When the Lords of Krynn learned of the imminent attack on Skara Brae, they jumped into action. As you already know, the Knights of Solamnia gathered at Lord Balinor's tower and sent messages throughout Britannia to garner the necessary forces to defeat the orcs in traditional combat. For the rangers, they came to their own tower, Wildrunner Green, to discuss options. They did not stay long, however. After one of them received a dramatic vision of the orcs, they immediately departed for the city to organize a defense.

It is interesting to speculate on what might have happened had they not been given this critical insight into makeup of the enemy force they would be facing. Perhaps Paladine, at that time banished from any influence on Krynn, had come to help them in their great need. A vieled reference to him can be found in the opening chapter of this epic (published earlier), where a cloaked figure listens to the wind and then travels on the wind to announce the movement of the orcish army.

There are several references in this account to previous adventures undertaken by several of the rangers. Whereas in the last chapter I omitted such references, in this one I retained them due to their relative clarity and straightforward presentation. Specifically, the reference made by Lord Mess to a past confrontation with Krekk is important, since Mess ultimately lost his life to this foul creature. Another prime example is that of Lord Talmorrr, a Knight of Solamnia who mentions Lord Soth briefly. If anyone has any material relating to these adventures (not just those of Lords Mess and Talmorrr), I would dearly love to peruse and publish them.

Two small editing notes: I was unsure of the correct spelling of Lord Talmorrr; in several cases his name is spelled with only two r's, but since on most documents it was with three that is what I have used here. Also, there were some conflicts in the description of where this scene took place. Most memoirs and oral recollections identify the Ranger Tower as the rendezvous point, while a few believed it was the Ranger Keep (in those days before it was converted to the LoK Keep). I have placed everyone at the tower, since several references are made to "the condition" of the place where they gathered. This "condition" I can only assume refers to the partial destruction of the Ranger Tower sometime early last year, either during or immediately after the struggle with the undead ranger Methos (a story for another day).

This is the third chapter in the epic battle of Skara Brae.

Until we meet again, at the Inn of the Last Home.

-- Cleric Theobald

Keeper of the White Stoll, Holy Order of Stars

Guild Scribe, Lords of Krynn

***

Mess ran from the moongate for many hours and finally the Ranger Tower came into sight. "Ack!" Mess swore as he looked upon the once mighty bastion of the Rangers. The Tower in front of him was broken. Stones lay scattered around, and the walls were blackened from fire. Mess dropped to the ground to one knee. "This is too much to handle; my house, fair enough, but the Tower... Why?" he said to no one in particular. Mess stood up and approached the Tower. People were everywhere in the courtyard sparring, but they kept repeating the same actions over and over again. "Ahh," he grunted, "illusion." Mess came upon the front doors which were still on their hinges and pulled them open. Footsteps echoed through the Tower. He looked down, and in the soot was a set of foot prints, Mess examined them. Female, he thought. Mess closed the door and continued inside. After a while of tracking the prints and finding nothing, Mess heard a voice from the courtyard then a whinnie from a horse. Mess ran down and opened the front doors, holding his sword ready for trouble--only to see AD-J.

"Hail AD-J; has been a bad day. Yew has fallen to an army, as you can see the tower has been destroyed as has my house, and now my tracking skills seem to have betrayed me for I am sure a female was around here someplace. If you have a few hours I can explain everything that has happened to me in the past month or so and I feel its all connected."

AD-J waved Mess to continue, so Mess related the whole tale beginning with his encounter with the daemon, the forest of the wandering healers, all the way through to the episode at the moongate. AD-J shook his head in bewilderment as such a tale unfolded.

"Bit of bad luck lately, Mess," he said.

"Aye, and there is more to come. I can feel the bad vibe in the forest."

The two's conversation was interrupted when they heard the telltale footfall of someone approaching from a branching hallway. Mess and AD-J turned to see Kianne standing on the stairs above, a silver bow in one hand and a slim sword in the other.

"Welcome," she said before they could speak. "I wish that I might offer ye better accomodations, but..." Her sentence trailed off as she glanced around at the devastation, gesturing helplessly.

Mess blinked. "Were you the one I was tracking in here?"

Ki looked at him, then shrugged. "Must have been, as I and ye both are the only ones here." A twinkle in her eye. "But I am not found unless I choose to be."

Mess grumbled.

A dragon suddenly landed in the middle of the Ranger Tower. Whirling at the sudden noise the three rangers drew their weapons. They stared in surprise at the figure dismounting, the last they had seen of him a tower had collapsed on him. Talmorrr nodded gravely to them. "Has the news of Yew reached you?"

"Talmorrr," Mess said in surprise, "it's been a while". Mess walked up and shook the knights hand. "Aye, we've heard of Yew and there is so much more you need to know. Do you have an hour or so and I'll fill you in on my part of the tale." Mess goes on to tell his tale beginning with the slain girl and the battle with the daemon, his near death experience and the trip to the forest cavern of the wandering healers. He then continues with the tale of the magical sword he has at his side and how it is supposed to be the bane of some great daemon, then with the explosion of his house via the communication crystals and gestures to the broken burned-out tower. Then finishes with the trip through the ocean with Geargan and the episode with the moongate up til now.

Mess takes a breath. "I think we should wait for Connor before we act. Ki says he shouldn't be too long. Last time I saw you, you were crushed by a tower, I would love to know how you survived that." Mess smiles and looks on, interested.

Talmorrr nods thoughtfully at what Mess had to say. Then he grins at Mess' last question. "'Tis a good question, lad. As that tower was falling upon myself and Lord Soth, I felt I was done for. And indeed, I saw Lord Soth crushed, his skull split open. Then blackness as the stone tumbled all around me. I awoke, not knowing where I was. The sky was blue and the grass was green. I thought at first I was dead but my armor still bore the battle marks, I had my blade, and my wounds were still fresh. I stood looking about for some time and then in the sky I saw two dots rapidly becoming bigger until I could see two gold dragons flying towards me. They landed and to my surprise they bowed to me."

Smiling at the memory, Talmorrr looks at Mess. "Ever see a dragon bow, lad?" Seeing Mess shake his head no, Tal continues. "'Tis an interesting sight and certainly one I never expected to see. I bowed back. We talked for a long time but to make a long story short, they told me that my time had not come yet and I was still needed here. So, here I am. And now, I have some information that you don't apparently know. The orc horde has magically covered their tracks. I fear even the keenest tracker may have trouble."

The three rangers inhaled sharply at that news. "But, I know the direction they have gone, their evil stinks and cannot be hidden from me. This is not a mere band of marauding orcs; something black and evil, not of this world, drives them. They have gone into the mountains, towards Skara Brae. We cannot wait for Connor much longer. They must be warned."

Mess looked around at Ki and AD-J then back to Talmorrr. "Aye," he said with a sigh, "we can't wait any longer. For all we know Skara could be under siege this very moment. I have a plan."

After hearing Mess' initial plan, AD-J opened his mouth and started to bellow a usual, "Let's git," or something along those lines. All this standing around and talking was making him anxious. But just as the sound began to come from his throat, time, which can clench or sprawl, came to a dead stop. Or so it seemed. AD-J was still very much conscious and very much alarmed. He tried to struggle against this paralyzing force, but the iron muscles of his arms and legs were now rendered as useless as putty sticks. Exasperated, he tried to clench his teeth and groan, he tried to curse and swear and pout, but with each attempt still no sound came from his throat. Lag, he thought to himself.

Talmorrr looked strangely at the young ranger, AD-J. He was obviously in some sort of discomfort. "Are you okay lad?" Seeing no response he walked up to him but was distracted as a shout rang out.

"TAL!!!" Finally, Lord Connor had arrived.

Grinning proudly Tal looked out into the clearing to see Connor. Running out he grasped him in greeting. "Connor, old friend, it has been too long. Much evil is afoot." Talmorrr looked at the other two with him. He frowned as he took in Azutah's aura. "And who are your two new friends?"

Azutah was considerably behind Connor, and she was frowning. He had made an easy path for her to follow so she charges through and skids to a stop behind Connor. It's a surprise she did stop at the pace she was going. She laughs and Connor gives her a stern look. She frowns and crosses her arms. "So this is the Tower?" A rumbling behind them makes Azutah turn. Out from the forest foliage a young panther leaps. He lands and rolls into a sitting position in front of his mistress. Azutah laughs and tousles his scraggly black hair, then waits solemnly, wondering why they were here.

Mess scratches an itch and looks at the new companion with Connor. The sword by his hide goes quiet and he looks down. Hmm, he thinks, that's not happened before. He looks back up and studies the newcomer. Nice panther, he muses to himself.

Azutah frowned inwardly at how the other two men had reacted to her presence. Shalita looks up at his mistress, his yellow eyes staring up at her with concern. She smiles half-heartedly, as if to reassure him, but it doesn't work. The panther looks at Talmorrr and Mess, and a low growl starts in his throat. Azutah's eyes widen and she hisses at him. "Shalita! No! Bad! Bad boy!"

Shalita frowns. Snarling, he swipes at the air as though threatening. Azutah laughs nervously, and Shalita whimpers and sits back down.

"Hehe, panthers these days." She frowns and clears her throat seeing as how no one was laughing.

The clearing was very tense. The woman with Connor was frowning, the panther was none too happy either. Talmorrr wondered what would have happened if she hadn't calmed her panther. Probably one dead panther. Oh well, this had to end.

Talmorrr bowed. "My apologies Lady. It's a very tense time and I reacted poorly. I am Talmorrr, a Knight of Solamnia." Talmorrr looked to Connor. "What now Connor? Yew has been destroyed and Skara Brae is in danger."

"My apologies also." says Mess as he gives a slight bow. Mess looks at AD-J as he moves a fraction of an inch then stops again with his mouth slightly open, a fly lands on his lip and walks inside. Mess cringes and also smiles. "He needs cable," Mess says. Everyone turns to look at Mess with a confused look. Mess shakes his head and thinks to himself, what in the Abyss is cable?

Connor replied, "Talmorrr, these are my friends and although they are a bit strange they are good friends enough. The panther is a loveable chap and the lass, well she is, ahem, livable. Anyhow what is this about Skara?"

Azutah kicks at the dirt and smiles somewhat. She seems full of energy and can't stand to be just standing around doing nothing. The panther looks at the ground as well, but for an entirely different reason. He looks like a child who reacted poorly and is now very much embarrassed. He looks up at Talmorrr and cocks his head and smiles--if that's possible for a panther--he then lies down at Azutah's feet and Azutah kneels and pats him on the head, leaving Connor and Talmorrr to chat.

Mess looked up as a bird came soaring through the air and landed on Connor's shoulder and he reached down and brushed his sword. Energy ripped up his hand pulsing into his being then it reversed and came gushing out like a water fall, he cried out in pain as his mana was ripped from his body. His sword came into his hand and he raised it into the air, he cried out again and looked on stunned as his hand moved of its own free will. The sword flashed a blinding light and the world slowed. The pain in Mess subsided and he looked around. Everyone was shielding their eyes and the new lass with Connor spun around shrieking at the pureness of the light. Then the light faded and the pain doubled in Mess, he started to slump to the ground but instead raised one foot and floated in the air. From the sword color shot outwards and swirled together and then a scene came into view.

Ten feet by ten feet, a window opened up and within the window trees shot by. The scene within the window soared an blinding speed and passed over Skara Brae over the water and into the forest once more, then into sight smoke came into view and the scene of a war host became all too evident. The scene flew through the war host and toward a massive tent erected in the center. The scene came to a sudden halt and Mess heard everyone gasp in shock. He weakly raised his head and looked on. There inside the window stood Krekk the daemon, the very same daemon he had fought months ago and lost to. Krekk was looking down studying a piece of paper on a table made out of bones then he looked up and the scene widened to encompass the entire room. Nearly a hundred orcs and ogre lords stood assembled, looking on at Krekk waiting and not talking.

***

Krekk looked down at his well thought out plans then looked up to his lords. He sighed as he thought of the odds they would all remember their orders and carry them out correctly. Then the ground shook; with a voice of pure evil Krekk addressed his minions. "Listen up, you bug eating water hating morons," he boomed with his demonic voice. Krekk had let the guise of the orc drop to inspire fear into his soldiers. He reasoned if they were terrified of him they would all behave well and so far it had worked. "Now we have nine hundred orcs, one lord for each ten orcs. This will give us ninety squads to work with. Forty of those squads will have a mage, twenty will have a ettin and thirty will have a ogre. This leaves us with ten ogres and three ogre lords, one of those lords will stay with me and two will take five ogres each." Krekk looked around at the absolutely confused faces on the orcish lords and the few ogre lords. He sighed again. "This will give us a total of one thousand, one hundred and eight troops. That is ninety-two squads to strike with. For some reason I cannot fathom the elementals have been disappearing and we are only left with one hundred and twenty. Ten earth, forty air, thirty water, five poison and five blood--oh, and forty fire.

We have constructed thirty large rafts that will be what we use to strike at the island section of the town. The water elementals will be taking the rafts to the island so they will be occupied during the battle. They will ferry sixty squads onto the island onto these points here, here, and here. These points are not guarded by those infernal guards." Krekk pointed to the three places on the map as he spoke, one to the north of the island near the moongate, one to the northwest and one to the southeast. Krekk looked around again and noticed one of the lords asleep and gave him a slap across the face sending him through the tent canvas. A few seconds later the lord came back through the hole and took his seat, apologizing all the way. "Now the rafts can only hold one squad each, so there will be two trips for the elementals before the sixty squads are all on the island. The first thirty squads to land will attack. Four squads of orcs and mages will hold the moongate, one squad will hold the landing positions while reinforcements come. Ten squads will launch the attack on the northeast corner of the town where the mage shop is. Ten squads will strike to the bank where I expect most resistance to come. Five lots of two squads will move down the western side of the island, then strike inwards in unison giving a western front of battle. Ten squads will land at the southeastern jetty and strike inwards, with five squads moving west and five moving upward north to take the ferry.

"Six squads will be held in reserve at all times to reinforce the bank and magic shop sections of the strike. When the next wave lands they will follow the same battle plan with one exception, thirty water elementals will strike inwards with them." Krekk looked around. "Any questions?" he asked. Dead silence. "Right," he continued, "now as the initial strike team is being ferried by the elementals, the land based strike will commence and the aim is to take the main land jetty so we can ferry in the remainder of the troops on the Skara ferry. Initially one squad of ogre lords and ogres with two squads of orcs and ogres will take out the main Ranger Guild, here. They will then sweep down taking out any other buildings then sweep into the main jetty. They will have one fire elemental with them to burn the buildings as they go but be sure they don't burn the ground as the wind will be blowing in from the east and any fire will trap the whole lot on the jetty. In the mean time, a squad of orcs and ogres will sweep the perimeter basically as an early warning against outside reinforcements. Ten air elementals will sweep into the center and hold at the cross roads until the ferry jetty is clear, then they will escort the troops onto the island and engage. Twenty air elementals will sweep across the water and reinforce the troops at the island side of the ferry jetty. The mainland jetty will initially be taken by one squad of ogre and ogre lords with six squads of orc and ogre lords. They will be reinforced by twenty squads of orcs and ogres, thirty-eight fire elementals, four poison elementals, and four blood elementals. When the jetty is taken, the troops are ferried in first, the fire elementals come next. Hopefully none will get wet. The earth elementals are too stupid to understand any commands, so they will just pop up any where they wish and engage the enemy."

Krekk stopped and scratched his head, then rubbed the back of his neck. He looked around and all the lords assembled looked at him with a confused look. He reached under the table and pulled a stack of papers out with maps drawn on them. "I anticipated your confusion and mapped each of your routes and attack formations. You will memorize them and carry them out or I will kill you, is that understood?" he asked. Each lord nodded their head vigorously. "Good," he said, "now once we hold the town we feast, we do not destroy the town as I want it for a base to push out at Britain and Trinsic. With our numbers we will easily be able to take and hold the island, but of course I anticipate many losses. We still have over one thousand troops at the fort which we can call down when we feel it prudent. But I would like to save those for the battle of Britain." Krekk took a breath then continued. "The blood and poison elementals I would like to leave on the mainland jetty as guards. Sargasian can render the moongate useless so the only way onto the island will be by boat. We will raze all the trees on the island and construct fortifications on all the shores, these will consist of guard towers and walkways. The only entrance we leave will be at the main ferrying jetty."

Krekk flexed his great wings and leaned close to an orc lord. "Krannhs, do you understand?" he asked. The orc went pale and looked down at his map in his hand he replied in a whisper, "Well sir, um, me understand good most, but, no understand bits there and here. Lots numbers, lots remember for me. I fight good but me not numbers good." Krekk leaned back and laughed. "It's okay, I understand your peanut brain cannot fathom my entire plan, but you must understand your part of the battle. I will go over the entire plan again and explain to each of you what you must do. You will all have ten orcs minimum, and a few extras like ogres or mages, and you must be able to direct them correctly or it will be mayhem and we will lose."

Krekk suddenly spun a full circle and cocked his head to the side as if listening to something far off. His eyes burned and his breath heated. He spun again with an enraged look on his face then looked around. He looked at the assembled troops and snapped a question with a scream, "Who called my name?!" No one answered but they all shrugged. One brave orc replied with, "I didn't hear anything sir," then sunk back into the crowd. Krekk looked around, calmed himself, and looked back down at the map on the table, he looked up one more time, then began to retell the entire battle plan.

***

The scene flickered and faded and Mess screamed "KREKK!" As he dropped to the ground he convulsed and arched his back then fell into unconsciousness. His sword fell by his side and began its all too familiar humming. All his companions looked on stunned.

Connor watched Mess and saw the changes over him, the pain, and then the daemon and his plans. "Well, lads, I suggest we get to Skara and prepare to defend." He incanted, "Vas Rel Por. Step through the gate and then we'll split into two teams. Mess you'll lead team one and I'll lead team two. My team will be Kianne and Azutah and her cat. The rest will help ye. Skara must hold."

Azutah nods, looking to Kianne. Shalita paws at his mistress, a look of concern on his feline face. "Mrrrow?"

"Quit being such a baby, Shalita. We don't need Blackfire. Its best she stay where she is," she whispers. Hoping no one caught her speaking with the cat. They didn't seem to like her as it was, and she didn't need them thinking she was insane.

"Grrrr."

"Shhh. Later. Maybe. Only if there's trouble though." Shalita purrs, obviously happy with the answer. Azutah groans. "I swear, I've got Dr Jekkyl and my Hyde here. Will you stop that?" Azutah laughs as Shalita rubs up against her legs almost knocking her down. she sits and tries to push the big cat away before she gets licked. It's a rather comical sight, really.

Clair peeks out at the clearing where all the rangers stood. Plus one vampire and one panther. She grins inwardly. Well at least they haven't left. Yet. Her cat-like ears flick and swivel around to catch any sounds that may be important. She was being pretty quiet. Yet someone noticed her. Someone with yellow eyes, black fur and a devotion to his mistress. Clair smiles and waves to the cat. Shalita cocks his head, confused. His mistress looks at him, then begins to follow his gaze. It is too late though, Clair had already changed her position. She leaped into the air doing a somersault and landing perfectly on her padded feet behind the vampiress. Azutah turns to face her, and her eyes grow wide with surprise. Clair smiles a cat-like grin. "Hiya."

"W-w-what the--who are you?"

"You mean, 'what am I?' Oh, it really doesn't matter. But I might have some information for you." She shrugs. "I dunno, you might have found it out already."

"Found what out? About that daemon thing?"

"Oh yeah, and his location."

"You know his location? How...?"

"My nose." She grins a feline grin. "Oh, here's some maps...that is, if you need them."

"I-I think we do...I should tell Connor you're here, umm--"

"My name's Clair."

"Mine's--"

"Azutah. I know. I'll just go, now. I like working by myself. I'll reveal myself later. Right now I gotta go." Azutah nods numbly, feeling slightly awed. She'd never seen a creature like Clair before. And the cat-like person seemed to emanate power.

Clair slips back into the woods. She knew she was disobeying orders. She was ordered to speak with the rangers. But she wanted to know them first. She smiles and watches.

Arriving at the Ranger Tower a moment later, Athena II looks at the rubble in amazement. What in the world has happened here? She knows she has been away too long. She has been thinking of that person in the green leather too much. She looks back at him and sees that Lord Robroy is waiting to see her reaction; it's a test. Time to get her head out of the clouds and figure out what is going on. She begins walking toward the rubble, but stops. Voices. She tries to tell who is there, but sees nothing, and who can try to smell for someone wearing plate armor? As soon as she puts it on, she stinks, so she carefully crept forward. She uses that commoner spell that no one can detect that simply lets her know the names of anyone close by. Every now and then the commoners come up with something handy. Connor is here, Thank God, and Mess and AD-J. At least they are okay. But who is that woman? Just as she steps forward to greet them, Connor opens a gate and everyone steps through. She runs forward to try to go through as well, but just before she gets there, she freezes, Damn the lag, and watches the gate close in front of her eyes.

***

FROM THE EYE OF THE STORM, INTO THE HURRICANE...

***