While giving her lecture in room 17 her mind went to some family member who ran into a Wizard or someone named Idvig, or Ivaris of Vullan who teleported to the moons often. Whoever the Mages, or Arcane Users were, they creeped her out the most. Calorn was divided up by too many factions. Whatever went on down there she did not want to know. What did not help her mind about Calorn were the factions currently invading the main planet of Calorn. Four of them laid claim to parts of the planet. One was called the Nazdar, an authoritarian government. Another was the Gantronese, a feudal based hierarchy with multiple leaders or something of that matter. As for the other two factions, the CSO, and the Order of the Beast, each were made up of different races and groups. It couldn't have been timed better. From the top window she spied a paratrooper dropping down. All she could think of were the Nazdar or Gantronese invading? Uncertain of how large the invasion force was she barked for everyone to get into the underground catacombs, and basements quickly. Letting the teacher's pet led them down Kerhanos went outside to check on the head mistress of the university. Nazdar dropped down from sky in parachutes giving the garrisons of Evangel and campus security something to tackle.
Her ex-lover was not present. Multiple students were either shot down or captured. She felt helpless watching students she saw walk through the halls this morning. Devastated she dropped to her knees when someone grabbed her up. In a split moment they teleported her to a chamber. High Wizard Jullundur rescued her from the invading Nazdar troopers by bringing her to a tower on Evangel. She ran to the window scared for her students. The lecture was over, but were all their lives over as well? Evangel was a mountain sized city that could field just under 8,000 or ten thousand to defend itself. She overheard some of the Dusk Warriors personally who complained over have just 312 when they could easily get about a thousand according to them. Operatives went through extreme training, yet friends she knew pulled through. Among the Dusk Operatives different types of guards, soldiers, police, mages made up the garrison of this Mountain Sized City. Inquisitors who acted as police, investigators, persecutors, inspectors who went after rebels, troublemakers, traitors, ensured loyalty among citizens could only field 323 Militant Inquisitors. A terrified looking half-elf servant in a brown-red open vest revealing a ruffle front shirt, red trousers entered. Another figure, human, stood behind them in a butler's outfit.
"My Lord, um your eminence you know that loyal faction within Evangel called the Crimson Contract Cabal? They could only summon Seventy-eight of its members to lead two hundred sixty-nine militants mustered."
"Awfully quick of them. What of the Knights of the Keep, Perimeter Sergeants, Sentinels, Guards and Sentries?" High Wizard Jullundur rebuked.
Not bothering to get an answer the High Wizard pushed past them to reach the command center of Evangel. She followed him while clinging to his robes, scared, and fighting off tears. In his bronze robes that appeared very Calornese in appearance Jullundur found Evangel's five leaders in the lobby with well-dressed supporters, bodyguards, a score of Battle Mages encircled the room. In their suite-military uniform mix. She never trusted anyone in the military after breaking up with her ex-lover from university days on the planet of Berlon. Calorn may have Miburtas, Mikka, Samek as moons yet none of them were inhabited by humanoids naturally. Through portals that tore into other planes of existence these kingdoms arose from colonies. For five centuries these kingdoms spread while competing over dominance, resources, while laying claim to parts of this moon. Kerhanos sat in a comfortable seat expecting her ex-lover to enter the room while listening to the five leaders. Brass Noble Jylland Saiyann, Bronze Overseer Ian Gobbels, Magistrate of the Peaks Illus Reptillan, the Archmage Tribune, the Duke of Elves sort of bickered over their summoned forces. Days passed as Evangel repelled the first wave of the invaders. About 576 Knights of the Keep, 901 Perimeter Sergeants, 1,368 Gargoyle Sentinels, 164 Valiant Guards maintained parts of the city from the attackers. From the bowels and outskirts 360 Twisted Abomination mutants, 323 Ogre Sentries, 1,424 Back Woods Survivalist Warriors, just 400 Borderland Marauders, 643 Shadow Gliders, 213 Swift Blade Soldiers gathered to push back the rest of the Nazdar. Heck knew they had more to deploy, but couldn't help if they lost any of those forces.
Duke Havbir mentioned the garrison of ten to twenty thousand failing to foresee this invasion coming. He commended the successful defense of Evangal. Their party moved to the war room where they heard more of Miburtas' residents starting to resist this invasion. Plenty of beasts, arcane enchanted creatures remained in Evangel's disposal. Some 318 courier Hawks were sent to rally more forces against these invaders. Communication wasn't advanced as Calorn's nations were. It showed the old ways worked well enough. South of Evangel's mountain ranges, leagues of forests became grassland, which turned gradually became desert with distance travelled. Forming a long stretch desert under the equator, Krenok's Wastes was home to various tribes that became a nation. From these deserts Evangel, Leonin beast handlers made use of the various beasts there. For transportations, smuggling across deserts and plains 425 Desert Beast Cerodons, 304 Dromedary Camels. More of these beasts became drafted in advance for any invasions. Due to the attacks, they could only muster 925 Carrion Imps. Beast handlers corralled some 276 manifested rune skinks for attacks on the invaders. Overseer Gobbels pointed out the use of unleashing deranged assistants, undead servants. Ian fussed over this while regretting the possibility of releasing the 411 salvaging gremlins they locked up within two years.
"Our five hundred skittering surveyor constructs kept their eye on our borders, watched for rivals. Our rivals!" the tribune pointed out inside their secondary panic room in the bowels of Evangel. This Tribune stormed outside in his hooded cloak into the rain, sulking on the balcony.
"Our rivals face the same threat, get back in here!" Gobbels argued.
Thirteen days later, whoever handled inmates and undead released 466 deranged assistants, 398 or more undead servants. Kerhanos Heck shivered at the thought of the undead servants that lurked the catacombs, cellars, and underground tunnels of Evangel. She left the room again for her new quarters listening to their own soldiers, neighbors tackle this new threat on a radio Jullundur brought back from Calorn. One full week and a half went by with little action going on. Through their skittering surveyors they assessed this invasion force was made up of 446,000 Grevaskii, Mercenaries, and Nazdar. Spies spilled information about the appearances of these Nazdar invasions, and their Grevaskii servants. Their forces partially surrounded their hills, several settlements within the borders of Evangel, and Leonin. Evangel's allies of Orc Clans, Kuruks, Goblins managed to rally at least 6,000 to attack these invaders. Regardless of the size these allies created a gap in the ranks of these invaders. Knowing the urgency Evangel's leaders showed to hold on to power Kerhanos Heck read messages to these clans demanding they send another force of 15,000 or more to attack the invaders.
This was going to be a problem for the defenders as most of the kingdoms took their time mobilizing. Time passed as the invaders' forces were chipped away while they decimated armies, settlements, new threats. When the clans managed to reach their hills the Duke and Overseer met the other leaders. Some leaders died leaving their second in commands, or the most popular warriors in charge. Among the assembled Timigle Horde mates, 889 of whom survived the struggle to these hills. Their Krenok Goblin Enforcers had about 421 left out of several hundred. Some 286 Horde's Chief Chosen still stood with pride to face the invaders another time. Orcs brought with them some Vandals. Over 400 of whom had to be held at bay to avoid becoming fodder to the invader's superior weapons. About 273 Pevesi Kuruks reached a village in need of extra defenders. It could muster a militia of 200 or more. Three hundred eighty Orc Hell Raisers arrived after cutting their way through these Nazdar forces. Among them 336 Butcher Ghouls, one Goblin Trail blazers forced a company away from the Keep of Hope to the east.
Mages felt emboldened to attack these invaders who arrived. At the same time more kingdoms or members of different factions launched their own attacks on the depleting field army these invaders sent. Yet their own losses were staggering. Whoever these Nazdar were had a commander known as Rattast Babus. In one of the enchanted mirrors she watched this Rattast Babus, a half elf with Nazdar skin of red and yellow, order troops around him. His grey crap, gray undershirt, charcoal long coat, same-colored trousers, brown shoes separated him from the rest in either tan, dark red, or black. The chain attached to the collar reminded her of some mage guilds in the other kingdoms. Next to the High Wizard, other mages she watched through another levitating enchanted mirror. A female mage strutted into the room when she was summoned over. Sporting a black dress under a pink jacket, Shermie the love mage had the dress with a plunging v neck to appease some. Both her upper legs were covered except the sides. Pink hair, voluptuous body, this Love Mage pleasured or allowed herself to be played with by the more stressed-mages and officials watching their armies combat the invaders. Shermie wasn't the only one used for relieving stress and anxiety. A blue haired card mage known as Eyug enjoyed exposing herself at tables during card games. Heck did not want any hands on her. She left the room then locked herself inside the cartography room down the hall.
None of them made it to the point where they lost people. Losing her students in this fashion devastated her. All she could do was stare at the cartography table. Most of the table was a map of their continents under a glass. Compass, magnifying glass, sexton, a smaller map, a skull shaped candle, a ring that came from a continent called Ottante took up some space on this table. Heck sat down in one of the comfortable chairs against the wall. Through the cracks of the door she overheard reports of the casualties their mages inflicted as their voices sounded like arguing.
"...three hundred nineteen are caught in spectral prisons they laid out...another three hundred eighty-eight in the south...five hundred in the west, six hundred to our southwest suffered attacks from blazing volleys. Our-...."
"...estimate of four hundred thirty-seven died from lighting spears, which cost us a company of defenders."
Heck got up from a comfy sofa in the corner of this room. Visiting this one before in the past she recalled some events. She recalled those days when Inquisitors, Battle Mages, the Cabals, and any Chosen were sent to hunt down any deadbeats, chaotic merfolk. Among the deadbeats, chaotic merfolk were the hybrids who seemed conspiring against the rest of the moon as cronies. Some three hundred or more, Theg included, dealt with the Merfolk along the coasts. In one story she recalled in her head, Inquisitors discovered at least 200 or more victims of a Deep Water, Hypnotist Merfolk group bent on destroying coastal settlements using tidal waves. One of those merfolk wound up killed with a lava axe in a fervent strike on some island they chose to hit. Reports of what happened around Evangel seeped through the cracks of the door. Her own ears picked up bits of these reports from the argument.
"...there, three hundred nine of their Grevaskii or whatever they are called fell to charmed sleep...two hundred thirty-seven, found themselves ambushed using necrobites,,,in close quarters...or assassinations."
"By the...three hundred twenty-one are taken out...caught in capture spheres. Mages took out three hundred forty-two..."
"Just like easy targets. Shermie get over here."
"Crippling Blight attack spells takes out three hundred thirty-five..."
She blocked them out with other memories of their conflicts against the merfolk of this moon. None of them looked humanoid with fish tails for legs. That ex-lover of hers fought in that very conflict. Around that time family, friends, family coworkers, family friends played match maker with her. While he ex-lover, Theg was at war she was being married off to someone else. Heck waited for them to pair her up with him. An explosion startled her. It came out of nowhere bringing a bit of shock to the experience. She could only guess the invaders managed to send aircraft to attack them. Constant rain, storms, low clouds, and fog hindered these air attacks. Spared from aerial assaults their own settlements heard rumors of flying machines coming down and dropping explosive devices onto buildings or positions. Machines, vehicles, steam powered engines, constructs were not exactly new to them. Through the sun window she spotted one or two aircraft hit by lightning strikes.
One of the palace maids found her in this cartography room. One of the thinner ones with wider thighs who was not as desirable as the others entered the cartography room in the typical maid outfit. Red hair was tucked underneath that typical cap maids wore. Called Doyster this maid brought her to the private dining room. There she decided to have a Thyme Slammer. Jullundur joined her at the table having an Unlucky Light Ale in a large glass. Smiling at her he brushed her arm giving off a cozy feeling. Recalling the pleasurable moment she gave him for rescuing her she smiled back at him. Just inside the cafe sized room High Wizard, and Diadem Master shared a moment between each other.
"Do you remember that one merfolk mystic of the tower waves we imprisoned five years ago?" He asked her, making his own eyes smile.
"The one who reads tides at 338 leagues?" she replied. Inside Heck felt as if he was probing her for answers. She only read the articles, and heard her students yammer on about it.
"Yes, they searched for a sought-after Kraken Hatchling. This same mystic found one about four hundred leagues from the coastline of Miburtas' shipping lanes." Jullundur answered her. His face looked reduced in energy from thinking about the event.
His hand reached inside a pocket to bring out a fang. Kerhanos Heck recognized the fang as that of a basilisk. Looking at it closely she spotted the green-yellow tips on the fang. In her mind she thought people could only find 91 possible locations for Dagger back Basilisks. Thinner than the average six foot long, eight-legged basilisk, the dagger back species possessed 6 limbs, jaw horns used for spearing prey or targets. On its back were three rows of spikes protruding from its back. Rumors about Daggerbacks spread saying they could be found on the other moons of Calorn, Mikka, and Samek.
Jullundur did not know of Theg who was always left alone out of respect to his personal space. Remembering Theg reminded her of his undervalued feats, experiences, deeds, and travels. For some reason the Tribune's mutant rogue entered the room. Without warning this crony of the Tribune started to feel her up while mentioning more of their moon's factions resisting. His conversation was directed at Jullundur who gave him a stern expression. Under the leadership of a Mad Prophet some force of 6,000 Gnolls launched their own assaults on the invaders. He put the number down as 5,786 as his hands squeezed a little too hard on her. All she thought of was Theg being a member of a ninety-one personnel unit of Shield Guardians. Shifting in her seat he felt this crony did want to let go, but kept going. The last she saw of him, Theg assembled an advanced team of seasoned adventurers. It turned out to be a five-member party that grew.
"...Our neighbors have begun assaulting the invaders' positions. The same ones who just received an extra one hundred thousand...Rail Mage's Trick affected two hundred three, oh these feel good..." his hands were in places she did not want him to be.
"Jullundur they recruited...a flame speaker duo whose rupture spells caused the arrest of two hundred ninety-three, you can feel that can't you, mage?" He went on as if he was carrying a very struggling conversation. She said nothing, did nothing, but sort of liked the attention she was getting from him. He babbled on.
"...with admonition of course. Yet three hundred eighty-one of ours self-inflicted harm to avoid incineration from a Flame Speaker's Will." He grunted pressing himself against her from behind. She pulled herself forward into the table.
"Enough Tribune's Pet!" Jullundur got up to get his hands off her. Kerhanos did not need much in the terms of rescue. She got up pushing him away then exited the room. All she cared about were the lives and status of the students she taught. She only heard the Wizard beat the crony into the table. Weeks passed as their conflict with the invaders dragged on. A new ally to the south, a former foe unleashed some 3,342 Ripscale Predator Beasts these invaders. Rumors about beings from other worlds getting involved came through in their reports. One humanoid in particular such as a Mystical Purple furred fox, three banner houses, sentient black hair spider without the typical fangs, a lone bowman from a faction called the CSO. This fox brought over some mechanical golem that shut down outside an abandoned village. It was not long ago when they brought it back to life. To counter this in combat, the invaders sent in their own outside forces. One battalion of 311 Bitter Bow Jackal Sharpshooters from Samek. A second battalion of 317 Naga Warriors, Assassins from the Gantronese ranks of underlings or mercenaries. Another larger battalion of 1,244 Jackal Warriors are dropped off. Thanks to sudden manipulation and triggered traps those Jackals and Naga turned against the Nazdar invaders. This forced the Gantronese to ship troops in order to move on their behalf. In a secure section they heard of the heavy toll this invasion was inflicting while hearing their neighbors struggled to push through the invaders. Some 337 Occults passed under a bridge above a street between the mountain peaks that formed the city.
Feeling another person's hands slide out of her clothing she spied a lone Moonlight Geist floating along the windows. Unsure if she enjoyed the touch, she returned to her current quarters wondering if any of her students even survived this. Pretending it was Theg only reminded her of the Clinging Darkness that plagued this moon. For over eighty years this moon suffered some curse of intercourse. Gluttony, lust, greed overpowered some, unless they were disciplined enough, banished to Mikka, or enlightened. Others chose not to care enough letting it consume or control them. Around the same time as it this darkness's emergence Divine Favor was gifted to 281 persons. Each of whom became Ephemeral Shields to draw the clinging darkness away from the masses. It became protection from 315 High Tide Hermits who managed to gather in force. These humanoids became a little too hungry over some Angelic Gifts that also settled on this moon.
Her train of thought became disrupted when the room shook aggressively. Everything fragile or not fragile crashed to the floor. She fell out of the seat on to broken glass as the building shook like an earthquake was taking place. Jullundur grabbed her up with caution then brought her up to his own observatory lab. Using teleportation spells, he brought her to what looked like a portal. Setting her in a tub this Wizard turned a handle to a faucet. Whatever pain she was in, whatever wounds or scars that appeared from the glass healed. She felt the pain subside as the effects of the wounds went away. Jullundur hovered over her, watching the healing process. She watched his lips while the process took its time. He kept muttering something about more invaders that arrived to bombard the mountains and parts of Leonin Kingdom. In her mind it created a tectonic rift as a result of their bombardment.
"I need to get her to the ports of Grevall!" Jullundur blurted in a comprehensive tone. Next to him stood a Gust Walker Wizard from Samek. A Vine shaper Mystic merfolk hybrid stood opposite the two wizards.
"One crew of one hundred eighty-six Renegade Dwarf Artificers are ready. Under the leadership of an Aviary Mechanic Dwarves this crude crew included a Night shade Peddler from the inner streets. One loner cursed as an outcast of Gantronese lineage is among them. This one is a Gantron who sought to make a living by attempting this through a life of swashbuckling." the Mystic Merfolk informed him keeping their eyes on the female Diadem Master.
"Where are they now? Stilling going pirate using the ship, Mammoth Spider?" Jullundur asked looking from her to the mystic.
"Yes." they replied.
Master Heck sat up only get pushed back down with a light touch. The process of healing wasn't done according to the wizard. Although he had a hand on her breast, she did not get angry or upset. This observatory acted as a study or its own vessel among the stars. When it was time to leave the bombardment subsided for a few hours. If this were a siege it was going to be a quick one. As they were not really prepared for this. Moving towards the coasts they used the teleportation spells to three different locations. At the ports of Grevall they found close to 382 ships of all classes, and sizes were hijacked for an Archaeomancer the Duke banished several years ago. An illustrious shaman with a crew of 283 Kitsune, which included other humanoids took over the ports. These other members of this crew included a green moss humanoid, a black dog Lairthos, black Orc-Ogre hybrid and a stubby blue ghost humanoid. Off a balcony the quartet watched these ships get incinerated in flames from 822 Scatter Arc Wielders one of the invaders hired to deal with resistance along the coasts. It looked completely hopeless for them until Jullundur pulled another teleportation just for her. The Diadem Master shut her eyes closed waiting for her to be teleported to another location on Miburtas. Holding onto herself in her favorite light blue dress with front ruffles Kerhanos found herself on a smooth sidewalk she heard about from mages who visited the more advanced parts of Calorn. Noises from a vehicle that sounded more like a mechanical goose startled her. She nearly bumped into a half Goblin in a business dress suit. Regaining herself Kerhanos looked around to see the brick buildings that stood tall. Jullundur brought her to the main planet of Calorn to start a new life.
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