Desperate Measures

A dense blanket of gray clouds filled the sky, foreshadowing a violent storm to come, much like the terrible events unfolding below. Indeed, the rumblings of thunder were drowned out by the echoes of the ongoing conflict. The sound of swords clashing mingled with war cries and the wails of the wounded.

The fertile plains on the western edge of the Kingdom of Nerfeldfer were normally comparable to a huge blanket of light gold at this time of year. However, they were now unrecognizable. The crops had been destroyed by the fighting between two armies of tens of thousands of men. There were also countless bodies and pieces of equipment of all kinds littering the ground. Blood and other bodily fluids had saturated the earth, turning it into thick, viscous mud that gave off a foul odor.

After a long and painful campaign against the formidable army of the Church of Niowe, the kingdom’s troops had been pushed back to their last line of defense. This was the ramparts of the capital of Kustdin, itself nestled at the foot of an immense mountain. The battered men of Nerfeldfer defended every inch of ground at the cost of their lives, while the enemy completed the final preparations for their siege engines. The catapults and trebuchets would soon breach the walls, allowing troops to pour in like a torrent of water.

Sheltered by the castle’s solid stone walls and far from the bloody fighting taking place outside, an important war council was being held. In the center of the room, lit by a chandelier and candles, stood an imposing, solid wood table. On it lay a large, detailed map of the capital and the surrounding region. Placed on the map were various colorful figurines representing the units mobilized by the two warring parties.

Around the large table were about a dozen chairs occupied by soldiers, local nobles, and other important figures. Most of these individuals remained seated, while others stood. The latter argued and quarreled like children. In the background, scribes prepared reports or recorded the ongoing discussions on parchment.

Despite the apparent discord among the various individuals present, the commander of the Kustdin garrison spoke in a loud voice.

“I suggest that we retreat our forces outside. Let those vermin of the clergy approach our ramparts,” he declared.

A brief silence fell over the room in response to this bold suggestion. The speaker quickly continued:

“They will then be within optimal range for our archers, and their numerical advantage will be greatly reduced. We will also have an easy time containing them by throwing oil from the top of the walls. We can then set it alight with flaming arrows.”

“With all due respect, Commander Hawk, you seem to be overlooking some rather important details in your approach,” replied a nobleman.

Stung by this opposition, the soldier looked down at his interlocutor. It was Schwein Khanka. This influential duke ruled over one of the largest estates in the country. Well known for his irascible temper, this man tested his chair with his heavy weight. He had a round face with dark brown eyes, and his short, blond hair was thinning with early baldness on the top of his head.

“Oh, really? And what elements of this retreat plan have I overlooked, my lord?”

“In truth, it’s quite simple, but this kind of detail seems to escape you, my dear friend,” replied the latter.

The nobleman did not want to give the military man any leeway and immediately continued:

“Their siege engines are deployed and ready to launch their attack against us. Furthermore, they will undoubtedly end up breaking through our defenses. What will you do then when their men invade our capital?”

“The soldiers who have taken refuge in the city will easily be able to contain the number of enemies entering,” Hawk replied with conviction, while repositioning figurines on the map.

“Do you really believe your men will be able to maintain such a defense at the rate things are going? Allow me to doubt it,” Khanka declared.

The aristocrat then turned to an advisor who was holding a few scrolls in his hands and invited him to share his information. The man hesitated briefly, then turned to the commander before complying.

“According to our latest reports, our current food reserves will allow us to withstand a siege for a week at most. With crops and livestock destroyed in almost all of the country’s major population hubs during the war, the risk of famine is all the more frightening.”

After listening to the advisor’s report, the duke rewarded the rest of those gathered at the table with a mean smile.

“Well? Does anyone else wish to propose such a futile idea?”

Apart from a few discreet murmurs, no one dared to reply. After several long minutes, Captain Remus of the royal guard took the initiative, undeterred by the aristocrat.

“We all agree that our current situation may not be enviable. Ideally, we should destabilize the enemy and neutralize their siege weapons, if only to buy more time.”

“Delaying the inevitable won’t change anything,” said one strategist indignantly.

“You’re right. However, if we manage to shake the morale of the Church’s soldiers with a night attack or a cavalry breakthrough, our chances of establishing a route through the northern flank will increase. It could be used temporarily to obtain help from outside,” replied the captain.

Unconvinced, the same strategist then tried a new approach to continue the argument.

“Do you sincerely believe it is possible to make them hesitate? If I am not mistaken, it is common knowledge that their fighters are fanatics,” he declared.

“Yes and no. Their elite troops, especially those of the Inquisition, are composed exclusively of religious worshippers. On the other hand, the vast majority of ordinary soldiers are merely conscripts obeying out of fear,” replied the chief of the royal guard.

Seated in a richly decorated armchair at one end of the table, King Albert Wis Nerfeldfer stared at the map with his blue eyes. He listened attentively to the various discussions among those present, holding his chin with one hand, looking concerned.

“Captain Remus, your proposal would be interesting under normal circumstances,” he said, sitting up straight.

The ruler deliberately paused to allow silence to fall among the members of the meeting. He then turned to the captain, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Your Majesty?”

“However, it would be problematic to implement it against barbarians, whose motivations defy all logic. It is clear that their primary goal is to demonize our people. That is why it would be difficult for us to reason with them, or even test their fighting spirit,” he added.

The chief court magician, a middle-aged man with a long white beard, hesitated for a moment, shifting in his chair. He then opened his mouth to ask the king a strange question.

“If I may, Your Highness. Could it be that these wretches have heard about our discoveries in the mines near the city? If so, what nation would not be tempted to find out more?”

Duke Khanka glared at the mage with a nasty look while clenching his fists.

“What nonsense! By suggesting that the clergy may be aware of this discovery, you are effectively admitting that there is a spy among us,” he spat.

“That’s enough,” ordered the king in a powerful voice.

“Please forgive my interruption, Your Majesty,” stammered Khanka, his face scarlet.

Once the tension in the room had subsided, the sovereign continued in a calmer tone, looking sternly at each member of the council. Questioning looks were visible on most faces.

“It seems obvious to me that debating now about a potential leak of information regarding the secrets of the mines will not change the quagmire in which we are entangled. In this regard, I would be grateful if the members of the magicians’ corps present here would share their research on the subject with us. We may be able to derive something beneficial from this situation to help us find a way out.”

The various wizards present in the room immediately obeyed the king’s request.

Several months before, a strange wall had been excavated by workers deep within the mining tunnels near the capital’s ramparts. The surface of the wall in question was dark gray, almost black. Unusually smooth and almost polished, a metallic sheen was visible in the torchlight. The wall was so hard that the workers’ tools became blunt at the slightest impact, leaving only a tiny mark. Compared to the rock found in the mines, a normal person would easily have believed that the material, dubbed adamantine by the miners, was almost indestructible.

Rumors about the discovery of a strange wall in the tunnels quickly spread to the surface. Under the direct authority of the king, the kingdom’s most eminent mages secretly supervised the rest of the operation. Numerous measures were necessary to silence the gossip as much as possible. Preliminary efforts also revealed that several hours of hard work and countless tools were required to dig a small hole the size of a fist in the wall. It was only after long weeks of superhuman effort that the miners managed to dig a tiny tunnel in the wall. The smallness of the passage allowed only one individual to pass through, and that was by crawling.

A small man was eventually selected among the workers. Torch in hand, he had crossed the tunnel and made an astonishing discovery on the other side. The miner found himself in what appeared to be a vast, dark room, with neither ceiling nor floor visible below. He dropped his torch, which slid down the curved wall and came to rest further down. The glow of the flames suggested that the floor may be shaped like a circular bowl. It also appeared to be made of adamantine, like the rest of the structure. The outlines of what appeared to be a large, rounded pedestal were also visible in the dim light.

Over the following months, the passage was enlarged so that an ordinary person could move around freely. In addition, carpenters from the surface had erected a wooden ramp inside the mysterious room. Once access to the site was simplified, scholars flocked to the site. They were in search of new knowledge and glory. Each new discovery had the potential to alter their level of influence within the court.

The huge room was indeed spherical, and its walls were covered with esoteric engravings. However, the ceiling and floor were flat, as if two parallel planes had been cut away to form them. The floor was occupied in its center by the pedestal identified during the first exploration. It was shaped like a truncated cone and was flanked by a narrow ramp leading to the top. Three large metal rings were suspended concentrically above the structure, like the circles of a target.

Subsequent thorough examinations revealed that the rings in question had no physical connection to each other or to the surface below. They seemed to simply float thanks to some supernatural force. It was also impossible to induce any movement in them. Apart from this strange sculpture, the only other element present in the room was a mysterious podium placed at the foot of the ramp. It was topped by a translucent glass panel.

Most of those present at the war council had heard rumors about the discovery of the strange room deep within the mines. However, the specific details were known only to a select few, including the royal guard, the court magicians, and certain high-ranking nobles, such as the duke.

The wizards’ presentation was interrupted when someone knocked vigorously on the door of the room. The man was clearly a soldier arriving from the battlefield, given the current state of his equipment. After identifying himself and receiving permission to approach the guests, the soldier informed the council that the attack on the capital’s walls had indeed begun.

Although the news was disappointing, the launch of the siege by the Church came as no surprise to anyone. While King Albert whispered something in Captain Remus’s ear, someone discreetly passed a piece of parchment to the soldier, who then returned outside. After a short while, the mages resumed their presentation as if nothing had happened.

“It is important to note that we have still not been able to identify the origin of the mysterious artifact. It is beyond our current understanding,” said a wizard.

“Furthermore, our efforts to interact with the various components found on site have also proved futile, at least until very recently,” added the chief spellcaster.

“What do you mean?”

The old man swallowed hard as he looked at the advisor who had asked the question, then glanced questioningly at the king. The latter nodded slowly in approval.

“Let’s just say that an unexpected visitor to the site irrevocably changed the situation,” replied the mage, nervously observing his suzerain.

The advisor, like several other members of the audience, wanted to know more and pushed further.

“Would you be so kind as to explain what happened to the visitor in question?”

“Of course. When this person placed their hand on the podium, the glass panel briefly began to sparkle, as did the engravings covering the walls of the room. In addition, strange symbols were also visible on the glass,” replied the magician.

The statement was met with murmurs and surprised looks from the audience. The man in robes quickly continued:

“We later discovered that several spellcasters could join together to transfer their energy to the individual standing at the podium. This energy then significantly extends the visibility time of the symbols.”

As impatience began to reign in the room, the scholars explained that it was possible to trigger a reaction by touching symbols on the illuminated glass. Even though they were indecipherable at the time, a simple touch of the finger was enough to bring up a whole new set of symbols. Some were recurring between the different changes. This supported the theory that it was a previously unknown dialect.

“Is it possible to cut this short? I don’t see how this ridiculous story would be useful in the context of a war, let alone during a siege,” grumbled Duke Khanka.

“I agree with him. Get to the point,” added another individual, looking stern.

After an awkward moment of silence, the members of the mage corps exchanged furtive glances. The elder took a deep breath and spoke again.

“Very well, gentlemen... The truth is that we have managed to harness the power contained within the strange pedestal. With it, we have successfully performed a summoning ritual,” the man declared nervously.

This revelation caused general astonishment among the members of the war council. Even the scribes, who had been working with absolute discretion, stopped their transcriptions, stunned. This momentary chaos also allowed a member of the king’s guard to slip discreetly out of the room.

Once calm had been restored throughout the room, the old sage picked up where he had left off, visibly relieved of a huge weight off his shoulders.

“For the time being, we do not yet fully understand how it works, particularly when we initiate the invocation process. During the ritual, the three rings begin to spin at high speed and shine brightly. The most important thing to remember is that we have succeeded several times in bringing the object of our desires before our eyes.”

“If I understand correctly, you would be able to conjure weapons and other equipment for our troops? The implications for our army would be significant,” said the garrison commander.

“Even food supplies could help us turn the tide,” added another person.

“Well, um... We’ve only materialized mundane everyday objects, such as a knife or a simple food item,” replied the eldest of the mages, uncomfortable.

“In any case, the cost of summoning is already excessive,” another spellcaster hastily added, shrugging his shoulders.

While those around the table looked quizzically at this notion of cost, the wizard regained his composure. He then explained that the ritual invariably exhausted the individuals who shared their magical energy with the person performing the summoning. The repercussions of a single ritual were such that the mages then had to rest for several days. If simple objects required such a toll, it was reasonable to assume that a much more complex invocation would undoubtedly be fatal.

With their eyes still fixed on the magicians presenting their discoveries, the members of the war council were taken by surprise when a troop of about thirty soldiers suddenly invaded the place. These fighters were clad in gleaming armor and wore long white capes. The outlines of coats of arms could be discerned on them. The leader of the mages was so absorbed in his explanations that he did not notice the attackers until it was too late.

“But what the... Argghh?”

A pain of indescribable intensity suddenly sliced through the old sage’s abdomen. He looked down and saw his trembling hands covered in his own blood and the tip of a sword piercing his robes. The old man collapsed to the ground with a look of astonishment on his face.

“Good riddance, you old fool,” said his murderer.

After pulling his blade out of his victim’s body, the assassin surveyed the situation. He smiled maliciously when he noticed that most people present were paralyzed with fear.

“How dare you?” exclaimed a soldier indignantly.

“You won’t get away with this so easily,” shouted an advisor.

The man in question looked down at the two men, then ordered his soldiers to eliminate anyone who offered the slightest resistance.

“Protect the king at all costs from these scoundrels,” ordered Remus, rising abruptly.

The other members of the guard present did the same and surrounded the king in a matter of seconds. Faced with the gravity and finality of the situation, King Albert couldn’t help but smile slightly.

                                                                                ***

A few days before, the mages, the last survivors of the kingdom, had been secretly summoned before the king in accordance with a palace decree for a special mission. The orders they received stipulated that they must provide any assistance required for the performance of a summoning ritual. On the very day of the war council, they had been sent to the mining galleries of the capital. More precisely, to that esoteric hall of rings. However, none of the scholars expected the shock of discovering who was presiding over the rituals.

“P... Pr... Princess, is it really you? I’m a little confused,” stammered one of the magicians.

The other members of the group of mages tried as well as they could to hide their surprise as the young woman faced them.

“Yes, I am Elena Mi Nerfeldfer, the king’s only daughter and heir to the throne,” she replied proudly.

“That explains why there are four royal guards at the entrance,” grumbled one of the men.

The princess immediately left the podium and walked purposefully toward the wooden ramp where the spellcasters were standing. She stopped at the foot of the ramp and stared at the men, her hands on her hips.

“I imagine my father must have explained the situation to you before sending you here?”

“His Highness did indeed see fit to share some essential information with us before sending us here,” replied one of the mages.

“However, we still don’t know why your presence is required,” added another sage.

Before she had a chance to respond, the magician followed up with another question.

“With all due respect, princess, wouldn’t it be wiser to remain safely in the castle?”

“To do what exactly? Watch this horrible conflict from the windows of my quarters and wait patiently for the inevitable? It’s unthinkable,” replied the young woman, irritated.

Elena sighed inwardly. Her response and tone were unacceptable and unworthy of someone of her rank. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing the conversation.

“Regardless of my motivations, the fact remains that I am the only one capable of using the power of the pedestal and its rings.”

Faced with puzzled looks from the group of mages, the young woman took care to describe in detail a significant event that had occurred a few months earlier.

It all happened when the king expressed a desire to conduct a personal inspection of the ring room. Elena, who was herself endowed with insatiable curiosity, had relentlessly pestered her father to let her accompany him. Once there, she had taken advantage of a moment of inattention on the part of the researchers to touch the glass panel on the podium. As soon as her hand touched it, small purple flashes tickled her fingers. The whole thing came to life, emitting a strange metallic sound throughout the room. Surprised, the princess backed away with a squeal, betraying herself in the process.

After the inevitable lecture that followed, several other people also tried to replicate the experiment, to no avail. Even the king himself was unable to trigger the slightest reaction. Of course, the court magicians and other researchers began to investigate the subject, formulating a number of theories to explain the phenomenon. Ultimately, the most plausible explanation was that the king’s daughter probably possessed latent magical powers, but that their exact nature remained unknown.

Elena stopped talking, feeling she had sufficiently justified her presence in the room. In any case, she wanted to avoid at all costs any discussion about her ability to draw energy from people who came into physical contact with her. Even though her royal duties normally took precedence, the embarrassment surrounding this subject was simply too great. However, there was still some hesitation among the group of men. They exchanged worried glances and whispered among themselves, which forced the young woman to say more.

“All right. I will reveal the purpose of today’s summoning,” she said with a sigh.

After a few minutes of intense tension, the mages finally agreed without reservation. The revelation had shaken more than one of them. However, given the precarious position of the kingdom, this last card could change the outcome of the war. The scholars then followed the princess’s instructions and formed a large circle around the central pedestal. Once in position, they finished the human chain by holding hands. The two men flanking Elena placed their free hands on each of her delicate shoulders.

“We will now begin the ritual. It is imperative that you do not interrupt physical contact under any circumstances,” the princess declared firmly.

“Yes, ma’am,” the magicians replied in unison.

The young woman grabbed one of the edges of the glass panel with her left hand, and it immediately lit up. A shiver ran down her spine for a split second, but Elena banished all doubts from her mind before continuing. Even though the symbols visible on the glass were still illegible, the princess repeated the sequence she had memorized during previous invocations without too much difficulty. A dull, metallic sound echoed through the room. Then, the three rings atop the pedestal began to spin faster and faster, like a strange gyroscope.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” exclaimed one of the sages.

“Absolutely fascinating!”

While the spellcasters stood in awe at the display, the rings reached their maximum speed. To the average observer, they could have been mistaken for a dazzling metal sphere, so rapid were their movements. Once the critical point was reached, the princess closed her eyes and concentrated. She had to make sure her mind was clear so that she could focus solely on the object she was conjuring.

When she finally opened her eyes again, Elena was not greeted by a successful summoning resting in the center of the pedestal, but rather by a blinding light.

“But where is this light coming from, and where am I?”

Confused, the young woman looked around her and realized that the ring room had disappeared. The darkness of the room had given way to the fresh air of the outside and the warmth of the sun rising on the horizon. Moreover, she was surrounded by a crowd of individuals wearing strange clothes, all of them human. Among them, there was no sign of the group of wizards who were supposed to be assisting her, nor even of her personal guard. Panicked, Elena staggered backward and ended up falling to the ground.

“I... I don’t understand. Please help me,” she pleaded.

Her cries for help went unanswered, and the princess struggled to her feet. She took a few moments to observe her surroundings. Aside from the impressive number of people, she found herself in the middle of a sort of platform toward which a huge metal snake was heading. The area was surrounded by rectangular buildings whose height easily rivaled that of the royal palace. A little further away, mysterious horseless carriages were traveling along a blackish road.

“Is all this real? A moment ago, I was still in the middle of a summoning ritual...”

Suddenly, Elena noticed that the great serpent had come to a halt and that people were entering through openings in its body. Thanks to large windows, she could easily see the people inside. While some were seated, others remained standing, clinging to suspended rings.

The princess was still captivated by the strange scene unfolding before her eyes when a young man caught her attention. He was slightly taller than average and, at first glance, seemed barely older than her. Apart from his brown hair and rather ordinary appearance, Elena was particularly mesmerized by his steel-gray eyes, which revealed an unwavering determination.

“Could this man be the one the kingdom needs? Perhaps I should speak to him to find out more,” the young woman wondered.

The princess was still deep in thought when her vision suddenly changed. The edges of her field of vision were turning black, giving her the impression that she was falling into a bottomless well. Elena reached out her hands, desperately searching for something to hold on to, but to no avail. A distant point of light was the last thing she saw before disappearing into nothingness.

Coming to her senses, the king’s daughter realized that she was lying on her back, apparently back in the dark room with the rings. Turning her head, she noticed that all the magicians were lying on the floor, showing no signs of life. Furthermore, the rings had stopped rotating and were frozen in midair. Still somewhat disoriented, she did not immediately notice the presence of a member of the royal guard who was staring at her with a worried look.

“Your Highness, my name is Hildebrand, and I am here on specific orders from your father,” the man announced solemnly, bowing.

“I don’t remember any member of my escort with that name,” Elena replied, making no attempt to hide her mistrust of the man.

“Have no fear. Your guards are scattered throughout the galleries, fighting the enemy and buying us time,” replied the guard.

“You are clearly wearing the armor of the royal guard of Nerfeldfer. I have little choice but to trust you for now,” said the princess with a sigh.

The young woman pushed herself up from the cold floor of the room and sat up before asking:

“What about the ritual? Was the invocation successful?”

“I doubt it. You were in some kind of trance when I arrived and didn’t respond. So I pushed you off the podium,” added Hildebrand as he helped her to her feet.

“What have you done? You fool, that invocation was our only chance to save the kingdom,” Elena shouted, slapping him across the face.

The soldier knelt on one knee. His left fist was on his breastplate while his right arm was outstretched toward the princess, palm up.

“I understand your anger, Your Highness. However, the king made me swear to protect you, whatever the cost. In addition, he also entrusted me with this object for you, as proof of his instructions.”

Elena approached slowly and took the small sparkling jewel resting in the man’s open palm. It was a magnificent, ornate signet ring that she recognized as her father’s. A deep sadness overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her porcelain face. After a few minutes, the king’s daughter wiped away her tears and clutched the precious object to her chest.