As Milo followed the elven guards back up to the courtyard, he couldn’t help but notice how tense they were. Every now and then one of them would glance at him as if afraid he might try to escape whatever their king had planned.

  The scene which greeted them in the courtyard was one of complete destruction. The entire courtyard was covered in dead elves, collapsed skeletons and what remained of Rostrian’s people. Like the skeleton knights guarding the altar, Rostrian and his people had simply fallen over dead as soon as the altar was destroyed. Milo made a note to increase the security around their own altar so the same didn’t happen to his faction.

  He tried his best to count how many elves were left standing and arrived at around three thousand. Yet they looked quite pleased with themselves as he was led to their king. King Valar gave him a cruel smile.

  “I saw you run away from the battle Lord Milo, I should of course expect no better from one the lesser species.”

  Milo shrugged.

  “I had something important to do.”

  King Valar’s eyes went to the sword in his hands, one of his mages leaned in and whispered something to the king. When the king spoke next his voice was cold.

  “I see you’ve looted the enemy’s treasury, but seeing as how your army is destroyed and you yourself deserted the battle, I’m afraid you’ve forfeited any right to the treasure.”

  The king took a step forward and then yanked the sword out Milo’s hands. He raised the sword above his head and shouted.

  “Now it is time for your punishment deserter, Landrian see to it that this coward is strung u-”

  The king was interrupted when green flames erupted from the sword. The man screamed as he was lit up like a match, within seconds his flesh turned black, and he collapsed to the ground dead as a doornail. The elves stared at their dead king with wide eyes as Milo bent down to pick up his sword.

  “He really shouldn’t have touched my stuff.”

  Landrian’s eyes filled with rage, and he was about to order attack when Milo cut him off.

  “Look behind you emissary.”

  Landrian turned towards the outer wall and finally noticed the demon soldiers. Behind them stood Hervix and his people, their scorpions aimed at the elves. And at their head was Beldan and Lily, their hair still dripping with sea water. The elf turned back around just in time for a thousand vortices to finish delivering a new batch of demon soldiers.

  “You are surrounded lord Landrian, surrender or I will kill you all.”

  Despite the death of their king, exhaustion and wounds Landrian never hesitated.

  “Kill them all!”

  The elf tried to lunge at Milo but he batted the clumsy strike aside and knocked him unconscious with a blow. Then a chaotic melee broke out as the elves tried to avenge their king. Despite the hopelessness of their cause, they gave a decent accounting of themselves and one of them even managed to land a cut on Milo’s cheek. This cut uncovered yet another one of Deathbringer’s hidden properties when it closed right after he slew an elf. It seemed the so called ‘life energy’ the sword stole from its victims could be used to heal wounds, but that was no all. Every dent and scratch on his armour vanished as his kill tally rose. He was certainly very glad that Ivy had been so insistent about the sword, with this blade he would be unstoppable.

  The elves finally gave up after they had been reduced to about five hundred. Milo had his army disarm them and then woke Landrian with a bucket of cold water. The elf stared up at him with hatred which faded to uncertainty when he saw how many of his men had died thanks to his foolish order.

  “You’ve had your fun lord Landrian but try something like that again and there will be no mercy for neither you nor your people back in Oakcrown.”

  Landrian’s eyes went wide at the mention of their capital city and Milo could see true fear on his face now.

  “Yes, I know about your capital, which is now defenceless without its king and army. Now your people have committed great crimes and yet I am not ungrateful for your assistance with this siege. I am willing to offer you the opportunity to join my empire.”

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  Milo heard Hervix curse, but he ignored the gnome.

  Landrian didn’t quite seem to appreciate the opportunity he’d been handed.

  “We will never serve you!”

  The elf spat the words, and Milo rewarded him with a backhanded blow which sent him to the floor.

  “Landrian, listen to me closely, right now you hold the fate of your entire people in your hands. Look around at this butchery and know that there will be no mercy for your people if you turn me down. My armies are endless and if you decide to oppose me you will be slaughtered down to the last child.”

  “We will not be your slaves!”

  Milo sort of admired the man’s blind courage, so he decided to offer him an out.

  “I don’t keep slaves, your people will be allowed stay in Oakcrown and will continue to rule it under my overlordship. Those of you who wish to travel to the other provinces of my empire will be allowed to do so. The only thing I require from you are your people is an oath of fealty.”

  One of the newly summoned elementalists approached with a skull cup recently carved from the remains of an undead. The elementalist filled the cup with demon blood and then offered it to Landrian. Milo provided an explanation.

  “Drink the contents of this cup and then repeat the following words ‘I Landrian, willingly swear myself to the service of Lilith and Milo Harper, Champion of Lilith’. Do that and you and your people will live, refuse me and you will be erased from this world.”

  Landrian hesitated for far longer than he had expected and when he finally took the cup it was with a glare. With a final sigh he downed the contents of the cup and said the words. The elves gasped as Landrian’s skin and hair turned black as midnight. When he looked at Milo it was with eyes so pale with red that it was barely visible.

  “Fascinating…”

  The words came from Ivy, and he turned to look at her.

  “His race must be highly susceptible to magical alterations, far more than humans, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s gained access to the elements of Lilith’s realm.”

  Landrian opened and closed his hands and when he spoke, he sounded more confident.

  “Yes, I feel strong, like I could run all day.”

  Milo had no doubt the elf was thinking of how to screw him over, but he had no intention of letting it come to that. He locked eyes with Landrian and activated his eyes of command ability. Landrian stopped flexing his hands and went limp.

  “You will never betray me and never work against me in any way. You are my servant from now until your death, all you care about is making sure my wishes are obeyed. Now return to normal.”

  Life seemed to flood back into Landrian’s eyes, and he shook himself as if waking from a dream. He looked at Milo for a second and then bowed. When he spoke, his voice was full of reverence.

  “My lord, what can this humble servant do for you?”

  “Convince the rest of these people to undergo the ritual of conversion.”

  Landrian nodded and then started giving orders, one by one the elves underwent the ritual. Every time one of their mages or war council members were converted Milo would use his eyes to do to them what he had done to Landrian. His hope was that a small group of leaders could keep the rest in check.

  Once they were done with the elves Hervix approached, before Milo could ask what the gnome wanted, he yanked the skull cup from the nearest elementalist’s hand.

  Milo arched an eyebrow at the gnome.

  “You don’t have to do it right now, our bargain remains incomplete.”

  Hervix looked around at the carnage surrounding them and then up at the now obedient Landrian. He poked the elf and when the man did nothing to retaliate, he snorted.

  “Think of it as a show of good faith, so far you’ve kept your word, and while I really would’ve preferred to wipe the damn elves out, I can’t deny that it’s amusing to watch them grovel before you.”

  The other gnomes followed Hervix’s example. Their transformation was a lot like that of humans, their eyes and hair turned black but aside from that everything remained the same.

  By the time Milo lead his forces out from the cavern not even one of them remained unchanged. As soon as they got back to shore he had some of the elves put up their dead king’s tent and called a war council.

  Attending the meeting was Landrian, Beldan, Ivy, Lily and Hervix.

  Milo began by clapping for Beldan.

  “Bravo General, when Lily snuck into camp last night and told me you were confident you could swim to the cavern, I thought she was joking. I see now why Lilith placed such trust in you.”

  Beldan inclined his head in acceptance.

  “Thank you, champion, you did quite well yourself.”

  Milo waved a hand at Ivy.

  “I played my part, but it was Ivy who destroyed the altar.”

  Lily’s face turned from impassive stare into a smile and Beldan looked genuinely surprised. Still, he was quick to congratulate her.

  “Well done, you always did have great potential.”

  She waved her hand embarrassed at the praise.

  “Yes, we all did a good job, but I suggest we shift our attention to the future.”

  Lily nodded and then produced a map, the map showed the location of Oakcrown, Ferdor and someplace called Vixiville. Landrian frowned at the map.

  “How did you get your hands on this map? It was supposed to be destroyed in the event our army was in danger of being wiped out.”

  Lily didn’t answer but Milo had a strong suspicion that she had killed whoever’s job it had been to destroy the sensitive map. Hervix drew a dagger and pointed it at the place named Vixiville.

  “That is my village, around three thousand of my people live there, they are currently under guard by a garrison of a few hundred elves.”

  Beldan tapped the edge of the map and then nodded to himself.

  “I have taken the measure of these elves, a force of a few hundred demon soldiers should be able to free the village. Especially if the gnomes rise up at the same time.”

  Landrian was quick to speak up.

  “There is no need to spill blood, I will simply order the garrison to leave and once they see what we have become they will join us.”

  Milo looked at Beldan and the general shrugged.

  “I suggest we send Hervix and his people as well as a small force of demon soldiers just in case they refuse to listen.”

  Milo nodded.

  “Done, now what about Oakcrown?”

  Landrian’s face grew uncertain.

  “Our capital is lightly held, but the garrison is formidable, and our city is well defended by walls and tall trees which can be used to rain down spells and arrows on an attacker. I might be able to get the city to surrender but I fear the royal family will resist me.”

  Ivy clearly sensed an opportunity because broke in at once.

  “How good is your claim to the throne of Oakcrown, Landrian?”

  “I am sixth in line to the throne, behind the king’s daughter and cousins.”

  “And what would happen if they were to be found dead in their beds just become you arrive at the head of a small army of converted elves?”

  “Assuming a few of the other key people in the town were also found dead I believe my family has the influence needed to proclaim me king.”

  Milo nodded again, it was all coming together.

  “Lily you will join Landrian along with fifty shadow stalkers. You will advise him in my place and help him liberate Vixiville. Once Hervix’s people are liberated you will send guides with them who will bring them to Emberstone. Once the gnomes are away safely you will do everything in your power to make sure Landrian captures Oakcrown and stays in power.”

  Lily inclined her head and Milo’s finger went to the city of Ferdor.

  “The rest of us will go to Ferdor and rebuild the city and make sure it has a garrison large enough to hold it.”

  With that settled the army split in two, each heading for their new destination.