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The BloodVaine EpicChapter 68: Advancing North
Talistrand had come alive with preparations for the invasion. Bernard Quorandis wanted to leave in three days. A fleet had to be put together, provisions had to be found, and the soldiers had to reach the city from across the kingdom.
And it was done. Three days after the council, the fleet of ten mighty man-o’-wars was ready to leave the harbor. Four ships carried no passengers save the horses of the Cavaliers and Club Knights. Three carried the Club Knights and the footmen. One, the Redscythe, which was smaller than the other vessels somewhat, carried extra provisions, the engineers, healers, and the assorted people who were going to fight, but were not attached to any particular company. The Sorcerer-King’s dragon and his keepers were also aboard.
Among these were Elwen and Jayko. The Old Man had sent Elwen away. His reasons were unknown. Sir Jayko, of course, had gone because Elwen was going. He was much pleased that they were on a different ship than Quorandis.
The Captain-General was onboard the flagship of the fleet, the Bombardier. The mighty Crusader ship was quartering not only the Dragon Master troops, but the bulk of the Cavaliers as well. Neither Broadside nor Targon was particularly pleased with the arrangement.
Prior to departure, Captain-general Quorandis addressed the Cavaliers at the docks.
“Men!” he cried. “Our world has been shaken to the foundations by the fall of our Emperor and the defeat of the Cavaliers. But we live on!
“BloodVaine is soon to be assailed from many angles. Even a sorcerer such as he cannot deal with all our challenges at once. It is likely that he will be watching the greatest threat to his power: the advancement of the Forestdwellers and their allies. His eye will be fixed eastwards, and he will draw on his Dragon Master allies.
It is in this atmosphere that we will strike. The Dragon Masters will be less than strongly guarded. BloodVaine will be unable to give aid.
“Do you think that they will prevail against us? I do not. The main host of the Emperor’s men may have perished, but we are Cavaliers still! Are we not the most renowned fighting force in all Dametreos? Are we not burning with the desire to avenge the honor of all our fallen comrades? Do we not have a mighty army at our backs?
“I tell you all this: we shall sweep through the Dragon Master deserts! The enemy, helping BloodVaine, and subverted by the insurgents, will not be able to face our onslaught! The Empire is not crushed under BloodVaine's heel! It shall rise again!”
Amid the cheers of the soldiers and the watching crowds, the invasion force sailed out of Talistrand harbor, pennants caught in the breeze, armor and weapons glinting in the sun.
BloodVaine had another enemy on the move.
The Talistrani fleet made good time north-westwards. It took but a few days to reach Black Knight waters. The Black Knight fleet was out in full battle colors, but no they met no squadrons large enough to challenge them, and most welcomed them, as they claimed to be enemies of BloodVaine and his Falcon allies, and they were vouched for by Jack Blackheart.
Blackheart was really amazed at himself, for what it was worth, he had never expected to see himself fight another great war after the orkish invasion. Yet here he was once again, and fighting alongside Jacques Broadside of all people.
Five days out from Talistrand, they passed the G Meridian, and crossed north of the 19th Parallel. They were now close to Dragon Master waters. Captain-general Quorandis intended to contact Governor Jarvick and his brother Drock about getting aid in helping fight the forces of Del Grakken.
They had no idea that Drock was gone, and the forces of the island Dragon Masters were massing.
Governor Jarvick was a far-seeing sorcerer.
The Talistrani fleet was anchored off the Dragon Master coast. Captain-general Quorandis, Colonel Elbadar, and the commander of the Club Knights had gone ashore to meet Governor Jarvick. The Governor himself was waiting at theschoolgirls xxx docks. His face was not a pleasant sight. A deep anger seemed to be burning under the surface.
"Captain-general," he addressed Quorandis. "I have been expecting you."
"Indeed?" said Quorandis, mildly surprised. "Then you know why I am here."
"To secure the aid of my people in liberating our mainland kinsmen," said Jarvick. "You shall have it, although we have little enough aid to give, for we are not a populous people, and thought must be given to the defence of the isles."
"Any help you can give would be most welcome," replied Quorandis. "How many men can you spare?"
"Only three hundred," replied Jarvick, "but they are as proficient as any in your fleet, even those elite soldiers commanded by Lord Marshal Targon. And I will come myself."
"Yourself?" said Elbadar, surprised. "Who will govern the isles?"
"I have lieutanents enough," said Jarvick, "and you will certainly have need of a sorceror."
"Could you not send your brother Drock?" asked Elbadar.
"My brother is no more," replied Jarvick, his voice cold. "He was obliterated with the Fire-breathing Fortress while helping to free those loyal to Lord Void. Were it not for this reason, I would not be coming. As it is, I have my own vengeance to exact on BloodVaine."
"You have my condolences," said Quorandis solemnly. "And while we mourn your brother's death, this is good news for us, for in the fall of the Fire-breathing Fortress, Del Grakken will have lost many of his best troops, and he will have lost his strongest fortress. Indeed, he may be dead."
"Nay!" said Jarvick. "Not yet. But let us waste no more time in talk. We have a sorceror to kill."
Less than four hours later, the fleet departed again, joined by another vessel. The luck of the fleet held: there was still a strong wind at their backs. A day out from the Dragon Master isles, the captains held a council on board the Bombardier, which created a peculiar feeling in Jack Blackheart's consciousness.
"We need to establish a landing point and a basic plan of invasion," said Quorandis at the start of the meeting.
"As everyone is well aware, the Dragon Masters of the mainland are completely landlocked. The ninja separate them from the sea to the south, and the Royal Knights to the west."
"I would recommend landing in Royal Knight soil," said Jarvick. "The Royal Knights have been very closely allied with you Legolanders for many years, and even though the Emperor is dead, they will respect that alliance, troubled as they are by the allies of BloodVaine."
"So, you recommend landing due west of Dragon Master land?" asked Elbadar. "My apologies Governor, but that is not a wise plan. While the land between the sea the border is narrow there, once you enter Dragon Master lands, you will be faced with the desert, at it's widest point. In addition with the destruction of the Fire-Breathing Fortress, BloodVaine's vassals will have set up command in one of the southeastern fortresses, most like Dark Dragon's Den. In my opinion it would be better to come at them from the south, and so avoid the desert."
"Except that the ninjas remain neutral," said the commander of the Club Knights, Sir Victor de Graff. "And Del Grakken will have consequently fortified that border the most. In addition, securing the Shogun's permission to pass through his lands could delay us indefinitely."
"Let us enter from the north then," suggested Quorandis. "That is Royal Knight land, and we should be able to march there with ease. The Dragon Masters will not be expecting an attack from that quarter, occupied as the Royal Knights are. We can enter through the Neverwood, which accords us a great amount of secrecy. Then, we can pass down the the eastern side of the Dragon Master realm, where there are more water sources and crops, and so come at the Dark Dragon's Den and the other fortresses from the north. And in doing so, we may well encounter men loyal to Lord Void."
The council nodded sagely in agreement with their general.
"Well gentlemen- and lady," Quorandis nodded at Elwen, "if there are no suggestions to the contrary, I suggest we adjourn to our own ships."
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