Queen Fay stood before the tunnel to the Last Sanctuary, flanked by dryads. She stared at the Scourge in front of her, her heart fluttering. He was huge, she thought, almost as tall as one of her trolls, with broad shoulders and trim, fur-clad hips, arms that looked like they could cleave through rocks. She was filled with the sudden urge to tear his helmet off and scratch his eyes out...although another, stranger part of her wondered what it would feel like to touch his magic-seared skin. It was most un-elflike, and she pushed the thoughts away, trying not to think of them. He inclined his head to her, strange little goblins gibbering around his legs.
"I take no joy that our paths have crossed again, but it appears that we share a common enemy," She said, gathering her courage. "One who is as relentless as they are powerful. I speak of Solarius' Empire. I know what you seek in these lands."
"Really," he said, sounding amused. "Then tell me, Queen Fay. What do I seek?"
It was the first time she'd heard him speak. His voice was so deep, she thought, startled. She could almost feel it in the pit of her stomach. She had been born and raised in magic, had spent her life surrounded by magical creatures, but this...it was like standing in the midst of some old, dark legend. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing on end, but she dared not show him her fear.
"You seek your artifact. The Tower Heart."
He leaned on his axe, studying her from beneath the helm. She shivered, skin prickling under his scrutiny.
"If you agree to join forces, I will send my lieutenant Florian to aid you."
"The Tower Heart's been shattered. I don't know how to repair it."
"I can heal it for you."
He was silent for a long moment, watching her. Her heart was thundering. She felt like a rabbit, trapped beneath the eye of a hawk, afraid to run, afraid to stay still.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked her at last.
"Solarius' forces are too great for either of us to fight alone. But together, we may stand a chance."
"Very well." He inclined his head to her again. "I accept your truce, Queen Fay. For now."
She shuddered, watching him stride into the depths of the Wastes after Florian. After a moment, one of her dryads touched her arm with a questioning murmur, and she realized she'd been staring. She shook head, trying to clear it. She followed the dryads into the Last Sanctuary, praying that she was doing the right thing.
-x-
"I'm really not sure about this," the Overlord muttered bad-temperedly, clanking after the elf.
"Help finding the Tower Heart shards would be useful, Sire," Gnarl reminded him.
"I'd honestly rather wander around in the Wastes for a couple of days."
"You can't be serious, Sire."
"If it's between that and listening to that bloody elf twaddle on, then yes, I'm serious. Everything about him just makes me want to see how far I can throw him."
"Well, I suppose we can always kill him when we're done."
"I'm looking forward to that."
"Over here, beast!"
The elf was waving, standing on another shard of the Heart. The blues scrambled towards him, giggling, and he followed after them. The Heart shards seemed to be brighter now, pulsing with life.
"Get off that," he snapped.
The shard almost seemed to move to him. He thought he felt its surface pulse as he touched it.
"Sire, we have prepared mighty armor for your battle against the Dwarves!"
The tall man lifted his arms, looking dubiously down at himself.
"Mighty armor," he said. "Really."
"Well...somewhat mighty armor."
"Really."
"It's the best we can do on short notice, Sire! Bring back something better, and we'll see what Giblet can make for you."
The red-haired woman was watching, arms folded, a peculiar look on her face.
"Be careful," she said at last. "I'd hate to move all my luggage again."
"Over here, Scourge!"
He shook himself. The visions seemed to be getting stronger- he'd almost been able to smell Gnarl. The blues hurried after the elf, trying to snatch at his stocking cap, chuckling to themselves. He followed them to the next shard, not sure what he would see.
"I have something for you," the tall man said.
The woman looked up, frowning.
"I'm really in the middle of something," she said, stopped short, took a potted plant from his hands. "Oh! Is that elvesbane?"
"I hope so." He gave the plant a dubious look. "You mentioned it a lot, so I looked it up in one of your books. But really, all plants look the same to me."
"How on earth did you manage it? Elvesbane is guarded by thorns as long as my arm!"
"I trust it's the right plant," he said. "Because I'm not going to wade through the Everlight muck again."
"Oh, it's perfect!" The woman set the plant aside carefully. "Thank you! You've gone to a surprising amount of trouble for me."
"Why surprising?"
"I just never..." The red-haired woman was blushing now. "Nobody does things like this for me. Nobody's ever listened like you do, and nobody's ever...and you just...oh...I don't know how to thank you."
She was staring up at the Dark Lord now, almost on tiptoe. She seemed to realize how close she was, started to pull away. His hands settled on her waist, gentle, and she stopped short, caught in his embrace.
"You don't need to. I know."
He frowned as the shard sublimated. The man in the vision was obviously his father, and it was equally obvious that he'd loved his Mistress. And she, too, seemed to have loved him. But if that were so...then why had she left him alone in the snow, so many years ago?
He didn't have time to think about her. He pushed the thoughts away, annoyed.
"Hurry up, beast!"
He was suddenly full of an almost overwhelming urge to nudge the elf into one of the virulent blue pools. All it would take was a push... He mastered himself with a supreme effort of will and trudged to the next shard. It let out a high, clear note as he approached it, straining towards him like an eager dog. Warily, he reached out.
The red-haired woman was curled up around her growing belly in a vast bed, shoulders shaking as hoarse, ragged sobs tore their way from deep inside her chest-
He yanked his hand away with a growl, shaking it as if he'd been burned. He had no pity for his mother, he thought. The bitch had abandoned him, had quite literally thrown him out in the cold. She meant nothing to him.
The last few shards were mercifully silent, shrank back from his touch as though they could sense his anger.
"I think that's it, Sire!" Gnarl announced. "Now we'll just get it fixed up, and we'll be back in business! Just like the old days."
"Oh, thank the gods. Can I kill him now?"
"Please."
"I think I see something up ahead, Scourge!"
The elf skittered up a hill. The Overlord stared after him, suppressing a sigh.
"I've lived underground for thirteen years, and even I know that those colors clash," he muttered.
The elf shrieked, high-pitched.
"They found us! They found us! We're doomed!"
"What is it this time?"
He followed the elf up the hill, found himself staring down at several hundred Imperial troops.
"Oh."
"It's that elf outlaw!" A centurion snapped. "Seize him!"
"No, please, have mercy!"
"We have no need of mercy, elf, we have justice! Take him to the Arena!"
"Oh, that's too bad," Gnarl sighed. "I suppose that's one Arena fight that won't last too long. Saves you the trouble of having to kill him."
"But I wanted to kill him," the Overlord said, disappointed.
"No time for that, Master, just get out of there!"
"You're right. I think it's time to go." The Overlord looked down at a blue that was clinging to his leg. "What do you think?"
The blue nodded, eyes wide, throat working.
"Let's run."
Marius hurried down to the Arena cells in the dead of night, cloak drawn up to hide his face. He rapped at a cell door, looking about nervously.
"My Lord!" he whispered. He knocked harder when there was no response. "Sire?"
Florian tapped him on the shoulder. He whirled with an undignified shriek. The elf smirked down at him, leaning back against the wall.
"Took you long enough," he snapped. "I got tired of waiting. I figured I might as well let myself out."
"Forgive me, my Lord." Marius handed him a long cloak. "We've had some...trouble."
"Trouble? I don't like the sound of that," Florian said, pulling the hood up over his long ears. "What sort of trouble?"
"Well...I'm afraid that my...wife...managed to escape, somehow. She wasn't at my villa, and we can't find her guards anywhere."
"Shit! I knew we should have sent more guards with her." He glared at the other man. "You underestimated her, Marius. Don't let it happen again."
"I won't, my Lord." Marius paused, wincing. "I'm afraid I have more bad news."
"Ugh, what?"
"The Sentinels have disappeared, my Lord."
"What do you mean, disappeared?"
"Exactly that, Sire. No one's seen them anywhere."
"They're six foot tall enchanted flesh constructs, Marius! How the hell does something like that just disappear?"
"I..I wish we knew, Sire. Unfortunately, we've also lost contact with at least half of our operatives...Rose, as you know, was the architect of our information network, and I'm afraid that more of our spies have proved loyal to her than we would like."
"Loyal to Rose?" Florian snapped. "They should be loyal to me, I'm their Emperor!"
"I know, Sire, but it feels as if the whole Empire's gone mad! The populace is terrified, we had a riot in the city market yesterday, and more and more slaves have been escaping into the hills."
"Fools." Florian snapped his fingers, and Marius handed him the golden mask. He settled it over his face, relaxing as he felt its smooth, cold lines caress his skin. "Ah. That's better. Here's what we'll do. We'll institute a curfew, and increase patrols throughout the city. Anyone speaking against the Empire is to be thrown into the Arena, without hesitation. I don't care if it's a slave or a senator."
"Of course, Sire."
"Our troops are poised to break into the Last Sanctuary. It won't be much of a Sanctuary for long."
"Ah, but my Lord...Queen Fay has been able to repel every one of our attacks so far with the power of her Shrines."
"Relax. They won't be a problem." Florian grinned behind the mask. "I've sent the barbarian to deal with them."
"What do you mean, Sire?"
"I managed to convince Fay that he could help her if she gave him the power of the Shrines. We'll let the elves wear him down a bit, and then we'll sweep in and drain the bastard and every last magical creature in Fay's sparkly little realm."
Marius was practically vibrating with excitement, beady eyes shining.
"And then, my Lord?"
"And then I- I mean, we- will ascend as gods."
Fay stood waiting in the Sanctuary as the Tower Heart pulsed in time with her heartbeat. It was like a living thing, she thought in fascination. When she had healed it, she had felt it brush her mind, with mute, inanimate curiosity.
She heard the gibber of goblins, the heavy tread of steel on stone. She looked up from the Heart, trying to keep her hands from shaking. The Scourge stood below her, gazing at the Tower Heart.
"I have assembled the shards of your artifact, Dark One, but it has very little power left."
He reached out, almost gently, and touched it. It pulsed at his touch, darkness swirling beneath its brilliant surface, like schools of fish beneath bright water.
"Thank you," he said, surprising her.
She cleared her throat, recovering.
"The Empire seek to force their way into the Last Sanctuary, and from there into your realm. If you really believe this can strike a decisive blow against Solarius, then I give you permission to charge it with energy from my shrines."
"I do," he said.
"Alas, this will mean the destruction of the creatures that live there." Fay shivered. "Grave decisions must be made in a time of war, but I pray that they will not suffer too long. I hope that this object is worth Florian's life. I fear he is not long for this world...especially if he is put in Solarius' vile Arena."
The Dark One shrugged a broad shoulder.
"It's not so bad," he said. "I survived it."
She stared at him, shocked.
"But...no one comes back from the Arena," she murmured.
Perhaps she had made the right decision after all. Perhaps the Scourge of Nature, despite all his evil deeds, really would be the one to save her people. Maybe the Goddess had finally heard her prayers, and had sent her this dark champion.
The earth shook. She looked up, dust filtering through the branches of the Sanctuary.
"Go, we don't have long before they break through!"
He nodded to her once, strode away. She stared after him.
"Please, Mother," she whispered. "Please, let this all be worth it."