Path of Dragons

Sadie stood stiffly, gazing across the city of Eldrathûn. The awe she'd initially felt upon seeing the city, with its crystal architecture, was long gone, replaced by irritation, worry, and excitement. Somewhere out there was a horde of trolls waiting to be killed. The potential progression that would come from that was more than just a motivator. Gaining levels was often intoxicating, even when, at this point, a single level's attributes wouldn't make a noticeable impression on her capabilities.

But it would for many of her troops.

The idea of building an army from scratch was a daunting one, but during training – short and insufficient as it was – she had become addicted to the notion of creating something special. Even if she fell, she would leave that behind, and they would go on to protect the things she cared most about.

And the trolls were the perfect fuel for that. Already, her people had begun cycling through the elves' training regimen. Some engaged in the physical exercises they inflicted upon their own people, but others were running various towers. Apparently, the illythiri had ten such towers at their disposal, and they knew exactly how to make the most of the opportunities they represented.

They'd passed those opportunities for advancement on to Sadie's troops, and even after only a couple of weeks, her army's power had grown exponentially. It gave her hope that, eventually, they could combat the true threat. The trolls were still out there, steadily assaulting one illythiri outpost at a time as they marched toward Eldrathûn.

And when they finished with the elves, they would spread to the surface.

Or that was what everyone assumed. No one truly knew what would happen if a Primal Realm was left entirely unchecked. Some speculated they would simply continue to conquer one mile after another until they'd infested the entire world, but others believed they would only progress so far from their origin.

The latter was what truly unnerved her.

The idea of them spreading across the world was daunting, to be sure, but that was a far-off threat that functionally meant nothing. Well before the trolls reached that point, Earth would have been excised.

However, the more they consolidated power around the Primal Realm, the more difficult it would be for her to punch through. Doubtless, it would affect the overall power of the place as well. And the more difficult that task, the less likely Earth was to accomplish the ultimate goal, which was to save the planet from excisement.

It was enough to keep her up at night.

Those two factors – the thrill of progress and the implications of failure – accounted for the excitement and worry coursing through her, but irritation was what truly occupied her mind.

Because she had yet to meet with the Empress.

Nearly two weeks, and she'd only met the city's government officials. Certainly, they'd rolled out the red carpet. They had accommodated her every whim, with more than a few fawning over her power. She ignored it all, because the only person she really needed to see was the Empress.

Until then, she couldn't forge ahead and into the wilderness of the Hollow Depths. Not personally, at least.

Before Earth's transformation, Sadie had been on track to take a prominent position within her family's company. Perhaps she wasn't meant to be groomed as her grandfather's successor – he was far too patriarchal to have considered that a true possibility, even if she might have once believed otherwise – but she would have held no small degree of power. As frustrating as it was to know that she would never live up to his standards, which had nothing to do with her capabilities and everything to do with her gender, was a difficult pill to swallow. But that annoyance had driven her to work harder, to become more ruthless in her endeavors.

Maybe that had been his point all along. Song Tianwei was no simple man, and that sort of manipulation was exactly the kind of strategy he would have embraced. Not unlike pitting children and grandchildren against one another as they scrambled to curry favor, to firm their positions, and, ultimately, to impress him.

None of them ever had achieved that lofty goal.

In any case, despite her youth, Sadie had been tasked with meeting with quite a few very powerful people. Government officials, CEOs, and even a couple of members of various royal families – she'd seen them all. So, she knew a power play when she encountered one.

The Illythiri likely believed they were being subtle by keeping Sadie from the Empress, but they had nothing on the beacons of capitalism she'd dealt with before the world's transformation.

Despite the fact that she'd hoped to have left those days behind, Sadie had no difficulty summoning those skills and remaining outwardly calm. Inwardly, though, she just wanted something to fight. Someone into which to ram her sword. As she gazed out at the city, she wanted nothing more than to ignite her wings and destroy anyone who opposed her.

Mostly, her imagination settled on trolls as the enemies in her mind. However, there were quite a few elves in there as well. Governmental toadies she'd already encountered, the ladies who tried to pamper her, and the priestesses who seemed to have taken such an interest in her – they would all fall before her.

She let out an imperceptible sigh, then turned away from the admittedly impressive city and glanced into the sitting room, where Colt awaited. He did so with characteristic laconicism, his arm thrown over the back of the uncomfortable couch, his hat tipped down to cover his face, and his leg crossed as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Only the presence of his sword, which was leaning against the couch next to him, hinted at his true nature. The man wasn't all that strong. Maybe level one-hundred, and with no great achievements in cultivation, save for having reached the second tier in the body aspect. However, he still gave the impression of a coiled snake, ready to strike at any provocation.

Sadie had made it her business to recognize danger, and that was precisely what she saw when she looked at Colt. Not a threat because of his levels or anything else, but a man who'd been dangerous well before the world had gone mad. That had not changed.

She strode into the sitting room, quietly seething.

"Won't help, you know."

"What?" she asked, taking the seat across from him.

"Gettin' all worked up. It won't help. The more you look ready to slice the buildin' in half, the longer it'll take to get anything done."

"I am calm."

With one finger, he tipped his hat up, revealing his eyes. "Don't lie to me," he said. "I know pent up when I see it. And you're pent up. Just try'n relax. And if you can't do that, at least learn to pretend better."

Sadie leaned forward, her armored elbows on her knees. Her own sword leaned against the other side of the couch, close enough that she could have it in hand in only seconds. But one could not sit with a giant sword strapped to her back. In any case, she'd taken her measure of the people living in Eldrathûn, and she knew how long it would take her to arm herself.

"I just want to get out there," she stated. "Is that so wrong?"

Colt shrugged. "Maybe not as such. But these elves, they don't work the same way we do. They got politics."

"What political reason do they have to make me wait two weeks before seeing the Empress?" she asked, already knowing the answer. The question was just an expression of frustration, not a true attempt at understanding.

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"Way I see it, there's three factors. The first, I'm damn sure you're familiar with. It's just a negotiation tactic. They want the upper hand, and the easiest way to do that is to have us out here coolin' our heels," Colt stated. "It's a power move. They're tellin' you that you're in their world, and they control the timin'."

"I know how that works well enough."

"Figured as much," Colt replied. "But then there's the other two things to worry 'bout. Politics ain't simple, no matter where you go, and I think there's more goin' on here than in most places. This is an empire at war. There's hundreds of folks waitin' to meet with the Empress. How would it look if you just cut to the front of the line? She's in charge, but I get the feelin' her position ain't exactly steady, if you know what I mean.

"Then there's the church to worry 'bout. They don't like you, and they're doin' everything they can to keep you from meetin' with the Empress. If they thought they could, they'd have already killed you. Make an accident happen, if you know what I mean. Poison in the food, maybe. That seems to be their kind of thing."

"What? How do you know this?" she asked.

"I listen," Colt stated. "I make friends. I was here for a bit before, so I already knew some of it. Plus, the girl who cleans my room is damn talkative. In my experience, those of us on the bottom rungs tend to know a lot more than anybody wants to give us credit for."

"The girl who…wait, you're not…"

Colt grinned. "Ain't forced nobody to do nothin'. She came to me, same as she did last time I was here. Part of the reason I came back, if'm honest," he said with a lazy smile. In that moment, he looked quite handsome. Not in a pretty-boy sort of way, but rather, like one of the leads from the cowboy movies her grandfather used to enjoy so much. She could see the appeal, even if the man was twice her age and looked even older.

Finally, the door opened, admitting an illythiri woman wearing a white gown. The slit skirts bared her legs, and the white was only broken by silver filigree. Upon her head was a diadem from which descended a mesh of silver chains that clinked as she bowed. The odd veil left her lavender eyes bare as she bowed deep.

"Empress Siala is now ready to receive you," the attendant said, her hands clasped as she straightened to her full height. "Please leave your weapons here, and I shall escort you to her presence."

Sadie flicked her eyes at Colt, but the old Samurai didn't hesitate before pushing himself to his feet and striding toward the attendant. Although, he did give the girl one of his lazy half-smiles.

For her part, Sadie followed, leaving Final Verdict behind. The weapon was bound, so even if someone stole it – unlikely though that might be – they couldn't use it. And Sadie would tear Eldrathûn apart if someone was stupid enough to go down that road.

The sitting room wasn't far from the Empress' chambers, though Sadie couldn't help but feel impressed by the décor. She had grown up in luxury, so that sort of thing didn't normally faze her. However, there was expensive decoration, and then there was the alien adornments lining the halls of the Empress' palace. One felt almost normal, but the crystal-infused walls and artwork were anything but.

Still, Sadie tried not to let herself become too distracted as she followed the woman. Her armor clinked ever so slightly with each echoing step, and a floral scent hung in the air. It reminded her of lilacs, though with a slightly spicier fragrance that marked the aroma as something wholly different.

Soon, they reached their destination – a pair of double doors that, in most situations, would have been considered a gate. It was carved with a representation of a giant spider in the center of a web that stretched from one end of the door to the next.

Their goddess in her web.

Since entering the city, Sadie had been approached by many of Eldrathûn's priestesses. They occupied a unique place in illythiri culture. They had power. They could go where they wanted, when they wanted. No elf would bar their passage. Mostly, they used their position to help their people, healing and supporting them much as priests of various other religions might have back on Earth.

However, they were also enforcers of their goddess' will. She had heard stories of them executing heretics in the streets – a practice none of the other illythiri questioned even a little. They also held significant political influence, which was one of the reasons – at least according to Colt – that Sadie's meeting with the Empress had been delayed.

They didn't care much for her, and she knew precisely why. Her angel core gave her the ability to tap into faith – a powerful source of energy she earned through acting according to her code – but so too did their classes. And the two different flavors of faith did not want to coexist.

Sadie felt it every single time she came into contact with one of the priestesses. The closest word she could think of to describe it was heresy, and she believed that if she hadn't advanced her mind cultivation, it might have driven her to do something regrettable.

Or given what she felt, something necessary. She'd even dreamed of righteously purging those priestesses from existence – something she would never do unless provoked, but dreams didn't care about the limits she placed upon herself. They simply told a tale originating in her deepest desires.

So, when she saw that spider in her web, Sadie wanted nothing more than to destroy the door upon which it had been carved. She suppressed those feelings and followed the attendant into the next room. It was as richly appointed as Sadie would have expected, though she barely saw the décor.

Instead, her focus was on the elven woman sitting demurely in the center of the most prominent divan. Sadie felt a wave of power emanate from the woman, proof of her strength. What sort of class did she have? Certainly, one that let her govern her people. Perhaps a Tactician. Or an Administrator.

Sadie's eyes flicked to just behind the couch, where a man stood. She'd met Ivin before, though only once. Even that was enough to establish that he was a lot like Colt. Dangerous. Though where Colt might have lagged behind in pure power, Ivin certainly did not. If he was even a level lower than Sadie herself, she would have been surprised. He might have even been a little stronger, which should not have been surprising, given that they'd been fighting an ongoing war against a Primal Realm for quite some time.

One thing was certain, though – Ivin was not a man to be dismissed.

The Empress rose gracefully to her feet, then inclined her head. Slightly, but the motion was there. Sadie mimicked the concession exactly. A respectful gesture, but one that told the Empress that Sadie was not one of her subjects.

Colt went the other direction, clutching his prosthetic arm to his chest and bowing deeply. "Empress Siala," he said. "Nice of you to have us. I'm always impressed when I visit your city."

The Empress' mouth twitched. It wasn't a smile, but it might as well have been a wide grin.

"Thank you for coming," the Empress said. Then, she asked if they desired tea or other refreshments. Both declined, and soon enough, they were alone with the Empress and Ivin, who remained standing rigidly behind his liege. Conversationally, Siala asked, "How is your training going?"

Sadie answered, "The soldiers are progressing well."

"Good, good. I admit that when I asked for an alliance, I had hoped for more," the Empress stated, the pleasant and familiar tone fading, replaced by something colder and more calculated. "A more cynical person might look at your response and see a simple quest for power. That same cynic might believe that you are using our resources to empower your troops. We fight for our very existence against a mutual threat, all while you tell us that you are preparing. Meanwhile, humankind's most powerful ignore us. What would you say to such a cynic?"

"I would tell you that humanity is no monolith," Sadie stated, having anticipated the question. "I can't speak for other powers, but Ironshore has pledged as many resources as they can handle into this fight. You should be aware that this is only the first wave. More will come soon."

"Perhaps we should treat with these other powers," the Empress said.

Sadie shrugged. "I encourage you to do so," she responded. "As many people as we can get down here, the better."

"What of…the Druid?" Siala asked. "We hear tales, even down here. The most powerful man in the world, and yet, he is not here."

"He is otherwise engaged."

"Curious."

"He will come if he is needed."

"He is needed. Now."

"I will be the judge of that," Sadie stated. "When I call for him, he will come. I just haven't decided if that's necessary. His nephew will be here soon. As will others close to him."

"I suppose that will have to suffice," the Empress stated. "However, you should understand the stakes. If we lose the Hollow Depths, the cost, in time, resources, and people, of retaking the lost territory will assuredly mean this world's doom."

Sadie stared the Empress in the eye and asked, "Have you ever been inside a Primal Realm?"

"My place is here."

"I have," Sadie went on. "Two of them, in fact. I watched as my home was consumed by undead, the fall so thorough that even now, it is a place of death and decay. I have led an army of thousands against hobgoblins and ogres. I have watched my truest friend die inside a Primal Realm. So, believe me when I say that I understand the stakes as well as anyone on this planet. My goal is to conquer this Primal Realm, and so it shall be done. One way or another, I refuse to let my planet fall."

The Empress' expression didn't change, but she hesitated for a moment before saying, "Very well. Ivin will direct you accordingly."

Sadie recognized a dismissal when she saw one. So, after exchanging a nod with Ivin, who finally moved from behind the divan, she turned on her heel to leave.

"Sadie Song," came the Empress' clear voice. Sadie turned to face her. When they locked eyes, Siala said, "I believe you are sincere, but if you are not, the wrath of the Crystal Throne shall fall upon you and yours, destroying everything in its path."

Sadie didn't hesitate before responding, "If it comes to that, then know that I will take no joy in rendering judgement upon everyone in this city."

Without waiting for an answer to the threat, she strode from the Empress' chambers. Even as her boots clicked against the polished floor, her mind was already on the task at hand. Finally, she was getting back into the fight.