The Fire King by C. S. Marks

Author:C. S. Marks [Marks, C. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Parthian Press
Published: 2012-12-04T06:00:00+00:00

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Wrothgar had been preparing for this day for many years. He had assembled a far greater force than anyone was aware of, sending them forth a few at a time. They had amassed in quite respectable numbers within striking distance of each of the realms of Elves, Dwarves, and Men, including Tuathas, the Cavern-realms, the Greatwood Forest, and the City of Light. These underground armies went undetected, for they were hidden by the Shadowmancer’s art. He had placed them into a sort of dark sleep, to awaken only when he summoned them. Each force was commanded by a dark, fearsome Bödvar.

Wrothgar planned his uprising carefully, knowing that his dark forces would likely prevail in a surprise attack. After all, his power was at its peak, despite his leading Aincor to believe otherwise. Word reached Wrothgar’s ears that Tal-elathas had been “sealed”…that no emissaries had been allowed to warn their allies of the impending conflict. The Shadowmancer chuckled from within the flames of his stronghold. There would be no warning given. Everything was as he had predicted.

Aincor had been the one obstacle of real concern—Wrothgar had never met another like him. This Elf did not fear the Bödvari, a fact Wrothgar still could not fathom. Aincor had fortified Tal-elathas until it was impenetrable, or nearly so. His warriors were the fiercest in all of Alterra—they could summon their Light at will, though only Aincor could maintain it without tiring. Aincor believed himself to be invincible, which made him the most dangerous of enemies, one who is without fear. Still, Wrothgar knew that if all went according to plan, Aincor would be defeated. Wrothgar intended to lure him deep into his own dark realm, to put the King at a fatal disadvantage.

He positioned some of his forces, including one of his specially- bred dragons, in an outer battalion to the south of his stronghold. These would engage the Fire-heart, falling back before him, luring the Elven army ever-closer. Wrothgar would then send forth a much larger and more powerful defense force, although there would be no Bödvari—they had been sent to command his outer armies, which were already laying siege to the realms of Aincor’s allies.

It made little sense to risk the Bödvari to defend the Pale Fortress. Wrothgar already knew that Aincor could prevail over them. Bödvari relied on their two weapons: fear and flames, which they cast with deadly accuracy. Aincor, who had once defeated a dragon single-handed, was obviously not afraid of fire. And he didn’t even seem to be aware of the black, oppressive aura of fear surrounding the Bödvari; he charged forward with his dragon-shield before him, his Inner Light flaring, blinding and slaying them before they could even react.

Wrothgar would need to rely on his legions of Ulcas, his remaining dragons, trolls, savage men, and other dread creatures. He hoped that the sheer numbers of his defenders would fell the majority of Aincor’s warriors, but if not, he was unconcerned. It didn’t matter whether he faced five attackers, or five hundred, or five thousand, or merely Aincor himself.

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