Section Nine: The Assembling of the Legion
"The gods have set up way gates." Said Rita, tracing a path on Fox's map. "If we head for the nearest one we'll be there in only a day's travel."
"But how do they prevent from followers getting confused?" Slippy wanted to know, adjusting one of his guns as the group rode on. His horse knew the routine, and followed along with the group automatically.
"It's interesting, actually. It's something they agreed on, meaning both sides of the coin. Depending on who you follow, you'll be ported automatically to within a few hours of your side's camp. There are gates like it all around the world." Said Alan.
"The better to expedite the war, I suppose." Said Bill.
"That, and the followers of the darker gods are helping with the ceremony." Said Sashima. "The gods of light might be gathering an army, but the dark gods are gathering worshipers, willing sacrifices, and an army."
"Don't take this the wrong way… but how do you two know so much?" Julian asked, glancing at the two members of the Blood Bayou.
"The gods talk to me quite often." Alan shrugged. "I think they figure that since I'm already crazy, they can't do any more harm. Olidammara is feeding me information as he gets it, and since he plays both sides of this war, I know much."
"And let's just say I have experience in high diplomacy." Said Sashima with a shrug.
The group accepted that.
"We're not going to make that gate by nightfall." Fox said, suddenly pulling up his steed and shaking his head. The unicorn wandered through the group, rubbing each tired horse with her horn in passing, lending the other steeds energy. "Rita, since you have my map, find us a likely place to camp, all right?" He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He still faintly heard the call of his god, though Heironeous wasn't directing it at him anymore. "We'll arrive at the gate tomorrow morning."
"Works for us." Said Peppy. "I doubt that anyone got much sleep last night."
As the day progressed, the group saw more and more camps being set up, and soon were joined by other followers of assorted gods. Others had been informed of the way gate, and were moving toward it. The product was a very uneasy truce between all races and all followers. Fox found himself at one point riding next to a Black Knight, who had just looked at him and shrugged.
In the end, they didn't even set up their own campsite, they joined one that was already being set. The followers of the dark gods had split off, camping about fifty yards away. Shields had been put up between the camps: no one with hostile intentions could get through.
"This is about the strangest situation I have ever been in." Tempest remarked, staring off toward the fires of the dark camp. "My common sense says that it is in our best interest to wipe that camp out, but something else then my common sense says that it would be my death to."
"That's the control wards put on this camp." Peppy replied. "Apparently, the gods don't want us killing each other until we're on the battlefield."
Fara sighed, standing and walking away from the fire, doing an uneasy circle of the camp. Her hippogriff stood and followed her absently. The camp, though by no means noisy as the Bayou, was taking advantage of all the different folk gathered. Stories were being told, songs sung, revivals held. She saw Alan and Sashima tangled up in the middle of it, doing what they did best. A few of the other group members were in the mess as well, she saw Slippy consulting other gadget masters, Bill going through what appeared to be elaborate sword dances with a few other gladiators, and Katt and Rita speaking to other magic users.
Fox, who had been speaking to a knight, saw her wandering by herself and excused himself from the conversation and caught up with her. "Is something wrong?"
She sighed, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. "I'm worried, that's all. I know you can't resist the call of your god, but I don't want to loose you. We've been through a lot already, Fox. A year and a half isn't much of a forever."
He smiled, returning the hold. "You're not going to loose me, love."
"You can't promise me that, and you know it."
They stood there for a while, then heard a rumble from the camp, then the shouts.
"Ho! Rider approaching from the other camp! He's got a white flag!" Shouted a voice.
Fox and Fara looked at each other, then made their way back to the camp. Standing at the edge of the camp was a Fist of Hextor, the rider deeply cloaked, the large black Friesian that served as the steed snorting to itself, pawing the ground absently. Both the rider and the steed were dressed in the black armor of their god, and the staff the rider held had a flag with the symbol of his god hanging under the white flag.
"What do you want?" Asked an Elven sorcerer, leaning on his staff absently and eying the Fist of Hextor.
"I'm looking for someone…" Was the dry reply as the rider shifted in his saddle.
"Your kind isn't here, sorry. Move on."
"I'm not looking for another Fist, Sorcerer of Corellon." Growled the rider, eying the gathering people, then his gaze fell on Fox. "I found who I'm looking for. You can clear out. I'm under a white flag. If I violate it, I'll die instantly." The crowd backed off uneasily, going about their business. The rider swung down from his saddle, brushing back the hood of his cloak.
"Titus Albrecht?!" Fara gasped.
"Hello, Fara. Been a while, hasn't it?" Titus grinned, holding the reins of his horse. His hair fell in a pale wave around his face, and he looked tired, worn. His eyes were permanently darkened by the will of his god. "I've been looking for you all day, McCloud." He remarked in a slightly chiding voice. "You'd think a Hallowed would be easier to find…"
"What do you want here, Titus?" Fox asked warily. "You've obviously gone out of your way to find me."
"I just want to see if what I thought was true." Titus shrugged, making the heavy black armor clank. "Well, may I join your camp temporarily?"
Fox looked at Titus for several minutes, then sighed. "I suppose."
"You trust me?"
"I trust the enchantments on this place."
Fox walked back to where his group was camped, one arm around Fara protectively. Titus walked behind them silently, still leading his horse. The group looked up when the arrived, the looks on their faces surprised and uneasy.
"At the wrong camp, aren't you?" Falco asked, hand wrapping around the hilt of his sword.
"Perhaps." Titus shrugged. "Expanded your group yet again, McCloud? I seem to recall that last time you numbered only ten. Now you seem to number thirteen. Bad luck, you know."
"We've had good enough luck thus far." Slippy remarked.
"Perhaps." Titus repeated, sitting down absently, staring into the fire. "It seems like a divine irony that we're facing each other again, you know." He looked at Fox, who had also sat down.
"I think it is your will that is causing it." Was the careful reply. "It was your choice, and your choice alone, to fall to Hextor."
"I didn't fall!" He snapped, hands curling into fists. "True enough that it was my choice, but I saw no better way and still see no better way. I'm powerful now. I wasn't before. I don't see how there's any comparison."
"I suppose that would depend on your definition of power, now wouldn't it?" Fox poked the fire, carefully not looking at Titus. "So Hextor is calling you, eh? What's going to happen if you live through this fight? Are you planning on taking the kingdom over, I suppose?"
"My own, yes. I've waited long enough to be in a position of true power."
"And what of your parents?"
"My parents are deluded." He spat. "They think I still follow Pelor deep down, the fools. Hellfire, they probably think that right now I'm off helping charity or courting a princess or saving the world… though in an obscure way they might be right on the last account…"
"Isn't it us that is saving the world?" Alan asked dryly, taking a drink absently and passing his flask to Titus.
"Raspberry Reaper?" When Alan nodded, Titus knocked back a large gulp and passed the flask back. "I needed that, thanks bard. And as for saving the world, that depends on what kind of world you want."
There was a long, uncomfortable pause.
"What do you want here, Titus?" Fox finally demanded.
Titus laughed out loud, standing. "It wasn't I that wanted to see you, McCloud. It was my god." He turned to Tempest. "I have a message for you, Himo Galanodel. Quote, 'Do not believe you have seen the last of me,' unquote. I think you know who it is from." Then he grabbed the reins of his horse and started walking away, pulling the hood of his cloak back up.
"Why would Hextor want to see you?" Fara finally asked, glancing at Fox.
"Study me for weakness, I suppose." Fox shrugged, glancing at Tempest, who looked unsettled. "I take it your 'friend' that hurt you is still nearby, hmm?"
"Yes. I do not think that I will be getting any sleep tonight." Tempest replied tiredly.
There was a pause, then Fox suddenly remembered something. "Alan, the Jack said you had something to tell me, is it anything important?"
"Ask her." Alan nodded at Fara. "Because I know she has something to talk to you about. Aren't I right, Fara?"
She looked at him, then laughed weakly, bowing her head. "Crazy old man…"
"That I am, but I'm no fool."
Fox stood. "In which case, let's go talk about it privately. And the rest of you should probably think about retiring. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a long day."
Fara sighed, staring up at the stars. She and Fox had walked away from the camp, and were now a good enough distance away that they could assume they had some privacy. Somehow, that didn't comfort her much.
Fox reached over and pulled her close, nuzzling her. "What is it you want to talk about, love? I know you're worried, and I'm sorry for that."
"It's not exactly that, it's… Fox, I think I'm pregnant." She felt him freeze up. "I'm not certain, I mean, but…" She started.
He tightened his grip, going over that again and again in his head. "And that's why you're so worried?"
"I think I'm allowed to worry when you're going into battle." She snorted.
"Given." He chuckled, snuggling her. "How certain are you, exactly?"
"I guess completely now. Alan's got that strange sixth sense of his, you remember that he knew when my mother was, so I guess if he knew…"
"Alan saying much of anything is pretty much a confirmation then." Fox shifted. "And let me guess. You're in no way going to let me send you back to the Bayou so you're safe, let alone send you home."
"Right. Try to order me around like that and I will hurt you. We're equals, and you know it." She frowned at him. "I'm not going home unless the whole group is going. I mean, what am I supposed to do, sit around and knit while I wait to find out whether or not anyone's been killed?"
"So what do we do then?" He wanted to know, staring off in the direction of the other camp.
"We do what we were going to in the first place, Fox. We help stop the resurrection of Mormo." She turned his gaze back to her. "And if you start treating me like an invalid, so help me Heironeous, I'll…"
He burst into laughter.
Dawn broke almost oddly clear, the sun burning away what little fog clung to the ground. Cooking fires scented the air with smoke, and the camps were busy with groups getting ready to move.
Falco yawned, staggering back to where his group was camped. Katt had nudged him awake early today, and he had used the time to talk to the others in the area and see if anything was happening.
"Any interesting news around the camp?" Peppy asked, glancing up from the cooking fire.
"Doesn't seem like it. The world is pretty much like things are here, apparently." He paused. "But the numbers that are being thrown around seem absurdly high. It's being said that there could be as many as fifty thousand soldiers between both sides."
"I'm not surprised." Fox said, crouched by the fire. "Over a dozen gods are calling their followers to them."
"It is not the number of soldiers coming that disturbs me." Falco said carefully. "It's that the seasoned generals and so on around here predict less then twenty thousand are walking away."
"Sixty percent losses?" Katt gaped.
"Or more." Falco confirmed.
There was a long moment of silence.
"And that's what's being said at the black camp too." Bill said, walking up. "A few of their messengers just left. Looks like they're getting ready to break camp same as we are. There's going to be about a thousand walking toward that gate at once, and that's just these two campsites."
"Here's something not many know." Alan and Sashima joined the fireside. "The Jack's moving out. The Army of the Bayou is over a thousand strong unto itself. I'm not sure how many he's bringing, but it's a good portion of the entire force."
"I'm not surprised." Rita sighed, shaking her head. "He's going to get revenge… or he's going to die trying."
Less then an hour later, camp broke, and Fox's group was one of the leading parties. There wasn't a set road, so they made one, the two sides moving in decent companionship for now. It was still several hours' ride to the way gate, and the groups weren't able to stay complete separate, but the party still glanced up in surprise when Titus and a few other Fists of Hextor fell in step with them.
"What you are is getting around, McCloud. Aren't you being kind of sloppy?" Titus remarked absently. "Gods know it spread to my camp."
"I'm sure what you are has spread as well." Fox replied, keeping his eyes on the road. "You are a Hallowed, are you not?"
"Not hardly." Titus snorted softly. "Merely a Fist, and glad for that much."
"Stop bothering him, Albrecht." Falco snapped after a moment. "Haven't you caused him enough hurt?"
"It's all right, Falco, I don't care." Fox said.
Titus, at the same time, said, "No more then he has caused me, Guild Leader Lombardi... huh." He paused, squinting up into the sun. "That's odd. The dragons were supposed to go directly to the campsites…"
Fox also looked up, shading his eyes, then laughed out loud. "That's not exactly a dragon, that's a construct."
Falco also laughed, then roared up to the skies, "Jordan! What are YOU doing here?!"
Jordan took that as a cue and dove right at the convoy, which started to scatter in panic before he backwinged and landed beside them, pacing Fox. "Hello, fearless leader!" He replied, a grin warping his skeletal face. "Hello, Falco, everyone else. I'm here for the same reasons as you are. I'm answering the call. Erias wished me come here and was even nice enough to direct me to you so I could arrive as you did…" He trailed off, lowering his head and looking at Titus, then snorted hard enough Titus' cape flapped. "YOU again?" He looked at Fox, opening his mouth.
"Don't even ask if you can eat him, you'll be destroyed on the spot."
Jordan closed his mouth, then shrugged. "All right, then."
The rest of the time traveling was without surprises, the convoy stringing out along the new road. The first parties reached the way gate in the early afternoon.
"Oh, wow…" Slippy remarked, leaning back in his saddle and staring up.
"Well, it has to be big enough to admit large creatures." Said Jordan, rearing on his hind legs. "I'd still bump my head, this way."
"No one asked you, friend." Falco remarked, knowing those behind them were still soundly spooked by the arrival of a wrack dragon.
"Well, I suppose this is where we part ways." Fox remarked, looking at Titus and his companions. "Good luck."
"Bad, you mean." Titus smiled a touch, and paced the party as they walked through the gate.
Thunder clapped, wind blew, and the party's mounts staggered a bit as they suddenly were standing at the top of a large hill, staring down at what had to be the largest campsite they had ever seen. It sprawled the entirety of an absolutely huge valley. Off in the distance, many miles away, they could see a small patch of mountains, surrounded by blackened clouds that stubbornly refused to let the sun drive them away.
"Oh, my god." Said Julian reverently, staring down at the campground.
"I guess that would be the point, wouldn't it?" Alan said, smiling a touch. "Speaking of gods, which gods have representatives here, Fox?" He turned to his fearless leader.
"Every good-aligned god, and some neutral ones as well." He replied, eyes tracing over the camp, picking out the different sectors. Some of the tents were just huge—the three largest were command, mess, and hospital, he supposed. The camp had arranged itself by god, though there was a good amount of intermingling, and different sections were marked by flag or floating insignias. Some were more obvious then others, of course. "Well, let's go then." He urged his unicorn into a canter, leading the group down the hill, Jordan bounding along behind them.
The camp had been shielded, of course, a fact which became obvious once they came close. They slowed and followed a just-made road to the apparent gate, which was being guarded by a centaur.
"Well, you're an interesting herd." The centaur smiled tiredly. "You're McCloud right? Heironeous has express orders for you. You're all cleared. Look for the fireworks." He turned to Jordan. "As for you, dragons go that way." He pointed, and Jordan grumbled under his breath and went.
"Fireworks?" Rita wondered as they dismounted, passing their reins over to a few elves standing nearby and walking into the camp.
"He's not kidding."
The group jumped, recognizing the voice, and looked down as one.
"Cat, what are you doing here?" Said Elgar in bewilderment
"Bendel's here, thus, so am I." The pseudo-necromantic familiar yawned widely, showing chipped fangs. "And it seems no matter where I am, I'm the messenger." He eyed the group. "So, listen up the lot of you. Fox, Peppy, Tempest, Alan, you're heading for the command tent, and I suggest you hurry. I'm supposed to show the rest of you around and show you where you'll be camping."
The four named glanced at each other, shrugged, and moved on in the direction the cat indicated. The others fell in behind the cat, listening to it.
"… mess hall's over there, I suggest you try to arrive early for meals unless you all want to get flattened. There's a wide variety of foods, given the different species here, and with that said, try not to stare too much at anyone. Pretty much anything is available there, except alcohol. If you want that, you'll have to barter with the elves."
"Why exactly are you telling us that?" Fara wanted to know.
"Because within an hour of being here, you'll all want a drink." The cat replied with a straight face. "This place is absolute bedlam."
"So that's what's meant by 'fireworks,' eh?" Alan remarked.
The four were about fifty yards from the command tent, and as they watched, an explosion of light and noise happened above it, some of the tent sides flapping to accompany it. Even from here they could hear the shouting.
"Yes, and apparently the discussions aren't proceeding well." Fox sighed. "Well, come on, apparently we're all wanted there."
"It isn't bothering you at all that we've been summoned to speak to gods?" Tempest remarked.
"Why should it bother him? It happens to him all the time." Alan replied.
There was no guard at the door, so they slipped under the flap, and stopped, gaping. Over a dozen avatars were within the tent, standing or sitting around a large table, and several were having an all-out fight. Explosions of power thundered through the tent as those fighting seemed borderline on going to war themselves. Those not fighting seemed tired and exasperated.
"… Look, the point is we don't know!" Shouted a regal elf, scowling up at a muscular human. "All intelligence reports are completely inconclusive!"
"Are you saying something about my scouts?!" Demanded a nearby centaur, stamping a hoof and making the ground rumble in the process.
"I'm saying nothing about your scouts! I'm saying we shouldn't make any sort of plans, especially risky ones, when we don't know for sure what positions are! They've got themselves pretty well shrouded! We don't know anything!"
A slightly-glowing lion at the table moaned and rubbed his eyes, huffing to himself. Next to him, a Bengal tiger and a stag looked generally annoyed.
"That's Corellon, Kord, and Skerrit fighting, right?" Alan muttered, eyes bouncing from face to face. "Everyone's accounted for. I don't see Olidammara though. Hey Fox, was Heironeous' avatar a tiger last you saw him?"
"A wolf, actually, but I guess when you're a god it doesn't matter." Fox replied, fighting the urge to grin. Here they were, all gods or demigods, and they were fighting worse then most mortals did.
Said tiger glanced at him, then stood and cleared his throat, leaning into the table. "Excuse me, gentlemen." He said quietly.
They ignored him. "Look, we've got some pretty good ideas. I think we need to start making plans before they do. THEY have the high ground, not us…" Kord started.
"Fine, you can kill your own troops on your assumptions…" Corellon snapped.
"Gentlemen…" Heironeous repeated.
"The problem isn't terrain you fools, the problem is that we don't have…"
"SHUT UP!" Heironeous roared. "You're embarrassing me in front of my disciple!"
Alan started laughing, but that was pretty much the only noise in the next thirty or so seconds.
"So, that's the disciple you're always bragging about, aye?" Said the dwarf at the end of the table. "Huhn. Looks kind of underfed to me…"
"A pleasure to meet you too, Moradin." Fox replied, keeping his face straight, then turning back to Heironeous. "So. Having some problems, I take it?"
"Don't get cheeky." His god replied. "And yes, we are. We gathered together for safety's sake, but we seem to have forgotten just how bloody incompatible we all are."
"Gather us all in one room and watch reason fly out the window." The stag, which was St. Cuthbert's current avatar, snorted, shaking his head.
"I imagine that isn't the reason you asked for us to come here, though." Tempest said, looking like he was slowly getting used to the fact that everyone he was looking at was a god of some sort.
"We need mortals sitting in, and it seemed best that those who saved the world the last time do so." Said Corellon, sitting down and rubbing a temple.
"Beg pardon, Lord, but I wasn't involved in that."
"There are… other reasons for you to be here." Was the careful reply. "It seemed that Erias thought you should be here, and, well… sometimes Erias knows more then most of us."
"You were invited on a hunch. Get used to it." Alan whacked Tempest on the back. "So, you guys have come to us mortals for help? I imagine we're not the only ones asked, right?"
"I wouldn't go so far as to call you mortal." Pelor replied, making Alan laugh. "You aren't even of this particular earth anymore. And no, you aren't the only or the first 'mortals' we have invited into the tent."
"You'd be surprised how helpless they are, considering they're gods." Remarked a familiar voice, and Bendel strolled in from behind the group, the cat following, looking bored. "Hello again, Fox." He saw the look, and smiled. "That bastard of a black sorcerer told you, didn't he? I'm going to have to have some words with Momus, his loud mouth gets me in trouble."
"No kidding. I take it that it's true then?" Peppy asked.
"What, about me being a half-fiend? Yes. And Dikar, leader of Mezobarlin, is a half-celestial. Don't ask, it's complicated." He set a stack of maps on the table. "Have a seat, all of you."
The avatars and more earthly beings got as comfortable as they could, then Pelor sighed. "I suppose that I'm still in charge of conversation. That said, does anyone have an idea where to start?"
"How about a general debriefing? We just got here, and it might be dangerous to infer anything." Said Tempest, still taking a long look around at who he was sitting with.
"I imagine you saw the mountains when you came in." Pelor opened a large map, which showed the valley and the mountain range. "Basically, everyone on our side is camped out in this valley, while our darker friends have staked out the mountain range. It's not really a coincidence, apparently a group of hags had gathered there to try to resurrect their fallen leader, and were a bit surprised when all the gods and their followers started showing up. Regardless, the entire mountain range is shrouded, and we haven't been able to get any accurate reports on positions, numbers, or anything else. The way gates have given us some general ideas, but other then that, we're pretty much in the dark."
"Many in the mortal world like to think we're all-knowing, but the basic truth is that when gods face gods, the playing field is even." Said Corellon, rubbing a temple. "We can be all-knowing in some aspects of the mortal world, but we're up against our own. That means that any 'godly' tricks we have are useless. Worse, most of us here haven't used our avatars in ages, so we have to get used to the restriction again. While these bodies we are in are powerful, it still doesn't compare to what we're used to." He shrugged. "It's very unnerving to sit around with the basic knowledge that yes, you can be killed, even if it wouldn't be permanent."
"That said, maybe we've gotten too high-and-mighty for our own good." Tanil said somewhat sourly. "It's what did in my father and it's what will do in us, if we're not careful."
"Don't start that argument again." Garl shook his head, sitting cross-legged on the table instead of using a chair. "It's one of there reasons we haven't gotten anything done today…"
"I'm here, sorry I'm late… Oh, hello Fox, Peppy. I'm not surprised that you're here." Said a new voice as another armored figure entered the tent.
"General Pepper." Peppy raised an eyebrow. "You too?"
"Me and about fifty others from the army." Pepper sighed, taking a seat. "The others will be back soon, I think they got lost. This place is horridly laid out." He remarked to Pelor frankly.
"Don't remind us." Was the bitter reply. "We didn't have time to plan it."
"That said, maybe the first thing we should do is make this place more organized and efficient." Fox said, rubbing his eyes. "It wouldn't be totally unlike the dark gods to suddenly hit us from nowhere, and disorganization may be the death of us all in that circumstance."
"Probably a good idea, but it's going to be hell to get people to move their camps." Said Moradin.
"So order them around. Not like they can argue." Alan replied.
"True enough." Heironeous shrugged. "So where do we start?"
"The entire camp is being rearranged?" Katt blinked, helping collapse the just-set-up tents.
"Apparently, and I'm willing to bet Fox has something to do with it." Falco grunted, shouldering his pack. "This place was arranged by deity, but now it's being broken down by division, so to speak. More guard towers are being put up, et cetera. The only things staying solid are the three main tents."
"It makes sense though." Bill said, carrying tent poles. "I agree with the cat, this place is utter chaos. Anything to make things more orderly would be appreciated, at least by me." He added this, having already gotten lost twice.
Slippy appeared with a slight burst of light, looking tired. "Katt, Rita, you're recruited. We have to help reprogram the shields."
"Uh, all right then." The two girls passed their packs over to other group members, and disappeared with Slippy.
"Let's just hope this is being done right this time." Julian said, shouldering Rita's pack. "Because let's face it, doing this again would be hell."
"They're pretty entrenched up there." Pepper said, looking at the floating map and rubbing his chin. "Are these positions confirmed?"
"Yes indeed." Heironeous jabbed a finger at the glowing markers. Most of the avatars had left the tent to help rearrange the camp, but Heironeous, Pelor, and Denev remained to discuss things. "They've been planning this for ages… I'm stunned we didn't catch wind of it until the last minute. The gods have been winding up to another war for decades, and this is the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak."
"I knew, it's just no one listened." Denev grumbled, crossing her arms and looking annoyed.
"We've been busy elsewhere, and we apologize for that." Pelor held up his hands in submission. "What we have marked is what we know about for certain, and we don't think they change formation often… what we've seen looks permanent for at least the duration of this."
"I don't like this." Tempest shook his head. "Look at the way they're setting up." He gestured at the markers, his hands making the image ripple. "They've set themselves up for defense. They're waiting for us."
"Agreed." Fox said. "We can't attack that mountain peak. We'll be slaughtered if we try to."
"So what then?" Pelor asked, glancing at the mortals curiously. "I agree that their position is a lot better then ours. Even after we call down the holy armies, the archangels and thus forth, a greater portion of our forces is grounded, and they have the high ground."
"Hunter's philosophy." Alan said, sitting on the table. "A good hunter waits, a bad hunter chases. Right Fox?" He added. "We draw them out. Make them come to us. That way, we pick the ground."
"Theoretically sound." Heironeous said, crossing his arms and eyeing the enemy positions on the map. "But how do we go about doing that? We have nothing they need, so they have no reason to come after us, and we outnumber them in the first place."
"If Mormo rises, the numbers won't matter much." Denev said firmly.
"In other words, we'd best move soon." Peppy looked at the map. "Do we have any idea when exactly the ritual is being performed?"
"Espionage is a little hard to do in this sort of war." Pelor smiled a bit. "But we have ideas. We think it's linked to the phases of the moon."
"Full moon?"
"New, we think."
"That gives us… about six days. Maybe less." Fox shook his head.
Light flickered, and Corellon appeared, wiping at sweat. "Camp's nearly done. The last of the towers are being built now."
"Good." Heironeous said. "One problem solved."
"Not a moment too late, either." The elf added as bells rang signifying evening meal was starting. "What's being discussed now? Battle plans?"
"Yes indeed. We'll have to consult everyone else, but we think that attacking the mountain peak itself would be impossible. They're simply too prepared." Said Pelor. "Thus we have to come up with alternate means to stop the rise of Mormo."
"They're not going to come after us on their own, I can tell you that." Corellon shook his head. "I heard some of Skerrit's scouts talking. Apparently the dragons are starting to arrive. We're not going to make the foothills without loosing half our force, but they're clearly not coming after us anytime soon."
There was a long silence.
"I suggest we break to eat and get some rest, and continue our discussion in the morning." Pepper finally said. "We clearly need some time to think, and I for one am starved."
"Well, if we can't fight them directly, what do we do?" Falco wanted to know. The four had rejoined the campfire, and Fox had just finished explaining what had happened in the time they were gone.
"We're not sure yet." Fox admitted. "That's why I'm telling all of you…"
"It is clear that 'all' is a larger number then before." Alan observed, gesturing. Everyone within twenty feet of the camp was eavesdropping. When he mentioned it, some apologies were shouted.
"All right, let's do this town hall style then." Falco rubbed his chin, then kicked a nearby crate on its side and leapt on top of it. "All right, gather around. You're officially invited." He shouted, and promptly all camps that heard joined the fire. Then he leapt down and gestured to Fox.
Fox sighed, stepping onto the crate. "You all heard. Any ideas?" He asked frankly. "We've got less then six days before everything happens, and then it's too late."
There was a silence, then everyone started talking at once. Alan politely bashed everyone near him with his wine bottle until order was restored.
"One at a time." Fox said firmly, then gestured at a group of dwarves. "You were some of the first to start talking. What do you have to say about it?"
"Ground forces are totally out, right?" Said one. "And we're talking about drawing them out, correct?"
"That's about the summation, yes."
"Mines. Sneak some of our people close and make the area around the mountain a minefield. Send some of our units in close, lead them off right into the explosives."
"Your mines cause too much collateral damage." An elf shook his head. "Anyone, friend or foe, will be killed."
"Did I ask you?" The dwarf demanded, poking the elf in the chest.
"All right, that's enough." Fox snapped. "You're all allies, so act like it."
"Here's a question I'm sure all of us have." A follower of Kord stood. "Why did the gods ask for you, and why are YOU in charge of this meeting?"
"I have my reasons." Was the flat reply. When he saw that that answer wasn't going to work, he sighed, bowing his head and opening his arms. Because his god was so close, the power leapt to meet him, and he felt the halo form, wings opening off his back as he lifted his head to look at the gathered group, which had taken a step back unanimously. Only then did he let the power leave, wings disappearing and halo fading. "That is why. I'm Hallowed. If any of you wish to contest, you can, but you'll have to best me to gain command over me."
"In case any of you are wondering, that's never been done." Fara said, crossing her arms.
"Now that that is settled, let's get back to business. Mines have been mentioned…" Fox looked at Slippy, and the idea appeared in midair, letters glowing against the dark. "Any other ideas?" He looked around, and saw a group of gadget masters frantically waving hands. "Yes?"
"We just finished setting up long-range artillery." Said one proudly. "We can hit the mountains from here with accuracy of about ten feet."
"That's not much." Grumbled an orc.
"Those mountains are a mile and a half away, at least." Said a gnome. "So that's excellent. But we need that shroud to be gone. Otherwise, we're just pounding clouds and guessing at what's beneath."
"More explosives. Check." Fox sighed as the idea came up under the mines.
By the time the meeting was adjourned, Fox had a list of about a dozen ideas to propose to the council of the gods, but it was fairly clear to everyone that without accurate information, they weren't going to be able to do much of everything. Fox's group spent most of the night speculating, trying to come up with someplace they could get information. It was Julian, though, that had the stroke of genius.
"What?" The council of the gods all blinked at Fox.
"You heard me. Resurrect him, call his spirit, I don't care what you do. I need Wolf O'Donnel here now." Fox said.
"I've heard of him." Ehlonna chewed on a nail, looking uneasy. "And I'm not sure that's a good idea. He was under Hextor all his life. Heavenfire, he was another Hallowed."
"I know that." Fox sighed. "But he didn't die under Hextor." He looked at Heironeous.
"He died under my service." Said Heironeous heavily. "He sacrificed himself to protect my disciple from Hextor during a fight. He was stunned when he arrived in my halls, needless to say."
"You're kidding." Garl laughed out loud. "Well, that is quite a turnaround. But what use is he to us?"
"I think I've caught on." Said Kord. "Insider information. You think he'll be able to give us information on Hextor's strategies… and we all think Hextor is the ringleader of this operation."
"Exactly. We can't do anything until we get information. This might be the best place to start." Said Peppy.
"And hell, he's already dead, so what harm can he do?" Alan said somewhat philosophically.
"All right, I'm willing to bring him down here… what is going on?" Heironeous stood, frowning toward the tent flap.
The alarm bells were starting to ring through the camp, shouts coming from the direction of the camp entrance. Moments later a messenger skidded in, one of the centaurs from the gate, panting. "We're being approached by another force." She said after gaining her breath. "And given the leader is riding a black unicorn, we thought it best to sound the alarm."
"Sound familiar to you?" Alan lifted his eyebrows, taking a drink from his flask.
His friends just looked at him for a moment, then shook their heads and followed the centaur back to the entrance.
"And people wonder why I don't deal with any gods. They lack hospitality." Said the Jack in a frank voice, leaning on the pommel of his saddle and scowling daggers at the small force that had gathered between him and the camp. Spread out behind him were about fifty of his elite soldiers, and directly to his right was the Baron Mirth, riding a blood mare. The Baron didn't look the happiest either.
"What are you doing here, black sorcerer?" Asked an Elven general, holding a quivering arcane bow, string pulled and ready to let three arrows fly.
"Why should I talk to you? You're below me." The Jack snapped. His mount lowered its head, pawing the ground, growling deep in its chest. "It's none of your damn business, elf."
"That's enough, already." Heironeous elbowed through the crowd, leading Fox's group and the others from the tent. "Well, well, well. The Jack of Tears. It's … an honor, I suppose. What do you want with us?"
"Hi boss." Alan wove.
"Afternoon, Alan." The Jack smiled a bit, then looked at Heironeous. "Do you care?" He asked flatly. "Or are you worried I'm here to kill your soldiers and spread my plague?"
"I think that's a valid worry." Said Moradin, looking at the Jack with a look of vague disgust.
The Jack returned the look. "You have no dealings with me, god of Dwarves. The only god that has dealings with me is Saint Cuthbert, and that is only for the time being. I forsook the gods as they forsook me, many years ago."
The council all looked at the stag, who blinked, staring at the Jack. "He's right." Cuthbert said finally. "I can't deny him that. He's here on his own mission, but it's the same as ours."
"These are just my elites. My army is over eight-hundred strong and can be here at a wave of my hand." Said the Jack, staring at the gods. "I'm here to see that Mormo does not walk this earth again, or ever. Are you going to help me, or not?"
There was a long silence.
"As you are my former follower, I will vouch for you… for now." Said Corellon, eyes narrowed. "Your people are welcome to camp here. But betray me, Etharan, and I swear that I will see you suffer."
"I suffer eternally. There is not much you can do to me, Larethian." The Jack cackled. "Glad to know I'm welcome. I'll let the good Baron set up our camp, I think I shall accompany all of you. Break up your little pow-wow, did I?"
Corellon threw up his hands and stalked back in the direction of the command tent. The others followed, the Jack smugly bringing up the rear.