Paragon of Destruction

Kaleesh did not speak as they moved toward the group of Darians, and from his furrowed brow, Arran knew that the captain was devising a strategy for the encounter.

Or rather, choosing one of the strategies he'd already prepared.

Arran did not think for a moment that Kaleesh had not already planned for the possibility of encountering a Lord in these lands. Most likely, he'd gone over every single thing that could happen a hundred times, preparing plans for every possible obstacle they might face.

That had been the single greatest secret contained in the captain's manuscripts — the value of relentless preparation. And mundane though it might be, that made it no less effective.

It only took a few minutes before they saw the Darians appear on the road before them, and immediately, Arran realized that he'd been mistaken.

There was no Lord in the group of Darians. Rather, there was a Lady, and she looked every bit as formidable as the two Lords he'd met.

Though she was both short and slight of build, she moved with the easy confidence of a warrior who'd fought — and won — hundreds of battles. And at her side, there was a slender Living Shadow saber, which she wore so naturally that it almost seemed to be part of her body.

Yet despite her obvious power, Arran could not help but notice that she was beautiful, as well. With a head full of light-brown curls, intelligent eyes, and full lips that carried a hint of a smile, there was a radiant vitality to her that immediately caught his interest.

The same, however, could not be said for her companions.

Next to the Lady, there was a tall Knight — a gray-haired man with cold eyes and a lean but muscular build. There was something about the man that exuded threat, a tenseness that reminded Arran of a drawn warbow, ready to snap into action at the slightest provocation.

Had he not known that the Lady was far more powerful, the Knight's appearance would immediately have set him on edge. And as it was, he still regarded the man with some unease.

Behind the two leaders followed two dozen Rangers, and from the way they looked at the group of mercenaries, it was obvious that they were eager for a fight — and the spoils it would bring.

Because while they all carried starmetal swords, there was only one among them who wore starmetal armor.

Still, Arran only barely spared the Rangers a second glance. They posed no serious threat — not compared to their leaders.

It wasn't long before the group of mercenaries reached the Darians, and when they did, Kaleesh brought his group to a halt with a gesture.

For a moment, the two groups stood in silence, the mercenaries looking at the Lady uneasily as she looked at them with curious eyes.

Then, finally, she spoke.

"So the rumors were true," she said. "A company of outsiders, clad in armor fit for Knights and bearing Rannoc's mark." She cast a glance at the captain, and asked, "What business have you in my lands?"

At once, the captain bowed deeply. "We are honored to be in your presence, Lady Raina." He turned to the Knight and offered a second bow, though smaller than the first. "And your consort's, as well."

A small smile crossed the Lady's lips. "If you know who I am, then you must know that I dislike having my questions go unanswered. Why are you here?"

"My Lady," Kaleesh replied, "with your permission, we are traveling to the Desolation, to do battle against the Blight."

"Though I am a Lady, I am not yours," she said. "Call me Lady Raina. And you do not have my permission to continue your journey — not yet, at least."

"My—" Kaleesh began, then corrected himself, "Lady Raina, if you object to us traveling through your lands, we will depart immediately."

She responded with an amused laugh. "There's no need for you to be so hasty in leaving. First, introduce yourself."

"My name is Kaleesh," the captain replied. "I am the captain of the Wolfsblood Company. And if we have given offense by entering your lands unannounced, then—"

"Offense?" she interrupted him. "How could I be offended by a group of brave warriors wishing to do battle against the Blight?" She shook her head, then gave Kaleesh a smile that held a faint trace of menace. "I merely came to welcome you. With you traveling to the Desolation, it would be a stain upon my honor if I did not invite you for a feast."

"Lady Raina," the captain said cautiously, "you honor us too much. There is no need for such a welcome — we merely wish to reach the Desolation as soon as possible."

"Nonsense," she said, in a tone that brooked no argument. "My home is just half a day's travel from here. You will accompany us there, and you will accept my hospitality."

Kaleesh briefly looked as if he was about to object, but then, he nodded in acquiescence. "Of course, Lady Raina. We are most grateful to accept your invitation."

Arran thought the captain's decision a wise one.

Though Lady Raina looked friendly enough, he had already realized that she was far more dangerous than the Knight beside her — and not just because she was more powerful.

They set off again some minutes later, the group of mercenaries following a small distance behind the Darians.

A few of Arran's companions seemed eager at the chance to enjoy some long-awaited comforts, but the wiser ones among them looked every bit as worried as Arran felt.

The Rangers' envious looks at their armor were hard to miss, and he had little doubt that their leader would gladly take the mercenaries' equipment — if she could do so without retribution from Rannoc.

Which meant that right now, only the Lady's doubts about their relation to Rannoc protected them. And if those doubts disappeared, their protection would disappear, as well.

Yet there was no chance to discuss the matter with Kaleesh — not with the Darians nearby. And so, the only thing Arran could do was trust that the captain had some sort of plan.

They traveled through the afternoon, and when evening was beginning to fall, they reached a large town with a massive fortress at its center — Lady Raina's home.

As Arran looked at it, he could not help but furrow his brow in wonder at the sight.

Even from a distance, he could see that the fortress was at least as large as the town around it, with thick, towering walls and a heavy metal gate that seemed like it could withstand entire armies.

But while the fortress was vast and imposing, clearly built for the brutality of war, the town around it was lively with commerce, with groups of merchants and laborers slowly moving past the humble stores that lined the streets.

Had the gargantuan fortress at its center not been there, Arran would have thought the town utterly unremarkable — no different from the many towns he'd visited in his travels.

Yet here, a vast stronghold loomed over the otherwise peaceful town, serving as a constant reminder of the wars it had been built to weather.

The contrast was a strange one, but Arran soon realized that it made sense.

They were close enough to the Desolation that the stronghold must have been built to withstand the Blight — a bulwark meant to hold these lands no matter how strong the enemy might be.

Yet so large a fortress would require a constant stream of supplies, as well as the services of numerous craftsmen and laborers.

And that, he guessed, had caused a town to emerge around the giant fortress.

While Arran looked at the town in wonder as they made their way to the fortress at its center, it appeared that the townsfolk were no less puzzled by the group of armored mercenaries.

It wasn't long before a sizable crowd had gathered on either side of the streets where they passed, the commoners pointing and whispering as they stared at the outsiders.

Arran's giant sword in particular drew no small amount of attention. Some of the onlookers looked at it with barely veiled awe, while others gave Arran envious glares. And a few merely laughed and jeered.

"Tryin' to make up for something, outsider?" a woman's voice yelled as he walked past, causing a ripple of laughter to run through the crowd.

Arran paid the insults little mind. Instead, his thoughts were focused on what they would face within the fortress — what would happen when Lady Raina decided whether or not to risk offending Rannoc.

It wasn't long before they left the busy streets behind and passed through the fortress's massive gates, where they found a courtyard large enough to almost be called a town itself.

The area held numerous barracks, shops, and other buildings, but there were several large open areas as well, where Arran could see hundreds of soldiers training.

And at the center of the area, there stood a massive keep, even more heavily fortified than the fortress itself.

Its walls were tall and thick, and the land around it was empty — doubtless left open for archers atop the keep's walls. Moreover, it was encircled by a wide moat, with only a narrow stone bridge providing a path to its gate.

As Arran looked at it, he could not help but wonder just how terrifying the Blight was, for the Darians to have erected such elaborate defenses.

His thoughts were cut short, however, when Lady Raina's group came to a halt. And a moment later, the Lady herself approached.

"Leave your troops here," she said to Kaleesh. "My servants will see to it that they're given food and sleeping quarters."

There was a glint of cunning in her eyes as she spoke, and for a moment, Arran felt a surge of worry as he was certain that she was trying to separate the captain from his troops.

But barely a moment later, he realized she had no need to do so.

Even by herself, she was strong enough to defeat all the mercenaries effortlessly. Whether the captain and his troops were together made no difference whatsoever.

Which could only mean that she was waiting to see how Kaleesh would respond — to see how confident he was in Rannoc's protection.

"Certainly," the captain replied in an unconcerned voice. Apparently, he had recognized the trap as well. He gestured at Arran, and continued, "But I would request that you allow my second-in-command to join us."

"Of course," Lady Raina said. "Come along. I will have my stewards prepare baths and clothes for the two of you."

Though she smiled as she spoke, Arran thought he saw a trace of disappointment in her eyes before she turned around and began to head for the keep, with the Knight and several Rangers following behind her.

It seemed they had passed the first test, but he had no doubt that more would follow. And if they failed even one, the consequences would be dire.