[Vfw-times] MK Winter assault part 26 correction

[COkane8116 at aol.com]

  After much effort I've managed to get my computer working and recover most 
of my computer files. Sorry for the prolonged absence. I will be sending a 
NEW part later tonight. I just need to finish reloading all my story files.

   Chris

***
   Well, more errors have been found in previous parts. I am sending a 
correction for part 26.

*****

"Thank you all for arriving promptly. What do you have to report?"

There was a moment's hesitation, as Raven cast her gaze around the circle
of priests. Most of them looked weary from the frantic activity of the
last several hours, though they clearly realized that this matter was too
grave for lack of sleep to sway them from their duties. All the same,
fatigue was taking its toll, and no one seemed quite sure who should be
first to address the Lothanasa.

It was Brother Cardiff who first broke the silence. "The Baron of Komley
has promised his support," the red-haired man said quietly, the wrinkles
in his brow twitching slightly. "He will dispatch a troop of horsemen as
soon as they can be made ready."

"Excellent," Raven nodded in satisfaction. "I fear it shall take them
several days to reach us, but any assistance will be welcomed. Sister
Heldah, what news from Sorin?"

Heldah grimaced, shaking her head slightly. "It appears doubtful at best,
Lothanasa. Sorin was raided by pirates last September, and many of our
finest men fell in defense of the city. The elders fear that sending any
troops at this time would leave us defenseless against another attack."

"The city elders would do well to remember their fealty to Lord Thomas,"
Raven said, her blue eyes as hard as ice. "See to it that they do not
forget."

"Of course, Sister hin'Elric."

The wolf-woman turned her attention to Brother Larkspur, a tall and
rather scrawny young man who had only recently become the head priest of
his temple. "And what of Merith?" she asked him. "Have they also suffered
from these pirate raids?"

"No, Lothanasa," Larkspur said, shaking his head. "The town has been
peaceful this year. The baron is reviewing his forces now, and he has
promised to send them no later than noon today. We do not have much of an
army, but what we have is at Lord Thomas' disposal."

"Good." Raven turned her eyes on Brother Holdeman, who up till now had
been sitting quietly. "What about Midtown, Brother Holdeman? You have the
largest military force of any represented here, apart from Metamor itself
-- and you are one of our closest neighbors, besides. Has the baron
reached a decision?"

The gray-haired man sighed, folding his hands in his lap. "Metamor's
request is ... under advisement," he said wearily. "The baron has said he
will debate it today with the members of his council. You will have an
answer before sunset."

Raven frowned. "I had expected better of Midtown," she said, half to
herself. "They have more to lose than many if Metamor should fall."

Holdeman shrugged, somewhat helplessly. "I know not his motivations, only
his message."

"I understand," Raven assured him. "Contact me as soon as you hear
anything more -- and do what you can to influence their decision."

"As you say, Sister hin'Elric."

Finally, the high priestess turned to Myers and Byron, the priests of
Lorland and Mycransburg. Apart from Raven, they were the only clerics
present who lived in Metamor Valley.

"Has the storm shown any sign of clearing near you, gentlemen?"

Myers shook his head. "Afraid not, Lothanasa," the stag replied.
"Everyone's still in the castle, hoping we can wait it out."

"Byron?"

"Nasoj seems content to bottle us up until he's finished with Metamor,"
the gendermorph shrugged. "A couple of cold-hardy scouts have spotted at
least a hundred lutins, perhaps more, in the shelter of the treeline just
beyond easy loft of our ballista or trebuchet. " He shrugged slightly. "I
am going to review the situation at first light and see if anything can
be done. "

Raven sighed, putting a hand to her forehead and gently rubbing her
temples. "Very well," she said. "You all know what to do. Cuialye lothan,
all of you."

The other clerics repeated the ancient salutation, then faded from view.
A moment later, Raven was once again seated on the floor of her
bedchamber. The candles that lined the Circles had burned low in their
stanchions. Rising to her feet, she extinguished them with a wave of her
hand. Stretching her arms overhead and yawning as only a wolf can, she
sent up a silent prayer to Dokorath for the soldiers of Metamor before
reentering the main hall of the temple.

The dawn sacrifice had already been performed, and Merai and Celine were
sitting quietly on the floor, sharing a breakfast of bread, butter, and
tea.

"Good morning, Sister Raven," Merai said, smiling up at her. The bags
under her eyes made it obvious that she had been up all night.

"Good morning Merai, Celine," Raven said, nodding to both of them.
Abruptly, her eye caught hold of something: three still forms lying on
the floor near the end of the hall. "What happened?" she asked, her brow
creasing in a frown.

"Injured townsfolk," Celine replied. She smiled a little. "Lady Kyia saw
fit to let in a score or so of survivors from the battle outside."

Raven shot Merai a serious look. "No one has left, have they?"

"Oh, no. They arrived during the third watch of the night, and the doors
shut quickly behind them. Nothing else came in with them, either," Merai
added, answering the wolf-woman's unspoken question.

"Good." She considered the two men and the girl a moment longer. "Their
prognosis?"

"Very good," Merai assured her. "Just a few arrow wounds, nothing
serious."

Satisfied with that, Raven sat down with the other two women. They ate in
silence for several minutes, chewing thoughtfully as they watched the
storm raging outside.

"I wonder how the rest of the Keep is faring," Merai said quietly.

"I don't know," the elder priestess replied. "I am hopeful, however, that
we shall receive reinforcements from the south in a few days."

Merai frowned at her. "How do you know?" she asked.

Raven shrugged, letting a small smile form on her lips. "I have my
methods."

The cat-woman looked at Celine, as if wordlessly repeating her question.
The acolyte's green eyes sparkled in a knowing smile, but she said
nothing.

Just then the temple doors opened, and a slender young woman wearing the
colors of the Red Stallion stepped inside. As she came closer Raven
recognized her as Daria hin'Leon, Merai's longtime friend and compatriot.
>From her aura and the set of her jaw, she seemed to have come here for
more than idle conversation.

"Good morning, Squire," Raven said, nodding at her as she approached.
"How can we help you?"

Daria stopped a few feet away and came to attention. "Lothanasa, I
request your permission to join the battle in defense of Metamor."

Raven gazed at her a moment, bemused. "No one can leave this temple,
Daria. Lady Kyia has sealed us inside, as I said before. And, in truth,
it seems to me that one squire would make little difference in the
outcome."

"I do not propose to go alone, Mistress Lightbringer," the redhead
answered. "And I do not propose conventional battlefield tactics. The
situation calls for a different approach."

Slowly, Raven steepled her fingers. "I'm listening," she said.

Briefly, and with increasing animation, Daria outlined her plan: a strike
team composed of volunteers from within the temple would act as a
stinging gadfly on the haunches of Nasoj's army, using their knowledge of
the Keep to attack swiftly and silently in weakly defended areas and
disappear without a trace. Through a combination of stealth and terror,
they would harry the invading forces and wear them down, making them more
vulnerable to assault by more conventional tactics.

"It sounds like you are proposing to fight like thieves and bandits,"
Raven said with a wry smile.

"Aye, Mistress," Daria nodded. "Kayla called it 'otrinca' warfare."

"Kayla?"

"One of the survivors who arrived last night," Celine said. "She works
for Prince Phil in Intelligence."

Raven scratched her chin thoughtfully for a moment. "Who would lead this
team?" she asked. "You, Daria?"

"Aye, ma'am," the warrior-woman said. "I _am_ being trained as a field
officer, so I already know something of tactics. Kayla has pledged her
assistance in planning the attacks."

There was another long moment of silence as Raven peered deeply into
Daria's eyes, as well as her aura. The girl was brave, quite obviously.
She was also competent, if the reports Raven had heard from time to time
were true. But most importantly, she sincerely believed that she could
perform this task -- and perform it well.

And self-confidence, Raven knew, could cover a multitude of shortcomings.

"Your plan has merit," she said at last, rising once again to her feet.
"But I believe I can give you something which will make it even more
effective. Wait here a moment."

Fifteen minutes later, after a brief descent through the depths of the
Archives and into the Vault that lay beneath them, Raven returned bearing
a small golden key. It was simply carved and unadorned, and it hung from
a short gold necklace.

"Take this," Raven said, offering the pendant to Daria.

The young woman looked at it a moment, then took it from the priestess's
hand. "What is it?" she asked.

"A facilitator," Raven replied. "With this key, you can shape the
passages of Metamor around you at will. It can only be used to travel to
a place where the user has been before, but I doubt that will limit you
much under the circumstances." She bared her teeth in a grim smile.
"Imagine the enemy's surprise when you appear out of the very walls."

Daria grinned broadly, fitting the chain around her neck. "How do I use
it?"

"Simply name your destination. Though I am not sure of the details, I
believe it acts as a magical focus for Kyia's space-altering powers -- a
channel to direct her energies without requiring her to concentrate on
the task at hand. 'Tis less likely, then, that she will be distracted in
her efforts to hold the enemy at bay." She placed a hand on Daria's
shoulder. "You'd best be going now, Squire," she said. "I believe you
have a strike team to assemble."

The young warrior grinned once again, looking down briefly at the pendant
around her neck. "Aye, Lothanasa. Thank you." With that, she turned and
nearly ran out the door.

Raven chuckled as she sat down again with Merai and Celine. Within hours,
she guessed, Daria and her fellow warriors would be making life utterly
miserable for the invaders down below. Nasoj's generals would _not_ be
happy.

She bit into a biscuit with a feral snap of her jaws, swallowed, and
grinned broadly. This was looking to be a fine morning after all.
------------------
End corrected portion
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.integral.org/archives/vfw-times/attachments/20011003/68357928/attachment.html