An Axe in the Flames

War is Coming

The city inside the castle walls was not as it once was. The usually boisterous criers filling the square with their colorful tunics bellowing loudly, along with merchants selling foods from all provinces and bards singing of maidens and heroes, citizens clamoring about and laughing. It was all missing. Birds sat strewn across the tiled square picking at remnants of old food and worms, and bushes that were lush and green had withered and lost leaves. Where merchant carts had sat, bare dirt shown through the dying grass. There were still criers shouting the latest news from all over the world, but they told of the coming war. The supply lines being cut off from Thanish attacks, the Flame Sect setting fire to all of the Feral Wilds and of the old magics returning. Tuskar walked through, taking in the sights of it all. The supplies lines had, in fact, been cut off. A Servant Guardian had confirmed it was Thanish men who disrupted and destroyed the carts, after he survived the encounter and made his way back to the castle. The Servant also had an interesting tidbit that worried Tuskar, a blade had penetrated the Guardian Shield. Dray had said it was coated in a black substance, what could this have been? For as long as Guardians wove their shields, nothing had been able to penetrate it, no scholar had even been able to find a material to break the invisible plane. This was certainly worrisome, because that meant, somewhere out there. Someone knew how to bypass the only magic left in the Emerald Kingdom.

He continued to walk through the city, passing closed shops with wooden signs proclaiming 'No Inventory' and dirty beggars. He wished he had something to give them, but he himself was on rations and running dangerously low. A breeze blew about his long black hair and he reached up to tighten the collar of his thick black priest robe. Winter was certainly coming and the food the city farmers had stored were being rationed out as well. It seemed the Thanish had favored a war of attrition since King Herrod had refused to mount a full scale invasion of their province. He wasn't himself these days, often angry and lashing out at those near him without real reasoning or provocation. Sure, he was much older than when he began his reign, but Tuskar thought that the weight of his nephew becoming a mad man leading an army and the coming civil war had worn him down mentally. Was he scared of losing? Was he preparing for war on two fronts? He had no idea, and hoped that the calling of the counsel would resolve these questions.

In a gray, heavy wool robe Uno trailed along behind Tuskar, "Looks pretty bad."

Tuskar nodded his head in agreement, "The absence of supplies from outside of the walls are finally taking its toll."

Uno stopped at an alleyway between two closed shops and watched a group of cats fighting over what appeared to be an already dead mouse. Tuskar turned and followed his gaze.

"Tough times for all, indeed. Something has to change."

Uno continued walking on, "Aye, sent the crow last night."

They were walking side by side now, the size difference was almost comical as they continued on the cobblestone road, both solemnly looking at each closed shop. Tuskar regarded Uno with a smile and a nod, "Always best at night during times such as these. Time's End?"

Uno kicked a rock with his gray soft soled boots and watched it bounce off of a wooden bottom step, "Yup. Figures they'd be the one to call, the Bothers. Sworn to King Herrod and what not."

"Report was that Nail squashed the rebellion by taking out the leaders, but that it was all a ploy to cover for the Thanish liege Minnow."

Uno grunted, "What a name, Minnow. Tiny little man, named aftah a tiny little fish."

"Right? Not very noble sounding or scary. I'm just surprised that he could've worked out that kind of plan. Creating a false rumor and getting it to circulate. He's not exactly known for his prowess."