LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 93: Chapter 93
From Varrus's perspective, the plan to gank Tenris went on without a hitch. Instead of prolonging any long fight, they had lured him close, and executed a well-timed team attack.
By baiting Syra, Tenris came within range of Varrus's Speech skill, Performer. Which forced those within a certain range to listen, enraptured by his performance, and pay him in gold.
Of course, this was an incredibly risky maneuver on Varrus's part, because it didn't have a particularly long range, and it kept his hands occupied. If he wanted to retaliate with a sword or spell, that extra few seconds it would take to drop the guitar would leave him open.
Ultimately, Perform wasn't something to rely upon, but was useful situationally. Such as when he had three other Heroes backing him up.
And what Heroes they were!
Varrus had watched on in shocked surprise as Nightsong transformed into a massive Red Dragon, and matched claws with the opposing Undead Black Dragon.
The fight between the two juggernauts was like watching Godzilla vs King Kong. Breath attacks scorched one another in a fiery cataclysm of heat and plague.
Varrus sensed Life magic coursing through her, and wondered if a mage's polymorph could replicate this skill. It was something to look into for another day. Perhaps he could transform himself, a loyal pet, or even an everyday household item into a Dragon. If so, that would be quite something.
But there was more to the gank than this surprising revelation.
When Tenris attempted his escape, Varrus had dropped a Forbidden Sun atop his head, forcing him to the ground.
From there, the plan came to fruition when Faedra stabbed Tenris in the back, and Syra ripped his heart out.
The former Crown Prince stood no chance when four of Quel'Thalas's mightiest Heroes caught him by surprise.
Such an event was eye opening to Varrus, because if he placed himself in Tenris's shoes, and fought against Nightsong, Syra, Faedra, and say, Kael'Thas, and was caught in a sudden ambush, he didn't know if he could survive. At that point, running to fight another day seemed like the only logical option. Varrus would have to keep that thought in mind going forward. He wasn't invincible, and still had a long way to go.
Moving on from Tenris's death, Varrus's group had begun their mop up operation.
Without their leader, the local Scourge forces returned to a default state of constant frenzy, and became easy targets for the well organized Elven ranks.
Under a coordinated assault, ghouls and skeletons could work together to drag an Elf down, then pounce upon him with a combination of weapons, and a hint of intelligence, such as aiming for the gaps in armor.
However, due to Tenris's death, the majority of the Undead charged mindlessly, and relentlessly at the closest living target, leaving them wide open for golems to crush their flanks. All the paladins and warriors had to do was hold the line, and wait for the Arcane Golems to stomp these mindless freaks into meat paste.
Of course, some necromancers, and other Undead possessed intelligence, and attempted to flee, but were caught out by Varrus, and his relief army.
30 minutes after Tenris's death, the battle for the bridge was concluded. A stack of corpses was slowly smoldering upon a pyre, and golems were hard at work tossing more and more bodies upon the ever growing mound.
Priests and paladins were muttering prayers over the fire, and tossing incense into the flame, purifying it of any corruption. Rangers were busy scouring the field for arrows, rogues moving out to disable any magical mines they had planted earlier, and warriors were cleaning blackened blood off their blades.
Thick smoke wafted in the air, and Varrus wrinkled his nose at the smell.
Kael'Thas flew over on his Phoenix, and warily eyed Nightsong from atop his mount.
"Hail, First Seat, your aid was most timely."
"You don't have to be so formal, nor must you keep your distance upon Al'ar. This is Nightsong, she leads a contingent of Darkfallen who remain loyal to Quel'Thalas." Varrus explained.
"I know who she is, Varrus. A revolutionary who is against the Monarchy, against the Convocation. But if you claim her as a friend, then I will place my trust in you." Kael stated, and reluctantly landed.
Varrus glanced at Nightsong, but noticed she did not deny these claims. He licked his lips. Perhaps there was more to the Bronze Dragonflight attacking her then he had first assumed.
On the surface, she was a mother who wanted to reconnect with her child. But that didn't mean she wasn't her own person, with goals and dreams for the future. Varrus made a mental note to keep his eye out. Glancing at Rho'dan, the guard seemed to get the memo, and ever so slightly inclined his chin.
He would still accept Nightsong, but that didn't mean he would leave himself exposed to her.
"I vouch for her. Nightsong is my mother after all." Varrus chuckled when he saw Kael stumble during his dismount at this revelation.
"The most famous general, and politician paired up? I see now why you pretended to be a playboy for so many years. If you showed even an ounce of their competency, assassins and ner-do-wells would pounce upon you before you had a chance to grow." Kael laughed.
"Right, it was all part of the plan to hide my talents." Varrus nervously chuckled along with Kael.
"General Nightsong, Lady Vandercross, Lady Greathollow." Kael nodded at the others.
"Yes, our little Varrus here was quite the surprise. Imagine my shock when he claimed the head of the traitor, Drathir Dar'Khan within a week of the Scourging of Silvermoon? My daughter has quite the eye." Faedra said with all the smug pride of a mother whose child got into a top tier school.
Syra seemed to ignore her mother, and was holding Varrus close, as if any of the three beautiful Elves in front of them were a threat to her property.
"She is amazing, isn't she? I'd be dead without her " Varrus spoke up in genuine praise, and lovingly rubbed her back.
"That's because my bestie is the best!" Jan'alai roared from the skies, then landed with a thump as she transformed back into a Forest Troll.
The tall, muscular green lady grabbed Kael in a headlock, and pulled him into her breasts.
Kael seemed to anticipate it this time, and he could only roll his eyes as he was embraced from behind.
Varrus smiled, and internally applauded Kael. The guy had been a blushing mess a few months back, but now as King, he owned the moment. Kael had graduated from being comedic relief and a dense-idiot shounen protagonist, to a man secure in his love for his woman. Very nice.
Nightsong-who was sketching Varrus & Syra-paused in her work, and flipped a page so that she could draw a new piece of art.
Varrus shook his head at the scene. Along with Kael's arrival, the other important Heroes and Elites began to gather as well.
"With our victory here, about a quarter of the Ghostlands is under our control. I propose we hold a meeting, and detail our conquest in further detail." Varrus suggested.
"Agreed. I have eliminated the Murlocs off the west coast, driven off the Trolls in the south east, and secured Fairbreeze Village. Eversong is firmly within our control. It is time to move on to the Ghostlands." Kael nodded along.
Varrus once again internally applauded Kael'Thas. He had bloodied his army, and the results spoke for themselves. Tenris's force was cleanly eliminated, and casualties were at a minimum.
The young King had proven himself to be the leader he was always meant to be. Varrus was proud of his friend for his accomplishments, as well as his maturity. Without Fel corruption or a burning hunger for constant mana, Kael was a level headed, smooth operator. With the two of them leading the government, Varrus foresaw a golden age for Highborn culture and society.
Now that Tenris was finished, and Tranquillien secure, it was time for them to plan out their next move.
Lana'thel, the former Queen of Quel'Thalas, was still a thorn in their side, and needed to be destroyed. But the province of the Ghostlands was huge. It would be reckless to charge straight at her gates.
Before they advanced any further into her territory, they needed a plan of attack.
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After some more time had passed, Varrus found himself within a hastily setup tent, and sitting upon conjured furniture.
A large table was placed in the center, and Varrus found himself sitting on one side, beside Koren, Thaladred, Telonicus, and Lor'Themar, as representatives of the Convocation.
On the other side of the table, Kael'Thas was flanked by his advisors: Pathaleon the Calculator, Knight-Lord Dranarus, and Magister Governor Allatrocx.
Nightsong occupied one end of the table, and had a couple Darkfallen sitting beside her. Whilst Faedra, was also acting as a third party, and occupied the other head of the table.
Finally, Syra, and Rho'dan stood behind him, Halduron behind Faedra, and Jan'alai behind Kael, acting officially as 'experts,' they were allowed at this meeting between the Monarchy and the Convocation due to some legal mumbo jumbo. However, they weren't afforded a seat at the table due to their status.
Syra took this as an invitation to sit on his lap, and Jan'alai draped herself over Kael's backside in response. The two women shared a smile, Syra's demure, and Jan'alai's wide like a shark.
Allatrocx scoffed in a way that reminded Varrus of Tae'thelon. He wagered the two smug Elves would make the best of friends.
Syra wriggled in place, like a cat getting comfortable. Varrus bit his lower lip, and barely kept his hands locked on her hips, instead of wandering to her breasts.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lor'Themar face palming, and muttering to himself. Lor'Themar then shrugged his shoulders, and took out a pair of tiny, unfinished wooden shoes, and he began to work upon them. Apparently if both the First Seat, and the King were going to flaunt decorum, so too would the Ranger General.
Varrus received a few arched eyebrows from the rest, but no one remarked upon this scandalous pose, most people present were more focused on the situation at hand.
A large map detailing the Ghostlands was spread out in front of them, on it were markers for Scourge holdouts, and other locations.
"To start things off, Lor'Themar, Faedra, what do your scouts and agents have to report regarding the land?" Varrus questioned.
"Large troop movements have been spotted in Windrunner Village, Suncrown Village, and Goldenmist Village. My scouts have determined that there are holdouts in each of these locations, and are in desperate need of support.
Furthermore, any force that tries to move throughout the Ghostlands will be assaulted by treants, and roots. Only the central plains, and roads remain safe from this botanical nightmare. The trees have become animated into undeath, and actively attack those passing by. Seldom few of my men can traverse the forests, as only the most silent and light footed Rangers can creep past the trees." Lor'Themar shared, never once looking up from his carving.
"Faedra?"
"Hmm, I have much the same to report as our dear Ranger General. However, I have eyes and ears on the inside. Deatholme is surrounded by mountains on all sides, and the city walls are overrun by bark and tree roots. A mist of toxic acid surrounds the city, and a toxic mist pollutes the air.
I know Lana'thel, and she would much rather patiently accumulate her forces until the time to strike presents itself. With the defeat of her son, half her army has been destroyed. From this, I say she should play on the defensive, and won't emerge from her lair unless outside reinforcements arrive." Faedra tiredly explained, and glanced at Varrus in boredom.
"If this is true, then the freedom of our people takes priority. Using Tranquillien as a base, I say we divide and conquer. We have several armies present, and three villages to liberate between them." Kael suggested.
"Do not forget the twin Sanctums of Sun & Moon. If I can place Rune Stones there, I think I can solve the forest problem. Treants will still be an issue, especially at Deatholm, but the lands leading up to the fortress city should be safe if my calculations are correct." Telonicus spoke up from the side.
Varrus arched an eyebrow in surprise at the Royal Engineer's statement. Typically the mathematician remained silent, lost in his own world of design and numbers.
"Yes, the Rune Stones in those twin areas should be a priority. If we can link them with the one stationed at Tranquillien, then Lana'thel's strength will be that much weaker." Governor Allatrocx agreed.
"Nonsense! I say we attack now! This plan would take approximately two weeks at the minimum to carry out, as it takes one week to produce a singular Rune Stone! The longer we wait, the more time that traitor has to organize! Lana'thel must be reeling from the loss of Tenris and his army. If we rush her now, she will be taken by surprise! We must strike while the iron is hot!" Thaladred slammed his plated fist onto the table.
Varrus slightly nodded his head. He could see the value in this proposition. Lana'thel must be panicking right now. Besides, they had momentum on their side. If they let things cool down while morale was high, then they might face defeat against an entrenched opponent.
"Absolutely not! I will not abandon my people in the hinterlands for a momentary gain! There could be thousands, or tens of thousands of our brethren trapped in their homes, desperate for salvation. As King, I refuse to let one more drop of Elven blood fall to corruption!" Kael passionately denied Thaladred's motion, and looked to Varrus for support.
"...While your idea has merit, Thaladred, I must agree with the King on this matter. A systematic approach to reclaiming the Ghostlands is a sound decision. Besides, you heard Lor'Themar's report, the very forest has turned into our enemy. If we rushed forward, our flanks would be left wide open." Varrus defended his friend, whilst also providing a reasonable explanation as to why a full frontal attack would be risky.
"My Darkfallen will secure Windrunner Village." Nightsong suggested.
"Don't forget knights! We'll go to Suncrown!" Koren was quick to volunteer himself.
"Then I shall take Goldenmist." Kael finished.
"I guess that leaves the Sanctums to me." Varrus glanced at Syra sitting in his lap, and nodded.
"My Rangers will continue to scout. I'll keep everyone here updated as to any enemy troop movements." Lor'Themar added.
"Very good. Meeting dismissed." Kael said to the group.
When everyone began to shuffle out of the tent, Syra and Jan'alai began to discuss lewd acts in one corner, and Kael caught up to Varrus for a quick chat.
"We haven't spoken in some time. Has Silvermoon been purged? Did the negotiations with the Kobolds go well?" Kael asked in a serious, yet friendly manner that gave a similar vibe to a friend that conveyed both concern and support.
Varrus had a small smile on his face, and clapped Kael on the shoulder at the concern he was showing. The dude may be King now, and Varrus was head of a House, both roles coming with tons of responsibilities, and eating at their time, but that didn't mean they stopped being friends.
"It went well. Silvermoon is purged of all taint, and the Kobolds have become vassals of ours. They are sending tons of ores, and rare earth minerals to our capitol as we speak." Varrus said with pride.
"Vassals? That is a surprise, how did you manage that?" Kael raised his eyebrows in shock, yet there was no distaste or disapproval in his tone.
Varrus nodded his head in approval, Kael was truly growing as a leader. The old Kael would likely balk at the idea of dominating another culture or kingdom. But now? Everything was on the line. They needed every bit of help they could get.
"It's a long story, but Kobolds culturally follow whoever wears the largest candlestick atop their head. I also fought an extremely powerful Void creature, freeing them from a curse." Varrus started off lightheartedly, but ended his statement with a grim undertone.
"Is it anything I should be concerned about?" Kael asked, equally grim.
"Not for the moment, no. The creature was in some extra-dimensional temple that was here, uet not here. I destroyed the structure, sending it back to wherever it came from. I think the place where I fought it predated Elven civilization. There is a mystery to our world, and beings older than us. It isn't anything to worry about now, but is certainly something worth investigating." Varrus spoke in a hushed whisper. Even now, just thinking about the absolute queerness of The Door, and the pure darkness of the temple had him feeling goosebumps.
"...I'll have to trouble you with Pathaleon sometime, and have him cross reference with the archives. Whatever threatens Quel'Thalas cannot be allowed to survive." Kael said with steely determination.
"I agree. So what about you, how was it retaking Eversong?" Varrus changed the topic, and asked about his friend.
"It was difficult at first, many still do not approve of my and Jan'alai's…relationship. However, I have proven myself as a viable field commander, and it went well. The only hiccup was a run in with the Naga." Kael said, frowning as he recounted his tale.
"You didn't accept their aid, did you?" Varrus spoke quickly and in a tone of subtle condemnation.
"No, you told me they were servants of the Old Ones. I trust you, much more than a snake woman." Kael scowled.
"Alright, alright, so what did she have to say?" Varrus held up his hands placatingly.
"An offer of friendship, and a cure to our addiction." Kael answered back.
"Hmm, avoid that woman at all costs, every word that hisses from her leathery mouth is a lie." Varrus was quick to cast shade at the Naga sea witch.
"I've got it, I've got it, I understood it the third time! Well, if there's nothing else, I had better hurry to Golden Mist Village. Every second more I waste could be the life of my countrymen slipping away. If you'll excuse me." Kael nodded at Varrus, then left to collect Jan'alai.
The muscular Troll girl was laughing boisterously, and repeatedly sticking one finger into her other hand, and gesturing widely.
Syra held a hand to her mouth, and was politely laughing. When Jan'alai was begrudgingly dragged away from Kael, Syra flashed him a lewd grin, then disappeared from sight.
A moment later, Varrus felt a smooth, invisible hand slip into his robe, and grip his shaft.
Glancing around, he noticed the tent was empty.
Feeling a hot breath tickle his ear, and a smooth palm working his tip, Varrus lost himself to the moment.
The sound of the conjured tent despawning reached his ear, and he snapped his eyes open to find himself surrounded by Rho'dan, and the rest of his House.
"Are we ready to depart, Highlord?" Rho'dan questioned.
Varrus gently elbowed Syra, yet she didn't stop. If anything, her speed increased!
"Ha ha…not yet, we must rest! Tell everyone to continue cleaning their gear, and set up a perimeter. The constant battling has taken a toll on me, and I must recuperate!" Varrus loudly exclaimed, barely keeping his voice from fluctuating.
Rho'dan eyed him for a second longer than usual, seemingly suspicious, before he saluted, and went to carry about his tasks.
Varrus sighed in relief, and was about to admonish Syra, when he felt his robe lift, and the moist warmth of a hot mouth, and twisting tongue fell upon his tip.
"Oy, Syra!" Varrus whispered, and looked around nervously, yet felt the pressure mounting as he was close.
In response, Syra licked his balls, and began to jerk him at insane speeds.
Varrus was in a hurry to finish, and let it all out.
Before the sticky white semen could dirty his robes, Syra stuck her mouth on his head, and slurped everything up.
"Now do me next." Syra whispered, and released her invisibility.
Seeing her lick her finger clean, Varrus lost himself in the moment. Looking left and right, he grabbed her, and Blinked away to some bushes before casting an Invisibility spell on himself.
Damn, this kink of hers was wild, but the excitement was real!
Glancing at her perfect ass invitingly wiggling from side to side, Varrus couldn't contain himself, and got to work!
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AN: Read 25 chapter ahead at: patreon.com/KarpQQ