“What do we do now?” blurted a soldier on the left of Commander Brugon.
“We wait.” Let them stare…as long as we stay here we are safe.
Druids
Lord Nariko looked over his shoulder at the battle for Mount Carrick with apprehension. The mountainsides looked like they were on fire from the intensity of the fighting that was ravaging both sides of the conflict. I hope that this does not take long. I need to return to the battle. As the druid stood on the east bank of the Blaine River, he shifted restlessly while waiting for his fellow members of the druid council to appear. They needed to determine what their role would be in this conflict and what lengths they should go to in order to defend their respective races. While the councils that the druids held were informal and infrequent, they still served a very real purpose. I wish that we could form a proper council and separate ourselves from the people so that we could once again be independent from the politics that plague the peoples of Tuwa. I think that I am lucky to have a king who is above petty bureaucracy and does what is best for the people.
“Always lost in thought, Nariko? You have not changed one bit,” chided Nita. She was a tall, slender elf with beautiful, short brown hair that gave her a rather boyish look. Her dark brown eyes stared fixedly at the much shorter dwarf that stood before her. Her elegant features hid her actual age better than most elves.
“I thought that an elf would appreciate the importance of taking time to ponder weighty matters,” replied the burley warrior druid. He was stroking his long, braided brown beard as he looked to the west over the river. His body seemed to be made of nothing but muscle. His wisdom was such that many sought his council.
Why are we speaking out loud? queried Lady Bernadine smoothly with her mind. The other two flinched at the mental intrusion. They both disliked her disregard for the sanctity of one’s own mind.
“Lady Bernadine, I am glad that you could make it. Where are you?” asked the dwarf gruffly.
“Here,” she replied audibly this time. A black horned owl flew down from its perch and landed on the ground right next to Nariko. She transformed into her elven form and looked down at the stout fellow next to her. She looked very similar to Nita in her appearance except her hair and eyes, which were jet black. She too looked a great deal younger than her actual age.
“You always have to play things up, don’t you?” snipped Nita briskly. She did not care for Bernadine’s dramatic flair. What a waste of time and talent. If she would only put that much effort into her charges, then this current situation might be more manageable.
“Now, now, Nita, it is not nice to think such things.” Bernadine smirked. She loved torturing her fellow elf whenever she got the chance. Though they were the same race, they could not be more different in personality.
“Ladies, that is quite enough of that. We have serious issues to discuss. Where are Thanos and Zaide? I know that Verandos has taken command of the elven army, so he is excused, but the others are not,” complained the powerful dwarf. He did not care at all for elven banter or what they consider to be wit.
“You really should work on patience with others Master Nariko,” replied Thanos gruffly from behind a tree. He was the same height as his dwarf brother but was not quite as thick like the other. He was still very stocky for his height.
“Where is Zaide then?” barked Nariko even more impatiently. “Just like a man to be late!” While he cared little for elves, he truly did detest men. They were so unreliable.
“Master Nariko, he has taken the army of Aran to the secret entrance to the High Plains. He asked me to tell you that he is sorry for missing the council meeting and would like a report of what is discussed and decided.” Thanos spoke calmly and with a silky edge to his voice that did not match his rough dwarven exterior. There were some who mistook this manner of soft speech for weakness.
“Always sticking up for that man. Oh well, I guess it cannot be helped with all that is going on,” replied Nariko grudgingly. His long brown hair moved gracefully as a breeze rushed along the shores of the Blaine River. He went silent for a moment while he stroked his beard again. Four out of six is not bad, but it is not a lucky number. We are going to need all the luck and good fortune that can be had.
“Why don’t we begin this council so that we can return to our charges?” suggested Nita calmly. She was notorious for mediating disputes between groups, and this one was no exception.
“Of course, you are right, Nita. Let us begin,” replied a subdued Nariko. They all pulled their hoods over their heads and bowed their faces to the ground as they formed a tight circle on the bank of the river.
Druids were an ancient religion that assumed responsibility for the care of sentient beings. Over a thousand years ago they formed their first council and built a castle fortress. This sanctuary was home to representatives of very race in Tuwa. They came together as a sign of treaty and to work together for peace for all. They trained in arcane arts as well as in every battle method known. They built weapons that we magically enhanced as well as special armor. They acted as a balance to the power of the guardian council. In the beginning they were at peace with the Elementals, however, war has a way of changing views.
As the druids stood side by side in their brown robes with black sashes, they began to chant softly in a common tongue created by the original druidic council. The ground in the center of their circle began to move in swirling patterns as their rhythmic chanting continued uninterrupted. A mist began to rise up from the unsettled ground and hovered at the waist level of the elves. The misty cloud had a bluish hue to it as it hung there suspended in time. The druids stopped their utterances and stood there stalk still. Life around them ceased to move or make a sound. It was like the entire world had stopped completely and time itself froze. After a few more silent moments, the council raised their covered heads to look into the magical mist. Lord Nariko was the first to speak, and he did so as the high druid of Tuwa, the rightful protector of the peoples of the land.
“Show us the pain of the peoples of Tuwa.” His commanding voice was not rough or even low when he said this. His tone was even and crystal clear. The mist obeyed by first showing the dwarves at Mount Adem who were surrounded by two massive orc armies. They were outnumbered two to one.
“Noble Thanos, your assistance will be required by General Magnar if King Kasim is to fend off this vicious assault on his kingdom.”
“What shall I do to ensure their safety, Lord Nariko?” His tone was filled with reverence for his master even though he had chided him earlier. There was a time for fun, but this was not it. This situation looks worse than it did for the dwarves during the first war for Tuwa.
“Let us look at the other situations that vex the lands so that we can determine the best course of action all around.” Even though no one could see his face, it was clear that he was troubled by the massive force attacking poor King Kasim.
As they continued to look into the shimmering mist, they saw the plight of the dwarves at Mount Carrick who were surrounded by all of the rock trolls and the entire nation of goblins that resided in the Sheldon Mountains. Of course, Lord Nariko knew this already, but it was good for the others to see just how serious the situation was. Then an image of three orc armies combined with half the high elven army appeared. They were gathering weapons and laying out strategies to siege the southern cliffs of Landen. Meanwhile, in the north, the other half of the high elven army, led by Queen Kishi and the bloodthirsty General Jaali, were preparing for another attack on North Gate. The tidings of woe did not end there.