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dreams. Often in the past he had dreamed of Anaya, the lost love of his life, and more
recently the alluring vision of Hermathya had haunted him, often banishing Anaya from
his thoughts.
Now, since he had come to Sithelbec, a third woman intruded herself in his
dreams the human woman who had saved him from General Giarna when he had been
captured. The trio of females waged a silent but forceful war in his subconscious.
Consequently his periods of true sleep were few in number.
Finally the week was over, and in the middle of a dark night, he left the fortress upon
the back of Arcuballis. This time his flight was short, a mere fifteen miles to the east. He
made for the wide clearing, surrounded by a dense ring of forest, that he had established.
He was pleased when the Windriders, under the young, capable Captain Hallus,
arrived on schedule. Four thousand elves of Silvanost had also camped here, providing
him with substantial reinforcement. Sithas left fresh orders and flew back to the fortress
before darkness broke. Few realized he had ever been gone.
It only remained to see whether Dunbarth and his dwarves would fulfill their part of
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the bargain, but Kith-Kanan had few worries on this score. One more day had to pass
before their deadline.
* * * * *
Kencathedrus and Parnigar had done their work well. Kith-Kanan emerged from the
captain's room at sunset to find the fortress of Sithelbec alive with tension and subdued
excitement. Troops cleaned their weapons or oiled their armor. The elven horsemen fed
and saddled their mounts, preparing for the sortie that was coming. Archers checked their
bowstrings and gathered stores of extra arrows beside their positions.
Kith-Kanan walked among them, stopping to clap a warrior on the shoulder here or
to ask a quiet question there. Word of his return spread through the fortress, and the activities
of the Wildrunners took on a dramatic degree of purpose and determination.
Rumors spread like smoke on the wind. The Wildrunners would make a grand
attack! An elven army gathered on the plains beyond the fortress! The morale of the
human army had crumbled. They would be routed if faced with a vigorous sortie!
Kith-Kanan made no attempt to dispute these rumors.
Indeed, his tight-lipped demeanor served to heighten the tension and anticipation
among his troops. The long siege, barely a month short of a year, had brought the
Wildrunners to such a state that they would willingly risk their lives to end the
confinement.
The general made his way to the high tower of the fortress. Darkness still shrouded
the plains, and the elves burned no lamps, even within the walls. Their nightvision
allowed them to move around and organize without illumination.
At the base of the tall structure, Kith found Parnigar, waiting as he had been ordered
to, with a young elf. The latter didn't wear the accoutrements of the warrior, but instead
was wrapped in a soft cloth robe. He wore doeskin boots, no helmet, and his eyes were
bright as Kith-Kanan approached.
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"This is Anakardain," introduced Parnigar. The young elf saluted crisply, and
Kith-Kanan acknowledged the gesture, signaling Anakardain to relax.
"Has Captain Parnigar informed you of my needs?" he inquired quickly.
"Indeed, General." Anakardain nodded enthusiastically. "I am honored to offer my
humble skills in this task."
"Good. Let's get to the top of the tower. Captain?" Kith turned back to Parnigar.
"Yes, sir?"
"Have Arcuballis brought to the tower top. When I need to mount, I won't have time
to come down to the stables."
"Of course!" Parnigar turned to get the griffon, while the two elves entered the base
of the tower and made their way up the long, winding stairway to the top. Anakardain,
Kith sensed, wanted to ask a hundred questions, but he remained silent, which
Kith-Kanan greatly appreciated at this particular moment.
They emerged onto the high tower's parapet with the sky, still dark, looming
overhead. They could see a red glow where the crimson moon, Lunitari, had just set over
the western horizon. The white moon, Solinari, was a thin crescent in the east. The only
other illumination above them came from millions of stars, while it seemed that an equal
number of campfires burned in the great ring of the human army surrounding them.
The fortress of Sithelbec was a dark sprawl around them. The stars boded well,
Kith-Kanan thought. It was important that they have a clear day for the implementation
of his plan.
"This is where you desire my spell?" inquired Anakardain, finally breaking the
silence.
"Yes to the limits of your range!"
"It will be seen for twenty miles," promised the young mage.
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