Grand Game 419: The Visitor (Patreon)

I leaned across the table. “Tell me about these soldiers,” I said intently.

“We’ve asked for volunteers from our personal guards,” Lorn replied. “Men and women willing to serve under you.”

“We will outfit them, of course,” Stormhammer said.

“Many more volunteered than we could easily accommodate,” Gamil added, and in the end, Elron decided an even two thousand would be a good number.”

Two thousand. That was double what I’d asked for, and despite everything else, I couldn’t help but be grateful for their generosity.

“The force will be drawn equally from the four council guards and split into individual companies,” Elron said. “Five hundred dark elf archers. Five hundred human calvary. Five hundred heavy dwarven infantry. And five hundred orc skirmishers. All veterans, and all under the command of Algar.”

My eyebrows rose. “Algar?”

“He has asked to accompany you,” Elron explained, his lips turning down. “And while I’d hate to see him go, I think he will make for an excellent commander of your four companies.”

I nodded slowly. “And you’re sure the soldiers are all volunteers? None has been coerced or harbors ill-intent?”

“We have made it clear that each and every man and woman will have to swear their oaths directly to you,” Lorn said.

“They’ve also been warned that any mistruths will be sniffed out,” Stormhammer added.

I glanced at him questioningly.

“By your companion, Ghost,” he explained. “Where is she, anyway?”

“Out shopping with Nyra,” I replied absently. I was still trying to wrap my head around the notion that I commanded an army—if a small one—that I spoke more unthinkingly than I should have.

“Ah yes,” Elron murmured. “Your new apprentice.”

“Who is a player, too,” Gamil remarked.

I refocused on the councilors. “Is there a problem?”

The four exchanged glances before finally fielding the question to Lorn. “Minakawa has made… accusations,” he said.

My mouth twisted sourly. The dark elf captain was an irritant that kept coming back to haunt me. “I should have killed him that first day on the wall,” I mused aloud.

My words surprised a sympathetic chuckle from Stormhammer, but the other three studiously ignored them.

“What’s the idiot saying now?” I asked wearily.

“That your apprentice killed Sienna,” Lorn said.

I sighed.

Gamil’s eyes narrowed. “Did she?”

“She did,” I replied forthrightly. “She was the assassin Carnien hired.”

That set them aback, and for a moment, they looked at a loss on how to proceed. “Did Minakawa also happen to mention he hired Nyra to kill me?” I asked, letting my question drop into the sudden silence.

Elron’s lips tightened. “No. He did not.”

“That’s how I met her, you know,” I said. “In one of the city’s alleys after she tracked me down.”

“Interesting,” Lorn said, rubbing his chin. “Do you mind if we speak to the girl and see if she has proof of Minakawa’s wrongdoing?”

“Go ahead,” I said. “But be sure it’s talk only that you have in mind,” I warned. “Nyra is under my protection. No one will harm her.”

The orc chief inclined his head. “Understood.” He glanced at Elron, who nodded. “Then leave Minakawa to us. We will see to it that he pays for his misdeeds.”

“Alright,” I conceded. “But if he interferes with my plans again, I will deal with him myself—harshly.”

“As will be your right,” Stormhammer pronounced before any of the others could comment.

Gamil’s brows creased. “Minakawa is only one half of the problem, though. The girl… Nyra, you know she can’t remain in the city?”

I flicked my hand dismissively. “That will not be a problem. Nyra will be leaving with me.”

“Ah, good,” he said, sitting back in relief.

“She truly is a player then?” Elron asked softly.

I nodded. My lips compressed, I studied the councilors. The four surely had to be wondering about the same thing I was. Did it bear mentioning?

It does, I decided.

“You four understand that hiding out in Draven’s Reach is only a stopgap measure, right? Sooner or later, more players will be born into New Haven’s populace, and some of them will want power of their own.”

What will you do then?

“We realize that,” Lorn said, sighing heavily. “And we know we can’t hide from the Game forever. The city and the people need time, though. Eventually, we will come up with a better solution.”

“A better solution,” I murmured. I only hoped it wasn’t one that ended up with New Haven persecuting its newborn players. Still, I had said my piece, and they had been warned of the dangers in store for them. It was now for the council to decide how New Haven would deal with its future players.

I rose to my feet. “You have my heartfelt thanks for everything, but it’s time I took my leave. I still plan on leaving the city today, and before that can happen, there are multiple arrangements I have to make.”

I’d planned to outfit only Nyra, Ghost, and myself. Now, it seemed I had another two thousand dependents to consider. And while the four companies of soldiers were a welcome addition, I was sure keeping them fed, equipped, and provisioned was going to give me more than a few headaches.

Lorn held up his hand. “Bear with us a little longer, please, Michael. You see, while you were away, we had a visitor.”

I frowned. “A visitor?”

“We’ve kept him waiting long enough,” Stormhammer muttered. Raising his head, the thane barked, “Send him in!”

✵ ✵ ✵

A possessed stepped through the door.

It was no one I knew, but there could be no doubt as to the visitor’s nature. A thin red line running front-to-back bisected the human’s bald head. At some point, his skull had been cracked open—in what must have been a fatal blow—yet the ‘visitor’ was still walking around none the worse, and while the injury had been neatly stitched up, there was no disguising the ugly red of an unhealed wound.

My hand dropping to my blades, I drew psi in readiness.

“Woah there, Michael,” the possessed said, raising his arms in surrender, “at least hear me out before you kill me.”

My frown deepened. There was a familiarity to the man’s tone, but I was sure I’d never met him before.

That, though, didn’t mean I didn’t know the spirit residing within.

“Analyze me,” he said with a knowing grin.

Gathering my will, I did just that.

The target is Regus, a level 179 human.

“Regus!” I muttered. The last time I’d seen the former archlich’s head of security, he’d been in a dwarven body and serving as Farren’s right-hand man.

“You’ve dropped the disguise, I see,” he observed. “Taim’s time is done, eh?”

I nodded. “Where’s that bloody maul of yours?” I asked, blurting out the first question that occurred to me.

The possessed grinned. “Back in my room. It wouldn’t do to come to a parley armed, after all,” he said, with a pointed glare at my own swords.

My eyes narrowed. “Is that what this is?” I asked, turning sideways to address the councilors too. “A parley?”

Lorn nodded. “Regus is here as archlich Farren’s representative. He came through the underground tunnel with a small group of other possessed—” the orc shot the possessed a warning look—“whom, I take it, are still safely confined in their rooms?”

Regus inclined his head. “Of course, chief. I’ve not strayed from your instructions.”

“We’ve already had preliminary discussions with Regus,” Gamil said, “and we believe we can find common ground with the new archlich.”

Stormhammer scowled. “Let’s not be too hasty to jump back in bed with those devils. Until Michael confirms everything coming out of this damned creature’s mouth, there will be no treaty.”

Regus struggled valiantly to keep his expression impassive in the face of the thane’s insults, but he couldn’t stop his jaw from tightening or his brows from drawing down.

I snorted. If Regus was this easily riled, he was certainly no diplomat, and he was going to have a hard time dealing with the brusque thane. Which begged the question: why had Farren chosen Regus as his representative?

“Why you, Regus?” I asked. “Why did Farren send you of all the possessed in his court?”

“Mostly, to deal with Castor.” He smiled. “Although I see you’ve already taken care of the wretch.”

I shook my head, not about to be sidetracked. “There are dozens of others back in the court who could deal with Castor—ones not tasked with seeing to the court’s security. So, why send you?” I persisted.

Regus’ smile faded. “Perhaps we should reconvene this meeting for later,” he said, directing his words to the councilors. “Michael and I require a moment in private.”

“No,” I said before Stormhammer could. “Whatever you have to say, it’s best if the council hears it too.”

The possessed hesitated.

“Sit, Regus,” Lorn said, gesturing to one of the empty seats. “Michael is right. There can be no alliance between our people again, until we reestablish grounds for trust.”

With a sigh, the possessed strode forward. “I hope you don’t come to regret this, Wolf,” he muttered under his breath as he brushed past me.

I hope so, too, I thought.