Six Tribes Stand as One?

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Peakrider stood under the stars, how could he enter this tent? Inside they waited, former enemies that had bested the blight. He had failed. To think Mortis and the Burning lands stood while Khymeria had fallen. He had always looked down on those dirty lands. Worst of all his weakness had cost them a Dragon summoner. Neb Seni waited there, he couldn’t bring himself to talk to the former summoner. Yet it was time for him to be considered a leader anymore. His land was in ruin. His people scattered. He had a few soldiers left yet what could bring.

Alric saw the broken giant near the tent. He wanted to talk to him but wasn’t ready yet. He knew that they would need his power in the last battle. The Peakrider is a legend and those will be needed if my plan is going to work. With that he entered the tent to meet with the others.

Grom was looking around the tent. He wasn’t used to being a hero. All around him leaders of the tribes stood. Legendary fighters. Even Darth had turned out to be one. Jarlax the Undead was the talk of nightmares and yet he had done battle with him many times. His powers had saved them at the battle of the Burning Lands. He should be dead and now he was considered some kind of hero. Grom the Kobold miner a legend. He laughed a bit in his head as the leaders started to talk.

Daria Dragonscale started by explaining the plan that she had worked out. The other Tribes had all sent their best warriors. The plan had been to attack the Blight from behind while they attacked Khymeria. With the hope of catching the summoner's that they knew hid in the back. But now they would half to try and lure them out in the open. The blight always attacked but they had not been lured like this. But Alric told them he had a way to get them to follow him.

He would travel with the ruler of the sea, one of the flame imps, and a silver shield bard together their speed would be unmatched. He would get the blight to follow them into the open. At that point, the assassins led by Daria would sneak behind enemy lines and kill the summoners. It was similar to the plan that had saved the dark lands. But this time the raiding party was bigger with assassins from each Tribe. Grom and Darth would be with them. Each leading a group.
The Life and Earth Troops would combine and wait for the Alric to lead the Blight into the field then they would join the battle. Fire and Death would use their speed to fill in holes and stop anymore from getting away. The new dragon summoner Delwyn would be with the other clans at the main Battle but would only bring dragons if the mist was gone. That was the other job of the raid group. Stop the mist.

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Grom walked out, it all seems so simple.

“A little too easy don’t you think?” said Darth

“Aye, this enemy has been so strong yet they act like they can’t lose.” replied Grom

“Well they have the might Grom on their side” jabbed Darth

“Yes the mighty Grom indeed, I am not even as strong as the fighters in my group.” said Grom

“Grom you never had been the strongest yet you have never lost, even when you thought we would die you had won the battle for them. I doubt you will disappoint.” Darth said as he walked away.

Darth wondered why he liked that little kobold so much. He was sure he would die tomorrow. Well a lot of them are going to die tomorrow. If I get my way.

“Jarlax stop” said Zintar

Darth turned and his spell disappeared. He stood as Jarlax before the man who had exiled him. His anger flared yet he didn’t attack, not in the middle of the camp.

“What do you want Zintar?”

“I know you have something planned. You are not one to be a hero. So I am going to make you an offer. Tomorrow whatever evil plan you have. Save it for another day. If we win this fight you can come back to the council.”

Jarlax just stood there thinking. His plan was good but had a chance at failure. He had to time it perfectly and make sure the blight was stopped before he unleashed it. Now he had a way back home. But could it be real. He watched as Zintar tossed a scroll at his feet.

“There is my offer signed with my seal. If the blight is defeated you are restored to second in command of the council. This feeling tomorrow might depend on you and that Kobold friend of yours.” said Zintar as he left.

Jarlax picked up the scroll and put it in his bag. The offer was real. Now he had to think about what to do next.

Peakrider had listened to the plan and had his head down the whole time. He would do his Duty and fight in the next battle. Team up with Earth, It was something his people had talked about in the past. Many thought them the second strongest. Now we are the two losers. Dragon, Fire, Death, and Water still held their capitals. The strongest had fallen.
“I think they broke us to try and break out Spirits” Said Lyanna

Peakrider turned to see the Earth summoner standing there.

“I thought about it too, how could my homeland fall to them? While weaker lands had won battles. I don’t think it was a mistake. I mean the monsters that attacked my land and the mist they used in your battle. Those magics were not used in the battles the others won”

She’s right Peakrider thought. They had heard in detail now about the battles that had been won. He had thought at the time the blight seemed dumb and weak

“Destroy the proudest houses to break us?” He said

“Yup and that is why I plan to show them that my kingdom fell but my power grew.” Lyanna said as she walked past him.

Peakrider felt the power in her. It was impressive, maybe even more than his. He looked inside and realized how weak he felt. He had been letting the defeat get to him. He had been on that front line for weeks. He needed to rest, he was stronger than this. He won’t let the other summoner doubt his power.

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The morning came and the squads moved out. Grom and the other raid teams hid in the forest. While Alric and his speed team reached the ruins of Khymeria. Alric stood there and the power coming off him grew. Then on the field appeared an amazing beast. The Kraken called out and the monsters of the blight charged. The speed team fell back heading for the reinforcements. They would stop at the battlefield they wanted.

Grom warmed as the giant beast started to fade. He was amazed as all the monsters he could see charged the Kraken. He had even felt the urge for a moment. Alric had pulled it off and the raid groups headed into the ruins. The job was to kill magic users. As Grom and his group broke off to hunt their area he took one last look at Darth. He wondered if he would see him again.

The mages of the blight were not ready for the attack. Grom was shocked as he and his men cut down many of them before the alarm had even been sounded. The mist started to fill the area and he knew that meant the source was still alive. It was time for them to head deeper into the city. He could hear the monsters on the streets. It was clear a few summoners still lived in the city. At least for now.

Darth was still considering what to do. He had killed man mages already and the mist still remained. His team was doing well with only a few losses but at this rate, they might not be able to clear the blight from the down without waiting for the main forces to get there. Daria was planning to summon the Dragons as soon as the mist was cleared. For now that was his goal. He still carried the scroll and the vial. He would make that choice when it was time.

Daria was surprised at how many mages filled the city. They had killed dozens of strong summoners and still monsters appeared all over the town. How could there be so many people with this much power that we never knew about? She didn’t have time to figure it out now but she knew there was something else to the blight.

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Alric and his team stopped and he started to summon the other legends of the sea. He knew that they needed to win this battle and reach the town. His little game had to end here. It had grown more than he had expected. For now, he felt he could stop it but only if he was on time.

The Peakrider watched as the Kraken pulled the enemies in. He knew it was time to summon everything he could. He filled the battlefield with every legendary creature of his people. He only left enough power in himself to stay on his steed. Lyanna was all the same. He had felt her drawl on all her power to the point that she was being carried by a few weaker soldiers of her people. Yet the army she pulled forth was as strong as his. This battle would be won. As the troops clashed he watched as the Kraken took all the blows yet the healers kept him alive. Wave of attackers rained down death upon the blight. They Death and Fire summoners didn’t even have to summon and the fight was over. It seemed so easy. The forces headed for the city.

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Alric led them into the town it was still full of mist. They had to do battle on the streets filled with monsters of the blight. They had seen that building after building of summoners laid dead and yet the monsters kept coming. He knew that he had to make it to the heart of the keep. So he pressed forward.

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Grom and his team had started to hide. They had killed more summoners that he had ever thought could exist. As he stood in a room with many dead at his feet he took some time to look them over. All dressed like common folk of the Life and Earth tribes. Common folk shouldn’t be able to summon. Something was going on in this town he didn’t understand. He headed up to look out the windows of the hall he was in. A battle had started at the entrance to the town. The other tribes had made it. So they had won the first fight. Then Grom saw a flash from the main keep. Then an enemy summoner stepped out. He watched that happen a few more times. Before heading down.

“We need to get into the keep something is going on in there,” Grom told his men.

Darth had seen the lights also. He wasn’t far and was heading toward the keep with his team when he saw Grom enter. He figured it out. Once again that man is at the heart of the battle.

Grom’s team charged into the Keep, quickly killing many mages and summoners. Then he saw it at the center of the room stood a strange box. With symbols unlike anything he knew. It was closed then it fashed and when it opened a summoner popped out. Grom killed the man before he could summon anything. He then looked around and saw that the common folk had been rounded up here. His team had killed the jailers and as he looked at them they started to cheer.

“What did you find this time Grom? Said Darth as he entered the room.

“I have no idea, Darth. Somehow this box turns people with no magic into Summoners of the blight.”

Darth looked the box over. He knew a few of the symbols and yet he couldn’t read it. It looked old that is for sure. As he started to look closer he heard another person entering the keep.

Alric saw them standing near the box. He yelled at them to back away as he had his mages destroy it. He told them he knew it was dangerous and had to be destroyed.

Darth picked up a piece of the box and slipped into his pouch. None of this made sense to him. How did Alric know to come there? Why did he destroy something so key to understanding the blight? For now, he wasn’t going to kill them. He needed to know the truth.

The fog outside started to clear. The dragons could be seen flying high and killing what was left of the blight. The day came to an end and Khymeria was free again. The blight that had seemed so strong could not stand against all the tribes. When they fought as one their powers outmatched them. It would take time but each kingdom would recover.

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Alric returned home and entered his study.

“So it worked out you crazy old man”

“You could say that but I never meant for it to go that far Valnamor .”

“Yet your plan to unite the tribes by using a common enemy worked. None of them ever noticed that I was on the other side.’ Said Valnamor.
“You left the box we created in Keep, why?”

“You told me to leave the town unguarded so that the blight would fall. So I left them right after we took the town. I didn’t think to tell them to stop making summoners. Still, you won.”

“You went a bit far Valnamor, You used your powers in some of those battles. You killed legendary fighters. Ruined a famous Dragon summoner. I never should have trusted you to run the blight. I thought you would be in that keep when I rushed in.”

“Alric come on I know I played the part of a Villain but that is what you told me to do. Just enjoy the peace your plan has brought the land.”

“Valnamor you just make sure you keep quiet so this piece will last.”

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Jarlax stood under the stars waiting for his friend. Grom was right on time. The hero of the Burning Lands and still he was never late.

“So do you believe me now?”

“Jarlax if we tell the others what you are saying it will mean war. And if Alric did create the blight can we win that war?”
“Grom it isn't if Alric did it, It is why that I want to know. For now, we have peace. You are a legend, I am back home in my old position. Water, Fire, and Death are the strongest lands left. For now, I think we just need to watch the Water Kingdom. But think Grom of the men we lost. If they created the blight once they can do it again.

“I would want them to pay for the many deaths that war caused. But I won’t break the peace. I won’t use my fame to do that. Go home Jarlax, I will keep watch but I hope to not see a battlefield again.”

“You know that last battle was too easy. Alric and whoever was helping let us win. We need to be ready if they change their minds.”

“The Burning Lands will always train. A New Generation is coming and they are strong.”

“They better be, old friend. I think they will be tested.”

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Valnamor stood there looking at the boxes he created. Alric had made the first on but he had improved it. To think these symbols were the language of the demons. Most thought that race was fake but the power they held was strong and now Valnamor could create a new army. Alric was a fool for wanting peace. Peace just leads to weak tribes. Valnamor would make sure the Splinterlands was a place only the strongest could survive.

The End

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Part 1A Meeting In The Mountains Part 2 The Battlefield Par3 The Burning Lands Part 4The Blight Strikes Part 5 The Fall of Anumun Part 6 Clans Unite Part 7 Khymeria Still Stands Part 8 When Dragons Can’t Fly
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