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DragonlustChapter XIV: Dealmaking
Lord Void stood, swearing. A mix of emotions surged thought him, the main one being pain and rage. How could lowly wandering like that tyco Reno defeat Lord Void, kill Majisto and cripple his fortress? Well, it was highly unlikely that Reno -shifty-brick him!- survived the blast. Lord Void himself had been hard pressed to keep him self from being burned entirely.
Two sharp knocks on the oak doors startled Lord Void. Normally he would have commanded a lower servant to open the door, but they were all hurrying about trying to douse the flames. Lord Void heaved himself up and stumped toward the door, anger still seething from him. He wrenched open the door and stared at the Sorcerer-King in astonishment.
The Sorcerer-King stared pasted Lord Void at the burning timbers and the gaping hole in the floor. His eyes then swept over Lord Void's smoldering cloak and cracked monocle.
“Ah....bad day?” asked the Sorcerer-King with a glint in his eyes.
“Yes!” snapped Lord Void, ready to incinerate his visitor. “And what business of yours is it?”
“Whoever you’ve holding down there is obviously rather troublesome,” said the Sorcerer-king, not commenting on Lord Void's question. “And experience leads me to suggest that unless measures are taken, he will only get worse.” The Sorcerer-King raised a hand to forestall Lord Void's rising anger.
“But that is not why I am here,” he said hastily. “My business is my master’s, and I have little interest in tangling with what appears to be a very nasty affair. Would you like to do business now, or would it be more convenient for me to wait?”
“I assure that it will never be convenient,” said Lord Void coldly, “but I will deal with you now if you so desire.”
As Lord Void led the Sorcerer-King down the ruined hall, he tried to compose himself. He knew the Sorcerer-King was a powerful as himself, if not more so. He also knew the Sorcerer-King’s connection with The Master, and he did not wish to anger either of them. By the time they had reached his chambers, Lord Void had taken control of his anger and had stopped fuming. He offered the Sorcerer-King a chair, which he took without a word. Lord Void then disappeared into a side room and reappeared a second later in fresh new robes and wine glasses in each hand.
“I apologize for the chaos that is prevailing at this moment.” said Lord Void in his most generous host voice, “But a particularly troublesome prisoner of ours has just caused a great commotion and has been most disruptive. I assure you my fortress is not usually this chaotic.”
“May you suppress you prisoner successfully.” replied the Sorcerer-King mildly.
Lord Void poured a glass of wine each and handed one to the Sorcerer-King before sitting down opposite him.
“Now...what can I do for you?” asked Lord Void politely.
“It’s simple actually,” said the Sorcerer-king. “As I am sure you are well aware, I have been sent by my master to retrieve an objecthipoteca credito francisco gonzalez vargas of certain.... value for him. Now, it would be far more efficient and advantageous for me if I were to have a fighting force at my command. Say fifty to two hundred soldiers, somewhere in that range.
“Naturally, it was my first thought to turn to you in this need. Of the nations here, you are the most.... amenable to my master, and I don't desire to work with mercenaries: they’re too smart to be worth the effort.”
“I can see what you want,” said Lord Void. “What do you have to offer?”
“Slaves.” stated the Sorcerer-King simply.
Lord Void's eyes lit up.
“I have just recently captured a whole shipload of Crusaders, all simple-minded commoners. They are two hundred total.”
“You still have the ship?” asked Lord Void eagerly.
“Yes.”
“That is most satisfactory…” mused Lord Void.
“I would also like...a small battle dragon, if that is possible.”
Lord Void thought a moment. “Two hundred slaves will get you one hundred and seventy five well trained-soldiers. If the ship is in prime condition, you can have your dragon. Do we have a deal?”
“I believe that that would be a most qualified yes,” said the Sorcerer-Kng.
“In that case, I will inform my generals to detach a company of my infantry to your command,” said Lord Void. “The slaves and ship are?”
“Currently, they are situated in the desert near your border with the Royal Knights,” the Sorcerer-Kng informed him. “They are yours to pick up whenever you so desire.”
“I believe our business is finished then,” said Lord Void. “Shall I have the slaves prepare you a room?”
“No thank you,” replied the Sorcerer-King, “I will be off as soon as the soldiers are ready.” He didn’t say so out loud, but they both knew that it was wiser that way. It was dangerous for two evil magicians of their power to remain together too long, even allied.
“Then I bid you farewell,” said Lord Void, and he turned to return to his rooms, and his problems. “It was a.... pleasure, doing business with you.”
The Sorcerer-King nodded, and they both left.
Lord Void was pleased with his deal with the Sorcerer-King. He pushed aside the thoughts of Reno’s escape and turned to his military commander, Sir Erin Del Grakken. Del Grakken was a large, beefy man sporting a bushy red beard and matching eyebrows. He was a shrewd, gruff, and swore constantly. However, his mind was ‘like a saber, sharp and swift’, as one of his braver sub-commanders put it.
“Del Grakken, contact Sergeant Caimlin via telaharm and inform him his loyalties and two hundred of his men are now to the Sorcerer-King. Also contact Pelmeir at the Dragon Stables and tell him to prepare a medium troop-standard dragon for the Sorcerer-King. After you have finished those tasks, send four hundred men into Royal Knight land to fetch my new slaves. Also have your men dismantle the ship and have the component parts brought back here,” ordered Lord Void.
Del Grakken saluted crisply and stomped off, barking orders. Lord Void returned to his room and threw the twin Pendants into a cupboard.
Those can wait for now...
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