The Merciless Alpha(erotica)

“Tavorwen said you wanted to paint your rifles to stand out less.” Creadean informed me, “The paints arrived just after you left to meet with Master Driveal. They came with a note apologizing for the slow delivery. Apparently, the artisan’s color vendor had run out of a few key pieces and needed to restock before she could supply our request.”

I sighed with relief, my rifle was great, but the blue/silver of the metal was not exactly discrete. Painting it would go a long way toward securing the stealthiness of my position as I used it.

The paints were different than I was used to, thinner, but binding quickly to the metal. Creadean said that the paints were composed of materials specifically chosen to work well on metals.

“Hard as the composition of your weapon is, it’s not likely to scratch, so these paints should last unless scoured off.” She assured me.

I utilized a variety of greens and browns to give my rifle a good plant-mottled look. The stock was wood, a solid wood sturdy enough to take the beating this beast gave when fired, but that did mean it naturally blended. Overall it was a good looking weapon.

“I’m glad you are situated.” Creadean declared solemnly, ” It should be at least two weeks before Kathra’s forces are recovered enough to face us again. That’ll give us time to recruit a few battle maidens, run some training exercises and really see what you can-”

A pounding on the door interrupted her.

Tavorwen answered it, eyes narrowed, hand on her blade. Outside the door was an elven soldier with a scroll.

“The seers have detected a contingent of the shadow elf army, moving for the Northern border of the forest. They’ll make forest’s edge in about two hours.” The messenger declared.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

“The northern edge?” Creadean asked with confusion, “But why strike where we are well rested if she’s going to commit forces so sound after a crushing defeat?”

“This is a different branch of their army…” The scout explained as Tavorwen read the scroll. Looking over her shoulder, I caught a glimpse of foreign symbols, graceful and flowing, before they swan and reformed as english. The army was estimated at two hundred shadow elves and at least twenty ‘gruthir’ beasts. “No wyverns, and none of the tired soldiers from yesterday’s battle. This was the group that was their ram at the massacre, the one they used to smash through our lines and formations.”

Concern rose among my listening matrons, not only the ones who would remain behind. I tried not to let it affect me. I needed a clear head. A fifty caliber rifle, like the one I’d had made for me, could take down an elephant if placed well enough, and now my rifle had magical enhancements that would make it even stronger. I had to have faith that my rifle would be good enough for these ‘gruthir’ beasts.

“General Jakarah has requested that Master Thomas deploy nearby for long range support. We have seers and a teleporter on standby.” The soldier finished. “It is requested you assemble your supplies and report outside the Silver Ivy Barracks to standby for teleport.”

“Understood.” I informed her, “We will report as soon as we have prepared ourselves.”

She put a fist over her heart and tipped her head in what I realized was an elven salute, before turning and hurrying away.

“Two battles in as many days.” Tavorwen breathed, “What is Kathra thinking?”

“She knows we have a summon.” Narusil declared, her fingers stroking her chin. “She’s either trying to determine what he can do, or she’s hoping to end him before he can ruin her plans. How big a force did they send?”

“Round two hundred plus twenty gruthir.” Tavorwen replied.

“Not enough to wipe us out. Not her entire army.” Narusil judged quickly, “But enough to be a fair assessment of our summon.”

“She’d throw away two hundred elves and twenty of these… whatever they are to get an idea what I can do?” I marveled. If my understanding of elven societal dynamics was even near correct, that was a huge commitment on their part.

“Much as I hate to say it… yes.” Heilantu was the one to speak this time. “Shadow elves aren’t like us. Their society thrives on deceit, backstabbing and the strong preying on the weak. From what we’ve learned there are twenty high houses, and each could easily send out two or three armies of that size. I’m guessing that Kathra is throwing this army away to weaken a rivaling house. They might have even sent more troops than she asked for to try and avoid losses to maintain their strength.”

“And as for the gruthir, they are strange subterranean beasts. Large enough to carry half a dozen elves on their back. They stand around thirty knots tall. Are generally catlike, but have a few traits rarely seen in other felines. They have claws that can tear through steel mail, a pair of enlarged front fangs that can be larger than an elf is tall. Their most imposing trait however is the horns. They have a central horn protruding directly from their foreheads, and two side horns curling and sweeping forward. Our scholars believe they were intended as a method to attract and fight for mates, but the shadow elves have them equipped with metal blades to cleave through soldiers on the battlefield. At least unlike some of the species under their control the shadow elves haven’t managed to weaponize their tails yet, so at least there’s one safe angle to approach them…. Though they are agile enough that they tend to be able to turn on you before you utilize it well.” Narusil explained.

Good things to note. A horned beast like that would have a thick skull, and it would be agile enough a headshot wasn’t practical. I’d be aiming for the main chest cavity. The lungs and heart on a beast that size would have to be massive, and the space between ribs would make for a great target. I’d have to see how they were armored, but If I could punch a hole in their chest like that, it should be enough.

“Thanks for the info.” I praised my matrons, “It’ll help a great deal once I have to deal with them.”

I glance to my battle matrons, “Creadean, Tavorwen, do you need to prepare anything?”

“Never need more than I can carry.” Creadean declared, patting the ever present pack on her lower back.

“I’m ready when you are.” Tavorwen affirmed.

“Never been to your old barracks.” I told Tavorwen, “Lead the way.”

“Be careful.” Lymarith begged.

“Come back home to us, safely.” Diamiutar reiterated.

I smiled, “I just got here. Not planning on going anywhere else anytime soon. I’ll be back before you know it.”

I could feel the comfort they took at that. Though uncertainty remained. Uncertainty would always exist, but I took comfort in the fact that I was doing the best I could, and the angel who had spoken to me when I was summoned to this place had told me so long as I did my best, I would live a long and fruitful life here.

“We’ve got a battlefield to join.” I told my battle matrons and we hurried out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tarq’Vreegan, or just Vreegan as she was feeling right now but only the Queen was so exalted as to being able to drop the title appended to her name, allowed the motion of the saddle underneath her to roll and shift her as the gruthir walked underneath her. The great beast’s massive strides made riding it a skill. It wasn’t smooth like it might have been for a smaller beast, but it was calming to her all the same.

She had been given command of this assault group, and had been told the wood elves had shown signs of weakness, so she might be able to break into their forest and start searching for their hidden city.

She shook her head. What a load of banthir dung. She knew the moment she saw her forces that odds were most of them weren’t coming back. All 15 members of her normal squad who were with child had been reassigned, even though the furthest along was only 6 months pregnant, hardly far enough to impede the rider’s combat ability. Also, the standard practice was to mix young and inexperienced gruthir with the older and better trained beasts so the young blood could see the older blood performing as directed to reinforce that they too should obey, however all of the beasts she’d been given had already given six litters. Six litters was about all you could expect from a mother gruthir, after that the beast was considered old. There were few uses beyond battle for such beasts.

She had a mix of young fools and older sisters who Tarq’Vreegan suspected were being sent on this mission because they were less favored by Matriarch Sa’Gavorn. Looking over her forces it had been obvious her orders were a lie. She wondered where she had so angered Sa’Gavorn to be sent at the head of such a mission.

Life in shadow elf society required constant vigilance, let your guard down for a moment and your closest allies would stab you in the back simply because the opportunity was presented. Sa’Gavorn had probably been given orders she couldn’t refuse from Kathra, and Tarq’Vreegan was simply the unlucky sister to be told to carry them out.

This seemed like a wild phoenix chase. From what she knew they suspected the wood elven city was in the south east sector of the forest, that would be far away from where she had been deployed, furrows and furrows away.

Tarq’Vreegan had however seen Shadow Claws preparing as her group had moved to deploy. She suspected her group was little more than a decoy. The Shadow Claws were assassins, slavers, and kidnappers. Vreegan had heard the rumors of House Mor’Vakth’s defeat, surprising as their wyverns made them very difficult opponents, their stingers could even cause problems for the gruthir, as it robbed the strength of their bodies faster than the big cats could kill the lesser dragons. Vreegan wondered if the Shadow Claws were to be deployed to eliminate whatever it was that had led to House Mor’Vakth being routed.

Vreegan slipped her hand into the pouch at her belt. Among her other belongings was a tile, about three notches by eight notches, that she had been given. Fur’Grendeth had given it to her with strict instructions. Were she to learn anything of value, and she feared she would not return safely, she was to break it, releasing the teleportation spell trapped inside, returning her to report.

“Tarq?” One of the younger sisters demanded, “You are brooding more than usual.”

“You will use my full name or I will have your guts in the gravel.” Tarq’Vreegan snapped.