The butterfly sisters burst into the grove like twin streaks of colored light.
Eya Verdane paused.
A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
"Cairn White's brother?"
Kael Ashvane nearly choked.
Then he grinned and winked.
Violet Farwyn and Azure Farwyn immediately seized one sleeve each, hanging from his arms with cheerful familiarity.
Kael jumped.
"Hey! Hey! Let go!"
He hurriedly pulled free before either butterfly spirit could cause more trouble than they already had.
The sisters crowded around him at once.
"How are you here?"
"Did that old man give you trouble?"
"Were you hurt?"
"Have you really been trapped in that awful forest all this time?"
Questions flew from them like arrows.
Kael rolled his eyes.
"What old man? Show some respect. His name is Elder Greymantle."
Azure snorted.
"That old relic threw us out with dark rites when we weren't looking!"
"We tried to go back and find you," Violet added, pouting. "But we couldn't find the path again no matter what we did."
Kael's smile faded slightly.
Images flashed through his mind.
The Bewildering Wood.
The endless pursuit.
The terrifying battle against overwhelming enemies.
Cold sweat prickled along his back even now.
"He did it for your own good," Kael said quietly.
The sisters exchanged glances but did not argue further.
Then Violet suddenly narrowed her eyes.
She looked at Kael.
Then at Eya.
Then back at Kael.
"Wait."
Her expression turned suspicious.
"You two know each other?"
Kael laughed.
"Didn't I tell you before? I had a friend in the Great Verdant Vale."
"Oh!" Azure cried. "The one who wholesales Warding-Vase Bamboo!"
The words struck Kael like a hammer.
His smile froze.
Slowly, very slowly, he turned toward Eya.
She was staring at him.
Not blinking.
Not smiling.
Just staring.
The last Verdant Artificer folded her arms.
"Cairn White," she said softly.
Kael swallowed.
"Y-yes?"
"You told them I sell Warding-Vase Bamboo wholesale?"
Her voice remained gentle.
That somehow made it much worse.
Kael laughed weakly.
"Well... you see... that was... a joke."
His grin looked painful.
"A joke."
"With them."
"Just a joke."
"How exactly do you know this Cairn White?"
Violet answered immediately.
"Eya, he's the one we told you about! The boy we met in Vessel Town."
Azure nodded enthusiastically.
"The one who climbed all the way to Vane's Summit and beat five disciples from Lady Perelda's line!"
Eya blinked.
Then slowly nodded.
"Oh."
Understanding spread across her face.
She turned back toward Kael.
"I remember now."
The corners of her lips curved upward.
"I heard a story about a young hero rampaging through Vane's Summit as if nobody could stop him."
Kael wished the earth would open beneath him.
"This... may be slightly exaggerated..."
"Really?"
Eya's smile grew wider.
"I also heard there was a remarkably talented young woman named Selene Voss among those disciples."
Her eyes sparkled.
"Don't tell me she ran away from you too?"
"..."
Eya stepped closer.
"And there was another fellow called the Little Saint-Lord."
She tilted her head.
"He didn't get beaten senseless either, did he?"
Kael looked ready to surrender.
The butterfly sisters giggled uncontrollably.
Eya folded her hands behind her back.
"When I first heard that story, I spent days wondering who this mysterious young master was."
Her smile became openly teasing.
"So it was you all along."
"I'm honored."
"I'm impressed."
Kael turned red.
"Please stop."
Eya only laughed.
Azure nodded seriously.
"Cairn White really is amazing."
She jabbed a finger toward the distant valley.
"The mission we wanted your help with back then was attacking the Great Verdant Vale."
"Now look."
"If we'd known you were Eya's friend, we wouldn't have wasted so much effort convincing you."
Kael immediately recovered his confidence.
He straightened his back.
"Exactly."
"I came here specifically to help."
Eya shot him a glance that was half amusement and half affection.
Before she could answer, her expression changed.
She looked toward the sisters.
"The Crown Prince reached the valley entrance?"
Both butterfly spirits suddenly became awkward.
"Did he agree to send troops?"
Silence.
The sisters exchanged nervous looks.
"Speak," Eya said.
The warmth vanished from her voice.
Azure looked away.
Violet hesitated.
"The Crown Prince said..."
She swallowed.
"He said that if you..."
"Finish the sentence."
Violet gathered her courage.
"The Crown Prince said he doesn't want bamboo or construct secrets."
"He only asks that after everything is finished, you travel to the imperial capital and meet him."
"If you agree, he'll personally lead his army into the valley and wipe out every soldier of the Sevenfold Dominion."
The color rushed into Eya's face.
Not embarrassment.
Anger.
A dangerous anger.
Kael felt it immediately.
"What happened?" he asked.
Eya said nothing.
Her jaw tightened.
Her lips pressed together.
Kael frowned.
Who exactly was this Crown Prince?
He sounded incredibly confident.
He was offering help.
Yet Eya looked as though she wanted to strangle him.
"Eya..." Violet asked carefully. "What reply should we send?"
"No reply."
The answer came instantly.
Cold as steel.
"We don't need his help."
A fierce light burned in Eya's eyes.
"I'll reclaim Verdant Keep myself."
The butterfly sisters immediately nodded.
"That's right."
Azure folded her arms.
"Let him wait outside the valley forever."
"Good."
Eya turned sharply.
"Move."
She shot Kael a brief look.
Then launched into the air.
Several guards followed at once.
The sisters rose after her.
"Come on, Cairn White!"
Kael hurried after them.
Wind roared past his ears.
His movement technique carried him forward with surprising speed.
Within moments he had overtaken the guards.
Then the sisters.
Then he caught up to Eya herself.
She glanced sideways.
A hint of surprise appeared.
"Your movement has improved a great deal."
Kael fought hard not to look smug.
He merely offered a mysterious smile.
Eya rolled her eyes.
The bamboo forest suddenly opened.
Kael's breath caught.
Before him stretched an enormous army.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Rows upon rows of bamboo constructs stood in perfect formation.
Towering bamboo warriors.
Bamboo beasts.
Winged bamboo hunters.
An entire silent legion waiting for war.
The sight was overwhelming.
"By the Sovereign..." Kael whispered.
His eyes widened.
"Spear Soldiers."
"Blade Falcons."
"Mantis Craftsmen."
"And Tiger-Spider War Chariots."
"There are so many..."
He looked toward Eya.
"They're all alive?"
Eya nodded.
"Yes."
A hint of exhaustion lingered beneath her smile.
"I spent eleven days and eleven nights performing the Soul-Bonding Rite."
Kael stared.
Eleven days.
No wonder she looked tired beneath the excitement.
By then the sisters and guards had caught up.
Several commanders emerged from among the formations.
They dropped to one knee before Eya.
"All divisions stand ready!"
"Awaiting the Court Mistress's command!"
Eya's expression hardened.
"Advance immediately."
"Reach Verdant Keep before nightfall."
"Hide your forces and await further orders."
The commanders saluted.
Then rushed away.
Moments later horns sounded throughout the bamboo sea.
The silent army awoke.
Constructs began moving.
Columns formed.
Ranks shifted.
Thousands of bamboo soldiers marched into the forest in perfect order.
One formation after another vanished among the endless green.
Kael watched in awe.
"With an army like this, taking Verdant Keep should be easy."
Eya shook her head.
"We can't use them yet."
"What?"
"Not until we recover the Wood-Warden Token."
Azure answered before Eya could.
"The Sevenfold Dominion still has it."
Violet continued.
"That token controls every construct in the valley."
"If we deploy this army now, the enemy could seize control of it."
Kael blinked.
Then understanding struck.
"So that's the problem."
Eya nodded.
"Once we recover the Wood-Warden Token, this army becomes ours."
"Until then, it remains a risk."
Kael clenched a fist.
"Then let's take it back."
A small smile appeared on Eya's lips.
"That is exactly what we're about to do."
She raised a hand.
Several nearby guards signaled.
Mechanical noises echoed through the forest.
Kael turned.
Four enormous war machines emerged from between the bamboo trunks.
Tiger-Spider War Chariots.
Their bodies were painted with dark tiger stripes.
Eight massive legs supported each chassis.
Each one carried two Mantis Craftsmen on its back.
The machines looked large enough to crush houses.
Kael whistled.
"These are even bigger than the ones guarding the entrance to the Artificer's Well."
"They are."
Eya's eyes softened as she looked at the machines.
"Largest class."
"Not as effective in direct combat as the Dread-Feet designs."
"But unmatched for siege warfare."
"These were the models once supplied to Lord Voss."
Kael walked around one slowly.
"Beautiful."
"Horrifying."
"Perfect."
He slapped the side.
"I can see why armies broke when these things appeared."
"Get aboard."
Eya jumped lightly onto the nearest chariot.
Kael followed.
The sisters immediately jumped up after him.
Eya frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Violet blinked.
Azure smiled.
"Joining you."
"No."
"Take another chariot."
Azure folded her arms.
"I want to sit with Cairn White."
Eya looked toward Kael.
The look alone nearly killed him.
His scalp tingled.
"This one does seem a little crowded..." he said weakly.
Azure immediately leaned against one arm.
"There is plenty of room."
Violet attached herself to his other side.
"Verdant Keep is dangerous."
"We should stay together."
Kael began sweating.
Rapidly.
"This... this..."
Eya merely smiled.
A very dangerous smile.
She studied him with obvious amusement.
Kael felt a growing sense of doom.
"Perhaps I should ride another one?"
"Move out!"
Eya barked.
The drivers instantly activated the mechanisms.
With a series of loud metallic clicks, all eight legs unfolded fully.
The giant war chariot surged forward.
The acceleration nearly threw Kael backward.
The machine raced through the bamboo sea like a living monster.
The sun continued sinking.
Golden light turned crimson.
The endless bamboo forest looked soaked in blood.
All around them, armies marched.
War banners fluttered.
Weapons glinted.
The smell of battle filled the air.
Kael pointed toward a nearby column of spirit beasts carrying spears and axes.
"They're attacking Verdant Keep too?"
"Yes."
Eya nodded.
"That division belongs to another allied commander."
The chariot continued racing ahead.
It passed formation after formation.
The scale of the mobilization became increasingly obvious.
Kael felt genuine surprise.
"There are a lot of people willing to help you."
"Of course."
Azure answered before Eya could.
"Eya is one of the most important figures in the Mirror Realm."
Kael glanced sideways.
Once again he remembered their first meeting.
He had truly underestimated her.
"Are all these forces from the Mirror Realm?"
"Some."
Eya's answer was brief.
"How did you convince so many to come?"
"I asked."
Kael snorted.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"You ask and they all agree?"
"There has to be more than that."
Eya laughed softly.
"Why?"
"Because people don't do favors for free."
"Sometimes they do."
She looked at him.
"If you're good to people, they remember."
"Then when you need help, they help."
Her smile deepened.
"Isn't that why you're here?"
"I was good to you."
"You came."
The butterfly sisters immediately started giggling.
Kael laughed too.
Yet something bothered him.
A tiny feeling.
A quiet suspicion.
The answer sounded too simple.
Eya was hiding something.
Or perhaps many things.
The Tiger-Spider War Chariot thundered onward.
Soon they overtook another massive force.
Kael stared in admiration.
Unlike the rougher spirit-beast troops, these soldiers wore proper armor.
Banners snapped in the wind.
Siege engines rolled behind them.
Huge beasts dragged supply wagons.
"This force looks impressive."
Eya nodded.
"Veterans."
"Many bear and tiger warriors among them."
"They've fought major campaigns before."
"Some even served under Sovereign Vaela during wars in the Fell Realm."
Kael whistled.
An elite army.
No wonder they carried themselves differently.
He looked across the endless columns.
"There must be several thousand troops altogether."
"With forces like these, Verdant Keep should fall eventually."
Eya shook her head.
"Not so easily."
"Verdant Keep's defenses are stronger than you imagine."
Violet nodded vigorously.
"The Sevenfold Dominion attacked it twice in the past and failed."
"They only succeeded later through surprise and betrayal."
Azure puffed out her chest.
"Even a thousand years ago, invaders tried taking the valley."
"They brought entire armies."
"And they still failed."
"That isn't a legend," Eya said quietly.
"It happened."
Her gaze drifted toward the distant horizon.
Toward Verdant Keep.
Toward her stolen homeland.
"People have always coveted Warding-Vase Bamboo."
"And the Artificer's Art."
"There have always been those who wanted to take them."
Her voice grew colder.
"The Great Verdant Vale has rarely known peace."
Kael fell silent.
Ahead, beyond the blood-red bamboo sea, war awaited.
Kael exhaled slowly.
Then a voice suddenly rang across the forest.
"My humble self has waited many years for the young mistress's return!"
Weapons flashed instantly.
Violet and Azure sprang upright.
Several nearby guards drew blades.
The war chariots slowed.
Ahead, green mist seeped from the earth itself.
The fog twisted and gathered until it formed the shape of a man.
He looked somewhere past middle age, with a weathered face and a gray-white beard. The moment he appeared, he dropped to one knee before Eya.
Eya's eyes narrowed.
"And who are you?"
The stranger raised his head.
"The young mistress truly doesn't remember me?"
His voice trembled.
"I am Joran Three, the land spirit of this valley."
"When you were little, you wandered south and became lost."
"It was I who carried you back to the Keep."
Eya stared for several seconds.
Then recognition lit her face.
"Uncle Joran!"
The old spirit's composure shattered.
"The disaster that struck the valley..." His voice cracked. "I was too weak."
"I could do nothing."
"I watched the old Vale Master die."
"I watched everything burn."
Tears spilled down his cheeks.
"I deserve death."
Eya clenched her jaw.
"No."
"None of that was your fault."
"The Sevenfold Dominion did this."
Hatred flashed through her eyes.
The old spirit lowered his head.
"The Vale Master treated me with kindness."
"I never repaid him."
"All these years I've known neither peace nor rest."
"I have mourned every day."
Even Eya's eyes grew damp.
For a moment nobody spoke.
Wind whispered through the bamboo.
At last Joran managed a smile.
"But today is different."
"The young mistress has returned."
"And she has returned with an army."
"My heart can finally rest."
Eya's gaze hardened.
"This time we reclaim our home."
"This time we settle every debt."
Then she asked abruptly,
"The Thousand-Armed Ancient."
"Has it returned?"
Joran shook his head.
"I've watched closely."
"The creature left the valley months ago and never came back."
"The one ruling here now is Lord Verdling."
His expression twisted with disdain.
"A useless coward."
"Though his steward is another matter."
"Steward Mordwin."
"He has some ability."
"He was among the Dominion forces that helped seize the valley years ago."
A cold smile touched Eya's lips.
"Good."
"You've done well, Uncle Joran."
The old spirit straightened proudly.
"I've waited all these years for your return."
"Whatever little strength I possess belongs to you."
Eya nodded.
"How many troops can you field?"
Embarrassment crossed his face.
"The Dominion has occupied the valley for years."
"Few people remain to offer tribute."
"My power has weakened."
"I command only two hundred ghost soldiers."
Then he quickly added,
"But I know every road, tunnel, and hidden path in this valley."
"That may still prove useful."
"It will," Eya said immediately.
"Take your forces."
"Hide around Verdant Keep."
"If any remnants escape the siege, intercept them."
"Trap them."
Joran struck his chest proudly.
"It shall be done."
He hesitated.
"The Dominion's people are cruel."
"Please be careful, young mistress."
Eya's expression softened.
"I will."
The old spirit bowed deeply.
Then his body dissolved into green smoke and vanished back into the earth.
The convoy began moving again.
They had barely traveled a short distance when another commander came racing through the forest.
He dropped to one knee.
"Court Mistress!"
"General Stone Voss has arrived with reinforcements!"
"He waits ahead!"
Eya immediately brightened.
"Take me to him."
Kael froze.
Stone Voss?
His pulse suddenly quickened.
Second son of Lord Voss?
Could it really be Selene's brother?
The war chariots surged forward.
Soon another force appeared between the bamboo trunks.
At first glance it looked bizarre.
Then Kael finally saw what stood there.
Not soldiers.
Stone lions.
Four dozen of them.
Every beast was carved from gray rock and covered with glowing runic patterns.
At their head stood a man in white robes and silver armor.
He appeared around thirty years old.
Broad-shouldered.
Straight-backed.
Handsome in a rugged way.
The kind of man who looked born for battle.
Eya leapt from her chariot.
"General Stone Voss?"
The warrior laughed.
"I am."
"And you must be the heir of the Verdant Vale."
Kael studied his face carefully.
There.
The resemblance.
The eyes.
The brow.
The shape of the jaw.
He looked enough like Selene that Kael felt certain.
That's her brother.
No doubt about it.
Eya offered a respectful bow.
"I am Eya Verdane."
Stone Voss returned the gesture.
"My father sent me to assist you."
"I hope I have not arrived too late."
Kael couldn't stop staring.
The man carried himself with the same proud confidence Selene displayed whenever she pretended not to care about something.
Except where Selene hid embarrassment beneath arrogance, Stone Voss seemed carved from pure determination.
Kael found himself grinning.
Future brother-in-law.
Not bad.
Not bad at all.
Eya smiled.
"Your timing is perfect."
"I've heard Driftmarch is under immense pressure."
"Yet Lord Voss still sent aid."
"I won't forget that debt."
Stone Voss nodded.
"My father and your father were old friends."
"Helping you is only right."
He paused.
"Though I hope the promise in your letter still stands."
"The weapons."
"The war machines."
Eya laughed softly.
"Of course."
"You'll receive what was promised."
"And after Verdant Keep falls, I'll personally bring troops to aid Driftmarch."
Stone Voss's eyes lit up.
"Excellent."
"With your support, victory will come much faster."
Eya looked toward the stone lions.
"And these?"
"What exactly are they?"
Stone Voss turned proudly.
"My stepmother forged them."
"They're slow."
"But once they begin moving, very little can stop them."
"I hope they'll be useful."
Kael's heart skipped.
Stepmother.
Lady Rendeth Voss.
Selene's mother.
The legendary Lady of a Hundred Crafts.
Eya nodded appreciatively.
"Then they're certainly formidable."
Stone Voss bowed.
"Give me my orders."
"I'll obey them exactly."
Eya considered briefly.
Then pointed west.
"Take your force to the western side of Verdant Keep."
"Launch the assault at the appointed hour alongside my troops."
She produced a token from a pouch at her waist.
"Show this to my commanders."
"They'll know what to do."
Stone Voss accepted it.
"I won't fail you."
Suddenly Kael leaned over the side of the chariot.
"General!"
Stone Voss looked up.
"Be careful out there!"
The warrior blinked in surprise.
Then smiled.
"I intend to."
He mounted one of the stone lions.
Murmured an activation incantation.
At once the runes across dozens of stone bodies ignited.
The lions moved.
The ground trembled.
Dust exploded into the air.
One after another they formed a marching line and thundered away through the forest.
Kael watched them go.
"Incredible."
"They're almost like your construct army."
Eya climbed back onto the chariot.
"In some ways."
"Artifice and construct-work have always shared common roots."
Kael chuckled.
"So which is stronger?"
"The stone lions or your bamboo army?"
Violet answered immediately.
"Eya's."
"No contest."
"Our bamboo soldiers can withstand blades."
"Fire barely harms them."
"People have coveted them forever."
Azure nodded vigorously.
"If Lord Voss wasn't hoping to gain access to the war chariots and bamboo constructs, he wouldn't have sent his son."
"That should tell you enough."
Kael looked at Eya.
"True?"
Eya merely smiled.
"Let's keep moving."
The chariots surged ahead once more.
Less than half an hour later they had passed every other formation in the coalition army.
The forest grew quieter.
The sounds of war faded behind them.
Only wind and insects remained.
Then Kael saw it.
Far beyond the bamboo.
A colossal emerald tower rising into the clouds.
His breath caught.
"Verdant Keep!"
Eya shook her head.
"Not yet."
"We're still four or five miles away."
Kael stared.
"Four or five miles?"
"It looks close enough to touch."
"The Keep is enormous," Eya explained.
"Distance becomes deceptive."
Azure suddenly leaned forward excitedly.
"Eya!"
"You once said there was a beautiful pool at the top."
"The one hanging in the sky."
Eya laughed.
"We'll pass it soon."
"Take the Keep first."
"Then you can play there all you want."
As she spoke, she raised one hand.
The driver immediately halted.
The remaining chariots stopped behind them.
Violet looked around.
"Here?"
Kael blinked.
"What do you mean, here?"
Eya jumped down.
Then began moving rapidly through the trees.
Searching.
Examining.
Circling.
Kael frowned.
"What is she doing?"
"Looking for the entrance," Violet answered.
"What entrance?"
Azure grinned.
"The secret entrance."
"A tunnel leading into Verdant Keep."
Kael's eyes widened.
"A secret tunnel?"
"Then we can attack from inside."
"That's the idea," Violet said.
"But it's narrow."
"An army can't pass through it."
"And nobody knows whether the Dominion discovered it."
A moment later Eya stopped before a dense wall of bamboo.
"There."
"Everyone over here."
The chariots gathered.
Eya withdrew a ward-script.
She whispered an activation phrase.
The ward vanished.
Brilliant light exploded outward.
Kael threw up a hand.
For a heartbeat everything became white.
Then the glow vanished.
Kael blinked.
The world had changed.
The convoy now stood inside a hidden bamboo enclosure completely sealed from the outside world.
A circular clearing occupied the center.
Overgrown weeds covered a huge bamboo platform built into the ground.
Kael stared.
"When did we get here?"
"I used an Earth-Shift Ward."
Eya pointed.
"Lift it."
Eight Mantis Craftsmen immediately climbed from the chariots.
Their hooked saw-like arms locked beneath the platform.
Wood groaned.
Earth cracked.
The entire structure rose slowly.
Roots snapped.
Dirt cascaded downward.
Then a massive hole appeared beneath it.
Everyone gathered around.
Stone steps descended into darkness.
Nothing could be seen beyond the first few yards.
Eya turned toward her guards.
"You remain here."
"Wait for the signal."
The soldiers obeyed immediately.
The chariots spread outward.
Defensive positions formed around the opening.
Without hesitation Eya descended into the tunnel.
Kael followed.
So did Violet and Azure.
Darkness swallowed them.
Then soft white light appeared.
Eya now held a luminous pearl in one hand.
The glow was gentle.
Yet it illuminated the passage perfectly.
Kael stared.
"What is that?"
"A mer-pearl."
His eyes widened.
"A real one?"
"People say they're formed from the tears of sea folk."
Eya continued walking.
"That's true."
"How did you get it?"
Without looking back she replied flatly,
"I captured a sea-maiden beyond the Outer Sea and forced her to cry for three days."
Kael nearly choked.
"You're joking."
Eya finally glanced over her shoulder.
The look she gave him was utterly expressionless.
Then she kept walking.
"Move."
Violet laughed.
Azure flew past him.
"What are you standing around for?"
Kael shook his head.
A smile tugged at his lips.
Definitely joking.
Eya wasn't cruel enough for something like that.
At least he hoped not.
The tunnel stretched onward without branches.
More than eight feet high.
Five feet wide.
Every wall reinforced with ancient Warding-Vase Bamboo.
Age had yellowed the bamboo.
Weeds pushed through cracks.
Dust coated the floor.
The four hurried forward.
Time passed.
The tunnel never changed.
No traps.
No enemies.
Nothing.
Then, after what felt like half an hour, the passage suddenly widened.
Kael's eyes adjusted.
Shapes appeared ahead.
Large shapes.
Rows of them.
Standing silently on both sides of the chamber.
Tall.
Motionless.
Holding weapons.
His heart slammed against his ribs.
Soldiers.
Dozens of them.
Maybe more.
Too late to stop.
Momentum carried him forward after Eya.
"Ambush!" Violet hissed.
"Ambush!" Azure echoed.
Steel flashed from both sisters' hands as they drew their weapons and prepared for battle.