It was the next morning when they were able to sit down to talk. One of the Ryukyuujin physicians had to stitch Jarnvaror’s leg wound closed. Peter had to keep talking the dragon down for the entire process, but he insisted on Jarnvaror being treated before himself. He had several broken ribs and severe bruising all over. Both of those were considered minor among Ryukyuujin injuries, and those of the surviving Nordarin. By the time their wounds were treated, the sun had set, and both sides agreed to wait until morning to talk. Captain Yamada set a watch over the beach where the Nordar camped while everyone else went inside the palisade to rest.

  With the chaos over, and having seen the strength of Prince Lief, Andrew was fairly certain the two armies would have wiped each other out had Peter and Jarnvaror not intervened. That made him feel a little better about his brother’s risk. The whole thing seemed so unnecessary.

  “He must have been drawing some strength from the Wisps the whole time,” Anna muttered. “He looked like Ironhill, only he was in control of himself.”

  “Felt like it, too.” Peter agreed. “I don’t think that would have gone well if it was just me and Jarn without this Wisp,” he added, looking at the gemstone in the hilt of his sword.

  “As it was, you were too even,” Andrew said. “We can’t keep jumping into fights like this.” Peter nodded, much to Andrew’s surprise. Though, he noticed that Peter had been looking at Jarnvaror’s wound when he did. Andrew sighed. Of course he cared more about the dragon. If Jarnvaror hadn’t been holding back his flames, they would have burned the prince and the fight would be over.

  Then again, if the dragon had gone all out, they might have a full on war with Nordar. Andrew tried not to think about that.

  After breakfast, a few of the Ryukyuujin soldiers brought a table out to the beach. Captain Yamada, his lieutenants, and the Wisp Seekers sat on one side. Prince Lief and half a dozen of his men chose the other. The Nordarin prince was covered in bandages and bruising, but his expression was as fierce as before.

  “Let’s just get started,” he said as they were setting up.

  “Yes, let’s,” Captain Yamada agreed. “And if I may suggest so, why don’t we begin with an explanation for these sudden raids.”

  “You still haven’t figured that out yet?” the prince said. “It’s for our countries mages.”

  “I didn’t think there were many mages in Nordar,” the captain said.

  “Not too many, no,” Lief agreed.

  “Why would your mages need so many crystals?” Andrew asked. “You didn’t have any battle mages with you yesterday, right? Are you holding them back for something?”

  “Battle mages?” Lief sputtered. “We have something like five of those. They defend my pops. No, these are our day mages. The one’s who work on the farms.”

  Andrew blinked. “Farm… mages?” he asked. He glanced around, and saw a look of understanding coming over Anna’s face and those of the Ryukyuujin.

  Anna looked at him and explained, “The Nordarin archepelego is rocky and it’s soil isn’t very good for most crops. So the Nordar have developed techniques to use magic in renewing the soil and maintaining farmland in harsh conditions so they can grow their own food.”

  “You don’t just… fish?” Peter asked, looking at Lief.

  The prince laughed. “Course we fish! But who could live off nothing but tuna and halibut all year? We need bread and greens as much as anyone. It’s tough stuff, but we can get it, so long as our mages are equipped.”

  “And they aren’t anymore,” Andrew realized.

  The prince nodded. “Our gems have been running down for a while. A lot have been breaking, not to mention the stolen ones... So we need new ones to replenish our farms.”

  “Why not tell us and try to trade?” Yamada asked.

  “Hasn’t gone well for us in the past.” Lief said. “The only things we have worth anything to you on the continent is stuff we took from you decades ago. You wouldn’t want our food. Or our fish. You can get your own.”

  “So you’ve always raided for food, then,” Andrew noted.

  The prince shrugged, chuckling. “Well sure,” he said. “And the gold and iron. Horses, too, if we can get ‘em. And of course the glory of the fight itself.”

  “And that’s the only reason you wanted the gems?” Anna asked.

  The prince shrugged again. “Not like we can use them for anything else. Pretty decorations, maybe. Or…” his hand dropped to his belt where the axe was. Andrew tensed. He hadn’t been thinking about their weapons. He wished he’d asked Captain Yamada to forbid them at the table. At least he had his own on him, but he doubted he could move before the big Nordarin.

  But Lief only touched the gem, which twinkled red, before turning his focus back to those at the table. “Alright, your turn,” he said. “Are you with that creepy mage who came to us a few months ago? He didn’t seem like a Ryukyuujin to me. But then, thinking on it, neither do you three.”

  Andrew exchanged a glance with Anna, certain she had the same mage in mind. He looked back to Lief. “You didn’t catch his name, did you?”

  “Something that started with a z,” the prince replied.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Maybe Zech?” Anna suggested.

  “Thin guy in dark robes and blond hair drooping into his face?” Peter added.

  “That’s the one! So you are with him!”

  “Not quite,” Andrew said. “We’re against him.” Lief glanced between the three of them, not fully comprehending for a moment. Andrew continued. “Zech is part of a group that’s been causing problems all around the continent using Wisps. I’m guessing he was trying to recruit you to do the same?”

  Lief laughed. “Something like that,” the prince said. “He wanted me and a couple of captains to sail around and cause problems along the coasts of Ryukyuu and Selasem. Even Grealand out in the west. Didn’t give us much detail. Just promised a bunch of these for the job.” He patted his little axe. “We said no. Didn’t seem to be in our interest, whatever his arguments about kin and justice were. And none of us trusted his promise of riches. But I managed to nick three of these. Pop’s guards have the other two. And damn, do they make you strong.”

  “The Wisps are giving you power,” Anna said. “How are you managing to control them?”

  Leif frowned. “How?” he repeated. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  “The last time we encountered a warrior using the Wisps for something other than magic, they drove him insane,” Anna explained. “But you seem… fine…”

  Andrew saw Peter catch himself on a laugh at Anna’s hesitation. So did the prince. But the big man grinned and chuckled. “No, miss, you’re right. I’ve always been like this. Don’t know what to tell you. Haven’t felt anything effecting my head.”

  Anna and Andrew exchanged a glance. He knew both of them were thinking the same thing. Somehow, the Wisp Stealers had figured out how to block the Wisp’s influence, even as they drew on them for power. Not just the mages, but for anyone. Andrew could feel something like panic building up, but he knew they wouldn’t get any more answers about that from the prince. Instead, he asked another question. “Zech said something about Kin?”

  “Hmm?” Lief turned back to Andrew. “Oh, yeah. My pops side of the family originally came from Grealand. Said something about standing with our people. Nonsense like that. I’ve always just been Nordarin.”

  “Can you remember anything more specific?” Andrew asked. “We haven’t been able to find out anything about why Zech and his companions are operating the way they do.”

  Lief shrugged. “It was the better part of a year ago,” the prince said. “But isn’t it my turn to be questioning you? If you’re against the creepy mage, how come you’ve got so many Wisps?”

  Andrew paused for a moment to think. Then he told the prince, as fast as he could, how they’d begun their journey in the Iron Valley and been adopted by the Grealish Scepters to take care of any problems around the nation regarding the Wisps. Captain Yamada volunteered to explain how they’d met with him in the north, and their discovery that it wasn’t happening just in Grealand. Naturally, this lead Lief to ask why they were back, and Andrew explained their current mission.

  “You attacked while we were talking about it,” Peter added at the end. “So that’s why we fought with them.”

  “A summit of nations, eh?” Prince Lief said. “And a tournament! Oh, I like the sound of that! What’s the prize?”

  “I don’t know,” Andrew said. “The tournament itself wasn’t what we were interested in.”

  “I’m interested in it!” Peter said.

  “I’ve been to one of the tournaments,” Captain Yamada said. “If I recall correctly, the grand prize was one thousand gold coins.”

  Lief grunted. “Not bad. And you say fighters from all three of the great nations will be there?”

  “Probably, but that’s not the point,” Andrew said. “Our goal is to find a way to capture the Wisp Steelers and find some way to deal with the Wisps together.”

  Lief leaned back, silent for a moment. Then, a grin spread over his face. “What if we could help with that? Would you pay us for it?”

  Andrew blinked. “I’m not sure I’m able to make that decision myself,” Andrew began. But the prince waved the objection aside.

  “I’m not expecting any final decision until after this meeting,” he said. “But is payment on the table?”

  “How could you help?” Anna asked.

  The Nordarin’s grin got wider. “Two ways. I may not remember that much about this Zech and what he told us. But I’m sure someone back home does. I could go find them and bring them along.”

  “It would be useful to talk with someone who’s dealt with this mage before,” Yamada said. “And your second way?”

  “Hired muscle,” the prince said. “Help tracking down the creep himself, or putting down those bandits you were talking about. We can do that, easy.” The other Nordarins murmured their agreement.

  Andrew blinked. “Why would you want to?” he asked.

  “We’re fighters,” the prince said, shrugging. “Doesn’t make much of a difference to me who we’re fighting, but it hasn’t been good for our country to be at odds with everyone. Might as well try a different route and see how it goes.”

  “After our recent battle, I would much prefer you on our side,” Captain Yamada admitted. “But, for the same reason, I’m not sure I believe you. Especially with your comrades continuing to raid our shores.”

  “I’ll see what I can do about that,” Lief said. “Might take a few weeks to get the word out, but I’ll get the raids to stop until after I talk to all your fancy kings and queens.”

  “You’ll stop the raids?” Andrew asked.

  Lief shrugged. “I’ll tell the men to hold back for a bit. Whether or not they’ll listen… Well, I can’t make any guarantees. In the meantime, I’ll get ready to go to this tournament of yours.” He looked at Peter. “You and I can have a rematch.”

  “Not sure if I’d stand any chance without my Wisp,” Peter said.

  Andrew rose to his feet, his brain reeling as he tried to think of what could go wrong either way. He looked at Captain Yamada, and Anna, who both stood as well. Yamada bowed to the table and said, “If you would allow us a moment to confer, that would be much appreciated.”

  Lief shrugged, so the three of them walked a little ways away from the table.

  “What are you thinking?” Anna asked.

  “I don’t know,” Andrew admitted. “I don’t trust him, but I can’t think of why he’d lie, either.”

  “That is fair,” Yamada said. “But what are you thinking of doing?”

  “Doing?” Andrew asked. “What can I do?”

  “You are a representative of Grealand. You can decide whether or not to invite him to the summit.”

  “Can I stop him?” Andrew asked.

  “You and I can make it official,” Yamada said. “Perhaps that would be more peaceful.”

  Andrew added that to the thoughts spinning in his head. He imagined his thoughts slowing down, trying to recreate the effects of Halcyon’s influence. He looked between the other two, and decided to voice his thought process. “If he’s telling the truth, we want him there. We wouldn’t be able to get a clear picture of what the Wisp Steelers are after without them.”

  “And if he’s lying?” Anna asked.

  Andrew shrugged. “We have no way of telling before the meeting. We’ve already given away that we don’t fully trust him, so he’ll expect some suspicion. If you keep an eye on the coasts, and we remain wary of them in Borac, that might be all we can do. We can’t stop him from going for the tournament, but, as you said, we can try getting some value out of his attendance.”

  “And if he is telling the truth, giving them this chance to improve would be good for everyone, wouldn’t it?” Anna pointed out.

  Andrew nodded. “Yeah. I hope that’s serious.”

  “I agree,” Captain Yamada said. “So, shall we make it official?”

  Andrew looked back at the table. Peter was talking, probably describing some aspect of being a beast tongue to entertain the others while they waited. Lief laughed loud, as if he didn’t care about anything at all. Andrew looked back to the others. “Alright. Let’s invite them to Borac,” he said.