield and took her away and raised it. Mercian sat there on his horse. He looked at Mercian, "Now tell me where those books are located!"

Mercian just shook his head. An hour later a neutral Crystal dragon was brought up chained. Mercian shook his head, "I wish no trouble for your kind. I am sorry that they have gone to chaining their own kind. I give you permission to tell him that I am telling the truth about who I am and why I am here. The fact that I do not know where the books are located. Because the sword has not told me yet."

The 'King looked at Mercian, "COMPEL HIM! ASK THE FUCKING SWORD!"
The Crystal Dragon went through his mind and Mercian let him see he had the design, schematics, and crystals to rebuild their system.

He looked over genuinely afraid, "He is immune to mind control. Something from the sword infused into him. He does have all the schematics and crystals to build a new or rebuild Overwatch. They were left to him by Charlus; he is not an enchanter. They are in a shelter that he has blocked access to his own King.

He is the only one who can open the shelter and the compartments the bags are stored in. They are secure shelters. Inside the Elven Capital. His God backed his position and even accused the King of trying to rob him. He does not know the location of the books."

Mercian looked at the Bronze, "Your Majesty, even one of your best confirms what I said. Ask him what happened to Charlus?"

The bronze looked at him and they appeared to be communicating mentally. He looked over, "Take off the top of your armor please, Knight Champion."

Mercian pulled the shirt off and he saw the new symbol. He looked over at the gold and they appeared to be talking mentally. Finally, the big gold flew out of the room throwing rocks everywhere. The bronze looked at Mercian, "What do you want for the crystals for Oversight, Knight Champion?"

Mercian looked at him, "Tell me where the Silver dragons are as well as the brass, Your Majesty? If the metallics are in civil war then that should have been reported. Also, that is Majisa's eldest correct?"

He sighed, "I cannot speak to dragon matters. Yes, that one is her eldest the other two are her second and third born, Knight Champion."

Mercian nodded. He looked at the neutral, "Did you check for my knowledge of Majisa?"

He looked at Mercian and shook his head. Mercian looked at him, "Check, I read about her last night." He went through his mind and went over Jaronac Silver Cloud. The name of the elf who bonded with Majisa to produce these children. He forcefully stayed focused on the word's necromancy ring in the passage. The Crystal Dragon who had not been introduced looked over at the bronze. The Bronze looked over at the two golds remaining at the table.

The copper dragon took off. One of the golds looked at the guard, "Take the prisoner away!"

Mercian waited for the barrier to lower. Mercian gave a kick into Anama'Losgadh's sides and she took off. He cast an energy absorption fire into Anama'Losgadh. He heard, "That did not feel good."

He thought back, "They can hear psionics and verbal I had to signal you some way." He looked back and He had four full-size gold dragons coming down the hall.

Mercian used the rod of expansion and cast a force web and snared all four of them. Two slowed and two went into a slide. He thought, "Shelter Jazzia built. One of them."

They arrived next to a gold guard who just jumped off the edge heading for the palace. He saw Mercian as he opened the portal. He rode inside and saw a room filled with silver dragons. He yelled out, "Activate security welcome home." Mercian heard a loud roar, "Close portal. Deactivate security welcome home."

He looked around, "Tell me that was one of Majisa's first-born children?"

One of the dragons looked at Mercian, "Who are you?"

He looked at his hands. Mercian jumped down and went to the portal and opened the door. He pushed the severed head out of the Gold Dragon he just killed with the defenses. He looked out and they had not converged yet. He pulled out the rod of disjunction. He called out, "Seal portal to only me." He looked at the Silver Dragon, "Mercian Silvertree. Feel like being out of those manacles?"

He looked at Mercian and nodded, "What are you doing here?"

Mercian smiled, "At the moment rescuing you. I was trying to get the alliance restarted and I put together what was going on."

Mercian started releasing the ones who identified themselves as casters. He got 2 of them, "Set access control and security control to the silver dragons." He looked at them, "Was that Majisa's son?"

He looked at Mercian, "One of them. She had 80 before the return and they managed to get us into groups and shackle us here for now. They broke the alliance?"

Mercian nodded, "Yes, going on 50 years. Charlus died. The Dragon Overwatch system was destroyed. You know who is in the other shelters on this level?" One in the back spoke, "More silvers and brass dragons. A few bronze and neutral dragons as well, maybe others."

Mercian nodded, "I am leaving my horse here for the moment. I can gain control of all four of these shelters at this level.

As soon as I exit, I need one of you to close the portal." Get everyone ready in one hour. Everyone that I get freed can attack. Reclaim your home."

They nodded, "Thank you for coming."

Mercian sighed, "Not what I had planned. The first father to Majisa was a gold dragon but it was an elf in a necromancy ring. I think it corrupted the children she had before the return. Only a theory."

He nodded, "Good theory. The other golds are just following their ruler. All of those before the return were infertile as well."

Mercian got over to the door. He called out, "Open portal." A wave of flames was shot inside. He ran into them and then teleported over to the opposite shelter and gained entry. Mercian repeated this process without getting detected as having left the first shelter. There were 20 gold dragons at the first shelter half in human form.

All waiting for it to open again. The hour came and it was a flight of dragons as over 800 dragons went to work on the 20 at the shelter. Once they were cleared away it was full-on aerial combat. He threw a few expanded force webs and force walls to slow and impede the golds in the fight.

He went back to the first shelter and thought to Anama'Losgadh, "Sorry about kicking you."

She sighed, "I know you got us out of there. I was trying to figure out what was going on."

Mercian got outside mounted up and they had moved off. He contacted House Silvertree, "Please have the Patron inform the King that I am alive and in the middle of a full-up civil war with the metallic dragons right now. I got his diplomat out hopefully."

The guard responded, "The Palace has been trying to find out if we heard from you. I will have your patron relay the information. The other diplomat said you were kicking a hornet's nest."

Mercian nodded, "Yes, but I had my reasons. I will explain when I return. I will answer if I am able."

He flew down toward the palace. He saw a badly injured silver down. He landed next to him, "I only have so much healing but it's yours."

He shook his head, "Damage is too severe. Thank you for freeing us." He died spitting up blood. He went in search of the others.

He followed the sounds of battle. He saw only silvers and golds in the room and he threw in a blizzard on them and then a second. Ten minutes later and he had silver dragons filing out in a line. He looked at them. "The upper four shelters. I cannot access those. Have you found anyone to open them?"

He nodded, "A couple of bronzes who were free. One was their ruler. Beat up pretty good. We freed him from the manacles. He is a paladin and wants to see you."

Mercian nodded, "I drew what I could away from him."

He nodded, "He said as much. Left him facing one. The gold leader returned. He got hit from behind and manacled. Do not know what their plan was?"

Mercian nodded, "I do. In theory."

He looked at Merican, "What?"

Mercian looked at him, "If I had to guess, Draco-liches. Bodies to experiment on."

He sighed, "We will check the lower levels and give your theory to the Bronze ruler."

Mercian waited around for an hour. He recovered Charlus's will from the mess in the room. He looked over as a gold stuck his head around the corner. He looked pretty beaten up. He looked at Mercian, "You did this Silvertree."

Mercian nodded. "Knight Champion. You keep forgetting that." He threw his last wall of force up along that wall which pissed him off. Mercian mounted up and took off in the air outside and looked back. He was closing. He thought, "Keep flying."

Mercian jumped off the back dropping the sword. He changed forms and flew for his back while summoning the sword. He flipped to get claws on Mercian. Mercian dimension door above his head and Ran the blade down his neck and all the way down his back.

Mercian thought, "You picking him up as evil?"

He heard Varus'Nor, "YES!"

Just as he got smacked by the fucking tail. He looked back to see him heading for the ground for a controlled landing. He dimension doored onto its back drove the blade in and breathed on him.

He crashed the last thirty feet. Mercian went flying and slammed into the ground. Mercian thought, "Is he dead?"

He heard, "Yes, he is dead, oh slayer of rogue dragons."

He thought, "Anama'Losgadh, ground level."

He heard, "I have one chasing me."

He looked up, "Fly straight down."

Mercian dimension doored closer and hit him with a wing lock.

Mercian thought, "Turn away."

He resisted the wing lock so he hit him again. That one succeeded. He plowed up a couple hundred feet of dirt. Mercian dimension doored onto his back and drove the blade into him and breathed on him. He twisted the blade around until he stopped moving. Anama'Losgadh landed near him and he heard, "Thank you."

Mercian looked up and saw 6 silver dragons flying down to his area with a bronze. He reverted forms and mounted up. The Bronze landed.

He thought, "That one evil?"

He heard Varus'Nor, "Yes. It was most definitely evil but likely had a non-detection item on.."

He looked at the bronze, "I got 3 of them. One with the shelter door security and two with a blade. I helped with the ones in the throne room with the blizzard I threw but your Silver Dragons beat them down."

He looked over, "You got their leader?!"

Mercian nodded, "I went for his back and when he flipped, I dimension doored over his head and ran the blade the length of him; that fucking tail hurt though. Then dimension doored onto his back and ran the blade home while I froze him over. He was badly injured before we started fighting. Sword detected them both as evil. Varus'Nor suspects they were wearing non-detection items to keep you from noticing. Do you have control, Your Majesty?"

He nodded, "The other golds are being questioned. The neutrals were released. They confirmed what you thought. They were trying to use forbidden magic to do Draco-liches. They did not succeed but they killed 33 in their experiments thus far including the last of Jazzia's children that you asked about. You have got a serious reward coming to you, Knight Champion"

Mercian sighed, "Why not work on the Alliance, Your Majesty?"

He chuckled, "It will be a few weeks for us to finish cleaning this mess up. I just got off the crystal with your King. I will contact him back but he wants you back in the city and to the palace. Let's keep it informal for the moment."

Mercian nodded, "I will ride to the main gate."

He nodded, "Understand. These 6 silver dragons will see you out." He rode out healing himself up along the way using a wand. He teleported to the main gate of the city.

He had 12 royal guards and Mercian looked at them, "Let me guess, the King wants to see me."

The Guard Captain nodded, "He was fit to be tied 3 hours ago when he sent us here."

Mercian nodded, "I only killed 3 gold dragons."

He looked at Mercian, "You fucking serious?!"

Mercian nodded, "Yes, long story but they got corrupted at birth. They were doing horrendous things. Sword picked them up as evil when I sliced through 2 of them. The third I killed indirectly using shelter security."

They rode to the palace. The Guard Captain walked him to the King's audience chamber. Lucian was there. She looked like she was about to spit fire at him, yet again. She looked at Mercian, "You play a fucking dangerous game!"

Mercian nodded, "If he had said anything other than getting you out of the capital, I would have teleported you out of there."

She looked at Mercian, "City shields!"

Mercian nodded, "Easy to get around. Teleport onto the wall and have the horses jump off. Then we teleport off before they hit the ground. Journal, one of my relatives did it to evade royal guards in the Elven Capital. Yet another ruler who did not like listening to a champion. That one was not yet an adult. Did you read the Dragon's Axiom by Jarron Silverleaf?

Required reading at the Academy? You should have known he was acting like a red instead of a gold dragon. Consider re-reading the book, all 36 volumes. As a diplomat, you should know those. He was not thinking clearly and I used it to get you free to report back.

I found the shelters Jazzia built and they were being used to house Silver and Brass dragons like prisoners. Some neutrals as well. I am sure others were in the other 4 shelters I could not access. That was just the shelters that I could access. Majisa had a set of children before the return.

The father was an elf but he was using a necromancy ring holding a gold dragon body. That ring corrupted 80 of her young. There were journal entries from Serius Silvertree added about sporadic communication with the Dragon Queen.

It was her son or sons who failed to deliver the messages. With the sword, I took control of the 4 shelters I had access too. They had to open the other 4 they had been built that could be open to dragons and half-dragons only when they were created. I teleported out of the first when they tried to fry me as I came out. I teleported across to the other shelter, moving from one to another. I told the first group we would attack in an hour.

It was 800 to 20 at the shelter. I still killed 3 of the corrupted golds. Remember Charlus mentioned in his will that Majisa's death was suspicious to him, Your Majesty? They will be cleaning up that mess for a few weeks. Remember dragons take the long view of things.

It would not be surprising that Bahumut took a long view with those 80 dragons, to see if they could be salvaged. He did ensure they were all infertile. When they did what he suspected they would do he stripped away the power they needed to make it work. Blinded them to the world by taking out their Overwatch. They were working on creating Dracoliches and failed 33 times in the last 50 years. The last of Jazzia's direct offspring were killed in those efforts. Anything else, Your Majesty?"

He shook his head, "Can I expect more of this erratic behavior?"

Mercian smiled, "Read your predecessor's journal going back to the days of Eldar to Charlus. You will see a pattern of champions picking up on the information going on around them and putting conspiracies together.

Every ally except the dragons has had that happen. This was just their turn. Before we approach the dwarves, we should get the Alliance Overwatch back up and check them over, Your Majesty. We have no idea as to what trouble awaits us with them but I doubt it will be as simple as walking in and getting a piece of paper signed."

He shook his head, "Why do I feel like I have no control."

Mercian looked at him, "Your Majesty, champions have asked that question about their own lives. We learn more about each other and we will be fine. I am better in the woods as a scout than in a court. However, I did learn enough to keep from tripping over my own anatomy.

What I did to the Dragon King the Knight Paladin did to a warlord involved with slavery. He pushed it so he would make a mistake. Reveal himself. I got him to break in court to the point he had to leave or go into open revolt against the Bronze Paladin King in the room.

The blade wielder's journal came in handy with strategy, in court, and in the air. Clearing the field of those who did not need to be in the fight once I saw a fight was coming. I knew that as soon as I saw the force field. Eldar got put in one with the Council of Nine to 'protect him' from chromatics who wanted him dead."

The King sighed, "Spend a few days at home."

Mercian smiled, "I got a bride or two to start looking around for. I would prefer one but we will see what the gods throw at me. We will see, Your Majesty."

He unsealed the door and Mercian bowed to him before leaving. He got up on Anama'Losgadh and rode her to the market gate. "I am knocking."

He heard, "The door is open."

He teleported inside and then went into the home and brushed his new mount down. Mercian thought, "Still sorry about kicking you."

Mercian heard her chuckle, "You got us out of there and the one-off of my ass. Thank you for that."

Mercian walked out and straight into his mother and the Patron who glared at him. He sighed, "I am uninjured, now. The horse is uninjured, 3 corrupted gold dragons fell to my sword or a shelter blade. There were 80 of them. Remember Charlus's will saying Majisa's death was suspicious?

It was. All of the children she had with the elf and the necromancer ring were corrupted and infertile. I already talked with the King. I got his diplomat out of there before I made a break for it.

The last of Jazzia's children died in experiments to try and create a Draco-lich. It was a mess but that was why I was set on that course. To expose the corruption and get them to come back to the table over the Alliance. Those imprisoned had been since before the Alliance fell."

His mother softened her stance and hugged him. The patron had his answer. Mercian looked at him, "What did he take?"

The patron looked over and chuckled at Mercian, "He was waiting to see if you came back from dragon lands. Nothing so far. I was busy talking with the King for a few hours relaying what I knew while he relayed what he knew. Thank you for contacting the house. I did try to reach you at one point."

Mercian nodded, "Probably while I was in one of Jazzia's shelters. Food and then sleep. My new horse flew great today. Anama'Losgadh is her name."

Hermina nodded, "Tomorrow what is the plan?"

Mercian shrugged, "I figured to start the search for a wife, mother."

She nodded, "Hopefully that is less violent."

He nodded, "I shut the King down when I put that necklace on in the middle of his court and told him about Charlus. I got knighted as the selected champion. Then Corellon Larethian appeared in the King's Audience Chamber and told him to leave my property alone as I needed it and he needed to stop. That should hopefully stop them from trying again. I am being watched by Overwatch."

He walked over and ate a quick meal. He then went toward the training ground. Being one of the youngest He had not moved out of this area of the home into one of the many expansions on the estate. He stripped down and crawled into bed.

He figured he would be at the falls and it occurred. He took a knee when she appeared. The Lady of Dreams called out, "Rise champion."

He sighed, "This has to do with finding a wife?"

She nodded, "Yes."

He sat down and stuck his feet into the water, "I thought someone would have talked about the other stuff from today. Getting an idea if my theories were correct."

She sighed, "They were correct. Your approach like a lot of champions was chaotic but that is to be expected. Now to wives."

He looked at her, "I am curious about something. A lot of what happened with Charlus and several other champions seemed to revolve around Aerdrie Faenya, yet none of the champions ever talk about seeing her."

She nodded, "True, Corellon Larethian chose me to represent the others. When you started talking wives it alerted her and she alerted me."

He looked at her, "I am still confused and I only ask these questions to avoid what Charlus went through. Was he at odds with you or her? He just never got any clarification. He never asked the question."
She sighed, "My approach is what he was at odds with, I know I will hear about this all over again from her because of this conversation."

He nodded, "I can address it in the journal. Eldar mentioned you representing a lot of deities back in his day but it has not been discussed directly. As to a wife. Yes, I heard you say wives but I was told the amulet would bring the need for wives under control."

She looked at him, "I see two in your future."

Mercian nodded, "Perhaps if it were one at a time."

She sighed, "Champions are more and more difficult about this."

He smiled and shook his head, "I know of the agreement, you know I know this. I also know that while you could direct me toward them and seem like you are pushing me it is easier on you to simply put them into my path.

Let us decide for ourselves if there is an attraction. You give me names and I will know who to avoid if I choose too. I am starting the search and I do not expect it to be as quick as other champions. It took my parents 20 years to come to terms. I hope it is not that long but if it is, then it is.

There is no title resting on the choice, no family trust, and birth circumstance is another matter. I know what they say Eldar's view on that would be. I would still like to hear from him if it is that important in this age."

She sighed, "Eldar is complicated. He is still not happy about the level of corruption and while Jaronus took the steps to deal with it with the trust it pained him every time Charlus was forced to put another down including 6 of his own children. He was happy Charlus got a full measure of life as a champion. He hopes the same will occur for you. Days like today probably have him thinking it is not likely."

Mercian smiled, "From the dragons or you dear Lady?"

The Lady of Dreams shook her head, "Next amulet has to be to fix the champion's sense of humor. Go and start your day."

He woke a little stiff with twenty pairs of eyes staring at his chest. Younger siblings and cousins. He pointed, "Out."

They quickly scattered while laughing. He got up and showered and found the source of his discomfort. He had a rib that still looked black and blue. He used the healing from the sword and that took care of most of it.

He prayed for his spells. He chuckled after he was done, "At least the Lady of Dreams did not give me a spell to locate mates."

He heard Varus'Nor chuckle, "I think I will add a warning to all new wielders to not piss off the Lady of Dreams."

Mercian thought, "I just asked her to not give me names or locations. If I am meant to find them I will or they will push them toward me. Targets toward the arrow."

He heard another chuckle. He got dressed and armed. He went to the library to sit down to update his journal in private. He noticed the bookcase was cracked open before he could sit. He took a quick look and noted the two other suits of celestial chainmail that were kept in there were gone. He went to the Patron's room and knocked on his door. He opened it up. He looked at him, "Who was in the library?"

He looked at Mercian, "Nobody. I am just getting up."

Charlus nodded, "Both suits of celestial chainmail are gone. The bookcase to the armory was open. Who knows what else is missing?! You will need to do an inventory; see what is missing. I will give you two guesses as to whom. The question is how. There are only a couple of places in town that could get sold at as he would not dare wear it."

The Patron sighed, "I will go through the list."

Mercian went down and got mounted up. He rode out and looked at the guard, "List of all departures and when. Also, if they have returned?"

He handed Mercian the list. Mercian found one and looked at the guard, "Said the patron left 3 hours ago and he is just getting out of bed. Was he on foot or a horse?"

He looked at Mercian, "A blue roan."

Mercian nodded, "My Great-Uncle Ferin. This is my new horse. Anyone looking like me comes back on a blue roan, detain them and then get them to the Patron! Did he have anything on him?"

He nodded, "A large bag."

He looked over, "Open up. He opened the front door and he headed to the most likely location first in the palace district but stopped at the bank first. He walked in with his papers and walked up to the lady, "My account and Charlus Silvertree's account came to me as part of the reading of the will 2 days ago. Any transactions on his account or mine?"

She looked. "On his Charlus, yesterday morning 10 million was pulled out."

He looked at her, "Here in the bank?"

She shook her head, "No this was done at this location."

She wrote it down. Mercian looked at it, "This is a residence."

She nodded, "Yes."

He looked at her, "The dead cannot authorize a transaction. Here are my papers, title, and transfer over the remaining funds into my account. Check to see if there are any transactions on Zertanian Silvertree's account in the last 3 days."

She looked, "I cannot give you that information."

He smiled, "Then get the palace. Talk with the King, and let him know you have it set up for a business to operate out of a residence and allowed a transaction to occur on an account that was frozen because the holder was dead!"

She looked, "Says the house patron unfroze the account."

He looked at her, "Here?"

She shook her head, "No, the same place."

He looked at her, "Reverse the fund transfer now. The patron did not hold the will on the account the King did. Look at my papers! The Patron would not be authorized to release it!"

She nodded. She looked over, "They have been informed and the account transfer has been reversed. They want the person who issued the reversal to come to the residence."

He nodded, "Gladly."

He contacted the house, "I need to speak with the Patron now."

He sighed, "He is on another crystal with your Great-Uncle Ferin at the moment. Said his life is being threatened."

He smiled, "Let him know I am getting royal guards to travel with me to the location where I just had a 10 million gold piece transfer removed that they said the Patron authorized. The account released by the patron at a business being run from a residence!"

The guard responded, "He wants to know where?"

Mercian sighed, "Gold Cloud estate."

He headed into the palace district to the upscale armor shop. The girl behind the counter looked at Mercian, "Back again?"

He looked at her, "This is the first time I have walked into this place. Did someone sell you house Silvertree celestial chain?"

She laughed, "You did. Two sets. Mercian set his papers down for her. Did it go into my account?"

She shook her head, "It went into your friend's account."

He smiled, "Let me guess. That account tied to Golden Cloud estate?"

She nodded. He looked at her. "Reverse the transaction and turn over the stolen house property. How did he identify himself?"

She looked at Mercian, "As the new champion to Corellon Larethian. He took his shirt off and showed me the symbol in his chest."

He nodded and he took his shirt off. "This symbol?"

She shook her head, "No it did not have the symbol to the bottom left."

He nodded. "That symbol was added by the Gods for Charlus Silvertree, a Revered Champion of the Gods. The thief did not know of the new symbol. Now reverse it and expect a royal inquiry into not checking the papers of the person conducting the transaction. Unless you turn over everything he sold here. The armory is still being inventoried."

She sighed and went off. She reversed the transaction. She looked at Mercian, "The account holder wished to see the person reversing the transaction. Here is everything he brought in."

Mercian looked, "Two dozen high-end rings, five sets of high-end armor including three full sets of full plate, four amulets, and a dozen cloaks." He took it all.

He looked at her, "Check paperwork especially if the funds are going to that house. Also, cast true seeing."

She nodded, "I am not a caster."

He took the stuff out. He rode to the palace, "Please let the Guard Captain know I need to see him and a contingent of royal guards."

He looked at Mercian, "Why?"

He looked at him, "Just do it! Else I will go into the court's throne room and shout loudly enough the King will hear me in his bedroom!"

The guard took off and the captain arrived. He looked at Mercian, "What is the problem?"

He looked at him, "You have fraud being committed, a Duke's account was illegally accessed after his death, a Patron and a Knight have also been impersonated.

I am the Knight that was impersonated and these transactions occurred with the funds all going to one account at a business being run from a residence in the palace district. They have requested my presence after getting charges reversed at the bank."

He sighed, "Where is this business?"

Mercian looked at him, "House Golden Cloud."

He looked nervous. Mercian looked at him, "I think I will just take this up with the King instead."

He held up a hand. "Wait."

Mercian shook his head, "No. Not so you can warn them at House Golden Cloud. I saw that pale look on your face. They have something on you."

He looked flustered and Mercian got down to go inside. He tried to block Mercian.

Mercian dimension doored beyond him and walked forward. He yelled, "STOP!"

That got the King's attention as Mercian continued forward. The King called out, "What is going on?"

Mercian looked over, "The Guard Captain tried to prevent me from coming to see you in regards to illegal activity, Your Majesty. Apparently, he has some interest in seeing this activity continue."

The King looked over, "Captain, my audience chamber. Champion you know the way."

They did not wait long before the King went inside. He looked at Mercian and said, "Explain." Mercian gave him the condensed version. Mercian showed him what was recovered from the armor shop.

King Goldeagle looked at the Guard Captain, "Explain?"

He looked at the King, "Your Majesty, the head of your guards comes from that house. We are under orders to deflect any inquiries to him."

He looked at the Guard Captain, "Say nothing, get him, 24 guards, out front now!"

Mercian looked at the King, "I can guess who was with my Uncle Ferin to help perpetuate the fraud, Your Majesty."

He sighed, "You are probably right."

He sat down and wrote out a few sheets of paper, "Arrest warrants for the patron of house Golden Cloud, Guard Captain, and your Great-Uncle Ferin. You are a Knight in the court. See to it."

Mercian bowed to him and went out front. He looked at the guards with him, "I have 3 royal arrest warrants. We will not be stopped."

They nodded. They took off for house Golden Cloud and he saw 24 house Silvertree guards out front. Mercian looked at them, "Where is the patron?"

He pointed, "The guards will not let us past."

Mercian nodded, "I was requested to come here as the one who reversed transaction. I have 24 royal guards, my house guard, and 3 royal arrest warrants. Start walking, no contacting the house, or I will lay waste to the 3 of you for impeding us from our work!"

They had them running while they advanced toward the house. Guards in front of the house went inside when they saw them approach. The house Guard Captain came out, "You are trespassing!"

Mercian pointed back, "You notice the men riding with me are Royal Guards along with my House Guards. I was requested here. Take me to my patron, your patron, the head of the royal guard, and these guards are coming with us!"

Mercian got down, "Knight Champion Silvertree and I came with more than guards. I have royal arrest warrants. You wish to challenge the King's Guards?"

He backed off and led them to a large office. Mercian saw a very bloodied Uncle Ferin. Two guards had his Patron in manacles. Mercian yelled over, "Release them, Now!"

The man behind the desk looked at Mercian, "Why would we do that?"

Mercian looked at him, "You the patron?"

He nodded, "This is my nephew who is head of the Royal Guards you brought with you."

The head of the Royal Guards looked at them, "Detain that elf."

Mercian looked at them, "You have been relieved. Those Royal Guards answer to me as a Knight of the court with 3 royal arrest warrants. One for you Guard Captain, the charge is corruption and suspicion of committing fraud.

You patron as you are running a business out of your home, doing transactions from accounts that were frozen, that is robbery and at the 10 million gold piece scale that is a big charge. Let alone what they find when they go through your books. Guards weapons at the ready. The third is for you Uncle Ferin. Your crimes will end in your death."

Patron Golden Cloud looked at Mercian, "I have no knowledge of any business being conducted here."

Mercian looked at him, "We will see what my patron reports back as to why you have him in manacles as that is a patron-on-patron attack."

He looked at Mercian, "They were a precaution to keep him from casting anything on me." Mercian dimension doored behind him and put his two swords on either side of his neck, "You are under arrest now release my Patron. One of those blades is a vorpal blade. The other is a Moon Blade."

He nodded to the guards. Mercian looked at the Royal Guards, "Manacles on the 3 of them."

Mercian looked at Patron Silvertree, "Do you know enough?"

Patron Silvertree nodded, "Gambling! The Patron was aware of it all."

Patron Golden Cloud looked at him, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Mercian smiled as they walked out, "I will request that a cleric come in and divine your involvement while psionic members of the Kings Diplomatic Service go through your mind."

He looked at Mercian, "Perhaps we can come to an understanding."

Mercian looked at him, "Ask the King that question. I don't make deals with the corrupt."

They brought around horses for the 3 of them. Patron Silvertree patted Mercian on the shoulder, "Smart move with the royal arrest warrants."

Mercian chuckled, "Almost did not happen if the Guard Captain on duty did not panic. It alerted the King to my presence and why."

Mercian rode by the armor store, he looked at the girl, "Step outside." She walked out to all of the guards. "Who came in with the fake me earlier?"

She pointed at the Guard Captain.

Mercian nodded, "Thank you, let your boss know you are going to the palace to bear witness on the illegal transaction that occurred because a member of the King's royal guard was involved and is under arrest."

She went inside and came out, "I do not have a horse."

He extended to her his arm and pulled her up. She looked at him, "The owner just fired me for not checking paperwork."

He nodded, "Does he provide you with a means to do true seeing on those conducting transactions?"

She shook her head. Mercian nodded, "Guards, get the owner out here please."

5 minutes later and the owner stepped out, "She should have caught the transaction."

Mercian looked at him, "I am betting the purchase of magical gear by your store is your call. You will buy it and I am wondering how many transactions are going to be tied to you when House Golden Cloud's accounts are audited.

I will recommend your accounts be audited as well. I am willing to bet this is not the first time the head of the Royal Guard has graced your doorsteps. You have quite a lucrative arrangement going on. That will show when his records are examined. Get to the palace in an hour with your books or I am sure the King will give me another royal arrest warrant. He has given me 3 so far today."

The owner tried the same shit, "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement."

Mercian looked back, "The King makes the arrangements. I don't make deals with those that are corrupt. I would like 4 of the royal guards to stay with the owner to ensure he complies with the very reasonable request."

Four of them dismounted and walked over to the owner. Mercian led them all back to the palace. "House guards can return to House Silvertree."

They headed back while the rest of them went to the King's audience chamber.

The King looked at the Golden Cloud Patron, "What is your side of this. Know I will be bringing those in extracting information without pain. As well as the fact that I have sent for the Grand Cleric of the Lady of Dreams."

The patron looked cornered. He finally sighed, "I have been having friendly games of chance at my house."

Mercian pulled his Uncle Ferin forward so the King could see how 'friendly they were.'

The patron rolled his eyes. "This man perpetrated a fraud on me and this young elf here from what I understand, Your Majesty. We inquired to have the one who reversed the transactions come to see me, so we could straighten this out."

Mercian looked at the King, "Your Majesty, He had 6 of his guards, the Guard Captain, my Patron in manacles who had committed no fraud in this matter. All because he said he feared the patron would attack him 7 to 1 after stopping our house guards at the gate."

King Goldeagle looked at Patron Silvertree, "What is your take on this?"

Patron Silvertree looked at his nephew Ferin, "He stole from us, pretended to be me, and the patron wanted me to give him restitution to walk out of there alive. When I explained to him the account in question was not mine, or mine to release. Then he wanted it from me.

I told him that my own account does not have that kind of money in it. He was waiting for Mercian to show to get it returned from him. He cared nothing of fraud even though I told him about it. He claimed I was just reneging on my transaction for my nephew."

Mercian looked behind him, "Your Majesty, this is the girl who worked at the armor shop who identified 'me' as having done the transaction and once she saw the real symbol in my chest and my paperwork, she reversed the charges and returned the gear.

Including gear not normally found in an armor shop. The funds were not paid out in coin but transferred directly to this illegal gambling operation with your head of the Guard Captain standing next to my Uncle Ferin while this fraud occurred.

I also requested the owner of the shop bring his books and an exhaustive examination of the accounts involved with those arrested. His business is a part of this fraud. He fired her for not checking paperwork but provided no means for her to have true seeing.

The amount put back into their account was about a quarter of the value of the gear sold. Not something she would be able to ascertain without a lot of magical skill. She has none. Ask how she was able to appraise what was sold with no magical skill? I am sure the examination of the Guard Captain's accounts will bear this out as well.

Then there is the issue with the bank. Giving access to a home; a non-business, for doing these transactions. Them not confirming the validity of these transactions in unfreezing an account remotely, instead of at the bank. This leads me to believe this has occurred for others."

The King looked at Mercian, "What are you wanting?"

Mercian looked over, "The patron-on-patron matter is an issue for him to discuss in private. Them getting my inheritance unfrozen would seem to warrant a fine at a minimum. The same goes for this so-called business.

Now if they are found to have been involved in a larger fraud with the house that is your call. My Uncle Ferin is to be turned over to House Silvertree for execution based upon house law. I would like to add your Guard Captain did try and have me detained by your royal guards.

Until he learned that I had an arrest warrant for him, his patron, and my Uncle Ferin. The salesgirl was fired from her position. She is owed at least some type of severance pay. Considering the owner did not provide her with the tools to do her job, Your Majesty."
The King looked over, "I want the two patrons to remain, the Guard Captain is to be held in my dungeon. Patron Golden Cloud will be a guest in my dungeon until this investigation is completed. Your house is fine 20 million for the transaction on the champion. Half of which goes to the champion.

The girl is free to go; her employer will be paying her for lost wages for a year. I will contact the bank and find out who authorized this account, when, and how bad this problem might be. Then have them brought in to answer questions. The gambling establishment is closed. The new house patron will be informed of this when they arrive.

Any debt will be forgiven and all transactions deposited into this account returned to the houses in question. As to your Uncle Ferin, he is yours to take with you. The girl can wait outside until the shop owner arrives if she prefers?"

She shook her head. Mercian looked at the scared mouse. "Leave your name with my Guard Captain and I will be sure the funds are sent to you."

Mercian walked her and his Uncle Ferin out. They stopped at the Guard Captains' desk where her hands were shaking so bad. Mercian looked at her, "Name?"

She looked at Mercian. "Willow Silver Water. Last of my house."

Mercian nodded and the guard wrote the information down. Mercian put his manacles on his Uncle Ferin and the guards took their manacles.

Mercian walked out with him. The girl walked out and looked around. Mercian sighed, "Need a ride?"

She nodded, "I have never gone from the palace before."

Mercian nodded, "I could tell it was your first time in front of the King and to be at the center of something like this."

She nodded, "Yes. You do this a lot?"

Mercian shook his head, "Two days ago was my first time in front of the King. He barely knew my name. Mispronounced it even. Where do you live?"

She looked over, "Roc District."

Mercian looked at her and sighed, "Rogue part of town."

She nodded, "Impure elves place in this kingdom."

Mercian shook his head, "The first champion was a mix like you. Maybe not exactly like you. His mother Elara Strong Oak was wood-elf and father Heliar of House Silvertree. They were never married. But he claimed him."

She nodded, "Same except mother was an elf-blooded wood-elf."

He smiled and shook his head.

He thought, "I know this is the Lady's work. Putting her into my path first thing this morning."

Mercian asked, "You live alone?"

She shook her head, "Room-mate we share."

She was quiet and he finished it for her, "Each other's bed and hearts I am sure."

She nodded, "She will not be happy I lost my job."

Mercian nodded, "We will see if we can fix that."

Mercian stopped off at his mother's shop. He looked at her, "Business still slow, mother?"

She looked at who he had with him, "Non-existent is more like it. What is going on with your Uncle Ferin being in manacles?"

Mercian set the bag down. "Close up early and you can ride home. That is what he took from the armory; using a polymorph or alter-self to incorporate aspects of the Patron, Charlus, and myself to rob my inheritance and get access to the armory. He is headed home to die."

She groaned, "That damned sword."

Mercian looked at her, "What would father have done?"

She sighed, "Beat him to death for going after your assets let alone the family assets. I am closing this down. It is not worth the expense."

Mercian nodded, "I have money coming to me not counting what Charlus left to me. I will ensure you want for nothing as you work for the house. In fact, there will be some work coming your way when we get the Alliance Overwatch back on-line. This is Willow. Willow, this is my mother Hermina.

That high-priced shop in the Palace district fired her today because I got this stuff returned. Their owner is headed to the King. Our patron is there as is the Patron of Golden Cloud. Our dear Uncle Ferin racked up gambling debt with him. That is the soon to be former Patron. We will see what happens with the patron-on-patron aspect of things. I told Willow I would drop her off and she lives in the Roc District."

Hermina sighed, "Rough part of town. I can take your Uncle Ferin and this stuff home."

Mercian shook his head, "He was released to me to die. When he is dead is when he will leave my side."

She sighed, "I can take this stuff home at least."

Mercian nodded, "Grab your horse."

She met them out front and he teleported them in front of the house.

Mercian looked at Willow, "Do you need me to take you the rest of the way in?"

She shook her head, "No. I can find my way from here. Best not to have you take me into the Roc District."

Mercian looked at her, "Why?"

She looked at him, "Because I will become a target and you could get attacked."

Mercian sighed, "Wait here. I cannot travel there with him."

Willow shook her head, "I am good...thank you."

Mercian nodded as she ran off. Hermina looked at Mercian, "You looking for a bride?"

Mercian smiled, "She has someone already." She nodded.

They rode into the house. Mercian looked at his mother, "Get his wife and family."

She nodded and rode to the next building over. He took him out to the falls. He unsaddled his horse and undid the reigns. Then brushed the blue roan stallion down. He took his Uncle Ferin upstairs to the Patron's room. His wife was surprised to see Mercian and he pointed, "New house forms."

She nodded and gave them to him. He walked him back to the dining area.

He ordered up food and walked to the door and ordered it up for the horses. He walked back over and sat down and looked at him, "How long?"

He shrugged, "Does not matter."

Mercian nodded. His wife and 6 of his children showed up. She looked at Mercian, "You are not killing him."

Mercian looked at her, "He killed himself. He was released to the house by the King to die for breaking house law."

She looked at Mercian, "What did he do?"

Mercian looked at her, "Stole from the armory, Charlus's account while it was frozen after his death, and the reason he looks like hell is that the gambling establishment he was at beat the shit out of him. The patron will be back soon. He knows what the sword requires of me and he was warned specifically what would happen.

I got those transactions reversed. I cannot just disown him. He used an alter self to assume my identity, the patron's identity, and who knows how many others. Also, to get into the armory. You want to get the house psionics to check it out for yourself. I will wait."

Uncle Ferin looked at her, "Leave it be. At least he will make it quick."

Mercian nodded, "I take no joy in this. I am angry about what you did but this is about eliminating corruption."

Mercian set a form in front of her, "Start a new house for you and your children. Do it and I will give you 5 million of what is coming in from the other patron. He was fined. All Silvertree gear remains behind."

She looked at him, "How much did he get fined?"

Mercian looked at her, "What is coming to me, 10 million. The other choice is less pleasant and that is to have the patron disown him first and walk away with nothing."

She looked at Mercian, "Why?"

Mercian looked at her, "Because there is no family trust account here for you. Those days are gone. You will lose at least one of your sons or daughters when they try to take me on, for killing their father, if not all of them. Best to take the deal as he gets one win in his life to set you up to not need anything for the rest of your life."

Uncle Ferin looked at her, "Take the money and run with it. They have friends and they will see you and our children killed. Not counting they will likely kill him for you."

Mercian nodded, "There is that and that is probably only one place he owes money too. They will look to come and collect from you. No matter what the King decrees."

She looked at her husband, "This true?!"

He nodded, "7 other places I owe money too. Almost 100 million.

Not counting the 30 million I still owed Golden Cloud."

Mercian shook his head, "I do not have that kind of money to keep them away from you or me. I can defend myself. I am giving you a chance to live. Cash it out and leave the Elven Kingdom might be your best chance."

Uncle Ferin nodded, "They will not let you rest in the kingdom. They will hunt you down, turn our daughters into whores, and kill the rest of you unless you go to work for them in whatever illegal activity they have planned.

They will probably just rape and kill you in front of them, they have threatened that too many who owe them and are married. Depending on which group finds you. I have condemned you all if you stay in the Elven Kingdom. You need to run far away."

She took up the quill and filled out the paperwork including all of the children. Mercian looked at the name she put down.

House Silver Goblet. She spat in her husband's face and her children left all house Silvertree branded gear. They went out and collected it from their other children. He had 112 in his branch including two in the academy. One son came back and looked at his father and then disintegrated the man himself.

Mercian looked at him, "Get your horse and I will take you to the bank. Tell your mother. I will file this in a couple of days. THE best I can do is give it to you in gold and let you get a head start. I did not give you or this family these enemies, he did."

He nodded and walked out. Hermina looked at Mercian, "Your sword did not alert?"

Mercian shook his head, "He was not targeting me. I was giving them an option to live when their father killed them all through his own actions. He condemned them all to death with that much debt."

Mercian pointed, "Help me carry all of this stuff away."

She nodded, and they took it back to the armory and put it back up on the mannequins. He looked at her as he pulled two medium bags of holding. Mercia looked at her, "Something to put the money into. Stay away from work for a while, until we can sort out who is going to be attacking us."

She nodded, "I will inform the guard that they are not allowed back onto the property. I can take care of myself if attacked. You know what to do if I get killed."

Mercian nodded and got his horse from the falls. He got out front and most of them had left already. He took the one son and his mother to the bank. He walked up to the teller, "I need 5 million in gold coins split between these 2 bags and a half million placed in this one. Here are my papers."

She looked at Mercian, "I have to get a manager to sign off on it."

He looked at her, "No you do not. You did a 10 million gold piece transaction without confirming it was legal from an illegal business. My account has been flagged by a manager for any large withdraws, correct?"

She nodded, "Because of that."

Mercian looked at her, "Contact the palace while you are at it as I lodge a complaint against whoever put that alert on my account."

She looked at Mercian, "Your kidding, right? It is the head of the bank."

Mercian looked at her, "I guess I know who the corrupt one is. Make the transfer, get the head of the bank here without telling him why."

She sighed and worked on the transfer and a Gold elf came down, "What is so important?"

Mercian looked at him, "Why did you flag my account to alert you?"

He looked at her and then back at Mercian, "Because of the theft previously!"

Mercian shook his head, "No that theft was from Charlus's Silvertree account which is now closed. I did not ask for an alert to go to you so someone else asked for an alert to go to you."

Mercian looked at his great aunt and cousin, "Go ahead and go."

Mercian looked at the head of the bank, "Let us go to your office and you can explain it to the King."

He looked nervous, "I will do no such thing?"

Mercian looked at him and got manacles on him before he knew what to do.

Mercian looked at him, "You can change your mind now or we will go to the palace now. I am willing to bet you are the one who set up the Gold Cloud home business account."

He turned white. Mercian looked at her, "Remove that alert from my account. Contact the city guard or royal guard. I am keeping him right here. She came back with a crystal, "It is the King."

Mercian sighed, "Your Majesty. I have the head of the bank in manacles. He set an alert on my account for any large withdraws. Not the account that was stolen from but mine. What was the limit on that alert? She looked over, "5,000 gold pieces."

Mercian heard the King Goldeagle sigh, "Bring him to me."

Mercian nodded, "On our way, Your Majesty would please inform the lady at the desk to remove the alert and any other alerts he might have set should also be written down for the amounts the alert were set for, and the names."

The King sighed, "You think it is that bad?"

Mercian looked at the man, "Before his death he said he owed nearly 100 million to 7 other gambling establishments, Your Majesty. Not counting the 30 million with Storm Cloud. I am willing to bet an alert was set on about every Silvertree account out there."

The King sighed, "How many Silvertree accounts were flagged with this alert?"

She looked, "All of them."

The King sighed, "Can you get him here alive."

Mercian thought, "Provided I can get him out of the bank alive, yes."

The King sighed, "Does he wish additional protection?"

He nodded rapidly. Mercian looked at the crystal, "I would say he was unresponsive but he nodded yes very rapidly, Your Majesty. This corruption is worse than we thought I am guessing. Do you want to send your diplomat I traveled with the other day? Else risk having the bank drop their teleportation wards."

Mercian grabbed a slip of paper, "Start writing names of who asked for those alerts. Remove all alerts from Silvertree accounts."

She sighed, "It takes a manager to remove them."

Mercian looked at him, "You set them, I am watching what you do. You remove them."

He pointed, "My office."

Mercian shook his head, "Another manager has an office nearby."

She pointed. "Right over there."

Mercian walked him over and watched him remove all of the alerts. Mercian had him finish the list. Mercian blindfolded him as he headed for the door with his hood up and the unenchanted cloak they borrowed from the office. Lucian showed and she looked at Mercian, "Just me?"

Mercian nodded. "Yes."

Mercian got to the entrance, "Deactivate."

They took two steps when Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger!"

He teleported them into the cavern and then to the palace steps, "Activate."

Lucian looked at Mercian, "Clever."

Mercian walked him back to the King's Audience Chamber. He removed his blindfold. Mercian looked at the King, "I did not want him to know how I did it. As she is already monitoring me, she knows how I did it."

Mercian handed the King the list and he shook his head. "Very prominent people. A couple of them hold titles in this court. One was out there in court."

Mercian nodded, "Then I would say your dungeon is useless."

Varus'Nor commented, "There is a dungeon in the War Room."

Mercian looked at the King, "Varus'Nor says you have one in the War room. It can take us there, Your Majesty." Mercian set the form on his desk. "Two-day head start for 112 family members. With that much debt, he essentially killed his family if they stay in the Kingdom, Royal decrees be damned, Your Majesty. Given those names and their likelihood to do things legally.

He said some of them would turn the women into whores to collect what was owed to them. There were 54 females on that list, including his wife, Your Majesty. As it is, they will come after my house and me in particular."

He nodded, "Do it. Add Lucian to the list. I started reading journals and I know about it 'being the key.'"

Mercian nodded. He teleported them to the fourth floor and walked into the war room, "Add Lucian to War Room access.

Add Lucian to dungeon access." He took her back and put him in a cell after striping him down to his short clothes. He left his gear in the center of the room. "Be glad these are not Charlus's manacles. You break those or disenchant they shrink down to two-inch circles."

He locked him in and looked at her, "I can get myself back."

She nodded. Mercian stepped out, "Deactivate." He went down. Switched forms and teleported up near his horse.

He then teleported them home. "Activate." He walked up to the door reverting to normal, "Let me in. The guards got him access and he went all the way back after securing the house. He unsaddled and brushed down Anama'Losgadh. He went to the armory as his mother still put stuff away. She looked at him, "Go smooth?"

Mercian sighed, "You mean finding out every Silvertree account was flagged for any withdraw activity over 5,000 gold pieces? All put in place by one manager who is hunted now by 8 of the most prominent people in the city including one Count and a Duke? Getting that manager to the palace without getting killed, secured, and then getting home.

Then sure, smooth as ficka silk. I do not even know if his family made it out of the City. I bought them what time I could. I left her change of house form behind. This house will be hunted now by those who hold this debt, laws be damned. Be prepared for war."

She hugged him, "Still a noble gesture to get them out of the city. I can handle myself if need be. Don't worry about me in this."

Mercian nodded, "I need to inform the Patron. They don't leave the Kingdom and they will likely die."

He looked over, "I heard you. Charlus said there would be days like this. You got that list of names?"

Mercian went out and wrote them down. He sighed, "These three are the most worrisome. Suspected of organized crime out of the Roc District."

Mercian nodded, "Avoid the Roc District."

He laughed, "They do not stay there, they just have a hidden base or bases out of there. Run street gangs of the disenfranchised."

Mercian headed for his room, "Need sleep."

He got inside and secured it this time leaving sound open. He slept uninterrupted which he found surprising.

---

The King had gone to sleep and found himself at the falls as a much younger looking Charlus approached him. Charlus smiled, "I know Correlon already talked with you about Alliance Overwatch. I expect you will still try and get it moved. You don't like listening to champions. You did not with me, and you have thus far had mixed results with Mercian.

He will challenge you. He is more 'matter of fact' about things. I advised as I was more diplomatic when it came to the royal family. I helped to train Lucian early on but she was more in line with you than with my guidance. Why you elevated her to be your Spy Master. She was one of your better choices but she, like you, needs to respect champions."

The King sighed, "I have 2 to deal with, with you in my sleep."

Charlus laughed, "No, just one. This will likely be my only visit with you. I am merely advising you again as a member of the Diplomatic Service should do. Listen to Mercian and avoid trying to trap or box him in. He is a scout and meant for being on the battlefield more so than myself.

He is rougher around the edges in diplomatic matters. He is not a part of your Diplomatic Service. Yet he will likely become one of your generals if not a field Marshal in the future. He is tactically aligned and not afraid to go to war as an army of one if needed. Even when you would prefer to keep him out of it.

You won't be able to temper him without pissing him off. When those times arise, don't hold him back. You will likely fail to do so. Be true to the blade you carry and ask it for advice a little more often would not hurt matters either. It has been around longer and is an advisor you do not listen to often enough.
My opinion on that matter. Get some rest. You will have chaos coming and 'The Tempest' that is Mercian will help to bring it to a close faster if you only open up your mind to listening to him. Instead of trying to control him. He gets direction from the Gods first, just as I did in life."

---

Mercian got up the next morning and went looking for his mother. He looked over, "Where is my mother?"

The Patron sighed, "She went to her shop. Left an hour ago."

He sighed and shook his head, "She knew of the danger. I cannot protect everyone in this house. Make sure everyone knows of the risks right now."

He nodded, "I sent 6 guards with her."

Mercian nodded, and got his horse and mounted up. He rode out, "Those guards that left with my mother back?"

One of them nodded, "Said your mother had 6 customers waiting."

Mercian shook his head, "Tell the Patron she has likely been taken as a hostage or killed."

He looked at Mercian. Mercian nodded and he undid the door. Mercian rode out and thought, "Take me to her horse."

He heard back, "I do not sense her horse."

He teleported them to the backside of her shop and found her dead mount.

They stripped the gear. He went invisible and went into her shop. No sign of her but a note that read, "Roc District. Come alone, Mercian."

He pulled a crystal, "I am knocking." He stepped out next to his horse, "Door is open." He went inside and unsaddled Anama'Losgadh, "Her horse is dead. Saddle and bridle were gone. With this note."

Patron Silvertree shook his head, "She is likely already dead."

Mercian nodded, "I know. I know what she told me if something like this ever occurred. They do not know what she told me."

The Patron looked at Mercian, "What?"

Mercian sighed, "Stay alive and make them pay!"

He went to the armory and pulled out a stack of wands. He looked at Mercian, "You doing this alone?"

Mercian smiled, "I have someone to contact."

Mercian walked out and nodded to the guy. He switched forms and teleported into the enchanter's district. The girl behind the counter looked at him, "I can sense you are hiding your appearance, but I cannot see it for some reason."

Mercian stopped and wrote out what he wanted. She went and got it while he put gold out for the supplies. She looked at him, "That is a lot of healing."

He nodded. and walked out, "Deactivate." He teleported into the area and left the door open. He waited and she showed up in hiding. He looked at her, "Hello Lucian."

She looked over, "What is going on?"

Mercian looked at her, "Silvertree saddles are abjuration. One is in the Roc District. I need a location. My mother was taken this morning. I know you can track it after what I turned on. I cannot go up there and check. But you have been following me and that would be the likely method to do so short of having someone tailing me. With my teleport capability, that would be hard to do and there are a lot of those saddles."

She smiled, "Alright. Let me see what I can find."

She contacted overwatch to do the search.

Mercian left the field down and loaded up his belt. She gave him coordinates. "It is in the middle of the street in the Roc District. It looks like it is on a horse."

He nodded, "Not for much longer. You will want to depart."

She sighed, "I will see the King in person and let him know you are on the hunt for a reason."

Mercian nodded and went invisible, "I am knocking."

He heard, "Door is open."

Mercian teleported into the square. Next to the horse and teleported the horse and rider into Silvertree estates. Mercian threw him off his horse. "Activate." Mercian pulled him inside and stripped the horse of the saddle and reins. Mercia looked at the Patron, "The first prisoner to interrogate. I want to know the strength, numbers, base location, and status of my mother."

He walked over and started ripping into this guy's head none too gently. He looked at Mercian, "She fought them and they disintegrated her. Here is the information."

Mercia cut the fuckers head off. Mercia looked at the information. 80 thieves and assassins in the building. They were alone. A three-story structure with guards on the roof of 3 nearby and taller buildings across the way.

Teleportation blocked, scrying blocked. True seeing being used. He grabbed a teleport blocker of his own and stuck it into his bag.

Mercian looked at his Patron, "Time to make them pay."

Mercian walked outside and nodded to the guard. He teleported himself and the horse out at 50,000 feet above the building. He drew weapons and switched forms He dove down and went invisible anyway after the horse crashed through the roof. His divine non-detection would make it harder for them to line up any shots with accuracy.

He only had to worry about the area of effect spells mostly. Mercian turned on the teleport blocker. He had and started cutting through the men they threw at him. He unloaded fireball and acid explosions. He popped healing potions left and right as needed.

He counted bodies at 57. He tossed bodies out the windows as he went. He went to the next level of the burning building. He killed 4 more who were looking for him. They found him and died in a whirling set of blades. Their bodies went out of the building in the same unceremonious manner.

He got to the first floor and the door was open. He turned off the blocker and went up to all of the guard positions one at a time and butchered them. That took care of 70 of them. "Deactivate."

He cast up a blizzard over the area to put out the fires from the building. He teleported to the cave and switched forms. She showed up and looked at Mercian, "Hells Mercian! Not very tactical."

Mercian looked at her, "That was very tactical. They had already disintegrated her, had 80 in that base, now they are down to 10."

She shook her head, "The ones that teleported away from the street went to the main gate and north gate then scattered across the kingdom. You put a fucking hurt on them. That is not to say they all teleported away. We counted 6."

Mercian nodded, "I am going home and then going to the Roc District."

She sighed, "I hope you know what you are doing."

Mercian nodded, "I have defenses and a danger sense from the sword. I am meeting their demand to go alone."

She rolled her eyes and disappeared. He called home, "I am knocking."

He heard, "The door is open and the King is calling for you. He teleported up. "Activate."

He grabbed the crystal, "Your Majesty, you wished to speak with me?"

He heard him sigh, "Did you turn the Roc District into a war zone?"

Mercian smiled, "Your Majesty, I just came back from the secret location of the Alliance Overwatch. Something happened in the Roc District?"

He heard him moan and he heard Lucian laughing in the background. He sighed, "I will contact you back after talking with Lucian."

---

Lucian looked at the King, "He was covered in blood and smelled of smoke. We cannot track him, only his horse. He goes invisible and he has that divine non-detection with his blade, we cannot follow him unless he is on a Silvertree horse with those saddles. He knows how we track him.

Also monitoring the site of those stations, he left it open knowing I would come to investigate. He said his patron confirmed they killed his mother, there were 80 in that base, 6 teleported away, and left the Capital. At least 70 of them are dead. He had an extra belt with healing potions on it and half of them were gone.

Now he is planning on riding into the area alone as the kidnapper or murders note asked for. His sword has a danger sense. He is just looking for any he missed. They started this fight with the champion and his house. The champion is working to finish it. The fact he is a champion and could explode if he died did not stop them from attacking him. He is working to remove these corrupting elements from the city, Your Majesty."

The King thought to his sword, "Any thoughts on how to handle this?"

He heard back, from his sword, "He is handling it quite nicely. Support him, as the sword will judge if he crosses the line. You told me about your dream when you awoke. Right now, he is cutting the rot out of your Kingdom as an army of one. He is not in the Diplomatic Service, but he is doing more than they have in removing these threats. Something to consider."

The King started writing, "Get these to the Guard Captain. Arrest warrants for those listed from yesterday, get them to the dungeon in the war room, if they are still alive." He thought, 'I should not have delayed action on bringing those 8 in sooner.'

His sword chuckled, 'That would have been part of what Charlus told you in that dream. Mixed results. Acting sooner when it is time.'

---

Mercian tossed the crystal back to him and went and got his horse after showering the blood off himself and cleaning himself up with the cleaning cantrip. He came out, "Open the door."

He nodded as he extended a hand, "That crystal." He nodded and then shook his head. He went riding for the Roc District. He did not need to worry about repairs because he was in an alternate form the entire time.

He got to the edge of the Roc District and city guards held up a hand, "There was some type of war in the district. It is not safe."

Mercian nodded, "I understand but I have to go. Someone took my mother and I was told to come here alone. The King is aware."

He sighed and let Mercian past after Mercian showed him his papers. It looked like a war zone alright. People stood around and he saw Willow with another woman.

She looked at him as he rode past checking out the damage. No alerts went off. He rode to the other end of the district and back through again. Willow and her lady had disappeared. He left the area and headed back toward home. The crystal went off, "You there Silvertree?"

Mercian smiled, "This Silvertree is here. You were right. The Roc District looked like a war zone. Most of it appeared to be focused on one building. Hard to say how big it was, Your Majesty. The men who left me a note did not attempt to contact me."

The King sighed, "City guard reports 72 bodies. One was crushed by a horse and did not get thrown from the building."

Mercian nodded, "I feel bad for the horse, Your Majesty. It sounds like he was not keeping good company. Any progress on that list on your end?"

Mercian heard the King sigh, "I had 3 workings to make deals to avoid death or the destruction of their houses."

Mercian smiled, "They at the palace, Your Majesty?"

He sighed, "Yes and you know where."

Mercian nodded, "In route to the Palace, Your Majesty."

He let the crystal go dark and rode into the palace district with little trouble. He got off his horse and teleported straight to the fourth floor and went into the war room. Mercian went back to the cells and saw that he did have 2 roommates. Mercian walked around and looked at each man's gear on the floor.

Mercian walked over to one cell. "Rumor has it you lead a gang of thieves and assassins out of the Roc District."

He chuckled, "I would not put too much stock in rumors boy."

Mercian nodded, "My mother's horse was killed and the horse's gear taken. The one man who had it will never be found. Now from what the King just told me the city guards found the bodies of 72 with a dead horse. All in a building in the Roc District.

I rode through there and whomever it was that wanted to talk with me about killing my mother was nowhere to be found. Yes, the one guy told me they disintegrated her in the fight. I was obligated to face those that would mean my family harm.

I rode down there alone as they asked. To find massive destruction. They compared it to a war zone. God's help any who pissed off the force that landed in the Roc District.

I saw you in the court when I was, very loudly, proven to be the champion of Corellon. Imagine what I could do to you and your family in the name of killing enemies of the elven people."

He turned white. Mercian looked at him, "I would recommend you spend some time giving the King the names and locations of your associates. In the city or in the Kingdom if they would have fled like scared mice from that."

He swallowed hard and nodded slowly. Mercian turned and saw Lucian and he walked past her on the way out.

She sighed, "Nobody saw a damned thing there. They did recover some of your mother's gear. Stuff with your house insignia on it. It was taken to your house."

Mercian nodded, "You might want to go and talk to that one asshole. Let him know I am leaving shortly to tend to my mother's arrangement and her will. Then I might take a break from the city for a while and go hunting. Invisibility and divine non-detection are a winning combination together."

She chuckled and went back inside.

She came back a few minutes later, "His 2 associates have safe houses they go to on occasion if things are getting heated. They are both on the northern end of the Kingdom."

Mercian shrugged, "I tend to go to Quatarsia to hunt. Doubt I would be anywhere near there."

She nodded, "My people will find them."

Mercian smiled, "I pray they do. Give the King my best. Tell him what I said about hunting in Quatarsia. I need to get to the woods. I will check back in when I return to the city."

She nodded, "I will know."

Mercian smiled, "IF I choose to let you know. I store my saddle and harness and you won't detect me."

She sighed. Mercian teleported out front and mounted up.

---

Lucian went to the King in his audience chamber, "He had no witnesses to the activity in the Roc district. As I mentioned invisibility and non-detection, the potions were probably for the area of effect spells the others cast at him.

He got one of the prisoners to give up 2 locations to me for finding the missing Duke and his business partner. He did not ask for them, having stepped out. He is going to Quatarsia to hunt after dealing with his mother's will and funeral, Your Majesty."

The King sighed, "Send assets and get those 2 before he tries hunting them down himself."

---

Mercian went to the shop and cleared out her personal belongings and anything of value. He contacted the building owner letting him know he had it on good authority that it was not just her horse who died. The building was his again. He nodded and Mercian left him and rode the rest of the way home.

Mercian saw Willow and her friend out in front of House Silvertree. He stopped as they approached. She looked at Mercian, "I saw you in the Roc District."

Mercian nodded, "Saw you as well. I went there to see those who took my mother, said I should come down there alone. They recovered some of her gear from that destroyed building. From what we gathered and divined they disintegrated her.

That place sure was a mess. The King contacted me before I rode down there to see the damage and to see if the would-be killers would show themselves. They left a note in her shop; you know the shop. The one I took you too.

Asked me to come to the Roc District alone. I did but I did not get approached by any of them. I have to talk to the guards about if they can identify the 6 that were waiting for enchanting this morning. Did you have any information on those who killed or helped them to kill my mother?"

Mercian waved the house guard over, "Take these 2 to see the escort detail my mother had this morning. They might recognize the description of some of those responsible."

The house guard waved them forward. Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger!"

Mercian watched her friend go for a hidden blade on her belt. She swung in and stabbed him as he lifted his hand back. He thought, "Varus'Nor left hand Moon Fire on."

He swung down and severed her hand from the wrist. Willows screamed, "WHY DID YOU ATTACK HER?" He pointed at her severed hand still holding the blade in his leg.

The would-be assassin looked up, "You should be FUCKING DEAD!"

He pulled the blade out as house guards grabbed her, "Anything to add to your confession?"

Willow looked at her, "You worked for THEM!?"

The girl rolled her eyes, "Shut up!"

He cleaned off his blade on her clothes and sheathed the sword as he got down. He took her dagger and jammed it into the stump of her arm and she did not make a sound. Simply fell over dead. Mercian looked at her, "Live by poison; die by poison. Go with the guard. Once the escort clears that you were not involved then we will move on to the next step. Like why you are here?"

She pointed, "She said she wanted to meet you. She felt like you owed me for getting me fired."

Mercian waved her off. He dragged her body to the edge of the property. The guards pointed to the girl on the ground as one of the 6 who was at the shop. He got descriptions of the other 5 and recognized them from the bloodbath. 2 guards and the 3 on the top floor. Merican gave her 1,000 gold pieces. "For my part in getting you fired. I do have to ask you, did she get you the job at that business?"

She nodded, "Said she had a contact at the shop to get me a job."

Mercian nodded, "Thank you."

Mercian picked up the girl's body and rode to the palace district. The guard looked at Mercian, "What in the hells?"

Mercian smiled, "An assassin who stabbed me in the leg with that dagger. Imagine my surprise that she had poisoned the blade."

He nodded, "Where are you going with it?"

Mercian pointed. "That shop. She asked for a lift home before she died."

The guard called over, "I want 2 guards to ride with you."

Mercian nodded. He went into the shop and saw the owner behind the counter. He tossed the body onto the counter. "She was not happy you fired her girlfriend. Not after she worked you so hard to get her a job here."

The owner's wife looked at her husband, "You been fucking around with that?"

The guy shook his head. Mercian walked out as the royal guards worked to keep them separated as she wanted to kill her husband. Mercian got on his horse and went home.

He got a buzzing from the crystal to the palace, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Mercian heard King Goldeagle sigh, "I have royal guards reporting you dropped a dead girl on the counter of that merchants' shop and got the guy's wife riled up at him. They had to disarm her twice to keep her from killing him. They finally brought him to the Palace given the events of the day."

Mercian smiled, "I was told by Willow who showed up with her girlfriend, that her girlfriend got her a job at that shop. Now he was either fucking the dead girl or was in business with the group in the Roc District. She stabbed me with a poisoned blade. I returned the blade to her and her to him to straighten out which was worse.

Was he fucking her or working for them? Why else would a mix-blooded girl from the Roc District with no magical talent have a job in the palace district? Not my job to figure out which is the case, just get the garbage away from the front of Silvertree Estates. My house guards identified the dead girl as one of the 6 waiting for my mother this morning, Your Majesty."

He sighed, "I will bring in someone to get answers from them. Would you let your patron know he is needed at the Palace?"

Mercian smiled, "Yes, Your Majesty. I would be happy to take care of that for you."

Mercian nodded to the guards who opened the door. He handed the crystal to the guard, "The patron will be right out."

He nodded. Mercian rode inside and saw the Patron, "Your presence is requested at the palace. I will not say why. You will figure it out."

He shook his head, "You?"

Mercian shook his head, "No more like he needs a mental evaluation done. Several probably."

Mercian rode in back and unsaddled Anama'Losgadh and brushed her down.

Patron Silvertree saddled up his horse. Mercian looked over, "I cleared out her shop and let the owner know she was dead."
He nodded, "One less thing I have to do. I hold her will. She did not have much."

Mercian nodded, "I know they sunk it into that business."

He nodded and rode out.

Anama'Losgadh brushed her head against him, "You made them pay from what I saw. I know that it hurts to lose a mother. I lost mine years ago when she gave birth to a brother of mine."

Mercian thought back, "She did not take the threat seriously enough. Nothing I can change. She was a good mother to me and lived longer than my father by 20 years."

He fed Anama'Losgadh, went to his room, secured the door, and went to sleep.

---

Mercian was back at the falls and he fell to a seated position. The Lady of Dreams arrived, "I know you are upset. I did not set you up with her."

He nodded, "Good, I have no trust in her. She likely told her where my mother's shop was but did not know what she would do. I felt bad she got caught in the middle but she was sleeping with the enemy who tried to kill me. Did kill my mother; conspired too."

She sighed, "Your mother has moved on and is glad you stayed alive. Lucians people killed one and captured one of the 2 who escaped. Your Patron got the answers the King needed. Both, in league with them and was fucking her. He escaped the building from the first floor.

He did not see anything but fire and screaming people dying. The Guard Captain was a part of that gang as well. Needless to say, the King assembled all his guard captains. He ripped into them before demoting them and bringing up others to take their place.

Mercian nodded, "Noted, others who wish to kill me."

She sighed, "Not all of them but a couple would if they could get away with it. Right now, they are fighting to keep employed. Getting out of the city for a few days would not be a bad idea."

Mercian looked at her, "I was thinking a few decades."

She shook her head, "You have a lot to do yet before you could even consider something like that. Like starting a family."

He shook his head, "On hold until I have my head on straight. I am going to get flooded with money from fines and the dragons."

She nodded, "Yes, you will. You will manage it. Holding on a family is never a good thing for a champion."

Mercian looked at her, "Name one who waited? Then have them talk to me about their regret for waiting."

The Lady of Dreams sighed, "I was concerned you would go down this road."

Mercian looked at her, "Which road?"

She looked at him, "One where you are second-guessing your decisions. You set a course and now you need to follow through."

Mercian nodded, "I am not saying I will not follow through. On marriage, it might be a while because I am not in a good place at the moment. I also need to find out where the Knights are at?"

She sighed, "Lucian has that answer as you would guess. They are much smaller as each race took their Knights when they left the Alliance. Start your day."

---

He awoke, got his prayers in, showered, dressed, and packed up his room. He went to the dining area and saw the Patron. Mercian looked at him, "I know what you found out. At least enough. I am leaving the city for a while. I have the crystal to the house but it will likely be stored away if I am hunting. I have a will for you to hold in case they find my body and the sword somewhere."

He sighed, "Where are you going?"

He smiled, "Hunting, the four-legged variety."

He nodded, "You stay safe."

Mercian nodded, "Get me a list of all those who never got anything from the trust. There will be money coming in."

He nodded, "I have quite a bit coming in due to that patron on patron attack. I was thinking the same thing."

Mercian sighed, "Well, I got a reward coming in from dragons. Including taking down the King of the Gold Dragons that was corrupted. They said significant so who knows how much that is. Get a complete family list as well."

Patron Silvertree looked at him, "Planning on sharing it out?"

Mercian nodded, "That was my thought, but until I know what I am dealing with it will be hard to say."

He nodded, "You were the right one for that sword. Charlus told me you would likely get it if he lived long enough. He wanted it in the hands of an adult but he said you had a talent for the blades and the bow. Not counting your magic."

Mercian nodded, "I miss him, and now my mother. No service. At least I will not be at one as there is not a body to bury."

He nodded, "I returned the gear to the armory. I stored the supplies you brought back for the young to practice crafting upon."

Mercian nodded, "Good. I am no enchanter."

He patted Mercian arm, "Good hunting."

Mercian got Anama'Losgadh ready. Fed her and then headed out. He stopped by the church to Solonor Thelandira.

He walked in, "I wish to buy healing wands. I am heading out into the wild. He nodded and Mercian purchased 20 of them and gave a donation as well. The cleric nodded to Mercian, "Good hunting."

Mercian flipped his bow around and nodded, "Exactly."

He had his woodland garb on over his armor. He was dressed for the hunt. He left the main gate and teleported down to the border of Quatarsia. He took the road to the wood-elf village.

As expected, he got a pair of crossed arrows in front of him. He stopped. Picked them up, mounted up, and had one in each hand. He thought, "Take it slow."

He had two riders come in. "What do you need outsider?"

Mercian looked at him, "I was not born here but I am far from an outsider. I am a descendant of Eldar Silvertree, whose mother was Elara Strong Oak. The last champion Charlus brought me here to hunt many years ago. My ancestor. I carry my family Moon Blade now. I am also a Knight in the elven court. I came here to see the falls, pay my respects, and to hunt."

He looked at Mercian, "You cannot hunt here."

Mercian looked at him, "You misspeak. I have to have permission from your elder to hunt here. He is free to answer me."

He waved Mercian on, "He will tell you the same."

Mercian smiled, "I doubt he would do that."

He laughed. They rode into the village. They had young rangers in training. They pulled up in front of a prominent wood-elf home. Mercian got off his horse and watched the young archers as they practiced. He was a good 400 feet back and he watched the 6 students as each fired 3 arrows at moving targets. He got tapped on the shoulder. The elder asked him, "What are you looking at?"

Mercian smiled, "The 6 students. The third one is the best at the moment but the sixth has the best potential."

He looked at Mercian, "Why do you say this?"

Mercian looked at him, "He has the right form and breathing down. He is tracking his target, he just needs better instruction on leading the target. Then he will be very deadly."

He looked at Mercian, "You know something about a bow, growing up in a city?"

Mercian smiled, "Elder you assume much. I spent years training in woods like this and have even hunted here before with Charlus. Hunting is best in this part of the Kingdom."

Mercian pointed at the range, "May I?" He nodded. Mercian flipped his bow around with the two arrows the wood elves had shot in front of him. He loaded them both drew back, turned the bow sideways, and fired one arrow into the center of each of two moving targets. They had been moving in different directions.

The arrows exploding into splinters on impact."

He looked at Mercian, "They say you are a knight. You carry two swords and a bow."

Mercian nodded, "I am a ranger and battle sorcerer gestalt." He stepped to the left about two feet, drew back an empty bow and an arrow appeared. He lined up his shot and the timing. Mercian looked at the Elder and away from the target. He closed his eyes and released the arrow. It obliterated two of the support lines sending the course to a crashing halt.

He put his bow way, "You had 16 scouts, 10 in the trees, and 6 on the ground on my way in. All males except three. Two females in the trees and one on the ground."

He looked at Mercian, "You are a champion are you not?"

Mercian took his shirt off and the top of his armor and he looked at his chest. He nodded, "The fourth symbol I do not recognize."

Mercian nodded, "Added by the Gods. Charlus is considered a Revered Champion of the people. I carry the Silvertree blade now."

The Elder nodded, "You can hunt here. To deny a champion would be against our ways."

Mercian nodded, "That was what you told Charlus when he brought me here 45 years ago. He built a target course like this with more moving targets. Just to help train us. He walked over to the sixth student. "There is still a moving target in the back. Do you see it?"

He nodded.

Mercian looked at him, "Take aim at the target. Whichever direction it is heading in move your hand that is gripping the bow over one length of your fist at this range. You have the other tools. Hit your target."

He looked at the target and made the adjustment. He nailed the center area. Not dead center but much closer than he had previously. Mercian looked at him, "Every time you switch distances. You add another fifty feet, add another half a hand to the movement to lead your target. The speed of the creature will come to you later. Your form and breathing are good."

Mercian put his armor on and his shirt. He walked back to the Elder, "Thank you for granting your permission. I would like to travel with one of your hunting parties when they go out."

He nodded, "They will leave shortly on foot. He thought to Anama'Losgadh, "Graze, enjoy the sunshine."

He heard Anama'Losgadh laugh back at him, "Good hunting."

Mercian looked at his escort, "You leading this party?"

He nodded, "I want to keep an eye on you."

They left the village and headed further south back across the road. There were 7 of them as a hunting party was normally 6. They moved along slowly after crossing and went deeper. Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger."

Mercian stopped and listened. He ducked behind a downed tree. He looked over at the leader and whispered, "We are being hunted. Is your gear magical?"

He shook his head.

Mercian looked around and caught sight of a drow in a tree a good 500 feet off, their vision in daylight suffered and he knew this. Mercian looked at him, "Drow."

He looked at Mercian, "Where?"

Mercian went invisible and stood. He drew back on his bow and took aim. He fired an electrical plasma shot into the drow's forehead and he fell from the tree. Mercia dropped down as 12 bolts came in at him. Mercian looked at them. "Gather." Mercian pulled a bolt out of his side.

It had a head with teeth that tried to chew deeper. He teleported them back to the village. While holding the bolt in one hand He reached around and snapped it in half. He looked at them, "That is a significant force. They are well-armed."

He used the sword's ability to heal himself up. The elder approached the group on the ground, "What happened?" Merican showed him the two pieces of the bolt, "Drow happened. One is dead and there is at least another 12 out there. These bolts try and chew their way deeper. This is new."

He nodded, "I will contact the Duchess and let her know what you found."

Mercian nodded, "I am still going hunting." He put the bow away and drew his swords."

He nodded, "Stay safe champion. I will let her know you are in the area."

Mercian went invisible and teleported back to where they had been. Right in the middle of four of them.

He did a spinning sweep and put those four down with one head bouncing away as he dropped into a crouch. He had another 12 bolts that came flying toward him, but he was already behind cover. They were spread out. He dimensions doored to the furthest distance behind the attackers. That was his hope. Instead, he found a camp with almost 100 of them. He rolled into a group of 16 and teleported them up to 10,000 feet.

He then returned himself back to the village after switching forms to fly away. He came out of invisibility and switched his form back in front of the startled villagers. He looked at them, "I did say I was also a battle sorcerer. I killed 4 more directly. I went as far behind them as I could and found a camp with at least 100. I took 15-16 of them up to 10,000 feet and dropped them back into their camp. They know they have been found. They will move to strike."

The elder got on the crystal, "Duchess the champion returned. Said there are at least 100 of them in the woods south of our village, on the other side of the trade road."

Mercian heard her groan, "My forces are toward the southbridge."

He pulled out a crystal. "Guard, get the King. Let him know I need Lucian here to coordinate a strike against a hundred plus drow insurgents in the village of Porzcosa."

The guard responded, "Contacting the palace."

He heard the King, "I am in open court at the moment."

Mercian called out from the crystal, "Your Majesty, this cannot wait! I am in the village of Porzcosa and there is a camp south of here with over 100 drow. The Duchess said her troops are on the south road at the moment and out of position. The drow are heavily armed with new magic. I need Overwatch support."

He heard the King groan. "I will send an agent there to help coordinate and get them looking at that location."

He sat down and drew a crude map in the dirt. Lucian arrived near his horse. Mercian looked over, "She is here to help."

He pointed out the camp location and what he had done so far, along with a timeline. She contacted Overwatch to send them to the right grid. Overwatch responded, "We are seeing the movement of more than a hundred in that area. Several hundred with necromancy signatures."

She got a crystal and relayed the information back to the King who brought the Duchess into the loop. She started recalling casters and alerted the Academy. Mercian called out, "They are using a new bolt. It chews like an animal and tries to go deeper. You get hit by one get it out quickly."

She groaned, "Alright. I want to know how in the hell they got in?"

Mercian chuckled, "They burrowed in somewhere where we do not have Overwatch or Overwatch missed them coming into this area.

Regardless, you got a problem. I am going back out there to see if I can figure out which way they're going. I will take Lucian with me."

She nodded, "I am ready. She went invisible and he did the same." He took them as far as the road for the moment and they snuck in on foot. They could see them searching over the area. He whispered, "Stay and watch, I am getting the Duchess some intelligence." She nodded. He moved around until he was in position and crouched down.

7 approached his position. He pulled out the rod of expansion and took all seven and dropped them from 2,000 feet in front of the Duchess's Keep. He glided down as the bodies hit the ground. They just missed the returning casters. Mercian took his ring off, "I believe I have killed close to 30 so far. I thought you might get some useful intelligence off of those 7."

The mage standing there looked at Mercian, "Who are you?"

Mercian laughed, "The ranger who found them. Also, the champion of Corellon Larethian Mercian Silvertree."

He went inside and got the Duchess. She came out and he nodded to her, "Hello cousin."

She sighed, "I hated it when Charlus said that and I will hate you saying that."

Mercian nodded, "Does not change the fact you have a problem. I brought you something to work with. What has Lucina reported back?"

She shook her head, "Nothing to me. Which way are they headed?"

Mercian sighed, "They were spreading out from their camp. I only saw about a hundred but Overwatch is seeing several hundred. They would have to answer that question. At the moment they are trying to figure out who is killing them. Last I saw they were south of the trade road and spreading. Direct line for Porzcosa."

She looked at him, "I hate sending battle mages into the woods."

Mercian nodded, "Then don't. Send archers. Fighters. Battle Clerics."

She looked at him, "I need them gone in a hurry."

Mercian nodded. "Any other cold-based or storm bases sorcerers?"

She looked at Mercian, "What did you have in mind?"

Mercian smiled, "Weather. Blizzards create thunderstorms to force them back or escape the woods." She looked around and found four others. He looked at them. "Get fly on yourself. Set all winds to blow straight south. We will make it miserable for them. I can take us in at 10,000 feet invisible above the edge of where they were."

They all nodded and gathered. He took them in at 15,000 to give them more time to cast. He threw four expanded blizzard spells over the area. He saw 4 other blizzards go off and 4 thunderstorms set. He teleported back to Porzcosa and looked at the elder. "Did she come back?"

He nodded, "She got hit by a couple of those bolts. They got them out but they are vicious weapons."

He went to see her, "What are they doing now? We just gave them a lot of bad weather."

She sighed, "Let me check."

She got on the crystal while Mercian went outside and found Anama'Losgadh, "We have drow everywhere south of here. Their bolts are magical and dangerous. Warn the herd. They will chew through you."

She responded, "Message sent. Those not assigned are headed further north away from the area. Thank you for the warning."

Mercian went back to the house, "What are they doing?"

She looked at him, "They are headed for the keep in Quatarsia. They know and they are preparing for them. The Duchess asked that you stay away."

Mercian sighed, "What are the directions from the King?"

She looked at Mercian, "This is the Duchesses area. She appreciates what you have done but does not want a champion-on-champion explosion in her area."

Mercian looked at her, "Ask the Duchess if she overrules the Gods on this one?"

She sent the message. The response came back, "The Gods are not on the ground here!"

Mercian responded back, "But I am their champion and am on the ground here."

She groaned out, "You destroy my woods I will kill you myself."

Mercian responded, "If I take out a champion and you want your woods saved you will have to drop the teleport blocker so I can take them away before they explode. I will circle high above and see if I can isolate a champion."

Mercian left the room and stayed out of the fight. She restricted what her casters could use to make them nearly ineffective. Mercian spotted one woman giving orders from the woods. He dimension doored down behind her about 100 feet away. She stopped and looked around. He thought, 'She has a danger sense on.'

He swung his bow around and watched her from his location as he took aim. She turned back toward the battle.

He shot a hole into her. He dropped his bow, drew his swords and dimension doored behind her as she turned to where he had been. Mercian drove his blades home and heard the crack. He took her to 100,000 feet. Sailed away and teleported back to get his bow and then back to the center of the fort. The champion exploded in the sky. He looked over, "Found her."

She looked at Mercian, "We still have them outside the walls!"

Mercian nodded, "Let your casters unleash on the road. They can keep their fireballs out of the woods. Take the fucking manacles off of them. Where are the others?!"

She groaned and gave the order, "I brought back only what I needed!"

He dimension doored out of the Keep and flew over the area. He launched acid explosions from a wand. He got hit by two more of the bolts and he worked to pull them out while moving away. He got them removed and down two potions before turning back and laying down a few more acid explosions.

The wand popped out and he dimension doored away and that wand popped out. He loaded another dimension door and a healing wand. He turned back and went in casting spells. Cone of cold and another quickened over the group. He got hit by 3 bolts on that pass. He worked to pull them out and got two out but could not get a hold of the third one in his left leg. He teleported to Porzcosa. He drew his sword and cut himself open and then grabbed the bolt before it got to his stomach.
He threw it out before it got to his heart. He started chain casting healing from the wand. Lucian came over, "They are falling back. They said now there are fewer than 100."

He nodded, "Those bolts don't just chew. They try to make their way to your heart. I just cut one out before it could succeed."

She nodded, "I saw you doing it. Looked painful."

He sighed, "Better pain and blood than death. I am so glad the Duchess does not have a Moon Blade. Maybe that is why she is such a bitter shrew."

Lucian cringed as he heard from the stone, "This shrew of a Duchess wants you back at my Keep."

Mercian smiled, "I just helped to save your ass. I need to rest before doing battle with you."

Mercian walked over to his horse. He took them to the fourth floor of the inn and opened the portal. He looked at Lucian who followed him, "You can get rest, or talk with her."

---

He walked inside. Lucian talked with her, "From what I can see, I believe we are in an inn, I can see the battlesight on the road out of the window. He has a secure shelter here. I am going to keep an eye on him."

Duchess Strong Oak growled out, "I know where to send my guards to arrest him!"

---

He took his horse to the falls and started brushing her down. She came inside. "Seal portal to all but me and the Silvertree blade holder."

Lucian looked at Mercian, "Really?"

He smiled, "I am not letting that stuffed cow in my home. I did not want you to give her access to this place to watch people die. She would be stupid enough to send armed guards against a champion. She should not be a Duchess.

She has no tactical skills to deal with troops. Hereditary titles were done away with and they still appointed her for no fucking reason other than she was a Wood-elf and the eldest. At least her family blade wielder has common sense but note she did not bring him back for that battle."

He walked out and sat down and ate. She did as well. She looked at him, "You really hate her."

Mercian shook his head, "I hate it when people are put in a position of power that they are ill-equipped to handle. Then tie the hands of those who can get the job done. She brought back 30 battle mages or sorcerers. For a group of 400+ Drow. No fighters or rangers, or arcane archers. Then she restricted the spells they could use.

She lost half of her 30 battle mages to those fucking bolts. I understand protecting the woods but the road was wide enough across that area to stop them. The only spells I threw in the woods were storm based. That changed the direction of them going to Porzcosa and Silent Falls to heading for the Keep.

That means they have been scouting this area freely! As a champion, I throw these things out there and when investigated they prove to be true. That is the case for all champions. Check history. I am grabbing some sleep."

She nodded as he went into his room and crashed onto the bed. He was back at the falls and Corellon Larethian was there. Mercian kneeled, "I wanted to hunt deer, elk, or bear and instead I am helping to destroy an incursion of drow and killing my first champion. Something needs to be done about that Duchess."

He sighed, "Stand champion. Duchess, aside you did outstanding work today. I know it and the King will know about it when I visit him shortly. The Duchess is a problem the King will have to address. Expect to be called to go see him so he can mediate this dispute. Rest now."

---

King Goldeagle found himself at the falls for the second time in two days. His Great Grandmother wrote about being brought here in her time, but not back-to-back visits.

Corellon called out, "Remain standing. You have a drow problem on your southern border. Your Duchess Strong Oak has issues with the champion and is not focused on the elven people.

She will contact you as she wants to arrest him and bar him from her duchy. She does not have that right. Bring them in together and settle the dispute. Listen to what the champion is telling you. Listen to what she tells you.

Like your Grandmother and every Royal before you who has had to deal with a Champion, you are being tested as well. You did not fare well with Charlus in his final years. There is room for improvement as Charlus told you yesterday."

The King woke to the sound of a buzzing crystal. He knew by looking at it that it was the Duchess's crystal. He sighed and worked his way out of bed.

---

Mercian awoke and prayed to get his spells back and prepare for his day. He went out and saddled up his horse and brought her to the table and ordered up food for her and himself. Lucian came out and chuckled, "Sharing your table with your horse."

Mercian looked at her, "Ranger remember. Anama'Losgadh is more than a horse. She is a friend and ally if combat arises. She helps to shoulder the burden and I help to see that she is fed and taken care of."

She nodded and raised her hands, "I give up. I see your point. It is just unusual."

Mercian laughed as Lucian was a Gold-elf, "City girl. Little to no time in the woods, even though you used a moon-elf name with the dragons."

She nodded, "True, which is why I was surprised you asked for me. I am in a silver house but my father was half silver and gold in that house and his wife was a gold elf, one of them...the other a Silver. I know muddies the waters."

Mercian smiled, "I asked for Overwatch support, not you specifically when I spoke with the King. The King sent you as I suspected he would. You are the only one I know with direct access to Overwatch. Expect a trip to see the King. To mediate the dispute."

She looked at Mercian, "The Gods tell you this?"

Mercian nodded, "Yes."

He mounted up, "Unseal and open the portal. Mercian had 11 battle mages come rushing in. He looked at them, "I hope you have food. Shelter cut off food. When I leave here there is no telling when I will be back. Get out of my home. Before you force me to turn on the home defense and skewer a good portion of you."

One of the mages looked at Mercian, "We are supposed to arrest you."

Mercian nodded, "Did she say to enter a death trap to do it? There is only one way out. You have no reason to be in here other than to die. Everyone note where you are standing and step outside. I will give you a free lesson in these secure shelters."

Lucian interceded, "He has already told me the Gods are having the King mediate the dispute."

He looked at her, "How did he know the King wanted him?"

Mercian smiled, "You don't listen very well. Did the King order my arrest or the brain-dead Duchess? I am the champion of Corellon Larethian. I answer to the Gods and the King in that order. NOT an incompetent Duchess. She lost half of the battlemages that she pulled from the front.

30 against 400 in the woods and she did not bring a single fighter, ranger, paladin, or battle cleric. She is a fool and I will prove it for those that fought beside you and died because she restrained you. Step out!"

They moved out of the shelter. Mercian looked over, "Remember your locations. Activate briefing room security."

The three-foot spikes shot out of the floor and ceilings. "This was an early design. You should see the one in 64. Anyone tries to put manacles on me better be ready to fly. I can cast a teleportation circle from my sword. Like yesterday for the 2 still alive who went with me for the storms. I just had to think about it."

They backed up more and Lucian stepped out. Mercian called back, "Close portal to all but me or the blade wielder. Lucian would you contact the King. Find out if the Duchess and I are traveling together or separately to come and see him?"

She pulled out a crystal, "Your Majesty, the champion wished to know if you want him traveling with the Duchess or separately."

The King sighed, "She can travel here herself, but I want you in my audience chamber."

Mercian looked at the men," Unless you wish to travel to see the King I would recommend backing up."

They moved back. Mercian teleported to the main gate and sighed, "I wondered if she ever turned it back on. Just proving my point."

Lucian shook her head, "Alright, I can see your point in this matter."

He walked inside and teleported them to the palace gate. Walked through and then teleported to the front of the palace. He walked in with Lucian in tow and headed straight to the King's Audience chamber. The door opened and the King looked at Mercian and sighed, "Is everything a fight with you?"

Mercian looked at him, "She was told there was a force of 'hundreds of drow. 400+ drow.' She brings in 30 battle mages and then ties their hand to not use area of effect spells because of the woods. I agree. Do not target in the woods. Where were the ranger, paladins, arcane archers, and battle clerics?

She brought NONE of it from the line and lost half of the battlemages she brought in. We have not driven them from the woods. They retreated back. Probably to gain more numbers. That was not a full out assault. That was a probing attack. No casters in that group that I could tell except maybe the champion.

I did not see her cast anything. I teleported her out before she exploded and removed a champion from the field. Ask her how many times she got hit by a bolt or how many arrows she used. You will find that she still had almost half a quiver of arrows on her back.

She is ill-equipped to handle the problem and you need the army to push them out of the woods and find their new exit point. She is focused on the woods, not on the people of the duchy. I got hit by 6 of those bolts and had to cut myself open to get one out before it got to my heart. Lucian witnessed that.

She is playing at being a protector of the woods. Those woods have people in them that need to be protected as well. Her title is for protecting the people. She failed. Not everything is a fight. I do not walk away from a fight. I went and got sleep. Like last night when Corellon Larethian talked with me. Where is she by the way?"

The King grabbed a crystal, "Duchess, where are you? We have been waiting for 15 minutes!"

She answered. "At the palace gate now."

Mercian nodded to the King, teleported to the palace gate, found her, and teleported her into the King's Audience chamber. She glared at him, "I was getting here!"

The King looked at her, "When I summon you to the palace, I expect to see you in three or four minutes, tops. You could have had an arcane bring you all the way to the palace door. I asked you if you needed the Champion to bring you and you said 'hell no!' I want to know what you did in response to this threat."

She looked at me, "I had him interfering at every turn. I recalled 30 battle mages from the front line to drive the invasion back. First, he wanted to use weather spells. Then he wanted teleport turned off in case he found a champion. He did and killed her without destroying my woods, Your Majesty."

He looked at her, "How many bolts hit you?"

She looked at him, "None."

He looked at her, "How many quivers of arrows did you go through?"

She looked at him, "A little more than half of one. I have yet to restock."

The King looked at her, "How far back into the woods did you pursue them?"

She looked at the King, "Their champion was off of the field. They turned tail and ran."

He asked her, "Did you restrict your caster's spells?"

She nodded, "Of course we have to protect the woods. We opened up when they got on the road."

Mercian looked at her, "After I pleaded with her to take their fucking manacles off, Your Majesty. I got hit by 6 of those bolts."

She interrupted, "That was because you are reckless."

Mercian looked at her, "What spells did I cast that harmed the woods? Remember I am a ranger as well."

She looked at him, "None that I know of, but I have yet to send any scouting parties to check for damage."

Mercian looked at her, "Checking for damage? How about checking where they went? How many spells did the Drow throw at your defenses? How many teleported or dimension doored into your Keep?"

She looked at Mercian, "I did not want scouts led into a trap by tracking them. I want to get the woods checked for damage. I did not see them casting spells. I figured that was a good thing. They could not cause damage to the woods."

Mercian asked her, "The woods are your primary goal of protecting."

She looked at Mercian, "Damn right it is and it should be yours too."

The King jumped in, "You are a Duchess with over 1,000 troops and you brought back only 30. How many did you lose?"

She looked at the King, "14."

He asked, "Why no other troops?"

She looked at him, "Because I did not want a battle in the middle of those woods."

Mercian looked at her, "Your Duchy was given Billions in gold by my family. How much was used to get magical gear for your militias?"

She looked at Mercian, "That money is for the Keep and the army, not the villages."

The king shouted, "ENOUGH! I am stripping you of your title and responsibilities over that area. I will appoint someone new."

Mercian looked at the King, "She has a brother who carries his family blade and was not brought in. He understands the military aspects of this better. If memory serves he was overseeing part of your military daily during the last conflict. As a Blade wielder, he has the oath to protect the elven people. NOT JUST the woods that we are both working to protect."

The King nodded, "Your brother will become Duke over that Duchy. A Duchy is more than woods, it is the people and creatures living there. A tree gets struck by lightning. Damage happens in nature. Battlegrounds can only be chosen if you know where they are surfacing.

Without going in and pushing them back into the hole they could report back minimal resistance. Then send 50,000 against us who would give a shit if a tree is destroyed. Champion, step out of the room."

Mercian bowed and walked out and Lucian followed him. Mercian looked at her, "You were told to shadow me as much as possible, weren't you?"

She nodded, "Yes."

They waited 30 minutes and he saw her brother with 3 Mages walk toward him. Mercian nodded to him, "Hello cousin."

He sighed, "How much trouble did you get her in?"

Mercian looked at him, "Duke, you should ask the King that."

His eyes went big and he went into the office. 30 minutes later she came out and looked at Mercian, "You bastard."

Mercian looked at her, "You are a fat shrew bitch who had no business leading any sort of defense force. You neglected the people. You just told him how incompetent you were. You did not even realize it was your own words that stripped you of that title. Not once did you mention the people."

She looked at Mercian, "We have too many now!"

Mercian shook his head, "Thanks to your move we will have a lot less when they send a real invasion force. The woods in that area are now fucked because of you. Check your abilities. Make sure you are on the right side with the Gods that grant your abilities. You have the vision of a human in these matters."

She growled and stormed off. She thought to herself, "I am going to find a way to kill that bastard! He is a failed ranger in my books as he fails to protect the woods over the people." She noted her ranger abilities were no longer functioning after thinking that and blamed Mercian for that as well instead of herself.

The new Duke came over, "He said you recommended me for the position."

Mercian nodded, "I may hate your sister but she is still family. You have your work cut out for you. I was out with a hunting party. For animals, not drow. I saved them and then organized the storms that drove them toward her instead. Now they will come in force and those woods will be fucked unless you can bottleneck them where they are coming out at. That means finding the opening or openings they have."

He sighed, "The King will have half of the northern army sent to our location. He is taking this seriously as will I."

Mercian nodded, "That was why I recommended you. Your Blade judged your heart and determinization to protect the PEOPLE. She was solely focused on the woods and how the 'fact' that we have too many people now. She said that. That worries me. You need to get your militia armed to help defend their homes."

He nodded, "There is still 2 billion-plus in the Duchy coffers. We will need enchanters."

Mercian pulled out his crystal, "Get the patron for me?"

A few minutes pass, "Mercian, I heard you were causing trouble for the Duchess."

Mercian sighed, "It is Duke now as she has been removed for incompetence. He requires enchanters to outfit an army. He is family technically. Can we get our enchanters to work on his projects at family rates? It is over the town and 2 villages our ancestors helped to build and protect."

The Patron laughed, "An army's worth?"

Mercian smiled, "The militia does not even have minor enchanted weapons and armor these days. They are in a bad way. No telling what he wants for the other stuff."

The patron sighted, "Twenty percent over cost, the distant relative discount."

Mercian looked at him, "Beat double the cost from other enchanters and we have a couple hundred at various levels of ability."

He nodded, "I will get you a list and have the base items sent to you for enchantment."

They heard a chuckle from Patron Silvertree, "That will make a lot of enchanters here very happy. I will work on farming out the work, or one of the other elders. We will work quickly."

The King called Mercian back into his chamber, "She was telling me to institute birth control again because we have too many people."

Mercian chuckled, "We still have land to the south we have not expanded into as we have held that wall with no attack for some time. We need to speed up the dragons on the Alliance. We need the Alliance Overwatch backup so we know where they are coming in from. Do a targeted attack on the breach. Break their access to the surface. That is where I can be of the most help. If we can get them to agree."

He nodded. He wrote out a diplomatic order, "Go back and talk with them. Both of you. I would like the Alliance Overwatch house with the other overwatch."

Mercian shook his head, "Single-target to take out so much capability. I do not want future generations to have the argument over ownership again. We will need people to man the Alliance Overwatch but it is in a very secure environment right now controlled by me. It is also more capable in most areas. Abjuration being the exception, Your Majesty."

He sighed, "You get them back into the alliance and we will take it as it is."

Mercian sighed, "I will get it but it is not moving from that cave. There are defenses in there that ensure its protection and it is still my property, your Majesty." Mercian bowed to him and they left the King.

---

The King sighed and thought to his sword, "The gods do not want me taking his property and he is not wanting to move it as he sees it as a power grab to control the property."

His sword responded, "It would be a power grab and the next King may not have the sword to advise him. The gods have spoken to you already that he needs the system. Not you. He uses it for the people. For the Alliance, once it is established.

See what comes of his work. He is a champion and champions often surprise. You should read more of those journals. You are not the first ruler to argue with a champion over a given course of action. You are being tested to be able to take advice, from a Champion, your 'advisor' blade, AND the Gods."

---

Mercian looked at her, "I ever get married, and are you going to send the King a report on my activities? Favorite positions? Critiques on my approach and methods?"

She laughed at him, "I am not monitoring you THAT closely. You planning to get married?"
Mercian shook his head, "I was going to start looking and then I lost my mother. I wanted a few days of just hunting and ended up at the pointy end of a war. You grabbing your horse?"

She nodded, "I have it here at the palace. I will meet you out front."

Mercian mounted up and rode at a normal speed. She caught up with him, "Why didn't you wait for me?"

Mercian smiled, "Saving a couple of teleports, and getting my friend some exercise."

She nodded, "Fair enough."

They took off at double pace to the city gate and teleported to dragon lands. They rode up to the gates. The dragon looked at them, "Things are still a mess here."

Mercian nodded, "We need to see the council because it is about to get a lot messier."

He got on a crystal. He looked at Mercian, "You know the way. No guard required this time."

Mercian nodded. They traveled at like the wind speeds as they were the only horses inside dragon lands. They slowed as they got to the meeting room. They were still working to clean up the blood in that area. They had gotten rid of the bodies.

They rode into the center as the council flew in throwing rocks as they landed. The bronze took the center seat. There was a gold Dragon on the council. Mercian looked at him, "Your Majesty, the last report we got from you on our common enemy was they fractured along with types and races. Which one aligned with the drow?"

He looked at Mercian, "Shadow and black, Knight Champion."

Mercian nodded, "The drow have breached somewhere in the lands between our kingdoms. Which means we will have dragons showing up as well. We do not know where this breach or breaches are located. They sent a probing incursion force of several hundred. The drow champion is off the field.

This leads me to suspect a dragon champion or worse will emerge. We collectively need to know what is going on. Getting Dragon's Overwatch systems back online, including the Alliance Overwatch. I have the schematics to get it built if we have to go it alone. It will take more time than we have I suspect. Our King sent us back, Your Majesty."

He looked at Mercian, "You repelled this incursion, Knight Champion?"

Mercian nodded, "To a point, the Duchess that was overseeing the area did not drive them back underground. She did not pursue them. They also sent no casters. She gave them an appearance of weakness. The King replaced her, Your Majesty.

Right now, they are south of the trade road and west of the Keep. They effectively have control over that section of the woods. The new Duke is working on that issue. We have been tasked with finding the source."

He appeared to be in a conversation. He looked at Mercian, "We would like the system up first, Knight Champion."

Mercian looked at him, "Your Majesty, it is in our best interest to work on this together. As a sign of good faith, send a representative to the capital tomorrow. I will pull one of the two sets of uplink crystals. You will not know which set so all of the diamonds will need to be in place. Crystals to restore access to 8 of your 16 workstations. We will connect in 3 of the 6 Alliance workstations.

We would both be at half strength. If we are forced to build a system with the other uplink crystals then we have the option. You would have to agree to leave those diamonds alone as we would yours. We get our Alliance restored then we can give you the other crystals to bring the rest of your workstations and ours back online to full strength."

He talked with the others, "Agreed. It would bring our system online just weaker until we resolve the full Alliance. Your 3 workstations will connect in as a part of this until we resolve the problem, Knight Champion."

Mercian bowed to him, "I thank you for taking the time to address this urgent matter, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "Part of that alliance is reconnecting our banking systems. We will be looking to get some enchanting done as well, Knight Champion."

Mercian nodded, "I am sure agreements can be reached in those areas, Your Majesty. We have a lot of enchanters in the elven Kingdom who would enjoy the work. House Silvertree just signed on with all of our enchanters to get the Duchy forces on this new battlefield battle-ready. Once that is done you could negotiate with our patron on consignment work.

We have a distant relative discount which reduces the cost significantly. Majisa was a Silvertree and her children both before and after would be considered family. Same with Jazzia's offspring who had children and Amy if any neutral were involved. I hope they are faring better after their captivity. The direct connection is gone but not the distant relatives. We consider house Strong Oak a distant relative because of Eldar, Your Majesty."

He chuckled, "They are doing better, sickened by the experiments that happened. They lost some of theirs as well. You are a very different diplomat than last time, Knight Champion."

Mercian nodded, "Yes Your Majesty. Getting denied to see my relative, under constant guard coming in, and then kept in your force wall interrogation forcefield had a tendency to put us off on a bad footing. I knew something was wrong.

Then I saw 3 gold dragons sitting there, with Charlus's concern over Majisa's death I surmised the offspring she had with the necromancy ring got corrupted. My sword confirmed that as true. As did what you found in their experiments."

He nodded, "Very brave and some would say foolhardy in your approach but I think that is what caught them off guard, Knight Champion."

Mercian nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. I wanted to get him to show his true color was red and not gold."

He nodded, "My paladin senses did not pick it up until they turned upon me. We did find non-detection items on the bodies. We will see you tomorrow, Knight Champion."

They bowed and rode out of there. Lucian looked at him, "Nice compromise."

Mercian nodded, "I had to get them to propose the idea first as I knew they would ask for it all. Something I would not agree too because of the mandate to get the Alliance together if at all possible. That would have lost us all leverage.

It will take an hour to sort out the crystals. At most. I really just need to install the crystals in our first three workstations and put those with the half of the crystals for their stations.

Then position the repeaters. Then all the diamonds for both networks. It cost us half a day but it was better for them to seem like they were getting what they wanted instead of us appearing too desperate. While keeping the completion of the Alliance as a priority for both of us."

She laughed, "You had this planned before you came?"

Mercian nodded, "I thought it would occur and formulated my response to the request in advance. Including making them come to us to get them."

She laughed and contacted the King and relayed the conversation. Needless to say, he was shocked they got a compromise that quickly. He laughed, "I want the 2 of you at the palace first thing in the morning."

Mercian nodded, "I will spend the evening in the underground shelter. I will come with the crystal in hand ready to seal our compromise, Your Majesty."

Mercian pulled the crystal for his house, "Need to speak with my patron again."

It took a couple of minutes and he came on, "Our enchanters are very happy about that work. I just finished talking with them."

Mercian smiled, "Expect another set of consignments coming in on the distant relative discount. This one you could probably do for a 130-150% of the cost. The Dragons mention a desire to get some item crafted if we get the Alliance back in place. We reached a tentative agreement to get half of the system up immediately. Close to it. They will have a delegation in the capital tomorrow."

He laughed, "I will wait to be contacted by them. We do have Silvertree family running through there for a few species."

He let the crystal go dark as they approached the gate and left dragon lands. He teleported them back to the city gate. He looked at her, "This is where we part ways." She nodded, "See you in the morning."

He pulled the crystal, "Deactivate."

He teleported in "Activate." Mercian looked around and everything looked in place. He walked over and opened the portal and went in and turned the walls and security up. "Seal portal."

He took Anama'Losgadh to the falls and brushed her down and then they ate together again. He thought, "One day I will find the right woman. No Lucian is not her. Too many secrets and she was willing to steal from me."

He heard back, "Her horse seemed to think highly of her."

Mercian nodded, "The horse is not married to her and has nothing she would want to steal. She also does not look at an Elven Warhorse the way I do. The way they all should do, as you are our allies and friends."

Mercian heard, "True on all counts, my friend."

He went through and pulled crystals and set aside the repeater he needed and got everything packed up for the morning. He went to his room and got a quiet night of sleep. He changed outfits and wore his house regalia visible.

He grabbed his horse, saddled her up, and they ate. He took the security down. "Open portal. Seal portal." He tried to teleport to test the blocker and it kept him in.

"Deactivate." He teleported, "Activate." He walked into the palace and the Guard Captain stopped him, "The fourth-floor conference room."

Mercian nodded and walked up and entered the room. He went to the War Room and laid out the designs for the crystal layout. The King arrived with a delegation of 5. A representative of each of the five on the council. They walked in and nodded.

The Silver seemed to the spokeswoman of the group. She smiled, "Hello champion. Last time I saw you came bursting into the shelter they had repurposed as our prison. I thank you for coming to our aid."

Mercian smiled, "As I have no names, I will refer to you as Ambassador for this meeting."

She nodded, "Fair enough what do you have in front of you?"

Mercian looked at her, "A map or the world. Showing the location of seventy-two crystals. They never took it to that. They did take it to 48 and each location is marked with coordinated with only minor changes in altitudes across the world. They must be relevant so it is worth noting.

Looks like eight are set slightly higher and eight slightly lower for each set of 24. I believe it helps with three-dimensional displays. This small bag has the link crystals for the 3 workstations crystals we need to connect. The crystals for 8 of your 16 base systems, the diamonds for the sky which are numbered.

Then one set of 6 uplink crystals. 3 up and 3 down. It should only take a few minutes to get your base system online. Our stations connect to it. This diagram shows which crystals go in which slot. We could have that part operational in hours. It would take a day or two to get all of the diamonds deployed and turning on the uplink.

He did make one change in the diamonds in that they are all of 20,000 gold piece value. I believe he has a hidden upgrade to the system. There is also a note that your covers for the panels would need to be adjusted as the base crystals are larger for the internal system. Again, alluding to some secret upgrade, Ambassador."

She looked at everything. "We would need to take these along with us."

Mercian nodded, "He made three copied of the documentation. One that would go into each base or eye of the Alliance Overwatch and one set for you."

She nodded. "The council was impressed with the two ways you addressed the council. You saw the confrontation on the first visit and returned in kind. A message from the bronze on the council. He preferred the second visit approach for both parties."

Mercian smiled, "I am sorry for the turmoil and loss of life from the attack, Ambassador."

She nodded, "We believe based upon the bodies that one rogue gold dragon is out there and this system could help us to locate them."

He nodded, "I will need two communication crystals for working with you. One for each location or eye. For now, one will work, Ambassador."

She set down two crystals. "I worked on the system with Charlus. When he came to visit. Very talented enchanter. A very giving man."

Mercian nodded, "We miss him as well, Ambassador."

She smiled at him, "I suppose that is the way to put it. We also gave the King your commendation and reward for what you did for us. No small task. Finishing off one gold is a tough task, let alone the King of the Gold dragons and his second brother. Then his 36th, but it was a sister that you got with the shelter security."

Mercian nodded, "I learned the strategies from what I read and was told of what occurred in previous dragon fights. I seem to absorb tactical fighting information. I have picked up a heightened sense of hearing and the focused strike other champions have had, Ambassador."

They packed up and rolled all of the plans up. She looked at him, "This has been a great start. It will take a few months to finish our Alliance agreement. Keeping your stations connected and our communication open is a part of that agreement."

She set down a third crystal. "That one is to me in case you need to contact us directly as we put this together. We will have the base system operation in a few hours and the crystal all deployed tomorrow. We are just as anxious to get our eyes back on the world."

Mercian nodded, "There was one thing we did not discuss and that was getting your people the access to draconic mythic magic back. That was specifically called out as something to do once the Alliance is back in place.

You will need a couple of scribes to go over these books to copy them all in a reasonable time. I have yet to ask the sword the location of the books. I hope your neutrals are doing better, Ambassador."

She nodded, "That is a part of the Alliance that needs to be updated is their level of involvement. It will be more than a simple non-aggression for them now. After their recent experience, they are wanting to be more actively involved. They lost 9 in the experiments. Significant given their numbers."

Mercian smiled, "There numbers on this plane; they do like to cross into certain ones, Ambassador."

She nodded, "True. You should decide on a name for me for our communication."

Mercian nodded, "Glimmer, as you are providing a very bright Glimmer of hope that this will work."

She nodded, "Very well, Glimmer it is."

They stepped out, grouped together, and teleported out. Mercian looked at King Goldeagle who sat there in awe, "They doing multiple hops, Your Majesty?"

King Goldeagle nodded, "Until we have an Alliance. Throne room now. You did rather well with them. Very concise."

Mercian bowed as he left. He closed the portal and walked down to the throne room as they were waiting on him. He walked to the line, "I sent Mercian as one of two ambassadors to the Dragon lands to try and get them back into the Alliance. What happened is something else altogether. He realized he was in the middle of a civil war.

He recognized the danger, planned an unorthodox escape for our other Ambassador. He then set about turning the tide, finding those captured and becoming 'their savior;' their words. Take a knee Champion."

He took a knee. He looked at Mercian, "Two medals here from the dragons for your extraordinary work. Including killing 3 of the rogue gold dragons including the former Gold Dragon King. Identifying the problem that caused them to go rogue. Then bringing a solution and helping them to save themselves.

The second is for diplomacy for both of your visits by bringing a solution to the problems. The monetary reward for this has been placed into your account. To make things even more interesting he went hunting and found drow instead.

Hundreds of them. He helped to draw them back and the new Duke over the area is making progress in pushing them back and out of his lands. I spoke with the Elder of Porzcosa.

He was extremely happy you saved his hunting party you were traveling with. Then again when you turned the force toward the Keep in Quatarsia. I have one for heroism and another for taking tactical leadership in the field to try and reduce casualties.

I hereby make you a count in my court for your work. I am also assigning you as the commander of the Alliance Overwatch system which your family owns but your efforts will lead to a restoration of it to service. Rise Count Silvertree. He handed Mercian new paperwork as he stood. Mercian handed him his old paperwork. The room gave a very loud round of applause.

Mercian looked at the King, "I could use a couple of people from the Kingdom Overwatch to help with the Alliance Overwatch as we bring it online, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "I will get you 4 to work with to start. A crystal to get into contact with me and one to get into contact with the Kingdom Overwatch. You may tend to your responsibilities Count Silvertree."

Mercian bowed to him and made his way out of the throne room.

Patron Silvertree stopped him, "I was told to give you this."

Mercian took it and cracked the seal on and sighed. He showed it to the patron. "12 billion gold pieces, the combined horde for the three I killed, in gold pieces as they don't hand out relics and such."

Mercian shook his head, "Follow me."

They went out saddled up and he took him to the bank. Mercian walked in, "I would like a new joint account opened with myself and my Patron. Move 3 billion into that account."

She looked at his account and nodded, "That was a massive deposit earlier today."

Mercian nodded, "Yes, I know."

They walked out. Mercian looked at him, "A million to everyone who got nothing from the trust, including those that married off or split into a new house, except for my Great uncles' family as they are gone from the kingdom if they followed the suggestions given to them.

Then 2 million to every member of House Silvertree currently only. With 4 million going to all the wives who married into the family. The 2 additional if you will for getting married. Two more for this bonus if you would. Let me know if you need more."

He chuckled, "What about what is left?"

Mercian looked at him, "Invest it into improvements for House Silvertree and to pay for security and maintenance."

He nodded, "Where are you going?"

Mercian sighed, "To work on the Alliance Overwatch."

---

Mercian spent the next 2 days in the Left Eye as Charlus referred to it. He traveled to the Dragon Kingdom to watch them install the relay crystal and they did a scan over the area and felt immediately sick. Mercian got his crystal to the King, "Your Majesty, I need you secure."

He sighed, "Just a moment."

He got to his side room. "You are operational?"

Mercian sighed, "That is the good news. Dwarven lands are infested. The area that looks like the throne room has no signs of dwarves who are not in necromancy rings. Unless they have moved off the dwarven people have been seized; at least their leadership. There are three overlapping shield domes over the plains.

From what we can tell each one is a breach and they incorporated features to block or heavily reduce the light going into them. There is a solution to that problem but that is dwarven explosives right in the middle of the three of them. Maybe fifty barrels in groups of 10-barrels. The dwarven shield is inactive.

That leads me to believe they got 2 different factions involved. One who knows how to build the shields and one who does not. We need to infiltrate dwarven lands and find out how bad it is. Our forces to the south appear to have them out of elven land but no telling what they got going on in those 3 drow surface villages.

I would like a strategy session. We should have representatives of our enchanters on the status of our defenses including the shield weapon, Duke Strong Oak, and our dragon allies who have yet to sign on to the Alliance but based on this picture they know something has to be done."
The King groaned, "Fourth floor in an hour. I will send for our enchanters, the Duke, and the head of my military."

Mercian looked at them, "Meet you there. I have a place to go to first."

They nodded and he made his way all the way back to Left Eye. Mercian looked at the people at the consoles, "I need you to move out of the shelter."

They looked at him like he was crazy. He looked at them, "There are a few things stored here in secret compartments. I cannot show you those locations. Clear out now."

They got up and left. Mercian turned the security walls on and then activated a crystal to block sight along with teleportation.

Mercian emptied out all of the hidden locations. He released the room and pointed, "Back to monitoring."

Mercian opened right-eyes and secured it and stored most of the stuff. Coming out with two bags. Mercian teleported out, "Activate."

Mercian walked into the palace and went to the fourth floor. He opened the war room and left the portal open. He went over to the far corner from the war room. He stacked six chairs in groups of two in a triangle with the upper chairs' feet up. He set a line of repeaters up on the leading chair facing the room. He went into the War room and activated the device.

He pulled out a crystal, "Left Eye station one center over drow at a 100 feet in height or depth if you will while covering all three villages. Now go to display two and give us an image of the underground between the 3 of them.

Station 3 I want a floor to ceiling of the dwarven throne room and surrounding rooms. Be ready to adjust that."

He got one of them chuckling, "You act like you are standing over our shoulder."

He smiled, "Charlus is. He left us a present. 2 really, but we only need 1 for now. I can cycle through a display that is roughly half the size of your 2-dimensional display.

It has no controls and reflects what is being displayed on all 6 workstations. Something he started working on after Base 1 was infiltrated. I cannot control the display but I can see what is there. Leave those there. I will contact you back if I need changes."

Mercian heard a chuckle, "Understood, Commander."

Mercian turned it off for the moment and waited for them to arrive. The King walked in, "What is with stacking my chairs?"

Mercian smiled, "I am not an enchanter to levitate, make invisible, and then make permanent a location for the set of 6 relay crystals on top of the one chair. He looked over. "Those have a purpose?"

Mercian pulled up a crystal in the War room, "Kingdom Overwatch anything exciting to report? I am with the King."

He heard a reply, "No signs of necromancy. Some minor illusion activity. Most are our agents or someone trying to spy on sex."

Mercian smiled. "The King will be happy you cannot monitor his secure shelter."

They chuckled as he let the crystal go dark, "Your Majesty, for starters that is the same kind of repeater we use to get the Alliance Overwatch workstations to work with Dragon's Overwatch. That allows them to communicate with them inside a shelter like this."

He nodded, "I approve, but I want my chairs resolved."

Mercian nodded. "We just need the enchanters to fix that, Your Majesty."

He waited for the dragons and enchanters to arrive. Ten minutes later and everyone was assembled. He looked over, "One of Charlus's final gifts to us."

He turned on the display. The dragons looked at it, "Overwatch display?"

He nodded, "Alliance Overwatch display. In the station crystals that went into the workstation, there is separate encryption on the transmit side for each workstation."

Mercian pressed the crystal and cycled through the three and the three blank ones. He looked at the King as he switched it back, "Those are necromancy signals in the throne room."

Mercian pulled out a crystal, "Station 3 expand out the view to twice the area."

He waited. "Alright bring it up fifty feet and then take it down slowly until I say stop." Two minutes later he called out, "Stop, take it back up about ten feet. Leave that one there."

He shut off the crystal, "That is their new forge location. Looks like10 enchanted forges."

He nodded, "Dwarves are working there but it looks like their leadership is corrupted or captured."

Mercian nodded, "That is a job for a dwarven champion. I will ask the gods about it."

Mercian flipped to the view of the drow villages. "There are some necromancy signals." He flipped to the next display. "The central support. We take that out and it will bring down the three villages, hopefully."

Mercian activated a crystal, "Display two give us a scan of the palace. Fourth floor. Duke Strong Oak, step out of the room for a moment." He did so we watched the image come up showing minor necromancy. Mercian looked at Strong Oak, "Take your blade and slide it to the far end of the table. He did it and they watched it move across the display.

"All stations I want you to divide the Elven kingdom into thirds give us a look underground at one mile across the kingdom." They waited for them to finish up. Mercian cycled through the three displays. "No signs of tunneling under the elven kingdom. "All stations same thing but move location to the plains."

They saw the extensive tunnels. "Take all 3 displays west and keep them even."

They watched them move. Mercian called out, "Stop. Take them up toward the surface."

They took them up, "Stop display one, two, and three continue to the surface. Mercian looked over at their dragon allies. They looked at him, "They are working to tunnel under our shield!"

Mercian nodded, "A very wide tunnel. Watch."

They watched it and saw the movement. They sighed, "They have dragons in that tunnel!"

Mercian nodded. "This we can fix. We disintegrate holes down into the surface and then hit it with a series of earthquake spells. Cause the whole thing to collapse in on itself. Just so you know, I found this just now as you saw it. I followed the tunnels. I had no previous knowledge other than trying to figure out who they were focusing upon from those cities."

She nodded, "The gold dragons monitored both of those areas."

Mercian nodded, "Stands to reason if you are missing one, they went there. Now they are trying to get to an artifact able to make Draco-liches. Using whatever knowledge, the 'gold dragon' believes he has learned as a foundation."

She looked at Mercian, "He was a scholar, spent a lot of time in the restricted section of the old library. He might have found something. We have no way of knowing how close they were to success."

Mercian nodded, "Exactly."

She looked at him, "The council will have to look at this."

Mercian nodded, "Understood, Glimmer."

Mercian looked at the display, "Continue to monitor drow and dwarves. Observation over for the moment."

Mercian let the crystal go dark. He looked at the King, "I have two of those. One for here and one for me to carry. The one I carry can only be activated by the blade wielder. This one would be in your shelter. Your War room, Your Majesty. I have one other thing. Again, another prototype from Charlus. Did your enchanters share the evil dragon bane with Charlus used in the main weapon?"

She shrugged, "I do not know." Mercian pulled out a hand crossbow. He faced it toward him and pressed the crystal on top. Mercian looked at her, "Did not affect me. He tried her and it had no effect. "Did not affect you. Strong Oak over here."

He turned it off. "Stand there. Mercian pointed it at him and it went around him, "Move out of the beam. He did and it pulled his hand along with him. He moved in the other direction and it did it again. "This thing can do this and it can be loaded with a bolt.

The bolt is fired into or onto something. Mercian turned and fired at the shelter wall, "Move now."

Mercian did so but he could get out. "Divine non-detection allowed my sword to pass through. The Duke and King on the other hand were trapped."

It ended a few minutes later. "The notes say it was unpredictable at how long it would last when fired. From a few seconds to ten minutes. If it is stuck in something moveable then it will move.

If it is in something solid like a sturdy wall then it would get anchored. He made 4 handheld shield weapons, there are a hundred bolts each. After that, it is a handheld. The device not only blocks necromancy in is necromancy bane and evil dragon bane. It will mess with undead and those wearing the rings.

He does not say how he knows it just that he confirmed it. They have a shelf life. He died so these will become unenchanted in less than a year. The second enchanter was my mother according to the notes. I think he figured she would be around longer. Divine non-detection, as you saw, is not affected by this."

Mercian sat down as the King looked at him, "I still want my chairs put back. I want the enchanters to set those relay crystals against the far corner.

Have them levitated and invisible at that height. Being able to use communication crystal in here would be great. That display is phenomenal."

Mercian looked over and the dragons were even nodding. Glimmer smiled, "He was gifted."

Mercian looked at them, "This. I can handle. The enchanters need to tell us how long the shields have; if the enchanters are still alive."

Lucian looked at him, "We monitor that with the loss of your mother we lost about ten percent of our shields including the city shield. Not the others. In just under a year's time frame. We have a group of enchanters already working those systems that need to be enchanted again."

Mercian smiled, "If they have lost access to mythic draconic how are they doing that?"

She looked at Mercian, "Good question."

Mercian nodded, "The instructions I got from the will and has not been countered by the Gods. I cannot bring the books out for them to start learning mythic again until the Alliance with the dragons is signed off."

Mercian thought, "Is that still the case? Do we have to wait for the dragons?"

He heard back from the Lady of Dreams, "You can start with the elves now as you have the sword. The dragons have to wait for the Alliance."

Mercian looked over, "They just corrected me. I can start on the elves now. The dragons have to wait on the Alliance. They are possibly in the same boat depending on who crafted your shields."

Glimmer looked at him, "You know I have to say that would be dragon business at this point."

Mercian nodded, "Exactly. Dragon business that needs to come around before you are out of time. You have a lot to talk with your leaders about. When did you want to get together again, Glimmer?"

She looked at Mercian, "I will contact you. Will you be reachable?"

Mercian nodded, "I have all but moved into Left Eye. The repeater will reach me."

She nodded, "Hopefully sooner. With the council, you never know."

---

Glimmer reported back to the council of the new capability that was added to Alliance Overwatch with the portable displays and concerns for the tunneling under their shields and the status of their own shields.

She looked across, "With the King of the Gold Dragon's death we know our shields will fail in a year. The secondary enchanter was one of the last Silvertree Silver Dragons they killed. Their champion suspects we are in the same boat they are in, and he would be correct as I have confirmed that is the case.

They can start working on the elven shields now; those that had failed prior to Charlus's death, and the defensive systems were restored before he stepped down. 10% of their shields will be non-operational, including the ones over their capital, in just under a year. This attack is likely to come sooner.

They have their defensive systems as our system monitored their testing when Charlus put them back into service after the Alliance was dropped and we were incarcerated. I checked the records in our system.

They appear to be in the dark about the upcoming solar eclipse we are predicting. With the drow on the surface and looking to have dragons bypass our shields early, we have a few problems to address, Your Majesties."

The Bronze King looked over, "Leave the eclipse out of it, we don't have an exact date for that event, we just suspect it will be soon and last for several days. We will consider addressing it after we are totally operational again and we have the dwarves and humans in place in the Alliance.

We will debate what to do about these tunnels. It might be time to relocate our capital to gain more space to grow. Moving it a significant distance away is likely. That is still viable as they did not destroy the controls for that to happen. We need time to check our supports in all of the buildings.

We could move away instead of attacking the tunnels if it came down to it, we have options. We need to finish our clean-up and repairs while we work. No talk of what information was taken from the restricted section. That is Dragon Business."

Glimmer sighed and bowed to the new head of the council. While she did not agree with everything it was not her palace to disagree. Just present the problems. Her great Grandfather 5 generations back was the last Silvertree champion. Her opinions would be considered biased in regards to a Silvertree champion with the elves because of that connection.

---

Mercian spent the next several days on the fourth floor or Left Eye. He worked with enchanters on the books and getting them back to work or monitoring the situation. 3 weeks after that meeting, he got contacted when the Metallics were ready to meet. He passed the word to the King and his Diplomatic Service went into full swing.

2 months after that and they had the Alliance completed with the dragons. Alliance Overwatch was at full strength, as was Dragon's Overwatch. He has separate provisions in the Alliance documents acknowledging the ownership of Alliance Overwatch to whomever the elven owner of the Silvertree Moon Blade was going forward.

Also, provisions to get Alliance Overwatch the data types they needed in totality. He had scribes making copies of that book in the war room day and night for another month before they walked out with 2 usable copies of both books they were allowed to access. There was a third book that was restricted away from everyone. He was not even allowed to mention it.

He took the books after they left and returned them to their hiding hole in the War Room for now, though they would get moved to House Silvertree at some point soon.

---

King Goldeagle had used Overwatch assets in the right eye with a 12 elf strike team to try and gain access to the dwarven throne room. He ordered them to keep the commander, Merican, out of the loop as he was working with the Dragons on copying the books they needed. The mission was a complete failure.

---

Mercian was left out of the loop of the first infiltration of the Dwarven lands. Of 12 team members who went in only, 1 elf came back out and he got briefed on the failed mission. Mercian was livid and was not afraid to show it to the King even.

None of the crossbows went and the 1 elf who made it out said the others managed to infiltrate the throne room and were never heard from again. A dwarven agent they managed to recruit told him the room was covered in blood with no explanation.

True seeing of those leaving the area revealed they were killed and dragon wore the rings. Red dragons. It supported Mercian's theory of two different factions. Mercian was annoyed, to say the least. As Alliance Overwatch was used without him being kept in the loop. Mercian looked at the King during this briefing, "I am going in, Your Majesty."

He looked at Mercian, "No."

Mercian glared at him, "Would you tell the Gods that, Your Majesty? Have they told you to keep me from my mission? Did they tell you to hijack my system and keep the mission from me, Your Majesty? Something tells me the answer is no to all of the above. I am not asking for permission."

King Goldeagle sighed, "Not alone."

Mercian shook his head, "Alone. Keep a couple of strike teams on stand-by if I can find a use for them. What Charlus would do, Your Majesty. You messed up with me using Alliance Overwatch and having them keep the activity from me. Now I am going in to get it done right this time and stop wasting your limited resources."

King Goldeagle sighed, "I can set up a rendezvous with that dwarven agent at least."

Mercian nodded. "Location of the Eternal Forge, Your Majesty. That way the first mission is not viewed as a completely wasted effort."

King Goldeagle sighed and thought to his sword, "I appear to be fucking up by the numbers with this champion. He is going to get himself killed going in as an army of one."

His sword responded, "Charlus did that for over 700 years. Longest lived champion. Trust them. Cutting him out of the system was something I advised you not to do. Listening to me would be beneficial at times as well, as Charlus told you. Champions have been known to go rogue and take on matters without consulting Royalty if they fail to listen.

He could still shut down those consoles at any time. Better to work with him. The Gods told you as much. Watch and see what he does. He is used to being in combat, you have never faced what he has faced, or those of his family who have held that sword."

King Goldeagle simply nodded as Mercian teleported out of the city. Mercian used the eyes' underground chamber. He had an acid explosion wand in a bracer and dimension door wand in the other bracer. He switched into dwarf form and went invisible and teleported into the area near the Eternal Forge.

He had a pair of those hand crossbows, one strapped to each hip as well and loaded. He looked around and the force wall and ceiling stood in place still from the great rescue. A lone dwarf snuck down the hall.

He heard, "I sure hope this fool knows what he's doing."

Mercian whispered back, "No fool, but I know."

He stopped. Mercian looked at him, "Very specific questions. Where does the paragon sleep and do any in the throne room wear glasses?"

He nodded, "Glasses. Yes, two do. Either end of the room, opposite corners, they change positions often. Paragon you would never find it unless you are a dwarf."

Mercian stuck a repeater into the far wall. He walked over and opened the door to the forge area and stepped inside. The agent followed. Mercian released forms and took his invisibility off, "Left Eye workstation one, monitor my entry point, at the Eternal Forge outer room. Made contact. Workstation two forge level 50 feet worth of depth. Follow directions." He laid out the display. The dwarf's eyes lit up. He went with it and gave directions. Up, left, and further south.

Then pointed and sighed, "Stop, square building upper left-hand corner."

Mercian called out, "Get me the coordinates." They fed them to Mercian and he walked out with the other Dwarf, "Seal portal."

He put the display away and stored the communication crystal. Mercian changed forms back to a dwarf and went invisible. He whispered, "Crouch and close your eyes."

He nodded. Mercian took them into the corner and another dwarf tripped over his contact. Those two went about arguing about watching where they were going and fixing shoes off to the side. They broke it up. He moved off to the side and messed with his shoe.

Mercian whispered, "Nice work."

He hmphed, "Been better if you had missed him."

Mercian pointed at the door, "Knock." Mercian removed the invisibility.

He knocked on the door, "Is the paragon home?"

The dwarf at the door looked at Mercian, "At the forge for another hour at least."

Mercian pushed the contact into the room and closed the door. She went for a weapon and Mercian called out, "The Paragon is in great danger. You all are."
Mercian switched out to himself, "I will prove it to you."

She looked at him, "An elf?"

He nodded, "Mercian Silvertree as in the one who can access the Eternal Forge."

She looked less alarmed. "Why did we get shut out of the forge?"

He sighed, "Divine direction to Charlus who died, was not me who turned it off. But I can now access it. The forge was to be used in a spirit of cooperation. When the Alliance fell apart the forge was stored.

It takes a member from each of the races to be restarted. Three master craftsmen and a royal dragon. We have the dragons back. That is when we found this. Left Eye, Workstation one in paragons home monitor. Workstation two display throne room. Workstation three display forge." He pulled out the display and cycled through, "The forge area." She nodded, her beard bouncing up and down. Mercian went to the next one. "Your home." She nodded, "Throne room."

She looked at him, "What are all the yellow symbols?"

Mercian looked at her, "Those necromancy rings we destroyed. They are being worn by everyone in the room and one near the forge. A few others are floating around but the 12 in that room control everything."

She sighed, "Explains some of the stuff going on. You 2 wait in the bedroom. He will be home soon. One of the guards has been escorting him home. Some attack occurred last week they are on guard or alert about."

Mercian got contacted, "Necromantic ring moving your way Commander."

He sighed, "Off communications." He pulled up the display for the area and moved to the bedroom. He heard the door close but the signature remained, she talked with her husband. He dimension doored out and cut off the hand with the ring and crystal in it.

She looked at Mercian, "Deceiver!"

The paragon shouted, "No, that fucking ring had my mind!"

Mercian looked at her, "I can get him to a healer to get his hand back. His life is too important to deceive you."

He looked at Mercian, "That thing will only activate if I have the ring on."

He nodded, "Tell them an elf has come to unlock the forge and they need your help. Find out what he wants you to do." He cupped his severed hand with the crystal in it. He spoke into, "An elf showed up at my home. Said he could get me into the forge. He is waiting just outside. Should I go?"

He heard chuckling, "Yes let him get the forge for us. I will send a few to meet you."

Mercian nodded and teleported them outside the forge, took them inside, and into a side room. He opened the portal area and watched the display, "Deactivate blades."

The blades shut off. "Into the side room." They moved in. "Seal side portal, Set portal access to include the paragon. Turn off gas and drop security wall."

Mercian turned on a teleport blocker, "Raise wall."

He was inside with the forge. He watched the four of them walk down and then enter the outer room. Mercian turned to face the force field, "Lower force field."

Mercian heard banging. He turned. "Activate entry security wards! Activate blades!" The one who held back was getting shocked to death by necromancy wards. While the bodies exploded into fluids in the blade trap and out through the open portal. "Raise forcefield. Lower security wall."

He saw the flames of the breath weapon which helped to clear up a line of fire. Mercian smiled, "Thankfully All those bodies blocked your bad breath off."

He went to talk, "Insolent..."

Mercian fired a hand crossbow into his mouth and the miniature shield went off. He shook in pain and then it cut through his body leaving a nearly perfect cone around his neck. Mercian removed the teleport blocker and made his way through the muck.

"Activate all forge security. Open side portal. Remove all portal access." The dwarf looked at all the blood and the dead dragon. Mercian nodded, "That got rid of 4."

He nodded, "Open the outer portal."

There were six dwarves out there. Mercian looked at them, "Stand down. I got your paragon safe." Two tried to push their way through. Mercian brought the paragon, his wife, and the contact out. Mercian looked at them, "You have a dragon problem. Big red ones. Including at least 8 in your throne room."

He looked at the paragon who nodded, "They put one of those fucking rings on me last week! He had to cut off my hand to keep me from killing myself to free the beast."

Mercian looked at them. He pulled out the display, "Your throne room. Those symbols. Seven at the moment; one is on the move. We need to get him out of here."

They nodded, "To where?"

Mercian smiled. "Seal all ports except to the blade wielder." He looked at them, "Gather," Mercian teleported them to the edge of the Capital. He pulled a crystal, "Left Eye, inform the King the first package, wife, agent, and six guards were pulled from the mountain. We are at the main gate, the paragon needs medical treatment, regeneration."

Mercian looked at the guard, "Treat them as guests of House Silvertree if not the King."

Mercian showed him his papers and the guard nodded at him, "Yes Count Silvertree."

Mercian sighed, "Left Eye how many in the throne room?"

He heard back, "Six one looks to be heading for the paragon's house and one to the forge."

He nodded, "Heading to the throne room. Let the King know if he wants assault teams for the other 2 isolated ones he can try. Try to cut off the hands, paralyzes them if they can to save them."

He drew the two hand crossbows. He teleported some ways down the hall while both hidden and invisible using the coordinates he had he looked in and saw the King walking around talking on a crystal. He could hear the talk of fighting. Mercian fired the two bolts into the far wall. He heard those in the room screaming.

Mercian sheathed the crossbows and ran forward, "Varus'Nor Left-hand moon fire on."

Mercian got to the King and cut his hand off as he grabbed his ax. He tossed him back down the hall and got two more that were shaking on the ground. Mercian severed their hands and brought them out. One of the dragons went to revert. Mercian rolled back out and sheathed his swords, "GATHER!" He drew and fired two more bolts into the room and took them out of range.

Mercian teleported them to the main gate and started healing them up. The Dwarven King looked at Mercian, "30 years with that thing in my mind. I fucking hate dragons!"

Mercian looked at him, "Chromatics. We would not have known of your situation without getting the metallics back in the Alliance, Your Majesty."

Mercian took him through the gate and pulled a crystal, "Your Majesty, you ready for that royal briefing."

He heard him sigh, "Yes, I am."

He got them all gathered, "Clerics ever show tell them to see the Guard Captain at the palace. Mercian teleported the lot of them to the palace gate and they walked through. He took them into the fourth floor and into the War room, he pulled out a crystal, "Left Eye, status?"

They heard him sigh, "We saved one, we lost the second 6 man team assault force. The one near the paragons home."

He sighed, "Royal recovered and the paragon. What does the throne room look like? He sighed, "I am still seeing six but they are not moving."

Mercian nodded, "Severed hands, rings pulled off, or on dead bodies." He pulled out the display "Workstation 3 give me a twenty-foot depth scan from the top down." The King watched the scan, "Seeing a new signature on paragon level. IS that correct workstation one?"

He heard a sigh, "He probably put on another ring. He is headed to the throne room, Mercian looked at them as the King walked in, "The last one that we know of?"

He heard, "Yes that we can see. A scan of the mountain shows only one."

Mercian stepped out, "I got one red left."

Mercian teleported away twice and then back up to the throne room. He used the cavern again. He stored the rings in the room. He saw him coming up the ramp. He threw a force web.

He locked up the dwarf and three guards behind him. He dimension doored over them as another twelve came running up. Mercian teleported them back into the throne room and killed the one with the dragon in it. He waited for the guard and looked at them, "Your King is safe and with my King. Up here. He walked over to the dead dragons in the room. They looked at their guys webbed and one dead. They pointed, "Why did you kill him?"

He pointed, "Ring right hand take it off, go into the hall, and put it on." He did it and came back and threw it down.

Mercian grabbed the ring. "Your King said he had been trapped by a ring holding a red for 30 years. It waited for someone to kill the King and then surprise. Dragon. Half of you sheath your weapons. I have six guards with him and your paragon. A few more will not hurt." They nodded.

Mercian took three all the way back to the fourth-floor jumping but staying above ground. "Your throne room is a mess but guards have it secured. I got the last one before he could get the ring off. Dragon is now mindless in that ring, Your Majesty."

King Fireaxe growled out, "GOOD!"

Mercian looked at him, "Mercian Silvertree, your access to the eternal forge once we have you and the humans back on board to activate it."

Mercian let the King run through what they had, what was out there, and what they needed. King Fireaxe shook his head, "I was fucking giving orders to send sappers into the deep roads. I do not think we have any left."

Mercian shook his head, "You mean trained at the moment. You would not lose that secret that easily."

He nodded, "No trainer so it will be a few generations before we have a competent lot. Thank you for coming to get me. Do you know how my forge got shut off?"

Mercian nodded, "Divine direction to Charlus. OUR forge was meant for ALL in the Alliance. When you dropped, that meant the forge needed to be shut down. That is why it takes four to start the forge. I got in there with the paragon today. It is secured. Four dead dragons inside their but secure, Your Majesty."

He nodded his unhappiness but understood. Mercian looked at the King, "Your Majesty, I had them direct clerics to you Guard Captain. We want them to get back to having two workable hands. We should get started on that."

He pulled a crystal, "Any clerics show?"

The Guard Captain responded, "I have 6 here, Your Majesty."

The King called out, "If they have regeneration send them to the fourth floor. Else send them back."

The guard looked, "Three are on their way up."

Mercian went to the door and showed them back after securing the display. They did their casting. One of them asked, "Who cut off all of these hands?"

Mercian smiled, "That would be me. Caught them trying to lift up on the gown of the Lady of Dreams and we could not have that."

One of the other's looked at Mercian, "Why would they do that?"

Mercian chuckled, "Probably checking her for a beard."

The dwarves laughed. The King looked at Mercian, "She is not likely to care for that joke."

Mercian looked at the King, "I would think a cleric should not be that gullible enough to ask the question as though it were the real reason."

He tossed necromancy rings on the table. One still on a hand. They looked at them and nodded.

Mercian sighed, "I would have given you the hand, but could not tell you which one the hand belonged to."

The King shook his head, "Not mine."

The Paragon nodded, "Mine."

Mercian looked at the King, "I am heading to the Alliance Overwatch to get some sleep, Your Majesty."

He called out, "Deactivate." Teleported. "Activate" He brought the security down on Right Eye. "How are things with the drow?"

The lady looked at him, "No change commander. Like they are waiting for something."

Mercian went back over to Left Eye after securing Right Eye. Mercian walked back, "Good work today. All security on."

Mercian walked back and fed his horse, "Sorry for all the alone time, I had to go save dwarves today. Oats and an apple."

She thought back to him, "We need to go riding soon. This is nice but I would like to stretch my legs."

Mercian nodded, "We will work on that."

Mercian went back to his room and activated a crystal, "Hello Glimmer."

Mercian heard her sigh, "Your King just updated us. It sounds like you were busy."

Mercian nodded, "Yes. I wanted to ask about the guys tunneling toward you. Did you decide on a plan?"

Mercian heard Glimmer groan, "I would like to say dragon business but the fact is the council is still trying to decide. They are getting closer. They will have to do something in the next few days."

Mercian looked at the crystal, "Let them know the dwarves sent all sappers into the deep roads. If they captured one and compelled him, they could be through a lot sooner."

She groaned, "Is it true?"

Mercian sighed, "The fact they were sent? Yes. The rest is speculation. But it is champion speculation. The drow appeared to be waiting for something."

She groaned, "I will inform them. Thank you for checking in."

---

Glimmer walked into the council chamber and bowed, "You got the report from the King. Some things from Mercian did not get passed along. All of the dwarven sappers were sent into the deep roads. They could have sapper explosives in those tunnels.

They said the drow appeared to be waiting for something. I did not mention the eclipse but they likely know it is coming and with a rogue Gold, black, and shadow dragons likely to be involved. That eclipse would seem to be an important thing to mention soon, Your Majesty."

A Silver was in the position to head the Council today, they had set it to rotate among the five metallics instead of leaving it under one. This Silver King looked at her, "We would be speculating about the eclipse and the champion would be speculating about explosives."

Glimmer sighed, "As a distant relative of the last dragon champion and the one who served the longest among our kind, Champions speculate. They are typically spot on with their speculations. The decision of the council I will follow, but to ignore a known champion that helped to free us and uncovered what is going on in our own Kingdom would seem unwise, your Majesty."

He looked at Glimmer, "When Bahumut gives us a champion on the subject we will listen more astutely. He has been rewarded for his efforts in freeing us. The Alliance is back in place but we have no definitive information to pass along on dates or our plans at this point.

Until we do, it is not up for discussion on hypotheticals. We will consider the warning you obtained for us and work to come to a decision sooner on moving the Kingdom and or attacking those tunnels. You are free to go."

Glimmer bowed and left the room. The new Gold King looked over and he was one of Majisa's first children after the return, "I think we will have to do both and soon. We need to finish the building inspections to ensure nothing was damaged by the rogue elements we had in power first. Then we can make an informed decision."

---

Mercian laid back and went to sleep. He was at the falls and groaned. Mercian took a knee and waited and it was Corellon Larethian. He looked at Mercian, "Have been having words with the dwarven god on why he cannot get a competent champion on the field. Was one of the ones killed in the throne room. The King was right, she did not like that joke. The Dwarven god, on the other hand, was laughing his ass off. Except for the joke in bad taste, you did excellent work."

Mercian nodded, "I figured she would have put a viable candidate in front of me by now. I have seen none."

He smiled, "You have, you have just dismissed them."

Mercian shook his head, "There has been Lucian and the girl next door in Right-eye who will not even give me her name and worked with the King against me. Not viable. The most viable mate I have seen is not elven, but Glimmer."

He nodded, "Glimmer has a mate and breeding with dragons is not something I am foreseeing in your future. I told her you needed to get laid. She agreed."

Mercian smiled, "She said married."

Corellon smiled, "Yes, to a few."

Mercian sighed, "We make quite the pair. I have no time to start a family with all the chaos going on right now. I could not even go hunting for a couple of days. She is off planning a wedding with a wife to be decided later. Or WIVES if it were her choice."

He chuckled, "You can find the time if you were not so determined to do it all yourself."

Mercian nodded, "You are saying leave the drow to Strong Oak and the military to run off and get laid? Then our King who keeps failing to listen to me or only takes measured steps."

He laughed, "I would not put it that way, but you can find a way if you try."

Mercian shook his head, "All I am doing is trying the Lady of Dreams and the King's patience. I was so fucking pissed to be excluded me out of the mission. To the point, he had Right Eye working on the mission while telling them to tell me nothing. What happened to it 'being my system?'"

He nodded, "That is a point of discussion. Bahamut has put a champion on the field. I do not know who but he felt one was needed. They have not announced their presence as of yet. They will soon."

Mercian nodded, "What of the humans?"

He looked at Mercian, "They are working through their own issues. Getting them back is secondary to the Drow."

Mercian looked at him, "Is the drow secondary to getting laid?"

Corellon laughed, "Start your day champion."

---

Mercian woke, showered, and changed clothes. He contacted the King, "Your Majesty, I have a hunting trip that I have been putting off."

He sighed, "I can get another caster to take the King and his group back."

Mercian shook his head, "I could return them but I would like to take some time to try some hunting."

He responded, "Go hunting, this we can handle."

The crystal went dead. Mercian prayed and got all of his spells back.

---

A young Bronze Dragon walked into the council chambers. He bowed to the Kings and the Copper was sitting in the center seat today, "Your Majesties, Bahamut spoke with me last night and has made me his champion on the field for the upcoming battle."

He lowered his divine non-detection to show his amulet and aura so the Kings could all see it. He then turned it back on.

He looked over, "He advised that I tell you to handle those tunnels and soon. He would prefer if we stayed closer to our allies and not move off hundreds of miles to put distance between us and them. I obviously would have no way of knowing that discussion without him. The choice as always falls to you but his opinion should be strongly considered.

However, as you stated yesterday to the one the elves call Glimmer, you wanted a champion to confirm his ideas and my thoughts on what you are looking at doing. I have come before you to make that known. The elven champion will know I am around but will not know who I am until the conflict starts.

The Dwarves are also working to get a competent champion onto the field after our elven allies rescued their King. The only reason the previous champion, who was killed by the elven champion, did not explode is because he stripped that champion of powers to save the dwarven lands from destruction.

When that champion was captured with a necromancy ring on him, he knew it would likely happen in the future. Flying our capital should be a last-ditch effort to save our people and not a first-line strategy. We can deal with the tunnels and will likely have an opposing dragon champion in this fight. Something our kind should be dealing with."

The Copper looked over at the others, "We will consider your words in closed session. Thank you for making this known."

The Bronze Dragon Champion left and the Bronze King chuckled, "We asked for a champion to guide us and we got one. One of mine for a change. I think we should listen for a change. He made no mention of the eclipse. I think that is a test of this council, like previous champions.
He is not giving us guidance on everything, just enough to let us know where he would like us to go. We should start on those tunnels today or tomorrow at the latest."

The Copper King sighed and nodded, "It is never one of my kind being selected to be the champion. Maybe next time."

---

Mercian set his crystal down to the eye, "As the King likes to run operations without me or my input, I will be unreachable except through House Silvertree when I choose to contact them."

He looked at Mercian, "The King is not going to like that."

Mercian looked over, "He told me to go hunting. I cannot do that if he is scaring away the game."

Mercian got Anama'Losgadh and then mounted up, "We are going hunting."

Mercian went out of the shelter, "Deactivate."

Mercian teleported to the main gate. "Activate. He rode through with his bow in hand. He got several hundred yards down the road and turned into wood elf territory. They kept a good clip going. He slowed down and started listening. He detected four elves in the tree and one coming toward him on the ground. Still several hundred feet out. That one was on horseback.

He thought, "Do you know whose Horse is approaching?"

Mercian heard back, "Your cousin Zornna. The former Duchess you do not like."

Mercian sighed. They pressed forward and he tracked her position. She tried to circle and get in behind him. He finally sighed, "For a ranger, you are not very stealthy, cousin."

She did not answer. He thought, "Let us take her for a run."

Mercian heard laughter as Anama'Losgadh took off into the woods deeper. They cut through several thickets of trees. He saw a wood elf up in a tree.

He dimension doored up next to them, "She has you hunting me?"

The unidentified elven archer looked at him with a bow in hand, "She said you could not be trusted."

Mercian nodded, "Ask your elder or the hunting party I was with when we found the drow. She lost her title to her brother not because she cared about the woods. She lost it because she could give a shit about you, me, or anyone else. Telling the King there are too many of us. She wants a war to kill elves off in favor of the woods. Get your facts straight. That included keeping magical gear away from your militias. How much does she carry?"

She came riding into the area trying to figure out where he went. He looked down and her arrows were wet. He thought, 'Is she using poison.'

He dimension doored behind her on the ground. "Using poison these days? You know that is bad for the meat."

She turned to fire on him. Mercian dimension doored next to her and pulled her ass out of the saddle.

He signaled the one elf to come down. She rolled back and came up with a dagger and a sword. Mercian looked at her poisoned blades, "You should know I am immune to poison."

She swung at him wildly as he pushed her to the ground. "What is wrong with you?"

She rolled up and her thrusts had more purpose. He had yet to draw a weapon. She came in with an overhand slash while thrusting with her dagger.

Mercian grabbed her arm and broke it behind the elbow on her dagger arm. She seemed upset that her horse did not attack. Then she spotted his horse. She went for a throwing dagger with her sword hand. He took her to the ground. He manacled her hands together. Her dagger was back in her hands. Mercian took it from her and she had stabbed Anama'Losgadh with that throwing dagger as he saw the blood. He dimension doored next to her. She sent him a message, "So tired."

She went down. She was alive but unconscious. He went over and got his cousin. Mercian took her to Anama'Losgadh and teleported them both to Porzcosa. All activity stopped when he threw her down. The elder came out and Mercian looked at her, "She is using poison on the elven war horses. My horse wears reigns to protect from it but she still sleeps."

He handed him her dagger, "Her arrows were coated in it as was her sword and dagger. If my senses are not lost it is nightshade poison."

The elder looked at her and checked her scabbards and quiver. He shook his head, "What do you want to be done with her?"

Mercian sighed, "Tell the herd what she has done." He took the dagger and identified it.

He sighed, "Dagger of disease, like the sword of pestilence Charlus managed to survive. Just not a relic."

He walked over and teleported his horse to the church. Mercian looked at the acolyte, "I need someone who can remove the curse and cure disease. My horse got hit with a diseasing weapon."

He ran inside and came back with a cleric. He sat there and healed her up. 20 minutes later and she came out of it. Mercian helped Anama'Losgadh to get back to her feet.

He handed the dagger to the cleric, "Tell the Duke it was thrown by his sister. She is in Porzcosa in manacles. She also coated it them in nightshade poison."

The cleric ran off for the Keep. Mercian mounted up and teleported back to Porzcosa. He looked at the elder sitting with her. She sat defiantly. Mercian looked at her, "Your brother will come and deal with you. That dagger is an abomination of nature."

She looked at Mercian, "Disease is natural."

Mercian nodded, "Did you stab yourself with it to go through the effects?" She glared at Mercian. "I am going back out to gather your other weapons."

He teleported back out and the elf was there. He looked over, "Careful, she was using nightshade and the dagger was a diseasing dagger. No telling what her other weapons will do."

He looked at Mercian, "I do not believe you."

He sighed, "Check with your Elder. Pick up the gear."

He did. Mercian rode next to him and teleported him in the middle of the village, "Elder, have you learned anything?"

He sighed, "Other than she wants you dead by any means possible?"

Mercian got down and reached over. He undid his manacles. Mercian looked at the boy, "She has lost her ranger abilities. Easy to confirm. All she has to do is heal herself. Keep those things away from her."

He backed away with the swords and bow. She growled, "Give me my weapons!"

Mercian looked at her, "No."

Mercian walked over and gave her a training bow and clean quiver of arrows. "Go ahead. Wait, you cannot heal your own arm, fallen ranger."

Mercian set her arm none too gently and then healed it. He looked at her, "Back to basics for you. Once again proving you are a complete fuck up."

He took the weapons from the boy. He identified them, "All diseasing weapons. What ranger ability did you use to craft these?"

He waved her on. "I will drop these down here. That way you do not attack anyone else with them. You want a shot at me then we will do this cousin."

He took her dagger and cut his palm with it and threw it on the ground. He looked at her, "I am immune to diseases. It was what Charlus added to the sword."

She looked scared at that announcement. Mercian looked at her, "Go ahead and grab your weapons but I draw my swords and you will die quickly."

He walked away from her weapons. "Your cause is not righteous. You think there are too many elves then you should take your own life. Free one up for those that care about life. Show the village the right way to throw away your life. You got two options. Sit there until your brother arrives. He takes you away to be judged or pick up the weapons you were just begging to have back."

She sat there until her brother arrived. Mercian looked at him, "Diseasing weapons sword, dagger, and the throwing dagger. Nightshade poison. On arrows and blades. She used the returning dagger on my horse when I refused to draw a weapon and fight her. She has no ranger abilities.

Get her a non-magical sword, dagger, and bow. Banish her from the Elven Kingdom. Send her south. Else kill her. If she had been named Silvertree she would be laying on the ground next to her severed head. The special purpose of the blade is to deal with corruption in the family."

Duke Neriah looked at him and sighed, "My blade has that as well. I am being told she has to die for her crimes."

Mercian looked at her, "You still want those blades and face me standing or sitting there and forcing your brother to kill you?"

She got up and walked over and grabbed her sword and dagger. "If I am dying, I am taking you with me."

Mercian nodded, "You are free to try child."

That pissed her off. She came in with the same high overhand swing. He rolled under and drew his blades and sent her head flying from her shoulders with a scissor cut from behind.

He never turned Moon Fire on so her blood just shot everywhere. He cleaned the blades on her body and sheathed them. He walked over to her brother, "When you see her mother, she can blame me if she wishes. You did not have to kill your own sister. I would have killed my uncle but his son did it for me."

He nodded, "She is still dead and I would have had to do it."

Mercian nodded, "Not today, your fight is out there. With the drow. She did not take that seriously. Now I am going hunting."

He nodded as Mercian mounted up. He went riding back into the woods. He came to a stop. He thought, "This is my life to just keep killing. There is no room for love in all of this."

He heard the Lady of Dreams behind him, "You have not looked for love."

Mercian nodded, "I do not disagree, but I question if I am even worthy of loving someone with the ease at which I kill others. The enemy or family."

She sighed, "I cannot show you, love, because of that agreement."

Mercian looked at her, "It was back there on her brother's face when he watched me take her head off. He loved his sister."

She held her head down for a moment. Mercian started riding forward. She called out, "WAIT."

He stopped. She looked at Mercian as she glided across the woods toward him. "Love is there for you; you won't let me tell you who or where."

Mercian nodded, "The reason for that is I will know it when I see it. Nobody can tell me I will love someone with a 100% certainty. Except for a parent's love for their child. Then that is not always the case for everyone. Eldar found it without you having to point him at it. At least for his first two wives. The other four were not planned. Was there something else, dear Lady?"

She shook her head, "Not right now."

Mercian rode away past several easy deer and went deeper into the woods north of the falls but south of the city. He heard their heartbeats before their hoofs. He stopped, "I know you are there. 7 of you. No need to circle me."

He looked over as the first centaur came into view. Mercian nodded to him, "Did I wander across some invisible boundary? The Elder in Porzcosa gave me permission to hunt though I have shot nothing as of yet."

The centaur looked at him, "You have scales."

Mercian nodded, "I am a dragon-blooded sorcerer and a ranger. The Champion of Corellon Larethian."

He nodded, "Solonor said we would find you out here."

Mercian nodded, "I am sure many Gods are watching my every move. I just talked with the Lady of Dreams a couple of hours ago. Did you have a message for me?"

He nodded, "He said you needed to find a balance."

Mercian looked at him, "Telling me I should be out looking for women instead of hunting."

The centaur laughed, "That would be an odd inference."

Mercian sighed, "I cut the head off my cousin a few hours ago and brought down an uncle a few months back. Because of corruption. I have killed corrupted gold dragons and red dragons. As well as a drow champion. The word is killed. If everything I do is kill and I need balance then it would stand to reason that love is what he is suggesting."

He nodded his understanding, "I could see that given what you told me."

Mercian nodded, "The world does not stop for me and the drow are still a threat. As are the dragons aligned with them. They are on the plains south and to the west of here. In three surface villages under shields like this one but dark to block the sun."

He nodded, "I will alert my chieftain."

Mercian nodded to him, "Safe journey and happy hunting."

Mercian turned southward but east and continued for another hour and stopped. Mercian thought, "What should we do Varus'Nor?"

He heard Varus'Nor respond, "It takes a toll. Find someone to share the burden with."

Mercian chuckled, "Easy for you to say. You are made for one purpose. I am wondering if I am as well."

Varus'Nor knew he had no response to that statement as he could not reveal who he had been. Advising him on love would not be possible.

They heard Anama'Losgadh, "You have the capacity to love. You care for me very deeply. You just do not open yourself up to the idea."

He thought back, "Do you love? Do you marry?"

He heard her respond, "Love yes. The one we mate with. Sometimes. Marriage is not our way."

Mercian thought, "You are in Corellon Larethian corner that I need to get laid."

Mercian heard Anama'Losgadh laughing, "Yes. I am."

Mercian continued on for another hour. He never fired a shot. It got dark and he teleported them to the fourth floor of the inn and took them inside, "Set entry to only me." He rode her back to the falls. He fed her and brushed her down. He went to bed trying to put the pieces together. The gods left him to his own thoughts. He awoke, prayed, fed his horse, and ate.

He thought to her, "Only the gods know where I am at the moment. Wonder what would happen if I spent a few months in here."

Anama'Losgadh thought back to him, "I would stomp you to death."

Mercian smiled, "I believe it. But then the sword and you would be trapped in here with me. Food would be scarce for you as it is not designed to respond to psionic communication to get food. Something to add to the Journal, get someone to research it for the future to ensure your species survival in one of these if they get trapped."

He got dressed and packed up to go. He rode out of the shelter, "Seal portal."

He teleported east up the trade road and went south into a section of deep woods. He listened and all was silent. Even the wind stopped.

He felt it as the ground shook. It came from the west and lasted several minutes. He looked at the two crystals he had. He pulled one, "What happened Glimmer?"

He heard, "We collapsed those tunnels along a five-mile stretch. We cut off their progress. We hit it from both ends and went toward the middle. They are launching storms over the area now sink that tunnel even further. They will hit it again tomorrow morning."

There was a loud explosion off in the distance. He asked, "What in the 9 hells was that?"

She sighed, "Best guess? A cache of dwarven explosives going off. I will contact you back."

---

Glimmer went into Dragon Overwatch and looked at the shields. The explosives had breached a quarter of a mile under the shields but they had cut off access to those tunnels. She headed for the council chamber.

---

The crystal went dead and Mercian started riding west and sighed, "To hell with it." He teleported in front of the Keep in Quatarsia. Mercian looked at the Guard, "What do you know?"

He shook his head, "Everyone was heading west after the first explosion."

He rode toward the southern border when the next one hit and Mercian went into the air to look around. He thought, "Not again."

He pulled a crystal, "Glimmer!"

She responded, "We are kind of busy here."

He yelled, "Considering your land is like a mile in the air I would say you are busy. I thought that device got destroyed!?"

She sighed, "It did. We are not really that high a few hundred feet at the moment. They are flying the whole kingdom. The council voted to move further out from elven and dwarven lands. It changes nothing."

Mercian looked at the crystal, "It affects your response times."

She groaned, "Alright that is true."

Mercian sighed, "How far away is away?"

She groaned, "Hard to say." She could not tell him to the other side of the distant mountain range. As she was barred from telling him and she was in the Council Chambers.

He thought, "Corellon Larethian do you have a thought on this at all?"

Mercian got no response. Mercian got back down to the ground and got outside of the shield and started flying again. The house crystal went off, "Mercian, they want you back at the Palace."

Mercian responded, "Not yet. I am looking at something. He flew higher and looked over the plains. He saw the three-domed villages from here. It was early in the day but it was getting dark out. Mercian looked up real quick like and back.

He pulled out the crystal to Glimmer, "What can you tell me about the sun going dark?"

She sighed, "They are extremely rare in this world. Once every 8,000-9,000 thousand years. It is called an eclipse and it will last most of the next 3-4 day most likely."

Mercian yelled, "Perfect fucking time for dragons and drow to strike from underground! Did you know this was coming?!"

She sighed, "We have been preparing for the eventuality, but we had no solid date for it."

Mercian asked her point-blank, "How much support can we expect?"

She groaned, "We have to wait for a request from your King."

Mercian nodded, "By the time he sends you a request the entire southern woods will be destroyed. I just saw a hundred or more dragons pouring out of that area!!"

She sighed, "Let me check with the council." He loaded up both hand crossbows for autoloading, twenty rounds each.

He contacted the house crystal, "Tell the King his southern border is about to be decimated!! He needs to activate all aerial defenses in the south-west quarter. If he wants me there, he will have to allow teleport all the way to the palace!"

A few seconds later and the south-west defenses came online. He called out and went lower, "Activate lighthouse straight west."

The voice came back, "You are cleared straight to the palace."

He teleported to the fourth floor and rode right into the war room." He looked at the King, "Overwatch still active, Your Majesty?"

He nodded, "Lighthouse to the west just went up."

The King's crystal lit up from the dragons, "Your defense system is messing with our shields!"

Mercian walked over, "We had no way to plan for your land to be flying because it was dragon business, Your Majesty. The best we can guess, we have over 300 dragons in range of that net with another 100-200 in traps below it. That is 500+ dragons with no dragon aerial support versus these dragon targets.

We had no choice but to turn on every defense we had in that region. We drop it and we are dead! You need it down and we need help with dragons."

The crystal went dark and the King looked at him, "That bad?"

Mercian nodded, "Worse! Glimmer told me this is an eclipse; the sun will be blacked out for 3-4 days! They knew it was coming, they were planning to move 'away' from us but no information on distance. Right now, we are not hurting them. They are far enough out and beyond where the beams are crossed.

The problem they got is they cannot go up and they have natural obstacles affecting where they can go. Like the distant mountain range in that direction. They could not get past that right now. Any army you can get down south you should deploy as well as all able bodies casters, Your Majesty."

Mercian pulled a crystal and stepped out, "Deactivate" He teleported to the eyes, "Activate" He went into Left Eye and looked at the defenses they had up. What they had that could be used.

"Left Eye to Overwatch inform the King if we have the shield weapon operational, they should use it to plug the hole to the south, south-west. Use the beam between six and seven but below it!" He grabbed all of his crystals, "Keep this going as long as the dragons let us have it as we have pissed them off."
He nodded, Mercian went out, "Security activate. walls up! Deactivate." Mercian teleported back to the fourth floor.

---

The Dragon Council was in an emergency session as Glimmer and this new champion stood there. The champion shook his head at the council, "I am just as surprised by the elves response as you are. Our system and those assets flying patrols are seeing those dragons.

You just finished reestablishing an Alliance with the elves. Now you are attempting to get the Capital to escape in the middle of a full-blown battle. The decision is yours on how you wish to proceed."

---

Mercian called out "Activate." He laid out the other display. "Right Eye, Display 3, grid 50 ground level. Thirty feet depth and expand it!"

He pointed to the King, "That is the Drow first wave. I recommend having Strong Oak Deploy back inside of his shield and turn on the force wall generator."

The King nodded, "Where will they go?"

Mercian looked at him, "Capital Main gate!"

The King sighed, "What does this buy us?"

Mercian looked at him, "Wild elves and druids. They will not engage unless they are invaded. They are being invaded. Forces, not ours that can help to reduce the threat. Once we get them bottled up, we have them drop teleport on Quatarsia and move his forces to the other side of the wall. They come up behind the drow and we have them pinned between Force wall, our Arcane casters and archers at the gate and druids boxing them in.

Turn on lighthouse beams north and south while we are at it. Leave 3 and 7 off, for now. That keeps them boxed in and our 'Dragon allies' from escaping north while this fight is going on. Overwatch keeps turning on shields and security in all shelters every minute. I cannot see from here where they may have sent many half-dragon forces."

It took another 3 hours before the dragons got back with King Goldeagle, "We have 500 dragons inbound. Can you drop your Lighthouse now?"

Mercian looked at the King and shook his head, "We can as soon as those other dragons are out of the air. At least most of them. Have them attack their three villages. Draw them back toward you and away from the beams. That will slow or stop ground troops and the dragons will have to respond by engaging you."

They spend the next 12 hours getting their dragons into certain beams to be able to release the dragon homeland but their dragon troops were locked in with them effectively. Mercian thought, "Is it time for me to engage them myself? Some guidance would be appreciated."

Mercian got an answer an hour later from Corellon Larethian, "Go champion and survive this."

Mercian looked at the King, "I am headed out there. I got direction, Your Majesty."

He nodded. Mercian looked over, "Tell the Dragon King between beams 6 and 7 low to the ground his forces could exit from the shield weapon that does not damage them or restrict their movement, Your Majesty"

King Goldeagle nodded, "Might save us some goodwill." Mercian mounted up. "Stay alive my friend."

Mercian took her out, "Deactivate. He went down and then teleported outside the north gate shield wall. "Activate." He teleported above Lighthouse.

He went down through the beam where dragons were leaving by the hundreds. He started lobbing shots into the throng of chromatic dragons who got cut off by the beam weapon. Four hand-held shield weapon bolts went off and cut through the group. That caused them to disengage 6 metallics that they had on the ground. He launched another set from inside the shield. More of the metallic made it into the safe zone for the dragons and the drow were not pursuing them.

He went down and started healing up the dragons and firing off those crossbows every few minutes. He burned through 3 wands on the metallics and they were well enough to fly out of the area. They flew out of the weapon area. He went inside the battle zone and teleported up.

He started launching round after round at the dragons from the top of the shield. Mercian heard a deafening roar. Mercian pulled out a crystal, "Left Eye, Relay! We have not 1 or 2, but 3 dragon champions on the field!"

Mercian teleported up and away from them. He let his non-detection down for just a second but it was enough. He had those 3 coming towards him.

He reloaded one of the crossbows and pulled out the rod of expansion and dove between the three villages.

He fired off back to back force webs. He only needed to snag one. He slowed all three of them. He did it again as he closed in toward the ground. One started falling and he shot a hand-held force field weapon into him. Mercian teleported them to the edge of the big weapon. He put the rod away and slowed two more dragons in the area before he fired weapons at the two other champions still in the air. He rode through the shield weapon area.

Mercian took to the Air. Mercian heard Anama'Losgadh, "I am not going to make it."

He started healing his horse up as fast as he could.

He called out, "BRACE!!!" Into the Overwatch crystals.

He made it through the field and teleported them to the north gate. Anama'Losgadh fell over dead.

He rolled away. She got hit by those drow bolts. He counted 5 holes. He pulled the saddle and reigns. "Thank you, my friend. You saved my life and many elven lives. You were a true hero today."

He disintegrated her body. "Deactivate." He teleported down as the first shockwaves hit.

Mercian teleported into the fourth floor "Activate" Mercian walked into the shelter when the worst of the shock waves hit. They continued for an hour as their forces squeezed them at the gate. He thought, "Thank you Charlus for leaving us the weapons to do this."

Mercian looked at the map and the three villages were gone along with the land in-between them. The King came over, "Three dragon champions?"

Mercian nodded, "I dropped my non-detection long enough for them to know I was a champion. I got them to crash or come down there and got out before they exploded from the hand-held forcefield weapons. I stayed out of range of the drow until the end and my horse got hit by 5 of those bolts, at least. I healed her as fast as I could but as soon as I teleported to the north gate. She just fell over dead.

They got to her heart. She kept flying to get me clear of the blast area. They have a massive crater to go back into. There was a black, shadow, and a hybrid of the two. That is why they sacrificed their drow champion. They had 3 more! Can we pull up the crystal for the Dragon Council?"

He nodded, Mercian called out, "You there, Your Majesty?" Mercian heard him and Glimmer in the background.

He spoke, "We thought you might have just died given the explosions we saw."

Mercian shook his head, "Only Anama'Losgadh, my Elven Warhorse died after getting me out of there. 3 dragon champions appeared, a black, shadow, and a hybrid. How in the fuck did they get three champions? I don't know, but they were dragon champions!"

The crystal went dead. He heard Corellon Larethian behind him, "We know how they got three. Bahamut is talking with his people now."

Mercian turned and he called out, "Remain standing everyone. You still have fighting going on."

Mercian nodded.

He looked at Mercian, "Tiamat, Task, and Null. Normally only Task or Tiamat would send a champion but the significant losses to the chromatics and lack of undead dragons being thwarted by the Metallic dragons and the elves, in particular, caused the three of them to try a massive strike together.

Especially after being contacted by the rouge Gold dragons who had started the experiments over again. Bahamut was not happy with his worshiper's initial response. Their champion fell in the battle to non-champions. Those killer bolts the drow were using were from draconic necromancy provided by Null.

It kept him from making a final request to destroy his amulet. Not that it would have done anything but killed more Metallics. The ones you saved at the bottom. You helped to free 176 metallic dragons with your shield weapon escape. Your patience and strategy kept this day from being far worse. We did not see 3 of their champions on the field.

Bahamut will be talking with other dragon Gods about putting another champion on the field the next time. The dragons are moving but only another 10 miles away toward the western mountains. They were considering a hundred miles and beyond those mountains. Bahamut wants them close but that gives all room to expand.

Your cousin was not totally wrong. We have a lot of people we just need to invest in expanding over the areas we have captured. Charlus's plan to expand Overwatch would have come in handy to support that if King Goldeagle had listened all those years ago. That would have pacified some of her concerns... not all of them.

Your Cousin, the former Duchess's approach and method were wrong. She is undergoing reeducation. She will return to try and get it right but not as a ranger and not for a few hundred years."

Mercian nodded. Corellon Larethian looked at Mercian, "A dwarven champion has come onto the field and will help to deal with the orcs and ogres who are coming. Hopefully, this one is better than the last, fortunately, Moradin, the dwarven God had stripped him of champion abilities after he got captured in one of those rings. Else the damage underground would have been catastrophic to his people when you killed him in the throne room.

They will request some aerial and magical support which will happen but my champion needs to stop for a bit and start a family. Spend time examining the holes in your defenses.

Your exit for the metallics saved a lot of dragon lives and they will know of it. You helped to save 6 with healing, but many others got out from there before and after you arrived. You will be needed again when facing off with the giants, humans, the blues, greens, and white dragons. Reds are coming in with the orcs and ogres.

The loss of the dwarven leadership they had control over will hurt their cause. The goal of taking out the dwarven sappers achieved, because of all the damage they were doing before the Alliance came down.

The dwarves will be back at the table soon. Your question for your horse, Anama'Losgadh has passed on and was happy to have you as her friend. She does want you to get laid though."

This caused the people in the room to break into an open laugher. Mercian sighed, "She will be hard to replace. Those drow weapons are going to be a problem?"

He shook his head, "They may reappear but like your hand crossbows, they are tied to an enchanter who died and thus they have less than a year of life left to them. I should go. That will allow you to get back to work."

Mercian nodded, "Getting laid."

The room erupted in laughter again. As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. They spent the next 2 days cleaning up from the mess. Duke Strong Oak fell in battle. His son assumed the blade and the title. He did not care for his Aunt either.

Mercian slept almost an entire day from sheer exhaustion after everyone else had gotten sleep. He awoke, prayed, showered, dressed, and ate alone. He had his tack in hand when a page came to the door of the war room. He cleared his throat, "The King wishes to see you in the throne room."

Mercian nodded. He took his tack with him and his display. He stored it away while he carried his saddle. He walked down to the line and stopped. He bowed to the King, "You requested my presence, Your Majesty."

He nodded, "Yes, we lost over 34,254 elves as some are bordering on death still. 157 centaurs who were warned of the coming conflict by you.

The Dragons lost 283 in the fight. Then there are the lost elven war horses. Over 1,000 fell in this battle including yours." Mercian nodded. "The majority of the fighting lasted less than a day. A massively bloody day. They planned 3 or more days of destruction over our area.

Your strategy helped to end this quickly. I was fit to be tied when you disobeyed my order to return to the palace. Telling me, 'Not Yet.' But you were watching it all unfold and sending directions back to save lives. Then you came to the palace until redirected back to the field by the Gods.

Saving and healing up 6 dragons who were fighting to get out of the combat zone and another 170+ who made it out through that hole without need of healing from you.

Others had moved further out awaiting direction. They escaped out that way later. Then you went in. The lone aerial elven rider, taking out more of the enemy dragons. Then 3 dragon champions came on the field.

You drove them into the ground into those villages and escaped the blast you created. It left a massive hole out there in the plains. I am learning like a lot of my predecessors that you have to listen to your champions and give them a wide berth when they say 'no' for a reason."

Mercian smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty, I could not do that initial launch of our defenses from back here. I had to time it right even with the crystal information being relayed. For me, it was feeling the flow of the battle like a raging river.

We built dams and sent them where we wanted them. We chose the ground to fight upon. We saved those woods, most of them, that my cousin the former Dutchess fretted over."

He nodded, "Best estimates put the dead drow, driders, and chromatic dragons collectively over 100,000 and possibly double that as we have no idea as to how much of their force had yet to emerge before the collapse. Like your ancestors, you are a credit to your House and the name Silvertree. Take a knee."

He sighed and took a knee, "I have medals for heroism and tactical excellence. From the dragons and from me. I am also making you a Duke with a hereditary title."

Mercian looked up, "Your Majesty, hereditary titles have had a problem in the past, Your Majesty. Charlus was completely against them for a reason."

He nodded, "Which is why this is not tied to your house but to the blade of House Silvertree. The Blade of heroes. Like I am doing with House Strong Oak.

The other Branch if you will of Eldar Silvertree. I am not making you a field marshal yet, though you are well suited for the job."

Mercian nodded, "Divine direction for me to go and get laid and start a family, Your Majesty?"

He nodded while the court laughed. "It will come as you have already earned it. You need to find a balance in your life that a wife and children will bring to you."

Mercian nodded, "You announcing your plans to get married, Your Majesty?"

The room chuckled and the King sighed, "I suppose I should work on taking that advice as well. Rise champion, Duke, and friend."

Mercian bowed to the King as the room erupted into applause, He thought, "Varus'Nor you have a title tied to you and a new name as the Blade of Champions. Don't let your hilt go swelling too much. I still need to grip you."

He heard him laugh, "The wielder is the one who earns the title. I just judge who the wielder should be. I help to guide them."

Mercian thought back, "I know I have been a bit dismissive in your advice on family and I will at least try."

Mercian heard him sigh, "Then you will succeed."

Mercian walked away as King Goldeagle dismissed him. He was met by Duke Strong Oak and Patron Silvertree. The Duke looked at him, "Thank you for protecting the Duchy. I watched those exchanges with the 'shrew.'

It took everything I had to not bust up laughing when you said that. My father was saddened by her death but was glad you took the task from him. Giving her the appearance of a chance. I was two rows back but I saw how you moved and she stood no chance."

Mercian looked at him, "My off-hand weapon is vorpal. Charlus used it and now I do. He trained me in my two-weapon fighting. I hoped to save a lot of the woods in the process, the wild elves lost a section of the forest because of our shields. We should send in seeds from the Silvertrees to help them regrow. That would be fair.

I have it on good authority she will return eventually but not as a ranger. To try and live a good life. Keep up on the projects you have going with my Patron. We want to keep our people happy. Our enchanters and your militias. They took a beating from what I understand."

He nodded, "Almost half of each militia was lost. The underwhelming gear had been noted in my report back. The fact that my father was working on that with your house at the time and it went back to my Aunt not using her resources."

Mercian nodded, "Do not forget to get Silvertree seeds when replanting your own forests that were damaged. There are still out there because of the pastures and farms. I look forward to hunting with you my cousin."

He chuckled, "I am not much of a hunter but I do go on occasion."

Mercian smiled, "You are a Duke over a Duchy on the front line of most conflicts over the last 2,000 years. You will always be hunting."

He nodded. Patron Silvertree looked at him, "Your mother would be proud. You made them pay."

Mercian nodded, "Now I just have to find a woman who is not interested in the title, money, fame, prestige, or any of that other crap and simply can love me. Not an easy task. First another horse, she is going to be hard to replace. It pained me to lose her."

He nodded. Mercian walked out and teleported to the palace gate and there was a crowd gathered. Mercian looked at the guard, "What is going on?"

He pointed, "You!"

He got on a crystal, "Overwatch can I get teleport access out of the palace district?"

He heard Lucian laugh, "I was told to deny it and to put an additional teleport blocker into the eyes for at least two days or until you get laid."

He sighed. He looked at the guards, "Don't tell me, no assistance allowed."

He nodded, "Not much."

Mercian went to the gate to a cheering crowd. He stepped through and Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger!"

Mercian teleported out with eight of the crowd. He pulled his crystal, "Overwatch, I got a danger alert as soon as I left the palace district. I teleported out with eight people from the crowd. Anything reported?"

She sighed, "A fireball went off at the gate. Several severely wounded. The guards could not get to the culprit because of the bodies. Mercian teleported back to the gate with the eight he had with him. Mercian went in and started healing the injured. In the crowd. Mercian found 3 dead children in the crowd.

Mercian sighed, "Overwatch you have casualties, 3 children. Thanks, you for boxing me in. Thanks for failing to listen to a champion once again!"

He slammed the crystal down and shattered it. He walked away from the crowd.

---

Lucian looked at the shattered crystal in her hand and groaned out, "Fuck!"

She contacted the King, "The champion was attacked coming out of the Palace district. He asked for us to drop teleport and we blocked him as instructed, we now have 3 dead children at the gate. He had teleported out before the fireball struck. The one who threw it was invisible and that went away after he or she teleported away. The champion is pissed and destroyed the crystal to me."

King Goldeagle groaned as he was still in open court, "Keep me posted. This is likely only the beginning of something new. Get me names of the dead and we will work some form of restitution, this is my fault for making that call. I should not have blocked him in like that, especially if he saw something wrong.

Be more fluid when dealing with his requests in the future. Regardless of the direction, I give you. Get that blocker out, I don't need him shutting down Alliance Overwatch over the fact we kept him out of it. That was a bad call."

He thought to himself and then spoke to the court, "Forcing him into the crowds might have been the right thing to do for the morale of the Elven people, but he tried to avoid it. We failed to listen to the champion and it cost lives.
Something I have been struggling with is listening to the champion, even when the warnings are vague. Those deaths are on my shoulders for not just letting him move off quietly."

---

Mercian teleported to the main gate, walked out, and teleported to the south side of Quatarsia. He walked up to the pasture and saw the horses. He called out, "I am Mercian Silvertree, my horse and friend Anama'Losgadh died carrying me away from the dying Dragon champions on the field. I require another horse willing to follow her legacy. Fast and nimble in the woods and in the air."

He saw a young dark grey stallion that strolled over. Mercian nodded to him "Wistara'Mika, Whispering Smoke."

Mercian heard, "Interesting name, the same was said about your last horse. She is becoming a legend around here. She called you a poet for the name you gave her, like the one you gave me. Your feelings for our kind were expressed back to us by her, even in her dying moments. She truly loved being there for you."

Mercian smiled, "She is a ledged and my savior from that battle. She was a hero and a true friend that I will miss. Thank you for coming forward to follow in her footsteps."

He saddled him up and put the reigns on and told him what they did.

He sighed, "We get back to house Silvertree. I have a black set that will work well for you. With the same enchantments."

He took him back the way he came.

He teleported to the north gate and rode in, "I am knocking."

Mercian heard, "Welcome home. The door is open."

Mercian teleported in and went into the home. Mercian stripped him of the saddle and reigns. Mercian went to the armory and grabbed a black set and came back out and hooked him up. Mercian looked at him, "Much better."

Mercian heard him chuckle. He turned around and took them out. The guard looked at him, "The party over already?"

Mercian looked at him, "No party."

He looked at Mercian, "They said they would be in the falls."

Mercian sighed, "Did not go that far in. Besides, what am I celebrating, the death of so many or managing to stay alive?"

He looked at Mercian, "They are the younger ones who look up to you."

Mercian sighed, "Alright. You made your point."

He went back inside and rode back to the falls with a crowd of family around young and old.

Mercian ordered up food for his horse and hugged different people and shook hands with some of his uncles and cousins. Mercian looked at the patron's wife, "You can thank the guard for pointing me back here. I came in changed out tack and was on my way out when he stopped me. Best to have it start in the main room if you want to catch me. I will not always come back this far."

She nodded, "Noted." She then hugged him tightly.

Mercian gave them another half an hour spent with the young tossing them into the water to have them swim back and do it again. Mercian looked at the patron who arrived and looked concerned, "I heard you got attacked leaving the district?"

Mercian shook his head, "The crowd did. It was a fireball. It would have done nothing to me but killed 3 small children. I thanked Lucian for boxing me in to avoid the crowd and then smashed the crystal to Overwatch."

He sighed, "I can have the guard relay through here if need be."

Mercian shook his head, "I will break the house crystal if that happens. Tell them when they resurrect those 3 children and apologize to them then I will be in a mood to talk with them. I was given instruction to walk away for a while so that is what I am going to do."

He sighed, "They could not have known."

Mercian sighed, "When a champion sees a danger of a situation and you force them into it the danger occurs. I do not know how else to explain it. You ignore the warning of your champions to your own peril. It is written over and over again in that journal."

He nodded, "Alright, I can see you are agitated about this. Go for a ride."

Mercian nodded, "I will, but agitated is too mild a term. Try fucking pissed off!"

Mercian walked off and got on Wistara'Mika and rode out.

Mercian looked at him as he moved his bow into his hand. "Open the door."

He popped it open and he got to the entranceway. Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger."

He thought, "Spell turning."

Mercian got partially hit by disintegration and the guy who threw it screamed out. Mercian fired two arrows into his knees dropping his invisible body to the ground. Mercian rode over and stepped over him and he was still alive. He manacled his hand together.

He put a little healing into him from a wand to stop him from bleeding out. He came into view and it was one of my Uncle Ferin's children that he helped to send away.

Mercian slapped him awake HARD, "What in the fuck is wrong with you?!"

He looked at Mercian, "Mother went and settled us into a village far to the north and they came and slaughtered the family. I blame you!"

Mercian looked at him, "You slaughtering 3 children at the Palace gate. You knew fire would do nothing to me!"

He looked at Mercian, "Except damage your reputation and open a hole so I could disintegrate you."

Mercian shook his head, "That makes you a hero somehow?! I gave your Mother money and told her to leave the Elven Kingdom! So they would not find her. Blame her for not taking my advice. Now I have to deal with you."

He pulled Varus'Nor and cut his head off and left his body in the street. He took his manacles as the guards rode up with swords drawn. They looked at the state of the body. The one looked at him as he yelled out, "Drop your weapon!"

Mercian looked at him, "Fuck you! This is a disgruntled former family member who killed 3 children at the palace gate earlier and ran. By House Silvertree laws and the sword, I am holding he had to die. I am Duke Mercian Silvertree."

The guard got on a crystal to find out what to do. Mercian sheathed and cleaned his two swords and started riding. He looked at the guard at the house gate, "When they get their act together have them talk with the Patron. Get rid of the body."

Mercian continued riding and they shadowed him to the north gate. One guard behind him signaled them to have Mercian stopped. Mercian looked at the guard, "What is your problem? The two of you sharing a brain?"

He looked at Mercian, "We are taking you in."

Mercian looked at him, "By whose authority?"

He looked at Mercian, "My own."

Mercian pulled out a crystal, "Your Majesty, I have 3 guards attempting to stop me from leaving the city. I had a disgruntled former house member attack me at the palace gate and again at the House Silvertree gate.

The palace gate he threw a fireball and killed 3 children. Knowing it would not hurt me, but wanted to damage my reputation! These guards are upset that I fulfilled my duty with my house Moon Blade and feel their authority exceeds mine."

The King groaned, "You men are attempting to stop the champion of Corellon Larethian. Duke Mercian Silvertree. You are lucky your bodies are not laying on the ground with the day he has had since leaving the palace. You will cease your activity now."

The guard was completely stupid, "How do I know that is the King?"

Mercian looked at the crystal, "Your Majesty, would you contact this guard superior and have him removed from the city guard. He does not have a brain in his head. Standards must be way down for him to even get into the guard. I will wait for this. North gate."

The King chuckled and got on another crystal, "I want the head of the city guard to get to the north gate with a Squad and relive the idiot who is holding Duke Silvertree, our champion from leaving the city. He is refusing to acknowledge MY authority. I don't give a damned who's relative he is! He is out of the City guard and I want whoever brought him into the city guard relieved of duty as well!"

The Head of the City guard looked over, "I will handle it personally." He looked over as one of his captains, "Two guesses at who else will likely be removed from the City guard if it is the idiot I think it is."

The Captain sighed, "I know he is on duty and trying to prove himself, He's my sisters' kid. If it is him."

They got mounted up and rode out.

---

Mercian soon had another 6 city guards standing there. They stripped him of his gear and weapons and sent him walking. Then he did it to a Captain who rode in with them and sent him walking as well. He kicked the other former guard in the ass all the way back into the city.

Mercian looked at his friend, "Be glad you were not the one with the mouth."

He nodded. Mercian turned and rode out the gate. He used the sword to heal himself up from the disintegrate he took. Then a few more charges from that wand and it ejected. He stuck another into its slot and used a few more.

He thought, "Wistara'Mika, Best speed. Just run until you feel like slowing. Get me away from these fucking idiots!"

Mercian heard him chuckle and they took off and rode through 4 small villages at full speed. A couple of locals tried to slow them down but they could not keep up. As they approached the fifth village he slowed to a walk. Mercian thought, "Enjoy the run?"

He heard Wistara'Mika chuckle, "Anything to get you away from the idiots in the city before you killed them. I wanted to stomp the one to death. His horse is even going back to the heard, said he was too stupid and undeserving.

He refused to listen to her and after I spoke with her about how much of an idiot that rider was. He got the job through the captain that got released from duty, his sister's idiot child.

He told his horse he planned to go home and punch his sister's stupid husband straight in the mouth and then castrate the fools, both of them. To keep their genes out of the gene pool."

Mercian laughed. "That might not be a bad idea."

They rode up to a fountain in the middle of this village and they both drank some water. A woman looked at Mercian, "Looks like you've been running that horse to death."

Mercian smiled, "Elven Warhorse named Wistara'Mika. I told him to run until he felt like slowing down. He chose how long to run."

She looked at Mercian, "Running away from something?"

Mercian nodded, "In a manner of speaking. Idiot guards in the city trying to give me a hard time. 2 attempts on my life. That has been since I woke today."

She shook her head, "Why would someone want to kill you?"

Mercian looked at her, "In his case, his father violated house law. His mother took money from me and took the family away. They were dangerous people who would kill her if she stuck around. I told her to leave the kingdom.

Instead, she went someplace north. All of her family except for one son were slaughtered. He blamed me for giving them a fresh start and her squandering it by becoming a stationary target. He killed 3 children in the first attack."

She looked at Mercian, "What of the uncle?"

Mercian looked at her, "Dead by one of his other sons. Solemn duty to eliminate corruption and his son did it after learning what his father did. Knowing it was a death sentence to his family. Usually, that is disowning. In his case, he accumulated over 130 million in gambling debt to several different locations.

Then robbed my recently deceased ancestor's estate. Then robbed the house armory and impersonated the house Patron and me. All as part of his plan to incriminate us."

She sighed, "Alright I could see that. What about the guy who attacked you?"

Mercian looked at her, "Dead, his first attack was a fireball into a crowd and he killed those 3 children. He knew it would not hurt me. He wanted to hurt my reputation instead. His second was an attempt to disintegrate me."

She nodded, "You keep a stern hold over your family."

Mercian shook his head, "No, I leave them to their own devices. When and if they fall into corruption or criminal activity, I am the enforcer. Not the Patron because of the family Moon Blade. It requires me to remove corruption when found.

Disowning or getting them to volunteer to create a new house are the usual things. Killing is left for strictly vile acts that you cannot recover from. When my Uncle Ferin started impersonating family, he pushed it over the line.

At that time, we could not have paid off his debt if we pooled the funds from 40-100 family members. He would just continue to do it. He was sick and he knew it. Told his wife not to fight it and take the money and to run. I hate those that gamble their children's future away."

She looked at Mercian, "You took no joy in that?"

Mercian sighed, "No. Now the people who kidnapped my mother and killed her because of his actions were another matter. A certain level of satisfaction in bringing that organization down."

She looked at Mercian, "How many?"

He sighed, "80 but 8 escaped my assault. They never saw me. But they left my house alone after that. 3 leaders were picked up by the Royal Guards.

One was killed, one was captured, and 3 were already jailed when I found him. That left 3 unknowns. No idea where they are at, but I destroyed the backbone of that organized criminal organization."

She looked at Mercian, "The King tolerates that kind of justice?"

Mercian looked at her, "There are times when you do not answer to a King in life."

She looked at Mercian, "Like when?"

He smiled, "Who to kiss, who to bed, who to marry, and divine direction."

She laughed, "Did not sound like you wanted to bed or marry them so you act off divine direction?"

Mercian nodded, "At times or instinct."

She shook her head, "How do you know you are not just hearing things?"

Mercian smiled, "Good question, better saved for later."

She looked at Mercian, "Who are you?"

Mercian looked at her, "You really want to know and end this conversation? Or did you want to continue talking?"

She looked at Mercian, "Talk for now. What are you doing out this way?"

Mercian smiled, "Have not traveled this part of the kingdom. I was told to take some time, get laid, and get married. They felt I was getting overly stressed and I could not disagree with them. My life has been in chaos for the last several months."

She smiled, "You are out searching for a wife?"

Mercian smiled and sighed, "Let me say that I am taking the time to try and open my heart. To see if someone can fill that void in my life."

She looked at him, "From the city, in court, but no family colors or insignias?"

Mercian smiled, "Hidden. Makes it easier to go hunting."

She nodded, "You are a fighter or ranger?"

Mercian smiled, "Ranger and more."

She looked at him, "More?"

Mercian nodded, "Also a fully trained battle sorcerer. That is where the scales come into play."

She smiled, "Do the scales go everywhere?"

Mercian laughed, "No. they are not on the palm of my hands."

She smiled, "Now you are playing coy?"

Mercian looked at her, "What about you?"

She smiled, "No scales."

Mercian laughed, "I am talking about training."

She nodded, "A bard of sorts but not academy trained. I enjoy a good story and a good conversation."

Mercian looked at her, "Where can we get food in this village?"

She chuckled, "Too small for an inn or bar. Come with me. You can have a mid-day meal with me."

Mercian followed her with her wash. They walked up to a small home she shared with her mother and father. She looked at them, "He was passing through and seems interesting. He is also mysterious as we have not exchanged names."

Mercian nodded to her mother. She looked at Mercian, "You two may not have exchanged names but I am Gretta Moon Drop. Elf-blooded if you will. My husband is full moon-elf. He would have been disowned if not for the changes in the laws a long time ago making it illegal to disown for a marriage choice."

Mercian nodded, "Marrying for love. That is not always a choice, it is just right."

She smiled at him and nodded, "I like this one, you get many stories out of him?"

She shook her head, "He talks about events in fragments so it is hard to put the story together. I know he is a sorcerer and ranger with a Moon Blade. Spends some time in court and believes he follows some divine or moral direction that sometimes manifests itself in a physical form."

The mother looked at Mercian, "He carries a Moon Blade?"

Mercian nodded, "Yes, do you know what the other is?"

Mercian could feel her searching around and she looked at him, "A vorpal blade. Very dangerous weapon to the wielder and those you fight."

Mercian nodded, "I was trained by the best. How strong are your psionic skills?"

She looked at Mercian, "Fairly strong."

Mercian nodded, "I am immune to mind control and I could sense you poking around."

She laughed, "Alright so you caught me."

Mercian looked at her, "If I showed you something would you promise not to reveal it, even psionically?"

She smiled, "Sure."

Mercian sat down and extended a hand, "Physical contact helps."

She looked at Mercian, "You know something about psionics."

Mercian nodded, "My house Patron is one. He does work for the King on occasion."

She nodded, "Good to know it does not scare him."

She took his hand. He sent her every champion and hero's name from Eldar to Charlus with an image of the great Silvertree on the property. Then the battle over the south end of the province. With the visit from Corellon Larethian. She gasped and looked at him, "That is a lot to take in."

She looked at her daughter, "He is genuine in what he tells you. He has the kind of life you could write books and songs from."

Mercian looked at her, "I am more about getting to know someone. That is harder to do."

She nodded, "True. I can understand that is why you are being evasive about telling her who you are."

The girl looked at her mother, "Now you make it sound like I could know who he is?!"

Her mother simply turned back to the stove. The girl looked at Mercian, "You are a ranger? You go hunting often?"

Mercian sighed, "I tried twice recently. It ended in me having to kill someone or many depending...really."

She looked at him, "What about your last one?"

Mercian sighed, "Ranger, distant relation who felt I took something from her. She hated me and disliked everyone. She had a lot of responsibility she could not handle. She lost her standing in the family because of her actions. She lost her status as a ranger because she cared about nature, but cared nothing for her own people.

She tried to hunt me with poison and weapons that cause disease. I gave her every opportunity to stop her actions. In the end, her brother had a solemn duty to kill her, or I could force her into taking me on using the weapons she had.

I rolled under her swing and removed her head from her shoulders with a scissor cut of both blades. She attacked me many times before that and I never drew my weapons. If I am forced to draw my blades they will die.

I got her to take me on and die in combat so her brother would not have to kill her. He has the same solemn duty for his house. It is or has been instilled into all of the Moon Blades. All 14 of them."

She looked at Mercian, "You feel you are forced to kill?"

Mercian sighed, "I was trained to be deadly enough with a vorpal blade to never come close to hurting myself with it. Moon Blade holders have a solemn promise to protect the elven people."

She smiled, "Did you participate in the recent fight down south?"

Mercian nodded, "Yes."

She looked at Mercian, "You had to have done something heroic to be in court."

Mercian smiled, "You put the pieces together?"

She shook her head, "I am missing a key piece. What was the biggest thing you killed in that fight?"

Mercian smiled, "You really want to know?"

She nodded. Mercian looked at her, "Three champions of the chromatic dragons at the same time."
Her mouth fell open, "You are the one they are crediting with shortening the war!"

Mercian nodded, "I know."

She looked at Mercian, "Are you a champion?"

Mercian pulled out his tube, "This document speaks about things I have done, but they do not define me."

She nodded. He handed it to her. She read through all of the pages and put her hand over her mouth a few times. She looked at that. "You did all of that with your mother having been killed so no immediate family? No wife?"

Mercian nodded, "I was kind of busy."

The father walked over, "May I?"

Mercian nodded. He opened up and read through it all and looked at Mercian, "That explains the secrecy you were seeking. You wanted people to know you. Not all of these over the top things you have done."

Mercian nodded, "I had a crowd gathered at the palace gate. I was trying to go from court to Quatarsia to replace my horse who died after carrying me out of that battle. Once I stepped through my sword's danger sense went off.

I teleported myself and those around me away. That was a disgruntled family member who threw a fireball into the middle of that crowd. Killing 3 children. Nothing to hurt me, but to damage my reputation. I went back and used up the remaining charges in one healing wand and then used another to help those I could.

My life is dangerous, I travel alone a lot because Charlus did. He found it easier to get in, strike, and get out. No worrying about if the person next to them is going to be disintegrated. He had his horse disintegrated under him once. Our families grow up in a very safe environment though."

She looked at Mercian, "How?"

Mercian smiled, "I can show you a simpler version if you want to see what our main home looks like."

She nodded, "Please."

Mercian stood and pulled out a scroll and cast up the portal for the shelter. He walked inside and they followed.

Mercian pointed at the floor. "There are guards outside on the grounds, guards outside the home entry portal, spike defense system with three one-inch-thick clear diamond walls. Those features I cannot cast. The shelters were made permanent and tied to the blade. This is the main house. Off to the right here is another which is the library and armory. The left side is complex, "Training areas for swimming, melee and archery combat.

A functional sparring arena, used by blade singers. Also, a room to train acrobatics, another to exercise horses and practice acrobatic dismounts."

She looked at him, "How do you train swimming in a place like this?"

Mercian smiled and walked her to the back to the waterfall.

She looked at it, "This is spectacular."

Mercian smiled, "This one is small and shallow; I cannot cast the spell and rely on scrolls to do it. The others created by my ancestors are another matter. It was made out of necessity after the estate was blown up by the killing of a drow champion in the champions bedroom.

Destroyed all the buildings and damaged some outside of the estate. That killed most of the trees and destroyed the barn. His horse was already dead from drow poisoned arrows. He was a house of one heir, himself. Not even an adult when that started."

She looked around, "How many do you have like this?"

Mercian smiled, "There are 10 main homes each have 6 external portals now. Each has at least 3 expansions.

Around 30,000 family members. Another 7,000-8,000 live off of the estate. A lot of them are at the Academy training. She looked at Mercian, "37,000 family members?"

Mercian nodded, "Not counting the ones who formed new houses or got disowned. That would make it close to 110,000+. Since Jarronus. He was rather prolific. 72 children he fathered. Charlus had 98 children but only 33 remained with the house.

Jarronus had 11 who were half-dragons who all formed new houses. He died in 8355. Was not even a 105. Almost all had multiple wives. 2-4 at a time. They have from 1-3 children with each birth. Infertility is rare in our family.

I have been told it was toned down to where 1-2 wives should be enough and the children should be 1-2 at a time. All of my heirs would inherit that. The Gods came really close to losing the house.

They increased the fertility to make it larger and always getting them pregnant a year into the dry spell. He walked out to the table, "I probably ruined your mid-day meal. I can feed us all here."

He looked at the table. "Mead, wine, water, assorted fruit cheese and Silvertree boar stew for four."

Mercian looked at her, "We had a die-hard cook and she worked to perfect recipes here without having to touch an oven. Each one will feed over two-hundred, not this one as it was from a scroll."

Her mother ran out and took her food off the stove. She came back in. "This is very, very nice." Mercian nodded, "It will clean your clothes, clean the chamber pots, the floors, it maintains itself so there is no staff other than guards and they have two barracks now. Just like this. Our house has dangers but it also has perks to work for it.

Getting paid, fed, and a roof over your head with access to your own waterfall swimming area."

She looked at Mercian, "You are kidding me?"

Mercian took off the top of his armor and then his shirt. He walked into the shower area and soaked his shirt and threw it on the floor. He walked back and sat down and they stared at his holy symbols. Mercian looked at them, "There were 4 who could wear this symbol. Two were in same-sex relationships. The other had 3 wives and having his sex drive curtailed could be problematic.

That and there was the fact they would be hunted. The blade wielder is always hunted. You have so many champions and heroes out of one house and the house is a target. The symbol and sword both make you a primary target.

I put it on in open court and announce I had it to draw attention away from the others in the family. First to ever do it in open court. Charlus managed to hide he was a champion for 40 years before being revealed. You have yet to give me a name."

She smiled, "My mother named me Melody Moon Drop as she knew I was to be a bard. How did he get revealed?"

Mercian shook his head, "Not while we are eating."

They finished eating and her parents left Mercian alone with her. Mercian looked at her, "I think the gods helped to push me this way. When I told my mount to run, he was hell-bent to get there in time with you being there. Your concern for my horse I found touching. I just got him.

My last one died shortly after killing those 3 champions. She was brave and kept flying even though she had at least 5 heart seeking bolts in her. I kept healing her but I could not save her from those bolts. They burrow in and seek your heart. I had to cut one out of myself. I got hit by 3 and I pulled 2 out immediately.

The third was in my leg and moved up toward my waist. I pulled it out before it went through my stomach. I had to cut myself open to do that. You wanted to know how he got exposed. A fight with a champion. That champion used a relic called a sword of pestilence.

The fight went on for almost 2 hours by all accounts. The sword really fucked with magic users. He spent two years on a ship undergoing amputations hundreds of them. He was hit with every disease in the book.

The clerics worked in shifts to keep him alive. They even had to amputate his genitalia 8 times! Then another year back in training and regaining his strength from the ordeal; not counting the weight loss. They worked to keep him unconscious for most of that time.

You do not do that for every elf, but the Queen wanted him alive and made all of the arrangements. No magic within half a mile of the ship. The diseases fed off of it. When he died his gift to the sword was immunity to diseases."

He walked upstairs and grabbed his clean and folded shirt and put it on. She shook her head, "With all of the tasks being done magically what do people do all day?"

Mercian smiled, "Depends on skills. You might spend time in our library. It is approaching 100,000 books. Some are erotic. Some are unique. Like the entire history of the Pegasus riders and their downfall. Given to Jazzia. Those books have to have song materials in them. As far as I know, no bard in the family has ever worked with those books to put together anything."

She looked at Mercian, "Sounds like you want me to come back with you?"

Mercian looked at her, "Are you attracted to women at all?"

She looked at Mercian, "That is a very personal question." She paused and sighed. "I would say I am curious but have never acted upon it."

Mercian looked at her, "Just curious?"

She sighed, "Alright, I am attracted to women as well. Are you attracted to men?"

Mercian shook his head, "Blade wielders are checked for fertility and the blade has followed that branch. Any particular woman?"

She smiled, "Next village over. Like me, Kazzara Silver Rain. I know she is attracted to me but her parents want her marrying up into a good house. Love yes. Grandchildren, yes. She has 40 years on me, huge tits which I love. Especially for an elf. Mother was an elf-blooded, she died over 50 years ago. The new mother is nice enough."

Mercian smiled, "Sounds like you have been pursuing her."

She turned red. She sighed, "I am 82 and I have talked with so many at that fountain and you answered everything except your name because you wanted me to know you. She has long red hair and green eyes and lovely curves."

Mercian chuckled, "She knows you love her?"

She nodded, "She has feelings for me as well. We have talked about being in a plural marriage but it seemed to be a fantasy."

Mercian looked at her, "Your mother knows but does your father?"

She shook her head, "No, she knows because of her gifts. Your being open with her impressed her."

Mercian smiled, "Just showed her the family tree of heroes and champions that has led to me. One of my visits with Corellon Larethian. So, she did not think I was totally crazy."

She nodded, "I was concerned about that. I did not factor that in with the Moon Blade to figure out who you were sooner."

Mercian smiled, "Sometimes the journey to the solution is more enlightening than just giving you the answer. You got a horse to go see her?"

She shook her head, "My father has one, old and for work only or so he says. It is an hour's walk but it is larger with a small store."

Mercian smiled, "See if your mother needs anything from the store while I am here."

She smiled and ran out, He thought, "I like that one. Using my horse was inventive."

He heard the Lady of Dreams chuckle, "The other one is just as much of a bubbly spirit but most elven men do not like her large chest. They think she is deformed."

Mercian sighed and thought, "I told her we would go to the store. I have not asked her about anything yet. I want to be sure they would be happy with this kind of arrangement. That we are all compatible. I also told you I wanted to take my time."

Mercian walked out of the portal and the mother looked over, "My husband does not get paid for a couple of days."

Mercian smiled, "I did not ask if you had money. Just if you need some things from the store."

She nodded, "There are a few items that would be especially nice to get. Since you have a horse."

Mercian smiled, "I carry four bags of holding as well they are not full. I keep money in two of them to spread it around.

Magical components in another and my clothes and such in the fourth. I have been moving around a lot and not living in any one location, as of late."

Her father looked at Mercian, "Two for money? You have a lot of money?"

Mercian looked at him, "The short answer is yes."

He looked at Mercian, "How at your age?"

Mercian looked at him, "When I inherited the blade, I inherited some money. Every medal and commendation came with some. Then the dragons were grateful to be freed from their bonds and I killed 3 of their gold dragons that went rogue. They sent me a gold piece equivalent of those three dragons' hordes.

I have killed a lot of dragons for my age. Which is 77, by the way, 78 next month. Most of it will be given away in some fashion. Money to brides, children, and not just mine. 37,000 members are in the family.

800 did not get anything from the main trust when it emptied, I am correcting that with billions in gold. I am not starting another trust."

His jaw about fell from his face. He asked, "Why are you giving that all away?"

Mercian smiled, "Because I am not a dragon. Gold can and often does lead to corruption. I am sword bound to deal with corruption. If I get corrupted the sword will kill me. Gold and titles nearly destroyed the house. Took it to one. The house assets were over a hundred billion. On a few occasions.

Jarronus sold all money-making aspects and wrote new house laws that even the Queen of the time started to adopt into her house to eliminate corruption. Restricting what any one person could draw from the trust."

He looked at Mercian, "Do your wives get their own money?"

Mercian nodded, "The trust is gone but I will follow its guiding principles. We are getting ahead of ourselves as I have not asked anybody anything yet. I will tell you I hate corruption. Killing family who becomes corrupt is a part of the special purpose of this sword."

His wife slapped his arm for prying. She handed her daughter a list. Mercian mounted up and aided her on getting on the back of Wistara'Mika.

Mercian thought, "Wistara'Mika, use your best speed that you want to use, as you know where you are taking me."

Mercian heard a chuckle from the horse and then the blade. Mercian sighed, "How far in debt is he? I know the bank will not allow it but there are black market money lenders."

She whispered to Mercian, "Probably 70,000 gold pieces. About half his pay goes to the debt. Laws be damned they will go after the children for the money."

Mercian sighed, "I would hate to have to kill him. If I cleared his debt how likely would he be to get more debt?"

She sighed, "Very."

They made the next village in 15 minutes. He thought, "You have him leading the way. I figure he will stop near her."

Melody pointed. "That is her."

They rode over. He looked at her, "Let me do the talking."

He looked down at her, "Melody has a list of stuff to pick up." He handed her five hundred gold pieces and it would not fit in her bag. He merged his money and put five hundred into the one bag and handed it to her. He dropped down after letting her down. "I know your name because she told me. Save asking mine until later."

She nodded, "Can I help you?"

Mercian smiled, "I want to know more about you. Are you a bard like Melody?"

She shook her head, "I do minor enchanting. Not great. Little instruction."

Mercian nodded, "Is that something you would want to pursue, with the right training?"

She looked at Mercian, "Absolutely, but I hear there are way too many enchanters to make a living at it."

Mercian smiled, "IF you could, would you not just enchant for the fun of it? Just to see what you could make. For your own children or your family?"

She nodded, "I had not thought about that but how would I make a living?"

Mercian ignored her question, "She knows I am looking for a bride or two. I mentioned two brides, she pointed me here to you. Why would she do that?"

She turned red; Mercian whispered, "Do not be embarrassed about how you feel or who you have feelings for. Be honest with yourself and with me. You do that, it might be a very good day for the 2 of you."

She looked at Mercian, "You're a dragon-blooded sorcerer."

Mercian nodded, "Also a ranger."

She looked at him, "Part of each?"

Mercian shook his head, "Full up in both tier 9 and mythic battle sorcerer. Master-level ranger."

She looked at Mercian, "I am not sure I believe that."

Mercian smiled, "Assume I am telling you the truth. You like children?"

She nodded, "Yes, I would like to have several if I find the right guy."

Mercian looked at her, "Describe the right guy."

She looked at him, "Someone loving, supportive, can stand having a wife with little talent, does not care about my 'deformity' as a lot of them around here call it, adventurous in bed and would not mind sharing it with a certain someone. Then there are my parents' requirements. They want me to 'marry up' to have a better life."

She rolled her eyes at the last statement.

Mercian smiled, "First you are different but deformed is never a word I would use to describe you. Curvaceous, absolutely but they are in the right place. I don't know what you mean by adventurous but if you are talking sex in all of your orifices then that is not a problem, as to sharing, I think it would be more like a three-way partnership if I do this. Lastly, I am confident that your parents would approve of the arrangement.

I travel a lot and I would expect the two of you to keep each other company while I am gone. Share your bed with only my cock. You want to add another wife because I am wearing you down too much, that is something I will consider. My ancestors left a journal on the right way to treat a virgin and it says to try everything twice on her and see what she likes.

My ancestor who recently passed confided to me he ravaged his wife on the first night. Because that was what she asked for. He came 17 times and she came 68 and he got this same guidance. She let him know they needed more wives. I am not expecting to hit that number without a few minutes of rest at least.

She about fell over. He grabbed her to steady her, "Did I answer your questions?"

She looked at Mercian, "Not about making a living."

Mercian smiled, "Continue to learn and teach the children. To be faithful servants to the gods and the Kingdom. To never be corrupted by greed or crime. I am sword bound to remove corruption from my house when found. Even if it means killing them."

She looked at Mercian, "What kind of sword would have that?"

Mercian smiled, "A Moon Blade."

She looked down, "You are one of the 14 houses who have them?! One is in the King's hand. One is in wood-elf's hands. The rest they would find acceptable!"

Mercian nodded. "Probably."

She looked at him, "Are you asking me?"

Mercian looked at her, "I have asked nobody yet. I found Melody first. I would likely have to ask her first."

She nodded and then she ran for the store. The two of them appeared a few minutes later hurrying with full hands. He shook his head.

He took the bag of holding and opened it, "Put that stuff inside, just nothing sharp."

They put it in the bag and he handed it to Melody. He looked at Kazzara, "Lead the way, I have yet to meet your parents."

She walked a few houses down and she took them inside. Mercian nodded at them. She looked at her father, "He is interested in me. He is a Moon Blade holder."

Her father's eyes lit up. He looked at Mercian, "She did not give me your name."

Mercian smiled, "Because I wanted to get to know her before she knew who I was. The name is Duke Mercian Silvertree, Knight Champion of Corellon Larethian."

Mercian handed him his papers. He sat down with his wife and he read through everything listed. He looked at Mercian, "This has a hereditary title associated with it."

Mercian nodded, "Tied to the sword. The King referred to it as the Sword of Champions. I call him Varus'Nor."

He went back and finished reading through it and his wife smiled and handed it back. Mercian looked at them, "I am looking at taking on 2 wives. 2 that consider it a partnership of equals, particularly in the raising of children and sharing our bed.

I have met both of their families and I would like to take her back to the capital to meet my family and house Patron, Not all 30+ thousands of them but several key people.
We have over 200 enchanters in the house who could aid her and a library the Academy is envious of with close to 100,000 books. Do I have your permission to take her to the capital, Silvertree Estates? There are plenty of rooms."

The mother nodded, "Yes, let her meet your family."

They walked out of the house and stood next to Wistara'Mika. They waited a few minutes for her to come out with a few belongings. He teleported to Melody's home. They walked inside. Melody pulled the supplies.

Mercian looked over, "Melody helped to find another wife candidate as I am considering the option of taking on 2 wives. I wish to take them to the city. I already have Kazzara's parent's approval to have them meet with my family."

The father looked concerned and started to speak. Mercian cut him off, "I know of your money issues, she did not tell me. I told here based upon your inquisition of my finances. I also told her I would get an accounting of what you owe. IF I paid this off it comes with strings attached. The first is your wife manages all finances.

Your pay goes to her to manage. Second, you will never borrow money ever again. Else I will, as part of my family, be forced to put you down and then every one of these money lenders. Your wife is to periodically check by any means she can find."

Mercian finger waved her mother to him. She walked over and he held her hand, "See what I did to a group of creditors for my Uncle Ferin when they killed my mother and asked me to come and see them about this debt. This was shortly after getting the sword."

She sat there and watched from the time he caught his Uncle Ferin steal, the gambling, and the people that held debt that they could not have worked to pay at that time. Then the day they killed his mother and invited him to the Roc District alone. She wanted to pull away and he had her watch the entire thing. Mercian released her hand, "When I say that I will make them pay am I wrong?"

She shook her head. Then in a barely audible whisper, "No, he is deadly serious."

Mercian looked at her, "How did he accumulate so much debt?"

She swallowed hard, "Like your Great-Uncle. Gambling. They still let him accumulate debt he could never pay back."

Mercian looked at her, "Show me everything you know about this group."

She did. It tore him up inside. He sighed and looked at the father, "You saddle up now."

Mercian looked at them, "We will be back shortly. Show her around what my home looks like."

He stuck out a hand and opened the portal. They walked in and Mercian got up on Wistara'Mika. He looked at him, "She told me she is dying. She worries about her daughter because of you. Stealing from her future. The last time you were considering taking your daughter for half of your debt; to turn her into a whore.

She told me you were considering it until you found out who I was. You figuring I was the answer to all of your gambling needs. You would just borrow against my family name; that is not happening."

He looked at Mercian, "He has 20 men in there; 4 are battle sorcerers and you will not walk out alive. Hells, I probably won't."

Mercian nodded, "You are half right."

They rode up to a small estate. The two guards out front merely chuckled when they saw him, "Back to lose more."

Mercian looked at them, "Besides consuming oxygen what purpose do you serve in life?"

They went to draw weapons and Mercian had his in hand. He dimension doored behind them. "Over here. You might want to ask for a raise in pay. Then again incompetence is seldom rewarded." One guy went for a crystal. Mercian sent his arm in three pieces. Mercian looked at him and his friend, "I draw weapons and it is to the death."

The one guy stood there screaming at his lost arm. The other guy backed off. Mercian took the head off the screaming one. He looked at the man, "Who is going to lose the most today?"

He went for Melody's father. Mercian rolled in and cut out his throat before he could get near him. He sheathed his swords after wiping them clean. He looked at her father, "Caron is it. That leaves 18."

There were 4 at the front door and two were battle mages. Mercian got down as did he.

The mage on his side looked at him, "No weapons inside."

Mercian opened his cloak so he could draw Varus' Nor. "He started screaming and Mercian swung around and cut the head off the other guard. Mercian looked at the other two. One was a big elf-blooded with a two-handed sword. The mage hit Mercian with a scorching ray.

Mercian rolled between the two and flipped the mage across his back as the two-handed sword came in and chopped the mage in half and cut into him. Mercian ran up the wall, summoned Varus'Nor, flipped back over, and landed before his headless body hit the ground. He looked up, "14. Get down, Caron."

They walked inside. Varus'Nor alerted, "Danger!"

He thought spell turning. A scorching ray came in and reflected back at the caster who screamed as he burned. Four others rose up and he drew his sword. He pushed Caron to the ground under a table. He fought with the four of them for less than a minute getting hit a dozen times before they were as dead as the smoldering corpse outside. He left his swords in hand, "9 left. Get up."

He used the wand in his bracer and several charges later and he was healed up. He altered form to look like the elf-blood out front. He pushed him through the next set of doors. One of the guards sighed, "This one was causing all of that trouble?"

Mercian rolled forward and ran both blades threw him and into the wall. He got hit by two arrows as guards came in from side rooms. He left his blades and flipped his bow around. He put one arrow into each of the guards above. Guards came from the side rooms and 'patrons' fled.

Mercian pulled out the two arrows from him, he fired a dual shot into two coming in from the right using those two arrows. As the lighting plasma took hold.

He thought, "Varus'Nor right hand."

He rolled and blocked the door as the Coran tried to flee. He knocked him out cold. He thought, "Four left and the asshole."

He heard a chuckle from Varus'Nor. One came forward. Swung wide. Mercian jammed his blade into his foot and pinned it to the floor.

Mercian rolled over and shot three arrows in rapid-fire into the other guard. The arrows shattered as they went into him. Caused him to stutter step back. He moved like he got punched repeatedly, only deadly. Mercian went and pulled his vorpal from the wall as Varus'Nor killed off the one who tried to pull him from his foot. He slung his bow around, used several charges of his healing wand.

He went over and woke Coran, "Lead the way. 2 remain. Plus, the guy who holds this debt. Take me to his office as I am sure you have been before."

Mercian turned on the teleport blocker and hung it from his weapon's belt. They walked down a long hall. There were women naked and chained inside the rooms. Some beat on pretty bad. Mercian pushed him through the closed door and into the room.

He thought, "Spell turning."

Varus'Nor chuckled, "Danger. Like you did not know."

One of the sorcerers disintegrated the father while the second shot at Mercian and his ashes fell as it went straight back at him. Mercian leaped forward and cut the head off the other remaining mage. He looked at the man who seemed shocked he could not teleport away. Mercian cut off one hand and then the other. Burning the stumps with Varus'Nor as he finally turned Moon Fire on.

He looked at him, "Point at your records for who owes you debt and for how much." He nodded, He pointed to a bag at his side. Mercian opened it and stuck one of his stumper hands inside and he screamed the bag bit off the stump. Mercian threw it on the floor. He burned the wound and destroyed the bag. Mercian looked at him, "Try again you fuck."

He pointed at a desk drawer. Mercian pulled it open and it was filled with poisonous snakes.

One reared back and bit Mercian and this elven pimp laughed. Mercian stuck his blade in and burned them all up. There was a false bottom with a journal and several bags of holding. Mercian dumped all of the bags in the room and then put them into his non-magical bag. He incinerated the book. He looked at him "Use that stump and undo all of the manacles of the girls." They walked from room to room. He had put his swords away and still looked like the elf-blood outside.

He released all of them and he pointed them toward the office. Mercian asked, "Can any of you heal?"

One girl raised a hand, "Was a ranger in training when my father sold me to this fuck."

He pulled 5 wands and handed them to her. "Heal up all the girls here. There are weapons, armor, and money on the floor." He broke the fucker's knee cap and turned off his teleport blocker. Mercian looked at him, "For the snakes which do nothing to me."

He then healed his leg while it was broken off to the side. He looked at Mercian, "You did not set the bone!"

Mercian smiled, "Once they are ready, they will rebreak your bones. Girls, whoever sold you into this find them and make them pay. Any other women, here?"

One nodded, "Another 14 in the basement. All from the same house. Formerly with Silvertree. He's been 'breaking them in.' to make them compliant."

---

He sighed and went to the basement and released them all. He showed himself to them, "I did not know you were here until now. There is money, healing, and weapons upstairs. Your brother came at me in the city and killed 3 children claiming you were all dead.

Take a fair share of what they have upstairs. Find any others who were captured and rescue your own House. Your mother took 5 million from me and I told her to leave the Kingdom. She did not listen and you got raped and tortured for what your father did. Find peace, and know I worked to save you twice now.

They killed my mother in your absence and I killed 72 of them, not counting the 24 upstairs to get to the fuck that owned this place. The father of one I am looking to marry had gambling issues. He's dead now as well. Find happiness, and don't come after House Silvertree, we did what we could for you."

They all nodded at him. The eldest in the group named Gornna looked at him, "Mother buried half of that in the garden. I know where, as I was the only one she showed. We will be alright, eventually.

Thank you for freeing us and we will look to leave the Kingdom, together. Once we find some of the others or kill them off if we have too if they joined them. As a few of our brothers and cousins did, how we ended up here."

He sighed and nodded, "Do what you must but know I have suffered from Uncle Ferin just as you have and I made those people pay. The weapons and money are yours. As is the satisfaction of killing that fuck upstairs. Do not tell the others who I am. If they have not killed him, then you do it."

He handed them the bag with over 400,000 gold pieces in it. "In case it is missing, get armed, get revenge, and make them pay."

She hugged him, "Thank you for this, and we will."

He walked back and teleported out front before any more tried to thank him. He mounted up and rode away. He teleported back to the house where he left the ladies. He got down and walked inside. They were eating at the table.

Mercian looked at her mother, "He stepped in front of a disintegration ray. There is nobody to collect the debt or any record of it. The 14 girls he had chained up as whores are freed and taking their pound of flesh from the leech and killing him as fast or as slow as they wish.

The 14 in the basement are former members of my house, sold or traded by some of their own brothers or cousins in that line. They will seek revenge on them as I did. You are coming with us. Please pack."

She nodded and then hugged him, "Thank you."

Her daughter stood there in shock, "She just thanked you?"

Mercian looked at her, "Your father was looking to sell you to that fuck to be a whore in his business. Like those cousins of mine who formed into a new house. 2 were underage but that did not stop the twisted fuck that ran the place.

All of them were chained up and several beaten black and blue. I freed them, left them all of the weapons, armor, healing wands, and money in the place. Including the money, I had on me in that other bag to those former house members.

Your mother worried for you because of his debt and her failing health. I can see she had not told you that last part. Now you know why I acted. To alleviate the fears of a dying woman concerning the future of her daughter. I did not kill him, I just did not stop one of the battle sorcerers from doing it."

She nodded and hugged him, "Then you came to me at the right time."

He thought, "Apparently."

He heard a chuckle from the Lady of Dreams followed by a sigh, "I am sorry about those cousins of yours in the basement. They will be guided to get what was left behind and to get revenge against what befell them. You got the main gang, they will get the others. I promise you that as I know when they will die."

Mercian pulled Melody from him and then grabbed the back of her neck. He kissed her while she moaned into his mouth and his hand ran over her breast. He turned and caught Kazzara as she jumped at him and he kissed her and moaned out. She shuttered as his hand ran over her breast. He held the two of them "Your turn."

The two of them giggled and started kissing and rubbing each other. He pulled them back.

They smiled at Mercian and he kept it simple, "Will you two marry me?"

They shouted, "YES!" into each ear.

Mercian grabbed his ears and they looked at him as they could see he was in pain from that. They looked at him and it took a few seconds for his hearing to return to normal. Melody looked at him, "What happened?"

Mercian looked at her, "I was not set for combat to protect my hearing. I have extremely sensitive hearing. My hearing is enhanced. Kazzara, walk down there, turn away from me, and whisper a number as big or as small as you want. She walked down and Mercian whispered it into Melody's ear and she ran down. They looked at him. Melody asked, "How good is your hearing?"

He smiled, "I could listen to both of your hearts beating when you were trying to decide who would go first. I agree. You each want me once to yourself. The other watches though."

Melody smiled, "Then you watch when it is just the two of us."

Mercian nodded. "But I expect I will throw a few surprises at you."

He walked out with one under each arm. He saw the mother was not looking so good. Mercian went over to her, "Tell me."

She looked at him, "It is coming faster than I thought it would."

He looked at her, "How long?"

She looked at him, "Not long enough to see her get married I fear."

Mercian smiled, "Would this be the last request you would want?"

She looked at Mercian, "What?"

Mercian smiled, "Besides taking great care of your daughter and the children would that be your last request to watch her get married?"

She nodded, "There is too much to do. They have not even met your family."

Mercian smiled, "That was not a requirement. Wedding dresses? There is probably a selection of two thousand to choose from in the Silvertree Estate's storage area. Rings I have, created by the gods. Asking them? I already did."

She looked over and they both nodded to her. She sighed, "I do not want to put her through a funeral while she is getting married."

Mercian thought, "How real is her concern?"

Mercian heard her sigh, "Very. She will be gone by morning."

Mercian thought, "We got married here in the shelter by the falls she could rest better knowing she finished this task. When the shelter goes, take her body with it. I will take the ladies home if that is what she wants."

Mercian looked at her, "I have the rings and we could be married here in the shelter."

She sighed, "Then she would still have to deal with a funeral?"

Mercian shook his head, "No she would not. When the shelter disappears tomorrow your body could go with it. The Lady of Dreams told me you would be gone by morning. I think the threat of your husband has kept you going on this long.

They can stay with you or they can help you to bed and I can take them to the city. Talk to your daughter. We will give you a few minutes."

Mercian took Kazzara into the shelter. "Do you want your parents there for the wedding?"

She smiled, "Thank you for asking but I think they will be just happy to know when I am pregnant with grandchildren. My mother told me to marry you and not to look back before we left. My mother would insist on staying with her until she passed. My father would get pissy about her daughter not doing it. If she wants to stay and they agree then that is fine. Finding a cleric will be a problem."

Mercian smiled, "No, The Lady of Dreams will do it."

She looked at Mercian, "Seriously?"

Mercian nodded, "She has done most of the champions weddings."

Melody came in with her mother.

She looked upset, "She wants you to disintegrate her after the wedding."

Mercian thought, "Lady can you just not take her with you after the wedding. Give them a moment to say goodbye."

Mercian heard her sigh, "Yes, a little early but she has been fighting so long for this day."

Mercian waved them back to the falls, "I will not have to disintegrate her. Have faith."

Mercian walked them back to the falls. She was already there. She held up a hand, "Please walk forward."

Mercian walked over toward her with the other ladies. He put the rings into her hand, "Charlus was in hiding. I am not. Could you change them back?"

She smiled and closed her hands. And opened them to three bands and placed them in his hands. He looked over and both ladies were dressed in wedding dresses. The mother in formal dress attire. She had turned on all of his house insignias on his armor. It was shining. He nodded at her.

She looked at them, "He has requested a partnership of equals so I will forgo the first wife duties and say they will work to be responsible for taking rings to be purified at the falls when you find them. You can take them there when you take them to get horses. One black and one brown saddle for each of them."

Mercian nodded at her. "He will show you the ritual with the few he has gathered. They have become fewer with Charlus's work which I am extremely thankful for.

Melody and Kazzara, do you take Mercian to be your husband, to share his and each other's hearts and bed. To be totally faithful to the bonds of this marriage? Do you promise to take care of your children in an elven home, in elven lands, and to encourage him to add another wife when and if the need arises?"

They both said, "I do!"

She looked at Mercian, "Mercian, do you take these two lovely ladies into your heart and bed. To be totally faithful to the bonds of this marriage? To listen to your wife or wives when they advise you? To consider their words, feelings, and requests in regards to another wife when and if the need arises?

Mercian smiled, "I do. Nice changes by the way."

She smiled, "Place the rings on your brides and they can put yours on. Mercian put them on at the same time. They put Mercian's ring on.

The Lady of Dreams looked at Mercian, "You may kiss your brides in the order in which you found them."

Mercian smiled, "Ladies you found each other first."

They kissed each other. Mercian kissed Melody and then Kazzara.

The Lady of Dreams smiled, "I pronounce you married. Your attire will change back when you leave here. If something happens to any of you the others will know. Your rings will let you know."

She looked over, "Please say your goodbyes to your mother. I will take her with me when I leave."
They both went over and hugged and kissed her. The mother walked up to Mercian, "I will be gone. But ravish them both every night. Let them know they are loved. I want lots of grandchildren."

Mercian kissed her cheek and hugged her, "I will do what I can to make them both happy."

She nodded. "Thank you for this. The Lady of Dreams told me this was much faster than the year or two of courtship you talked about."

Mercian nodded, "Be at peace."

She walked over and the lady took her hand and they simply faded away. They held Melody while she cried and she whispered to Mercian, "She told me not to cry for her. She was happy to be moving onward."

Mercian smiled and walked them out of the shelter. He looked around, "Anything you want to take, take it. He walked over and grabbed a large salad bowl made of Silverwood. Mercian looked at her, "This you will need."

She looked around. "Nothing I need or want is here now."

Mercian nodded, "I will take you both clothes shopping in the city. Both of you. Just as soon as you can walk again."

They giggled at him. Melody looked at me, "She complained my father was a one and done man."

Mercian nodded, "Explains her request to me to ravish the both of you."

She nodded. They walked out and mounted up. "Was there anything you wanted from home?"

Kazzara shook her head, "To be away from it."

Mercian looked at them, "No need to mount up." He teleported them all including Melody's horse to the north gate.

They walked through, he pulled the crystal, "I am knocking."

He heard, "Welcome back" Mercian teleported them into the entryway.

He heard Varus'Nor, "There is a surprise for you. Charlus added a Blade Wielders quarters off next to the library. Knowing the house patron and the Moon Blade holder was not likely to be the same going forward. I was told to make you aware of it when you got married and came back here."

Mercian thought, "Thank you."

He walked them inside and the patron spotted him, "Find a couple of candidates already?"

Mercian smiled and shook his head, "No, my horse led me to them. They are both perfect yet different. Not candidates but wives. Melody's mother was dying. We rushed it a bit but the Lady of Dreams took her mother when she left.

I got married in a shelter like this one. This lovely lady is Kazzara. My sword informed me there is another shelter next to the library. A Blade wielders quarters. I wanted to check that out."

He nodded and smiled, "Ladies he really needs to get laid."

Mercian glared at him as he walked over, "Melody's mother was like you in talent."

Mercian opened the other shelter. It had security built into it as well. Mercian nodded, "Even another layer of security."

They walked into the smaller entryway and the 20 rooms on each side. He opened one and each had a full-sized bed and work desk with a private shower. We walked back to the dining room and there was no entrance to the falls. There was a door on the other side and he opened it to a small stable with a fairly shallow waterfall. The stable could house 24 horses in a pinch.

He unsaddled and brushed down his horse while the ladies did the same. He looked at the troughs, "Oats for two-horse and 2 apples. He placed the tack on the stall walls. Then hung the bridles. He threw blankets onto a small bench used to get young up into the saddle. He went back into the main room which has the night sky over the outer area. He opened the master suite; all rooms were on one level. He saw a note. He read it:

"I learned from my mistakes and those of my ancestors. Getting old and second-floor stairs sucked."

There was no back wall, it went straight out into an even larger double waterfall. Mercian nodded, "He did it right."

His patron laughed, "He said he was getting to hate stairs. Kept them out of this design."

Mercian nodded, "He still liked to dive and swim."

Mercian called out, "Set owner to the blade wielder. Set all security controls to Kazzara and Melody Silvertree. Set portal access to all in this home."

Mercian looked at Patron Silvertree, "Only if you need me. Else it is private. After years of being woken up by 50-60 staring eyes at times, some privacy is a good thing."

He chuckled, "I remember."

Mercian looked over and there was a crystal there and one on a small table near the corner. Two sets of security crystals; one for the bedroom. Mercian opened a drawer and it looked like a small sex shop there. Mercian closed it and chuckled.

Mercian walked his patron out, "Seal portal for 48 hours to all but me."

Mercian looked over, "Entry security active. Security wall up." They sat there and watched all of the blades and spikes. Mercian looked at them, "Necromancy, from orc and drow to giants, half-dragons, and dragons have been killed in those things. Deactivate entry security."

My eyes will see the truth of it. When we leave here, I will get you each outfitted in armor and glasses that you will wear all the time.

That way you know when to use the entryway security to safeguard yourselves and the children. He pointed, "Teleport blocker always on. The other." He turned it on and they watched the wall get blacked out. "Shuts off visual access thru that wall.

He made it twice as thick, Six one-inch-thick clear diamond walls. That is to protect you and the children; the most likely future wielders of this blade. It will likely fall to one of them eventually."

Mercian walked over and checked the bedrooms on the other side. He pointed, "Different."

They looked in on three bunks in the room with three desks. Mercian walked down to the room closest to the end and there were a dozen cradles in the room. He looked at them, "Put a nursery in this one; not in the original design but added to some of the other shelters."

Kazzara looked at Mercian, "12 cradles?"

Mercian smiled, "There is a high degree of multiple births should be one or two for each of you at a time but if you have other wives visiting, having extras do not hurt." Mercian walked around the corner and they had 6 rockers and three small tubs built into a stand for washing babies. They were just shocked. Melody finally asked, "This space is just for us and our family?"

Mercian nodded, "Yes."

He walked back to the bedroom turned toward the bed. "Large enough for six side by side with chairs in the corners. Mercian walked out to the falls area and looked at the table, "Silvertree deer steaks, normal sides, mead, wine, fruit, cheese, and water for 3. He got undressed and the ladies did as well. Melody gasped, "It does have some scales on it."

Mercian nodded, "Yes, also causes it to thicken out more."

Melody looked at him, "More?!"

Mercian smiled, "Jazzia married a half-dragon. He could not fuck in the traditional sense. Their cocks pulsate, vibrate, and expand. When they do the scales start rising on the edges. A species thing to keep them locked in until they are finished depositing seed by the quart."

Kazzara looked at Mercian, "Quart?!"

Mercian smiled, "Half-dragons, not dragon-blooded. Though it will be interesting to see what the amulet did for me in this regard.

Every wearer gets a boost to the constitution from it making them more potent in bed. We also do not lose erections the way others do, not for an undetermined number of ejaculations and then not for very long."

He sat down and ate while the ladies did too. He smiled. He got up for a second and grabbed the journal and opened it to the back pages. "Read while you eat." They read through it together. Melody looked at Mercian, "You are planning all of this?"

Mercian smiled, "Someone asked the question if I would be adventurous in bed. Tonight, you will get that answer."

Kazzara smiled, "This is adventurous, even what Jazzia did to her mate?"

Mercian shrugged, "Had not thought about that. We will see. We have the toys described in there. In that top drawer. She ran in and looked at the contents, "FUCK ME!"

Mercian smiled, "Charlus had 3 wives. He outlived them all. A rarity for a blade wielder. They all died in the last decade of his life. The average lifespan is probably closer to 2 centuries and that was with Charlus living over 7 centuries. The majority of them died before they were 105. One did not make it a full month into adulthood. Correction before he was petrified for 18 months and then died. You have seen what I have done already. I was trained to survive but that does not guarantee anything."

Melody came over, parted his legs, and started sucking his cock. He shut up and just went with the sensation and she worked it. She lightly squeezed his sack and It tightened up, "I am cumming." He exploded into her mouth over her head, face, hair, and chest as she had a hard time controlling it as she was choking from the first shot or two. It stopped.

Melody looked at Charlus, "Not the images my mother shared with me on the subject. After reading that book, I can understand we are in for one memorable night."

She still held the pulsing member in her hands. She looked at him, "It pulses."

Mercian smiled, "Heartbeat."

She nodded. "Beats so slow."

Mercian nodded, "Controlling breathing for archery plus all the physical conditioning. A level of control is required. Kazzara went to clean her up. Mercian watched for a few minutes. He finally looked at her, "Kazzara your turn." She got down and went to town with Melody giving instruction. She jacked the base of his cock really fast. He hissed out, "Cumming" He plastered her worse than Melody for some reason.

He looked at the arms of the chair and he had claws extended on his fingers and he worked to retract them. The two of them spent the next thirty minutes rubbing and licking each other that included the two of them lapping each other's cunts. Mercian finally looked up, "I still have to do oral on you both. Do not get too carried away. Melody grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room. She laid down in the middle of the bed.

Mercian rolled her in half and attacked her cunt and ass, sending her through a series of orgasms as he was more animal-like compared to their soft and slow approach. After 15 minutes he lined up his cock and measured off. He popped through and she moaned out in pain.

He looked at her, "One virginity down, three more to go." He worked it slowly down and massaged her breasts while keeping her legs spread with his biceps.

He started slow, "Did you want to be ravaged or slow and loving. I can probably do this pace for hours. I think the scales make it more difficult to feel the sensation over most of it. She responded ten minutes later after her fourth climax. "Fuck, ravage me!"

Mercian sped up on her and then pounded into her for almost 40 minutes before exploding into her cunt. She shuttered with every spurt and there were a lot of them. He pulled out and held her legs up, "Cunt to clean. The bed was soaked where she was sitting. He kissed Melody and she sucked in his tongue with everything she had. Mercian backed off and smiled. He got up and fed her his cock and she cleaned it up really good. He backed away and got Kazzara's legs on his shoulders while she was still face down in Melody's cunt. Mercian attacked her clit and her ass for twenty minutes while Melody screamed out in climax every four or five minutes.

Mercian backed off and Kazzara did as well. Melody shot up and kissed Kazzara with passion for another 10 minutes. He finally rolled Kazzara onto her back. He lined up and measured off and no popping. Mercian looked at her, "Not a virgin?"

She shook her head, "First cock. I broke that years ago playing with myself."

Mercian nodded and worked his way in and it got tighter as he went. Mercian rubbed his thumbs over her extended nipples and she climaxed from that. He started off slow on her until she looked at him after 6 climaxes and yelled, "Ravage me!"

He chuckled and sped up and pounded her cunt for close to an hour before unloading into it. It felt like gallons pouring out.

She was still trembling when he leaned over and kissed her still buried in her cunt. She moaned out and he played with her breasts more. He pulled out and Melody went in for the attack on her cunt. He fed his cock to Kazzara which she licked carefully in order not to miss any. Mercian backed away and let them continue and grabbed one of the hundred bottles of lube. He lubed one hand and worked on lubing up Melody's ass.

An hour went by and he slid his hand into her ass. She came and sprayed the bed as she locked down to crush his hand. He slid his hand out as soon as she released. Mercian put a couple of drops onto his cock and then slid it into her at a faster rate than she expected. She raised up her head and moaned out a climax as he hit bottom. He kissed her shoulder and proceeded to hammer her ass for almost an hour before launching a load deep into her bowels.

She raised her head as she squeezed out every last drop and then fell onto Kazzara. He pulled out and got a chamber pot and rolled her into a seated position. She put her hand on his chest and sighed, "I must really be out of shape. My heart is going a mile a minute."

Mercian smiled, "About 100 beats a minute at the moment."

She chuckled, "You can hear it, of course, you can."

Mercian looked at Kazzara, "Move to the edge of the bed on your knees. Maybe this would go faster if I had some leverage."

She moved over and he left Melody on the pot. He prepared her for almost 50 minutes before he slid his hand in and she moaned out and looked at him, "Get your fucking cock in there now and fuck the shit out of me!"

He pulled out his hand and slid his cock in without any more lube and took it straight to the hilt. Mercian reached around and grabbed a breast in each hand and hovered a bit over her while playing with her nipples and massaging her breasts.

Mercian held onto her and pounded her ass for an hour before he unloaded into it. He pulled out and Melody helped her onto the chamber pot on the floor. He went and sat and used the one in the shower room.

Mercian thought, "Are these times to be completed a little longer than normal?"

He heard the Lady of Dreams sigh, "Yes, it has to do with your dragon scales. Should have been about a third of that time maximum. For a non-dragon-blooded sorcerer, it should be that way in the future."

He thought, "They pregnant?"

He heard her sigh, "Yes but you are not going to be happy. They each carry three. Again, I think it has to do with the mix of your dragon genetics, some from Jazzia even. That is all due to you 3 as they had some of that as well from the looks of it. They are praying and asking what did they get themselves into."

Mercian sighed, "Ladies." Mercian walked out and helped them both up and onto his shoulders and jumped into the water with them. He brought them both to the surface. Kazzara's tits were floating out on top of the water. Mercian looked at them, "The amulet did not do what it was supposed to do, for me at least.

My dragon genetics and the scales are what is making me go so long. You two want to take turns with your hands and figure out the point where the monster goes down for a few minutes? I am not sure we can do two each right now without killing you."

Kazzara shook her head, "Bed I want to prepare your ass and try a toy on it and see if that gets you off any faster. He sighed. Mercian swam them to the shallow end and got them out of the water.

He carried them to the bed and looked at her, "If you are doing that then she has to be sucking me off at the very least. Melody nodded. He got Melody to lie down so he could literally fuck her face. Kazzara started lubing up his ass and it took her 10 minutes to get the first part of her finger in. He went 30 minutes and Kazzara had two fingers in and Mercian called out, "Going to cum. Hold your breath." She did and he slammed forward.

Mercian shot it down her throat and she was shocked and Kazzara screamed. He backed off as she pulled her broken fingers from his nether-hole. He worked on setting the bone and then healed her up. Then he did Melody. She looked at him, "That hurt."

Mercian nodded, "I am sorry. First time for me as well."

Kazzara looked at her, "He didn't break your fingers in his nether-hole."

Mercian looked at both of them, "I am so sorry. What was I thinking? That I would have a normal sex life? Nothing like what I was told to expect. All of the times are two to three times longer."

Mercian sighed, "I asked the Lady of Dreams if you were pregnant. You both are and you are both carrying 3 each."

They looked at him wide-eyed. Mercian sighed, "I am sorry ladies I feel deceived and I know you do as well."

Melody grabbed his arm before he could get up, "Not deceived, just needing to adjust."

Mercian shook his head "Dear Lady can you come and talk with us?"

He heard her instead, "I will talk with all three of you in your dreams together."

He crawled into the center of the bed, "Sleep with me and we will get answers."

They curled up next to him and he found the 3 of them at the falls. He took a knee and the other two did as well. The Lady of Dreams appeared, "Please stand you 3. He is the first dragon-blooded sorcerer Gestalt champion we have had. Well, since the gift from the late God Helnar made this issue even worse. The change in the amulet made you tougher and less virile.

The increase in toughness in your case manifested in your skin and muscles. Much thicker than we expected when that amulet bonded. For a dragon-blooded sorcerer without the amulet in the future will not have this problem. A champion would and we would have to revisit the amulet on that champion.

While you will not shoot off 16 times on each of your 15 or 17 ejaculations as Charlus did, those numbers should be cut in half. There is only so much we can do here. Eldar's amulet caused a permanent constitution increase that affects every generation who became champions or not.

That was not expected but was not seen as a drawback at the time. Until Eldar's spiral with his wives dying. That was when Corellon Larethian and myself being the only ones involved. Then Jazzia picked it up again when Bahamut tried to steal her to be his champion. Then Helnar's unexpecting final gift to Jarronus took it higher still.

That was when we advised nobody in the Silvertree family to wear an item to increase the constitution. We are also considering the possibility that the ordeal Charlus went through affected it for future generations. From what I have seen, not just in you but others, I believe that is a strong possibility.

He went through several hundred diseases. Some required removing the curse and curing diseases while others were more physically demanding and required amputations and regenerations to be used. He was weakened when it was over but he regained that and possibly more which he passed on to all of the children conceived after that event.

Normally we would say add more wives but that will not work in his case. Correction, I would say that just to be clear. But, because he is taking so long to release, even though we cut the number. he slowly regains that. After doing it for hours he is worse off in some ways than Charlus was.

The area where he is better off is he is not focusing all of the unchanneled sexual energy into a rage. Not destroying hundreds of training dummies for hours at a time to burn it off. The number of children has as much to do with him as with the two of you.

Both ladies had elf blooded relatives. The human ancestors from both your lines had histories of twins. In fact, the two ladies are distant cousins on that human line from a pair of twin sisters. Jazzia's transformation cannot be disputed anymore in effecting the number of offspring as well, especially in a champion. We have already agreed the next champion will not be a sorcerer until we get that aspect figured out.
My advice to you two ladies; enjoy him! In the morning and in the evening or one or the other. It does not matter. The thing is you will not get him to lose an erection while naked near the two of you. Keep fingers and toys away from his nether-hole, he will likely crush them.

With as thick as the skin is on the inside, it does little good. He will likely break toys given his muscle density. Not worth the risk or embarrassment of having to have a cleric brought in to try and remove it."

Mercian chuckled, "Good thing I am not into men." The ladies giggled at the image of broken or severed cocks.

Epilogue

Mercian had 31 children from his two wives; each having eight pregnancies over the years. He had to deal with killing 261 family members. Only 1 of his own children. The house shrank to less than half during this time. An increase in female births contributed. As did those who started new houses versus facing the wrath of the sword.

He died in combat at the age of 466. Both champions killed when he encountered a frost giant champion wielding a sundering vorpal sword. The first time to have a giant champion known, not counting the titan champion. Having already killed the Moon Bow blade wielder while also shattering the Moon Stone in that sword as well.

The attack on the champion destroyed his off-hand weapon and most of his other gear except his heavily enchanted armor. The Moon Blade's stone shattered from the blow; just as Moon Bow's family blade had occurred. Like his predecessor, Mercian's will ensured the blade ended up in the hands of an adult. Both blades were recovered by another champion on the field from House Silver Ring.

Early into this war cycle, the champion's death was very unexpected given his string of successes. Six months after his death the repaired but greatly weakened Moon Blade were ready.

In a break with previous wielders, the one who took up the sword was a woman named Vessan Silvertree; a battlemage Sorceress. She was not made a champion and fell in combat almost 9 years later.

The odd thing about her selection, she was infertile and only into women. In fact, her lover was infertile and wielded the Moon Bow blade that got repaired.

Whether this was shielded from the sword or the standards changed nobody new, yet. Vessan never wore the armor finding it too restrictive but left it to the next champion to decide the matter. She added Danger Warning to the blade.

She somehow added Dragon Vision, immunity to fire, immunity to mind control, and Disease immunity as well. She also restricted the blade to a single name and her younger brother. The other champion to Vandria Gilmadrith, A champion from the Silver Song line remained on the field for 12 years during this bloody conflict.

He died when all 3 of those Moon Blade Wielders fell in a single night, in a single desperate battle. The longest war of this modern era that contributed to the decline in the size of House Silvertree and many others. That is where this story continues.