Fire and Ash part 2
With the detailed instructions, infiltrating the governor's base was easy. With knowledge of what protections were in place, killing him was a pleasure. Taking everything off the body was a bit of a task, he was loaded with more items that Ash thought possible. Giving an item of power from the body to his hawk, one to his wolf, and one to a badger, they split up. Ash had the key to the prison.
The escape went well. The badger was caught, but it had served its purpose. Miles away, Ash met with the elf at the pre-determined location. "Skilled as advertised, well done. Don't' ruin it be attacking, there is more to do and tell." Ash watched the area as the elf used the key. Minutes later, there was a thump as if things hit the ground. Turning, Ash saw seven orcs. The were unharmed it seemed. Among them were Ajax and Vor'Ruk.
After taking a few minutes to orient themselves, the elf spoke as Ash watched the area.
"My name is Tchau, some of you know me, but I promise I mean you no harm now. You have been trapped for years and I have helped have you freed. Let me be brief and to the point. Kallark has been destroyed, the world is rising up against Iottian rule again. The battle will be long a terrible and no one will win. But we have a chance the effect that." He directed he stare and Ajax and Vor'Ruk.
"Without Kallark as a buffer, Sutyr will now have more direct influence over Iott. Kallark's clerics and faithful are already moving to worship him. Iott's anger at Kallark's defeat will dwarf their anger at the breaking of magic, and that anger will take the form of a worse form of warfare. I know this because I have traveled to the Plane of Fire, where Sutyr is well known. Because I have consulted Russell and Kay, two of the most knowledgeable wizards I know about these matters."
Most of the orcs looked as if this was all above their station, but Ajax and one other did not. They resigned to listen more as the elf spoke quickly.
"The Guardians have spent years warning of the threat of Sutyr and at great cost to them, they have helped to burn out his cult in many places. But he needs to be defeated in Baenrl, at his heart, to be banished from Habololy. I can't do it, for obvious reasons, my powers don't do much to his faithful. But several of you can."
"Lukius, as high cleric of the Oldest Orc, you can pray for the blessing that will allow this to happen. Ajax, as the most powerful agent of Stasis, you possess a power almost no one else has right now, the power to Gate. You two must join the going army in Baenrl and help defeat Sutyr."
Turning to Vor'Ruk, the elf spoke again, "You have a different role. Hopefully you have some sense of this, but you are already dead. You had been dying over and over before Iott trapped you. I know why, and so does Iott. On the Day Magic was Broken, you were subject to powerspell spells, which when cast in the circle when the weave was intact, echo again and again. Each time you came back, the spells brought you and what you needed to complete the spell, the weapon City Cleaver. They trapped you to stop you from dying and doing it again."
He sighed, "I say this with no pleasure. To defeat Iott, to make sure Sutyr is banished, you have to die one more time."
Ash looked at Ajax, and then Vor'Ruk. With a slight smile, he said, "You're welcome?"