Sword of the Stars Part 4
Patience
General Talpa paced back and forth in the charred ruins of Redwood's Clearing. The survivors of the town had been sent to other villages of the nation, accompanied by a troop of soldiers and shipped in prison wagons. Redwood had fallen without much resistance, but Garrania would not be as easy. Talpa's remaining soldiers were lounging around. Most were at the camp several miles further back from the town, but Talpa had ordered fifty or so to accompany him here to help guard Ling. Some were wiping their blades clean; others were eating, sleeping or talking. None approached him, though. They feared him, and he liked it that way. Fear made individuals obey without question, and humans were particularly fearful life forms. Easy to manipulate, too.
Talpa halted in front of Ling and folded his arms impatiently. "How much longer is this going to take?"
Ling looked up at him, seated cross-legged on the ground. He eyes were glowing like green fire. "Be patient, General," she spat. "This takes time. Especially for a group of people this large. The less distance between them and me, the easier it is to teleport them. I need just a little more time."
"Time is not on our side, Sorceress," Talpa countered. "Quickly!"
Ling glared and resumed her meditation. Soon after, a silver portal opened up. It was seven feet tall and eight feet wide. From out of the portal marched soldiers. Infantry, cavalry, and wagons of supplies. They filled Redwood's Clearing to the brim. Talpa smiled in delight. This force, added to his own army, gave him approximately six thousand men. Not a bad start.
Ling stood up and smiled at Talpa. "There. Are you satisfied?"
"Very," Talpa replied. "But this isn't the whole army, is it?"
"Of course not!" Ling snapped. "Ten thousand more will come, in little groups." Ling laughed. "Those Garranian fools! They will expect us to take much longer than we are to get there! We will take them with ease!"
Talpa laughed with her. Several soldiers looked at them in shock. "Soon, Ling, soon our kind will finally be free, and our master will be revitalized!"
~*~
Yohan moved further back into the bushes as the laughs of Talpa and Ling echoed throughout the forest. His mage-enhanced hearing had allowed him to hear every word they had said. /Garrania is next?/ he thought. /Soon, the entire world will be under Grantis' rule./ He straightened his blue robes and stroked his white beard. /If only I'd gotten here sooner...I might have been able to do something to help Redwood./
Yohan shook his head sadly. How many residents had died during the attack? He didn't want to know. However, his senses told him the one he'd been searching for was not among the dead. And thank the gods for that. I must find him.
Yohan reached out with his mage-sense and searched for the one he sought after. He felt the boy's energy moving toward Garrania. /No... He is in danger there. I must go./
Using a fraction of his magic to cloak his presence, Yohan crept slowly and quietly away from the town of Redwood's Clearing and started his journey to Garrania.
TBC...
Ah...'tis short, no? ^_^;;; Oh, well...
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