I watched with trepidation as around 2000 troops came marching through the mountains from Helvien. Again, there was a strong dwarven presence, but they were not without other races. Aragites, around a hundred of the flying bat men creatures and another race that looked suspiciously like a giant fungus taking a rough approximation of a bipedal creature.

I moved toward them slowly, lowering my height in the sky to around 30 feet with my hands held out in a gesture I hoped conveyed my peaceful intentions.

They held weapons raised and ready for trouble, though no one attempted to attack. The latent hostility was palpable as a well-armored dwarf stepped forward.

Esselken: Level 93, Guardian of Agorak, Dweomer (Dwarf III).

“You better start explaining yourself, and fast. The God of Darkness will put up with a lot of things, but killing his followers? Now, that he don’t like one bit, Lord Clive.”

“Well me and the God of Darkness had a chat once upon a time and it was agreed that I’d rescue the Neutrals of Kalabri as I went about my business up here. I never dreamed I’d have to protect them from his own followers.”

“That gives you no right to be killing our people!” Esselken snapped. He had the look of a dwarf ready for trouble no matter what I said, which didn’t bode well for our future relations.

“Your guys attacked me first. I only asked them not to kill the Dokalfar. Because as far as I could see there was no reason you had to kill them. To my knowledge, they’re not your enemies. You could have just let them go. I literally begged Fusselbraker to contact Egard or Grimstrom or anyone who could speak for Darkness so we could sort it out diplomatically. I tried my best not to kill anyone, but they just kept attacking me. I only really started killing when they wouldn’t meet me half way and started slaughtering the Dokalfar. The last damn thing I wanted to do was start shit with Darkness and that’s a promise.”

Esselken grimaced, shifting uncomfortably. “That’s not the story I heard. The survivors of your attack say you swooped in, demanded they free the Dokalfar, then started slaughtering them all when they said no.”

“Well they fucking would, wouldn’t they? Are there any from the battle with you?”

“Why? Do you intend to finish them off?”

“No. Because I could have done that last time. I’d like them to tell the fucking truth.”

Esselken didn’t look happy, but he waved another dwarf forward. “What happened, Dargstrom?”

The level 41 Dwarf, Dargstrom, looked pretty uncomfortable as he stood in the spotlight.

“Before you start, Dargstom I just want to say…”

“No threatening him,” Esselken growled at me. “Let him speak.”

I glowered at Esselken and continued. “…I just want to say. I will walk away from whatever happens here today, and I will speak with Darkness again. He’s gonna know the truth of your words, and mine. So choose carefully what comes out of your pie hole next.”

“You think you’ll walk away from this?” Esselken asked, with genuine surprise as he gestured at his army.

“I know I can, Esselken. I’m the Protector of the North. A title I took from Stada the Gran when I killed him. One of the skills I get from that title is the ability to return instantly to where I transported from. And before you get any ideas, it’s a power you can’t block. The only reason I’m still here is to try and sort this cluster fuck out with you.”

As I spoke, Esselken began discreetly forming some construct in the palm of his hand. “We could stop you with Negation spells,” he said with far more confidence than he had any right to be feeling. Before I had a chance to respond, he threw the spell at me. Or at least he tried. I dismissed it as soon as it left his fingertips.

“Dickhead,” I replied to the Level 93 dwarf who had the good sense to look concerned now. I had to stifle a shit-eating grin at his expression. “Like I said. I can leave here at any time, and you can't stop me. Now, Dargstrom, can you please tell us all what happened again. Without skipping out on the truth if it’s not too much trouble.”

Esselken gestured for Dargstrom to continue. “Best be honest, lad. If Darkness catches you lying on this, I don’t even know what’ll happen, but if he has any interest in keeping Lord Clive here sweet, and you set us against him to save face, then it’s not gonna be good.”

Esselken’s sudden change of attitude wasn’t lost on me. Once he finished speaking, he turned back to watch me carefully. Clearly ready to act against me in a heartbeat.

Dargstrom stared at me for a moment, too. I could see the distaste he had for me, the bubbling anger. I also saw the moment he let it go, shoulders slumping, seeming to deflate, as he recognized his position.

“The demon man asked for Guardian Egard or Guardian Grimstrom. Fusselbraker didn’t trust him and didn’t see any reason to send anyone back.”

“And what happened then?” Esselken asked, impatiently.

Dargstom seemed to shrink even further under the Guardian Dwarf’s glare. “We attacked him.”

“And how did Lord Clive react?”

“He attacked back immediately.”

Esselken’s head snapped back to me. “I thought you only started killing when they began killing the Dokalfar?”

“I said I only really started killing them. It’s an important distinction as I only killed Teniar the Aragite because the asshole hit me with a short-range crystal shard and it bloody hurt. I didn’t kill anyone else until the first Dokalfar fell.”

Esselken looked back to Dargstrom for confirmation. The other dwarf offered a reluctant nod.

“Okay then,” he said, rubbing at his temples in frustration. I haven’t got a clue what to do with this now apart from actually talking to Darkness. You did still fight and kill our people. Will you wait for and abide by his judgment?”

While I’m sure my facial expression told him exactly what I thought of that idea, I spelled it out for him, too. “That’s not really making much sense for me. I mean, on the off chance he says he’s not gonna back me anymore. Where does that leave me? Apart from in the center of a new enemy army.”

“You said you can go at any time,” Esselken said.

“I can, and I’m going to. But better not to invite fate, huh? If you're worried about getting your arse kicked, I’ll transport, rather than fly away, so you’re not culpable for letting me escape,” I said the last with air quotes for some bizarre reason.

Esselken actually smiled at me. “While I want you to die for killing my men, Lord Clive. I can also admit to wishing the circumstances of our meeting had been different. You actually seem like a decent sort, despite what Egard tells me. Or maybe because of it. Before you go, can I ask you one last question?”

“Sure, Esselken. Shoot,” I replied, readying myself to disappear in case the last question was a trick.”

“Where are the Dokalfar you rescued? Would they not stand by you?”

Of all the damn questions, he could have asked. There’s a good chance my face reddened, giving my discomfort at the question away even before I replied. “I’d rather not answer.”

“Don't fret,” he laughed, misreading my reaction. “I’ve got no intention of recapturing them once you leave. I was just curious.”

I toyed with not telling him. But they’d find the bodies soon enough. So with a long sigh, I relented. “They escaped.”

Now Esselken was really confused.

“They were dangerous fucking prisoners,” I continued. “I shoulda let you kill them. I thought I was honoring my vow to rescue as many neutrals as I could. The sly fuckers attacked me.”

Esselken’s face contorted as if he’d just eaten a lemon. “That’s a cruel twist of fate.”

“Yep. Can’t say I’m best pleased and I suppose, sorry for the situation.”

Esselken shrugged. “It don’t really change much. I’ll let Darkness know though.”

“That’s very kind of you,” I replied sarcastically. Is this the Nideland’s push to take over the surface now?”

“It is. And so far I think our highest number of casualties in one battle has been against you lord Clive.”

“Oh great. On that note, I think I’ll get the hell out of here. Tell Darkness, I still want to be friends, will you?”

Esselken nodded, though that didn’t mean much, and I activated my return.

Reappearing where I’d left Danivra’s back, set off after my friends, feeling like a total fucking idiot. Aware of my change in location, Sania contacted me immediately, Danivra joining the conversation a second later.”

“Did they attack?” Sania asked.

“Not this time. Their leader, a guardian named Esselken from Agorak said he would speak with Darkness about what happened. So We’ll just have to wait and see. I’m sorry about this, guys. I feel like a right idiot.”

“You aren’t,” Sania said. “Your intentions were true, and that’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, I know. And it still doesn’t stop me from feeling like a right tit.”

“Remove your self-doubt. You are not responsible for what happened. The Dwarves would not have known the nature of the Dokalfar they had in their hands, either. If those were innocent Dokalfar, then I would have rejoiced in their freedom. However, if you did not kill Kolo, then we must be extremely vigilant.”

“What are you so worried about? He was level eighty-nine, which is pretty high, but we could take him easily.”

“My Aunt, the queen before me, defeated and imprisoned him over a thousand years ago with the aid of the other Alfar. At that time, he had reached level three hundred and according to our history, he had achieved a stage one Ethereal soul. Thus why he was never killed physically. The idea was to allow his levels to run down to zero, where he would die naturally and not be reborn. At least that was the theory. Whether it would have worked, we will never know now.”

“Oh, is that all! Anything else to add to the, Clive just epically fucked up pile while were thrashing it out,” I snapped.

“If you had told me what you intended, I could have warned you,” Danivra retorted.

“If you’d told me there were super powered criminals still alive in Helvien, things would have been very different.”

“I do not think of Kolo. He has been in an induced slumber for my entire tenure as queen, for my entire life even. And considering the fashion in which Helvien fell, he hasn’t troubled my thoughts since, until now. I accept that is an oversight on my behalf.”

“Damn it. Sorry Danivra, I’m not trying to blame you. Let’s just focus on the path ahead. Kolo went north, so hopefully, the dwarves’ll catch and kill the sly bastard before he gets a chance to cause too much trouble.”

“Something they may be good for,” Danivra replied. “They will not be happy he roams the north either. Are they making a play for Kalabri now?”

“Yeah. That was the next thing I wanted to mention. I don’t know what that means for us, but I reckon getting the hell back home as quickly as possible is still our main focus.”

“I wonder what the catalyst was.” Sania said.

“Most likely the battle that must have occurred at the Palathi Peaks once we left. I imagine it was highly damaging for both Destruction and Justice,” Danivra replied.

“Sounds likely,” I replied. “Once I’m back with you all, I’ll check it out with the Protectorate sight. And this time I won’t rescue any potentially super powered psychos. Fuck it, I won’t rescue anyone. Not till we’re back home now. Sorry, desperate neutrals of the world.”

“That’s a good plan,” Sania said seriously.

“I’m inclined to agree,” Danivra added.