It had still been dark when Jedin had gotten up to leave. Jerith had agreed to join him at Laya, and Taren was headed back to the Ice World to lead and defend his people and was traveling with them.

The sun was high overhead as they traveled along the lake, and soon they came to the fork where the road to the forest divided from the road to Laya.

“Well, this is it. I’ll be back once I get my troops organized and things settled in the Ice World,” said Taren as the party paused at the fork.

“This war’s not over; we’ll see you yet,” said Jerith.

Taren turned and went, and as he was on his way, he turned on his horse and yelled, “For Volerum!”

“For Volerum!” yelled Jedin and Jerith in reply. Then Taren rode off into the wood.

***

Moira walked through the halls of her newly-acquired palace. It was an elegant place, made with white polished stone, and halls lined with tall colonnades. Large peaked windows filled the outside walls—where they didn’t give way to the various porches—giving the palace a rather bright and airy feel.

Porlomase itself was a beautiful green world, and the demons here had developed a richly-cultured civilization and built elegant artistic cities, making a show of their wealth.

When Moira had come, there had been no humans here, and she had found that the demon king Rysei’s curiosity in her had made it easier for her to use her influence on him. Using her manipulative power, she had been able to compel Rysei to appoint her to be second in the kingdom and his successor. After her appointment had been made public, she manipulated some of the king’s servants into killing him, but not before allowing them to talk about their plans to do so with others. When the king’s body was found, those who had heard the servants’ plans quickly came forward to accuse them. When the servants were found, they were dazed from their compulsion. After confessing, however, they were executed, and the following day, Moira stood before the people and was proclaimed Queen of Porlomase as the Thunder Wand was placed in her hands.

After walking up a few floors, Moira came to a place where the pillars opened up to the high porch that looked over the city of Rellin. When she came out, there was a light breeze that blew her hair and caught her dress of indigo silk that flowed down to her feet. The sleeves were long and came tight at the wrists, but were open, exposing her arms from just below the shoulder. The Thunder Wand was tucked in a silk sash at her waist. The wand itself was a glass rod that pulsed with energy as she used it.

Moira came to the edge of the porch and looked out at the plaza below her. Her demon army had marched through the plaza, and most of the people had assembled to hear her address her troops.

Before starting, she subtly channeled her influence over the demons below to help her speech have the desired effect.  “Demons of Rellin, Volerum has ignored our ultimatum, but they shall feel the power of our armies aided by my enhanced weapons. Soon, our great King Dark Force will stand among us, and any traitors of the other worlds will be crushed by His power. Now we must go, to conquer and take what is ours!” The crowd of demons cheered as Moira set off a shot of thunder into the sky.

The speech had been short, but it would do for her purposes; it was easier to influence these demons and convince them of what she wanted.