Chapter 7–With a little bit of luck
Lucifer recollected himself. He'd lost his temper, though the Doombringer and lord of the abyss had had much worse rages, as several once-great cities could no longer attest to. Now, he knew what had to be done. The Radiant army wouldn't go off half-cocked and attack head-on without a leader, that much he knew. He had some time yet. He just needed to know who to kill and who to send to do it, and then the rest of the Radiant army would crumble once those key people were gone.
Rubick, the grand magus. His power was immense, and he knew more than he let on. He could potentially throw a wrench into any plan Lucifer made.
Ursa, the one bear army. He'd destroyed more than anyone else in the Radiant army and was their vanguard.
Whoever they chose as their new leader, which they would inevitably do now that they were together.
Luna, their ever-watchful guardian. She let them sleep easily, without her they'd be tired and scared once again. He could do the same by killing Zeus, but he didn't think he had anyone qualified for surgical deicide.
Silencer. No frontal assault works if your enemy can negate your strongest spells.
Gondar. This one might be personal but he had robbed Lucifer of his victory today, and however much it may have been luck, Gondar tended to be in the right place at the right time too often and he didn't want that bounty hunter spying on him like Riki used to.
He'd start with Gondar.
"Phantom assassin," he called.
She appeared next to him, whispered "Yes?"
"I have a target for you. Gondar the bounty hunter."
She chuckled, "He will not know what hit him."
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The Radiant army had lost an outpost, but had gained something far more important: courage. Courage, confidence and the will to keep fighting, things that had been sorely lacking after the night of terror.
Ursa had called a council with Nature's Prophet, Rubick and Zeus to discuss who would lead the Radiant army.
Why those four? They are the strongest, yes, but none of them besides possibly Zeus and Ursa has any interest in leading us, and none but possibly Rubick are qualified for it. Legion Commander wasn't so strong as them, but she led us and under her leadership we were winning.
Are we to become like the Dire army? Led by pure strength? Acting on instinct? Is that what Ursa wants? He truly does want to help us win, but does he know how?
Still, the fact we're choosing a leader now is a good sign. We may win this war yet.
The debates raged on into the night. Gondar could hear Ursa outshouting them all, but then he heard Zeus outshout Ursa and the entire camp at one point, his voice booming "NO!" like a thunderclap.
Eventually, Ursa lumbered out of the outpost and roared an earthshaking bellow they'd heard all too often coming from the other side: "KUNKKA!"
Kunkka the high admiral moseyed his way over to the outpost with his characteristic swagger of casual authority. It seemed the council of titans had chosen one not from among their ranks to lead the Radiant army.
Gondar and the rest of the Radiant army waited in eager anticipation of orders, and when Rubick's messenger bird spell (Taken from another mage many years past) was sent out, Gondar was among the first to receive orders.
It read "You and your group are to act as reconnaissance elements. You are to first search enemy territory for signs of Slithice the naga siren and track her down. She is behind enemy lines somewhere between their bottom and middle lanes and currently waging a guerrilla war against them, you are to assist her in her immediate endeavour and then return her to friendly lines."
Oh lovely. So we are to go to enemy lines to find someone trying not to be found who has been evading the enemy this whole time. Lovely indeed, this seems like my kind of work. With a little bit of luck, I'll be back in time for supper.
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Yumero, Lyralei and Gondar were trekking through the wilderness and approaching the river. They knew of a ford which would allow them to, with luck, reach the Dire side undetected; they were much worse at guarding themselves from sneak attacks and the like than the Radiant army was.
Luck, however, was not on their side. Gondar spotted Slardar on the other side mere seconds before Slardar focused his lure on Gondar. Gondar knew what that meant: No hiding. Not for Riki, not for Slark, definitely not for him. He turned and yelled "Split up!" to Yumero and Lyralei and they did so. With a little luck, they might be able to defeat Slardar as they'd done with Tidehunter, but for that they'd have to come at him from different angles. Gondar only hoped Yumero knew the plan.
Slardar came after Gondar, as he was the one Slardar had focused his light on, and Gondar could practically feel Slardar gaining on him. As Slardar got very close, Gondar put his dagger away and scrambled up a tree, using his hook and claws to propel himself up at an astonishing speed.
Slardar looked up the tree. "Ah, Gondar," he began, "Stuck up a tree, I see?"
Gondar replied "Slardar. It's been too long,"
"Not long enough," responded Slardar, and Gondar believed him. He honestly didn't think Slardar wanted to kill him, but he had to. But this time, Gondar wasn't injured and alone. No, this time he had his friends with him and was in a position of relative safely. He regarded his glorified fishhook, looked down at what he supposed could be called a glorified fish, and, wondering if he'd have to go fishing, called "You can still return back. I'm out of your reach now," "And so you are," responded Slardar, "Perhaps some other time," and he returned across the river. Lyralei, who'd been aiming at him, decided against further antagonizing him and returned the shackleshot to her quiver.
They regrouped and Lyralei asked "So, what're we gonna do?" to which Gondar responded "We'll find another way. Slardar will likely be waiting for us at the ford, so we'll have to go through Roshan's territory," Yumero immediately retorted "Gondar! That is madness! None may enter Roshan's territory and live!" Gondar turned on him and smiled, saying "Now who's saying it can't be done? Others have entered Roshan's den with overwhelming force and gotten splattered against the walls, but we'll go through unnoticed. With a little bit of luck, we'll be gone before he sees us," Yumero responded "I am no sneak." Gondar smiled and replied "Then it's a good thing he'll be looking the other way."
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I hope this works. Everyone's ready, I just hope we're fast enough.
Not to mention lucky enough.
Roshan's den was before them, with naught but the shallowest part of the river between them and it. They would skirt the edge of his den, clamber up the slope and get up into Dire territory, using each of their unique talents to get around the great beast.
Roshan was colossal, towering over even the Treant Protector, and it was said only Ursa was strong enough to get through his hide. His wings were vast and leathery. His claws were like broadswords, His teeth daggers longer and more wicked than Gondar's, and his horns dwarfed the mightiest lances. His strength was unmatched even by Tiny, and none had bested him yet. However, many had tried. Slithice had attempted to put him to sleep and barely escaped with her life, Azwraith the Phantom Lancer had sought to overwhelm him while Kardel Sharpeye sought a weak spot, but it had been to no avail. Ursa was planning to go against him as soon as he found the elusive mask of Vladimir, but he had yet to locate the artifact. However, the Aegis of the Immortal; the chance to come back from the grave; was enough to keep people coming back.
They did not plan to take this prize, merely to get around the great beast, but for a moment Gondar pondered their chances, recalling their victory against Tidehunter, but quickly thought better of it.
Gondar was first. He could've easily snuck around Roshan on his own, but he had a role to play. He scouted out Roshan's lair, found the two easiest points in it to climb, then returned and pointed them out to Yumero and Lyralei.
Sneaking around to the second easiest climbing spot, Gondar hid behind a large rock and waited for Lyralei to initiate phase two.
Roshan turned around as Lyralei called "Oh Roshy!" in her characteristic girlish tone, and sent an arrow at him, which plinked off of his hide. Roshan roared a mighty roar and came forward, then Gondar popped up and hurled a shuriken at him which skidded along him, but got his attention for long enough for Lyralei to get out of the way. Meanwhile, Yumero sprinted to the climb location unseen by Roshan, who was too busy trying to catch Lyralei and Gondar.
Gondar threw down a smoke bomb as roshan approached, dodged his wild swing by a hair-strand and melted into the red-lit shadows of Roshan's den. The great beast then focused on Lyralei, who fired a shackleshot which attached one end to a tree above the climb spot, leaving the other end dangling down to assist Yumero in his climb. As Yumero began his ascent, Lyralei called "sayonara!" and demonstrated the reason why she was called the windrunner: Leaping fifteen feet into the air, she landed on a small jutting stone and leapt again and again, practically running up the rough stone wall as Gondar and Yumero climbed up the rock-face, simultaneously dodging Roshan's claw swipes.
When she does that, she's so graceful, so powerful, so beautiful.
With every trick I do, I can't hope to approach what she does offhandedly. She doesn't have the kind of power of Ursa or Tiny or even Rylai, but it still takes your breath away to see her do what she does.
And in a way, her power is no less amazing, for she uses what she has to the best she can, and with a little bit of luck she accomplishes amazing things with what she has.
And you know what?
So do I.
Gondar reached the top of the cliff a few seconds after Lyralei and a few seconds before Yumero, who only got up by the skin of his teeth (Assuming his kind had teeth under that mask), having to clamber up as Roshan made a grab for him.
Reaching the top, breathing heavily, Yumero announced "We made it!", Gondar sighed with relief and said "Well, looks like luck was on our side. Now, who's for round two?" Lyralei broke out laughing, and embraced him then, spinning him around and putting him down "I am if you are," she responded, and this time they all laughed. Even Yumero chuckled a little.
Everything seems funnier when you've just nearly died. Now all we need to do is find Slithice in hostile territory, help her wage guerrilla warfare against the Dire army and bring her back safely to Kunkka, who by then will have moved around and may not still be alive.
With a little bit of luck, it should be easy.