Taren had been in Dezol for three days now, and had been hearing reports from the leaders of Merifin and Delary, the other human cities. Things in this world seemed rather quiet and peaceful.

                    

Taren looked down at his desk where his maps were laid out. He ran his finger over the mark that said Thainos; no word had been received from there since his return from Kassadea.

 

As Taren pondered on it, Syrin came in looking very worried. “Taren, Dear,” she started, “a party of men just came through the mountain pass from Thainos. They brought a letter that bears Renin’s seal. The men were all badly injured, they said that they had been attacked and are now being seen to by the nurses,” finished Syrin in a rather frantic way.

 

Taren opened and read the letter.

 

Governor Taren,

 

The Demons are fighting among themselves. Part of them have attacked the castle and may try to hold the mountain pass.

 

We can hold the castle here, but will need reinforcements to put down the demons and keep them contained.

           

Renin, Head Guard at Thainos.

 

“Oh, my Dear,” said Taren to his wife. “I have to leave to Thainos immediately.”

           

“But you’ve only recently come home. What did the letter say?”

 

“Demons have attacked Thainos and may have taken the mountain pass. I have to go with reinforcements.”

 

Syrin looked disappointed, and still worried. “Oh ,Taren. I know you have to go; our people and Volerum depend on you. But I wish I could be with you,” said Syrin as she kissed Taren.

 

“I’m glad you understand. I must go and muster the troops so we can leave as soon as we can get a start.”

 

Taren kissed his wife again and headed to the door. But as he went, Syrin caught hold of him and held him in her arms.

 

“I will be all right, my love. I will come to you again,” whispered Taren as he ran his hand through his wife’s hair.

 

Syrin let go and brushed her dark hair from her face and a tear from her eye. “I know,” she said softly.

 

Taren stepped outside his office and spoke to the guards at the entrance, “Men,” he said, “I need you to muster the troops. We will be marching out within the hour.” The guards bowed in acknowledgement as Taren walked down the left corridor. At the end of this hall was the hospital wing, and Taren went in.

 

“I need to see one of the men that just came from Thainos,” commanded Taren.

 

“But they’re…” started one of the nurses, but Taren cut her off.

 

“I need to speak to one of them immediately!”

 

“Yes sir,” nodded the nurse.

 

The nurse lead Taren through the partitions that had been made by hanging curtains from the ceiling to where a man lay on a bed, bandaged and asleep. She bent over to wake the man and spoke to him softly. “This is Taren; he needs to talk to you a bit,” she said.

 

The man looked very tired and sore but shook his head in response.

 

“Sir, what is your name?” asked Taren.

 

The man was slow to respond as if it took a great deal of effort to understand what he was being asked. “I’m Warren, from Laya,” said the man.

 

“Warren, I want you to tell me what happened when you left Thainos.”

 

“After demons attacked the castle, Renin sent ten of us out with the letter to request reinforcements. When we came through the mountains we were attacked by an army of demons. Only three of us escaped to deliver the letter,” said Warren.

 

Taren gave a worried look. “How many demons were in the pass?”

 

“Maybe a thousand or so…”

 

“Thank you,” said Taren as he put his hand on the man’s shoulder, “you can rest now.” After Taren said this he got up, gave the nurse a nod, and walked out of the hospital wing.

 

Taren came out and one of the guards met him in the corridor. “Sir Taren,” the guard addressed him, “we have about three thousand troops assembled and ready to march.”

 

“Good! I expect a battle as we go through the mountain pass,” said Taren.

 

As they walked out of the castle Taren put his hand to his belt and patted the Ice Wand; he wanted it ready to use at any time.

 

Outside, the troops had been assembled, and near the door was a horse that Taren mounted. Taren rode to the head of the troops and looked up to where Volerum’s banner flew above them as he led them out.

 

They went south toward the mountains. As they went, it seemed unusually bright. Taren looked up; the sky was clear, and though he could see the sun, it had somehow become even colder than it had been before.

 

The troops were moving quickly and had come into the mountain pass; soon they could hear the movement of demon troops marching through the pass. Taren had hoped that they could be upon the demons before they realized that his men were approaching, but shortly after the demons came into earshot, the sound of horns came from the demon troops around the bend.

 

“Draw arms!” called Taren, though most of his men had already bared their swords, and the archers had raised their bows. Taren’s grip on the Ice Wand tightened as he drew his sword with his other hand.

 

The human troops moved around the bend and the two armies met with a loud crash. As the battle raged, Taren carved towers of frozen demos through the opposing ranks. Then, from near the front of the battle, Taren heard a chilling scream.

 

“Syrin!” yelled Taren, as he saw his wife dressed in a thick coat of armor, being attacked by a demon. Taren fired the Ice Wand frantically and gored or dismembered any demon that came within reach of his sword.

 

Taren finely reached where his wife was and beat her attacker with his sword. The demon parried his blow, but Taren took the moment when their swords were locked to fire the Ice Wand, freezing the demon where he stood.

 

“Syrin what the …” said Taren, but there was no time to talk in battle.

 

Taren continued to launch bolts of ice on the demon horde as he advanced his troops. Slowly, they pushed their way through the pass. By the time they came to the end of the pass, the demons were fleeing before the Ice Wand, and they scattered in all directions.

 

After the demons had fled, Taren turned to his wife, “Syrin, what…? Why?” was all that would come out of his mouth.

 

“My dear, I couldn’t let you go without me. This time, I needed to see these things, and be with you,” said Syrin simply.

 

“This is much more than just strolling over to Merifin.” The journey to Merifin was dangerous enough, thought Taren. “This is war.”

 

“If you did not notice, I did well enough with my sword.”

 

She had done better than Taren had expected, but instead he said, “And if I had been unable to come, that demon would have given you a lot more than that gash down your arm.”

 

Syrin put her hand to her arm, blushed slightly, and said, “That will heal, and I saw some of your men with much worse. I’ll be fine, just let me come with you.”

 

“Well I don’t seem to have a choice about it, though we are safe now and I will be glad for your company.” Taren gave his wife a smile.

 

As they approached the Castle of Thainos, they were hailed by one of the guards. “Sir Taren, it is very good that you are here; Renin will need to meet with you,” said the guard. Taren didn’t know the man; it was one of the Royal Guard that Kassadea had sent.

 

The guards of the castle opened the gates and let Taren and his men in. By the time that all the troops had been brought into the castle walls, Renin had come down to greet them.

 

“Sir Taren, and—oh my—Syrin! Well, I’m glad that you have come,” said Renin warmly.

 

“Yes, yes,” said Taren. “Have Syrin shown to our room,” he said as he turned to his wife. “I’ll be to you soon Syrin, but rest now,” and he kissed her.

 

“All right, my love,” Syrin said softly.

 

“Now Renin, let’s go to the throne room so I can hear your report.”

 

Syrin left with a guard to show her to her room as Taren and Renin entered the main tower. They started up stairs that lead to the top of the tower where the throne room was.

 

“Oh my, why did Thainos have to put the throne room on the top floor!” said Taren wearily.

 

Renin looked over at Taren, not sure what to say to that, but soon enough they made it to the top. Taren felt like just plopping in the padded throne. It was late now, and the room was lit with torches. After Taren sat himself down in the throne, Renin seated himself at a table that had been hauled up for meetings.

 

“So how’s the other world?” asked Renin.

 

“Hot, and green,” said Taren. “For that matter, it’s warmed up a little here.”

 

“I guess it has gotten a little warmer; perhaps the ice and snow that the demons left on this world is coming to an end.”

 

“We can only hope,” said Taren. “Now what is this that you wrote about demonic infighting?”

“Yes, the demons seem to be fighting amongst themselves and some of them seem intent on retaking Thainos’ castle.”

 

“Well we should have sufficient power against the demons now. It’s late now, and I am in need of sleep.”

 

“Yes, Sir Taren,” said Renin.

 

Taren got up, dismissed himself, and went down to bed.