Gwen barely managed to strip off her armor before she fell onto her
bunk, exhausted. She had spent all day recruiting people for a mission
based on vague sightings in the far south. If there was no truth in the
sightings, she was leading seven people on a snipe hunt. If the sightings
were true, they could be fighting extremely powerful undead, drow, and
fiends of the abyss. Either way, they were in trouble. With that thought in
mind, Gwen began to doze off.
Out of nowhere, Gwen felt a nip on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to a messenger dragon, sitting on the bedpost, with a piece of parchment tied to one of his legs. Gwen stroked the creature between its diminutive horns, took the paper, and began to read it as the messenger dragon flew away.
Sarnah,
Come to my office. Immediately.
Gods' speed,
Cmdr. Markenis
"What in the names of the gods ...," Gwen muttered, stifling a loud yawn. She quickly donned a lighter version of her armor, only the breastplate, chain skirt, and greaves over her sleeping breeches and blouse. She strapped on her longsword, threw a cloak over her shoulders, grabbed her helm, and set out for her commander's office for the second time that day.
* * *
For once, Commander Markenis seemed to actually focus his attention on Gwen. The lady knight found his intense stare to her disliking, but presumed it had something to do with her rather unseemly garb and so said nothing.
"Who have you convinced to accompany you?"
"Brother Maynard, Dolarth Micah Strongarm, Brueyan Owlen, Lady Aramne, Taudoc Malgrim, Marlow Fenwick, and Rahasia Aravarnae."
Markenis seemed strangely pleased. "A fine group. Some personality differences will undoubtedly occur, but perhaps you have the makings of a dynamic unit."
"Thank you, sir." This was too odd, too unfamiliar. Never before had Markenis summoned her to his quarters in the middle of the night. Never before had he actually given her his full attention for so long, and complimented her as well. And never ever before had his eyes sparkled when he talked. Markenis was a man of practical action. He was never emotional, never nervous. Something was going on.
"Of course, I did not just call you here to double check your efforts today." Markenis paused, and the silence lingered long enough for Gwen to start nervously flexing her wings. He then reached into his desk and pulled out an adamantine box. It was not especially big, about the size of a coffer. He held the box in his hands a moment, then stood. "Come with me." Gwen rose and followed Markenis through the empty hallways out of the main castle. "While you were recruiting, I was procuring you this. You alone would make little use of this, but I think eight people could hold it." Neither spoke until they were out in the open air. They stood in the center of what had been the market a few hours earlier. This was the field, the area for jousts, training, and had been the location of the market a scant few hours ago.
"Sir, what are we doing out here? Everyone in their right minds is asleep."
"Sarnah, watch closely, for I will only do this once." He set the box on the floor, opened the lid with a key, and said distinctly, "Awaken, tower." He took several large steps back, and encouraged Gwen to do the same. A pit suddenly began growing where the box was, but the ground did not shake or moan. Before Gwen could ask questions, the box began to expand. In moments, it was an adamantine border tower. It was a fifty foot square at the base and three stories tall with a walkway on the roof, complete with ballistae.
Gwen gawked at the massive structure until she saw Markenis watching her, his shoulders shaking in silent amusement. "It's an instant fortress. There are only about three dozen in all of Dallorn, and none anywhere else."
"Are, are there-," Gwen was still dumfounded by the magical tower. Cursing herself mentally for looking so foolish, she calmed her voice before phrasing her question. "Are there any limitations to the tower's abilities?"
"Very few. It actually will migrate trees that it would crush when forming, people and animals can stay in it in box shape, and it is extremely easy to defend. All the windows and the ladderspace going to the roof are able to be shuttered. Keep in mind that only extremely powerful magic could ever mend the walls should they suffer damage. With that taken into account, you should have no troubles. Everything you need is provided."
Gwen just looked at Markenis. "Sir, how can I thank you for this? It must have taken hours to convince the sergeants to let me bring this along!"
"Don't worry. You only have to do one thing in return." His eyes were glinting again. He just stared at her for so long that Gwen wondered if he wanted her to ask. Then he said cooly, without a hint of a smile, "Kick some Blackblood butt, Sarnah."
"Yes, sir!"
"To collapse the tower, just put the key in the lock and say, 'Slumber, tower.' Now, shall we load the rest of your gear into this thing?"
"Yes, sir!"
Out of nowhere, Gwen felt a nip on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to a messenger dragon, sitting on the bedpost, with a piece of parchment tied to one of his legs. Gwen stroked the creature between its diminutive horns, took the paper, and began to read it as the messenger dragon flew away.
Sarnah,
Come to my office. Immediately.
Gods' speed,
Cmdr. Markenis
"What in the names of the gods ...," Gwen muttered, stifling a loud yawn. She quickly donned a lighter version of her armor, only the breastplate, chain skirt, and greaves over her sleeping breeches and blouse. She strapped on her longsword, threw a cloak over her shoulders, grabbed her helm, and set out for her commander's office for the second time that day.
* * *
For once, Commander Markenis seemed to actually focus his attention on Gwen. The lady knight found his intense stare to her disliking, but presumed it had something to do with her rather unseemly garb and so said nothing.
"Who have you convinced to accompany you?"
"Brother Maynard, Dolarth Micah Strongarm, Brueyan Owlen, Lady Aramne, Taudoc Malgrim, Marlow Fenwick, and Rahasia Aravarnae."
Markenis seemed strangely pleased. "A fine group. Some personality differences will undoubtedly occur, but perhaps you have the makings of a dynamic unit."
"Thank you, sir." This was too odd, too unfamiliar. Never before had Markenis summoned her to his quarters in the middle of the night. Never before had he actually given her his full attention for so long, and complimented her as well. And never ever before had his eyes sparkled when he talked. Markenis was a man of practical action. He was never emotional, never nervous. Something was going on.
"Of course, I did not just call you here to double check your efforts today." Markenis paused, and the silence lingered long enough for Gwen to start nervously flexing her wings. He then reached into his desk and pulled out an adamantine box. It was not especially big, about the size of a coffer. He held the box in his hands a moment, then stood. "Come with me." Gwen rose and followed Markenis through the empty hallways out of the main castle. "While you were recruiting, I was procuring you this. You alone would make little use of this, but I think eight people could hold it." Neither spoke until they were out in the open air. They stood in the center of what had been the market a few hours earlier. This was the field, the area for jousts, training, and had been the location of the market a scant few hours ago.
"Sir, what are we doing out here? Everyone in their right minds is asleep."
"Sarnah, watch closely, for I will only do this once." He set the box on the floor, opened the lid with a key, and said distinctly, "Awaken, tower." He took several large steps back, and encouraged Gwen to do the same. A pit suddenly began growing where the box was, but the ground did not shake or moan. Before Gwen could ask questions, the box began to expand. In moments, it was an adamantine border tower. It was a fifty foot square at the base and three stories tall with a walkway on the roof, complete with ballistae.
Gwen gawked at the massive structure until she saw Markenis watching her, his shoulders shaking in silent amusement. "It's an instant fortress. There are only about three dozen in all of Dallorn, and none anywhere else."
"Are, are there-," Gwen was still dumfounded by the magical tower. Cursing herself mentally for looking so foolish, she calmed her voice before phrasing her question. "Are there any limitations to the tower's abilities?"
"Very few. It actually will migrate trees that it would crush when forming, people and animals can stay in it in box shape, and it is extremely easy to defend. All the windows and the ladderspace going to the roof are able to be shuttered. Keep in mind that only extremely powerful magic could ever mend the walls should they suffer damage. With that taken into account, you should have no troubles. Everything you need is provided."
Gwen just looked at Markenis. "Sir, how can I thank you for this? It must have taken hours to convince the sergeants to let me bring this along!"
"Don't worry. You only have to do one thing in return." His eyes were glinting again. He just stared at her for so long that Gwen wondered if he wanted her to ask. Then he said cooly, without a hint of a smile, "Kick some Blackblood butt, Sarnah."
"Yes, sir!"
"To collapse the tower, just put the key in the lock and say, 'Slumber, tower.' Now, shall we load the rest of your gear into this thing?"
"Yes, sir!"