The clicking of skeletal feet roused him from his current activity of plucking the legs off yet another spider. “Chosen indeed,” he chuckled as he tossed it to the side. The noise had stopped and he waited a moment to see if this new servant would actually announce itself or just stand there silently. It did not. They never did.
“Yes?” he asked in irritation
“Master, the Dark Ones approach.”
This was news indeed as nothing had awoken them in many a year. “Very well,” he said standing and glancing down at his attire. “Guess Ill need pants.”
He met them in the “greeting room.” Scab was lounging on a couch he kept for mortals who occasionally visited the Tower, his armor a little snugger than he recalled, but then again, whose wasn’t. Shadow paced back and forth, dagger in hand, as if eager to stab something. Shame he kept no Romans around. They always did make the best targets.
Of the Half Orc there was no sign, nor the old ranger Chronos, or the upstart Jensai. Three should do though. They’d changed history with three.
“Gentlemen,” he smiled, “welcome to my abode.”
“Have you heard of this Rings game?” Scab piped up, picking his teeth with something that resembled a hairpin.
“The cute archer? From Mordom?”
“No no, something about Odin and the King of the Giants. Apparently the Realm is choosing sides, or maybe the Gods chose them.”
“We were not invited?” He asked, not surprised in the least.
“Your stepson has put out the call, Myriador takes the field one last time.”
This indeed intrigued him. “Is that so? Hmmm.”
“Do we side with them?” asked Shadow, “They side with Odin, and not many oppose them. Not many to kill.” He sounded almost disappointed.
“Well I see no reason to side against them.”
“When have we ever needed a reason for anything?” asked Scab.
“Gold is a good reason,” replied Shadow.
“I have gold,” Archmage Fingers said with a wave at the tower around him, “if there is a Norse God I think Elidor would be siding with him as well.”
“Well then who shall we side with?”
“Who do we always side with?” Fingers asked, his mouth turning up into a bit of a smile.
The others saw and did the same, the unspoken bond renewed after many years.
Team 3.
