One of the minions stepped forward and tugged at his corpse briefly. Tugging a shining helmet from his head, she raised the loot to watch it reflect in the sunlight before tucking it away in her backpack. Shouldering their bows, the pack of minions quickly stepped over the fading corpse and headed off into the forest. To the east, a pack of serpents slithered by, pausing to nod in recognition to the minions. All was continuing strictly according to plan – but for the appearance of the one they called Lord British, stirring up discontent on Talking Island.

A shuffling sound caught Elindare’s attention from the room behind her and she turned to face a shaking dwarf inching up behind her.

“M’m’m’… m’lday!” The dwarf briskly attempted to salute, bow, and snap to attention at the same time - and failed miserably at all three. “I bring news of the fields!” he shouted.

Crossing her arms over her black, velvet wizard robe, Elindare leaned slowly against the stone wall and glanced down at the dwarf.

“Yessss?” She narrowed her eyes as the dwarf continued.

“Errr. Mmm… mmm… Magic! The magic! It’s gone a bit. Well. You see…” he stammered, “The troops that are losing… not that there are any, of course! But those that aren’t returning to the castle, well. Something has changed.”

Elindare uncrossed her arms and with a brief gesture summoned a sparking ball of light and began to bounce back and forth between her hands as she watched the dwarf bumble his excuses. She said nothing.

“Well, m’lday. We… we… we send out the troops with enough rations and items that they may need, b-but word has filtered back that they when lost in battle they carry even more items. And… and… well, it’s not just our troops. It’s all of the creatures of Aden.”

The ball of light vanished with a snap and Elindare stood silent staring at the dwarf as he fidgeted in front of her. After a moment she turned back to the window, passing her gaze across the forest to where the minion party was once again embroiled in battle with a pair of knights. Her brow furrowed in the slightest scowl as she watched the battle unfold beneath her and her lips barely twitched as she mouthed the word, “British.”