Apostles of Doom полностью

Trevin wobbled her head from side to side, as if not completely agreeing. “Incursion is a matter of perspective. Given that we know the D’Orcs have been with local orcs, presumably Crooked Sticks, that means that they are on the orcs’ home territory and doing nothing wrong. Under the current armistice, the incursion would be the alvar into orc territory.”

“What happened?” Jenn asked.

Trevin sighed. “Apparently the orcs and D’Orcs also spotted the alvar. They landed and armed up.”

“Not good,” Maelen said quietly.

“No, not good. The alvar went for reinforcements, reinforcements sufficient to take out the orcs and D’Orcs…” Trevin said, trailing off and shaking her head.

“How many were there?” Gastropé asked, thinking about Tal Gor; he would have to guess the shaman was one of the orcs.

“Five D’Orcs, six orcs and ten D’Wargs — four were apparently carrying supplies,” Trevin said.

“And how many alvar were judged sufficient to handle this?” Maelen asked. His tone implied skepticism as to whether the alvar had handled it.

“A forward party of forty alvar on forty hippogriffs, and a hidden rear party of another sixty pair to engage the orcs and D’Orcs from the rear after initial engagement. Of the alvar, ten were Rialto Alvaran knights, and they had a powerful wizard, Hetgar Fielos; someone I happen to know.”

Jenn made an indrawn breath. “That is like ten to one, plus a wizard. It must have been a massacre!”

“Not the way I bet you are thinking,” Gastropé said, thinking back to what he’d seen with Tom. Gastropé could not help remembering the way Tal Gor’s D’Warg had seemed ready to shred him.

“What do you mean?” Jenn looked over at him, seeming slightly annoyed.

“You are both correct,” Trevin said, looking even older than usual. “It was a complete massacre; the alvar had no chance. The orcs and D’Orcs suffered no casualties, only a few scratches to the orcs.”

“And the alvar?” Elrose asked with trepidation.

“A rout. Hetgar was forced to flee, teleport away after the last of the team went down. It seems there was a very powerful warlock with the orcs, who was able to fling Hetgar’s magic back at him.”

Gastropé furrowed his brow. Vaselle did not seem to fit the description of a powerful warlock. He wasn’t that much older than Gastropé and really didn’t seem to be quite so together as to do something like that. How many other warlocks could Tom have recruited? He was also not an orc. Tal Gor was an orc, but he was a shaman. One would think an alvaran wizard would know the difference.

Gastropé blinked in shock. Damien? Could a councilor succumb to such temptations? He shook his head; he needed to think more clearly. Damien was also not an orc, and there was no mention of a human. Besides, this was Tom and Damien he was talking about, not some actual dark lord.

Gastropé suddenly realized Trevin was still speaking. “They sent a rescue force, but by the time they arrived, the orcs and D’Orcs had burned most of the bodies. From the looks of the trails leading away, there were some survivors, now prisoners, but not very many. Trevin stood. “That is about all I have. I am going to go see if the courier knows more. I’ll let you know what I find out at high tea. I am going to have to make some long mirrorings in the next few days.”

Trevin left the room with the ensign, leaving the others in silent contemplation.

Suddenly Jenn spoke up, looking at Gastropé. “How did you know that the orcs would win?”

Gastropé got one of those sinking feelings in his stomach. “Well, I talked to a bunch of people who saw them, even as we all did. If D’Orcs make giant, battle-hardened orcs nervous, filled with awe, don’t you think they would be truly nightmarish in battle? Not to mention the fact that they are demons? We both know firsthand the sort of destruction they can cause; now imagine an orc demon.”

Jenn raised an eyebrow at him, thinking for a moment, before finally nodding. “I see your point.” She shook her head in what Gastropé assumed was dismay.

Elrose looked to Maelen. “Has war come?”

“It is not quite what I was expecting, not this front; however, it feels consistent and I did see orcs. Certainly demons of various sorts. Perhaps some were D’Orcs that I had no context for,” Maelen said. He shook his head. “Given what I have read, mainly here on the Nimbus, it would seem the orcs have good cause for claiming that the alvar have broken the armistice.”

“And that means?” Jenn interrupted.

Maelen shrugged. “When it comes to orcs and the alvar, the answer is generally war.”

“War…” Elrose repeated.

“Are we sure this is a good idea?” Sir Lady Serah asked as they peered around a very large stone boulder in the direction of the melted fortress.

“No,” Sir Samwell said quite decisively and distinctly through his helmet.