For the Glory of Thay

[Silas North]

(Part 1 of 2)

Traitor!!!
It was not the first time Rivis had such an insult thrown his way this wretched night, nor was the wielder of the claim the first man to fall to a single swing of his sword. Anger transformed into shock within the features of the screaming foe as he fell to his side, last moments spent questioning exactly what direction his former leader’s fatal blade struck from. Rivis turned not a second glance to his would-be opponent. Let the fool bleed and his corpse burn in the fires that took more of the Thayan enclave with each passing moment. Greed and a petty thirst for revenge had sealed the fate of the Black Wolf Mercenaries this night. As eager as he was to butcher the ones that dared spew forth ironic claims that HE was the betrayer in this tale, there were more important things to worry about.
“Rivis!” a familiar voice called out, carrying with it enough clarity to put the swordsman’s mind at ease. Senia was still alive, sounded well, and accompanied by her most loyal and trustworthy slave Treysha, as well as three of her Thayan Knights, tall soldiers clad in red armor, large thick shields ready to repel any sudden assault and sharp, powerful swords ready to return attacks tenfold.
Senia Ankhel was a beauty, a slender woman with skin like white porcelain. Her long raven black hair hung down freely along the back of her neck, still perfectly kept and in place despite the chaos taking place all around them. Unlike most Red Wizards, Senia did not bare magical tattoos upon her head, but rather along her arms, back, and various other places Rivis had the privilege of seeing firsthand. Perhaps her most fetching quality, or intimidating if you were unfortunate enough to be her enemy, was her eyes. The deep purple gaze held great mystery and never revealed positive illustrations as to what exactly she was thinking, leaving many to wonder and often assume the worst as to what exactly was on the mind of this powerful necromancer. This was the damned mind game she played with everyone, even people like Rivis while the very enclave she was placed in charge of burned to the ground.
“Seems we have no choice but to flee for the time being.” Senia stated, a casual glance given to the chaos around her as she held the quivering Treysha close to her. “That damn Yezin truly went all-out.”
“Yezin?” Rivis asked “You think this is his doing?”
“The desperation in this assault is thick enough to choke a camel. Besides, they knew of my escape tunnel. Only Yezin knew of its existence.”
“What do you suggest?”
“My knights have secured what looks to be a safe escape route along the western trail. These former comrades of yours do not seem capable of even basic tactics without you to lead them”
As if on cue, another of the mercenaries emerged from the blaze charging toward the group. Rivis struck him down with the same lack of mercy and remorse as the last before Senia continued.
“I need you to get as many of those hairy dimwits as you can and head west for the Tealwood Outpost.”
Rivis smirked and nodded. Senia was of course referring to the many gnoll soldiers under her command. Dimwits they may have been, but fierce warriors and far more loyal than many would assume.
“Do try to stay alive Rivis.” such words by the wizardess were quite common before she departed his company, laced with a tone and smile Rivis had partially accepted being unable to ever understand.
Rivis made not a move until he was certain Senia was safe and out of view. This left him open to the assault of another of his spurned former comrades, whose battle cries were cut short as the sword of another sunk into his back, bursting from his front in a spray of red. Rivis turned to meet the gaze of the dying mercenary and the young man peeking over his shoulder taking almost a sense of glee at the blood spilled and agony brought forth from his strike. The mercenary tried to speak, only to have the blade protruding from his stomach twisted while it was still within him, silencing his words and bringing him a grunt of pain.
“Oh no.” the young man said. “Filth like you doesn’t get a chance for final words.” With that, he pulled his sword free it an upward angle, slicing along his victim’s heart and putting an end to his suffering.
“Thank you Nellik.” Rivis stated with a nod, quickly followed by a look of mild surprise when Nellik held the tip of his blade no more than 3 inches from his neck.
“I ought to cut out your f--ing throat for this.” his free hand motioned to the chaos and fire around them. “The enclave’s gone. I had a decent thing going on here dammit then your former merc boys show up and torch the place!”
The two swordsmen turned away from each other, their focus seized by the sounds of battle closing in. Their backs pressed against each other and their weapons up and ready.
“Don’t expect me to apologize.”
“Fine, just be sure to tell Senia how I saved your worthless ass.”
“Fair enough. But first, I need to get the gnolls to Tealwood.”
“Just throw a damn stick and yell ‘fetch’.”
Several mercenaries stepped from fallen structures and still burning trees. Their various weapons hungry for the blood of Rivis.
“Think you can handle a few more?” Rivis tilted his head slightly
“Think you can be a good sport about me smearing your former teammates’ entrails all over these grounds?” Nellik answered back with a wicked smile.
“Do as you wish. Garbage needs to be disposed of properly after all.”
With that said, the last bearers of the Black Wolf Mercenaries’ mark charged forward.

[Silas North]

(Part 2 of 2)

“Sundren?”
Rivis looked to Senia with a questioning gaze and gained a playful smirk in return.
“Yes, you pronounced it just perfectly dear. Do you wish to repeat it for good measure so you do not look like a fool in front of the locals when you get there?”
The two of them were in the comfort of a large tent bearing the same red color as the robes Senia wore. A simple enchantment of the wizard’s design had made the fabric of the tent as soundproof as a three foot thick wall of stone, keeping their conversation private even to the red armored knights standing diligently just outside.
“I do not understand. Why not one of your knights or slaves?”
“Oh I intend on sending one of my servants. Nellik is coming with you.”
Rivis shook his head, “But why me? “
Senia sighed, slowly standing from her thick well-cushioned chair, a stark contrast to the rickety wooden one Rivis sat upon, which looked almost ready to break under the weight of the swordsman and his armor.
“You are really going to make me say it, aren’t you?” Her words sounded like a little girl pouting after not getting her way. The reason for this tone Rivis was not very certain of, though he anticipated it had something to do with the fact that he was not officially a knight or a slave under her charge. Anything she asked for could end in the immediate refusal on his behalf and a resignation as his role a commander of her gnoll platoon. This did not seem like the kind of mission he was right for anyway, though he had to admit to being curious as to how Senia would approach this matter without the reliance of her little head games. No, if she wished for him to do something special for her, then Senia was going to have to give him a straight explanation for once.
“I trust you Rivis.”
A simple explanation, but it was an honest one. As difficult as she was to read, Rivis knew Senia was telling the truth. Their gazes met and silence came over them for what seemed a long period of time before the wizardess spoke again, unrolling a map along the table before the swordsman.
“It is a fair distance away, but closer than anything else worthwhile.”
Rivis noted the circled section on the map.
“I have to confess I am not exactly certain where the enclave is located in the area, nor do I recall the name of the person in charge there.”
“So, I am going in blind. You are not making this easy for me.”
“You have handled much worse as I recall.”
“Perhaps, but what exactly would I tell them?”
“Tell them what happened at Shadewood. They should be able to send word to Thay far quicker than I can, thanks to everything I lost in that damn fire. I still have to send a team to see if anything can be salvaged, while watching out for another potential assault.”
Senia sat back down, her voice taking on the stern tone it typically did when discussing business. Even in matters this important though, her speech was laced with the occasional alluring smile and gesture here and there so simple and yet seeming to take a hold of the swordsman’s will and bending it to the point where the words of the wizard simply became absorbed into his being, more as a command that he simply could not resist than a request.
“Also, be certain to mention that Yezin was involved.” the wizard added in.
“Are you certain I should mention him?” Rivis asked “They may not be pleased if I show up with only an accusation and a theory.”
Senia snickered lightly, barely holding back much deeper laughter.
“Yezin Kaza is a fool of a man whose idiocy and desperation to once again look good in the eyes of his superiors is well-known. I do not think you have to worry too much about that.”
This much was true. Yezin had lost more than half of the knights and gnolls he was issued due to his incompetence in dealing with the orc threat around Shadewood. A talented transmuter he was, but a horrible strategist and an even worse businessman. The worst part, was that he was unwilling to adjust his methods even after months of failure. In his eyes, it was all bad luck or the incompetence of others rather than any shortcoming that he simply could not possess in his mind. He was shamefully removed from his position and Senia was put there in his place. Unlike Yezin, Senia was a success, and his outbursts and tantrums toward this were somewhat well-known. Senia has always suspected he would attempt something to make her look bad in the eyes of the Red Wizard community for nothing more than a hunger for revenge.
“Very well, and what about your name?” Rivis asked, snapping Senia free of the amusement she was finding in recalling the transmuter’s stupidity.
“Feel free to use it if the situation seems right. Just do not throw it all over the place. I trust your judgment well enough.”
Another indication of her trust. It was made somewhat casually, but it was still present and filled the swordsman with pride.
“This may come in handy as well. “ The wizard pulled from her robes a well-crafted gold ring with a round red stone atop it cut smooth and soft, yet reflecting the light of the small hovering stones bringing light from the four corners of the tent.
“If they do not believe I sent you, give this to them and tell them to put it on. Just be sure to give it to a Red Wizard my dear for the mental strain will likely kill a lesser man.”
Rivis could not help but raise a brow to the almost dark way Senia was smiling as she said this. Regardless, he placed the ring within a pouch at his side.
“Do not let me down Rivis.”
“Do not worry” the swordsman said confidently, “I won’t.”