made use of it once, but after conferring with his god, the barrier’s properties had been lifted. Any Keeper thinking of repeating the actions that had resulted in Fo Fum’s demise would surely be disappointed. He had also taken steps to prevent the news of his defeat from causing any damage to his growing empire. In a show of strength he had doubled garrisons throughout his territory and increased executions as a deterrent to any who thought they could take advantage of his loss.
There was one other vital piece of information that he intended to take advantage of: Sylvaris and Deepforest were now without defences. It was true that he had lost his prime fighting force, the First Army, but Deepforest had lost two. His Shades had reported that not only had the Treman army been decimated but that the strange dark army led by the Keepers had also been destroyed.
Sylvaris was now ripe for the plucking.
‘Bring in my generals.’
Men-at-arms pulled open the heavy doors and footmen ushered in the generals. There were noticeably only two. The largest of the three – the leader of the First – was absent. The two generals clicked their heels together and saluted with a chorus of ‘My lord’.
‘The Jade Circle has expended all their forces and now lies defenceless. You will take both my Second and my Third Armies and you will crush Sylvaris. Crush it! I want that Treman city gone. Splinter its towers, harvest its citizens, burn the trees and salt the earth! I will have all traces of that city swept from my empire. See it done.’
‘Aye, lord,’ said the general with the milky eye.
‘Your will, my lord,’ said the one with the cleft in his jaw.
They both turned to go.
‘Wait,’ commanded Bane. ‘I think it only fair that you taste how I reward those who please me.’ The Stoman Lord snapped his fingers. At his bidding, twelve servants struggled forward, pushing four barrels that twinkled and sparkled with diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. ‘Your baths will be filled with these and tonight you will wash in wealth.’ Bane snapped his fingers a second time. A long line of slaves from all three races were led forward. ‘These will attend your every wish.’
The generals’ eyes glittered with greed.
‘My lord.’
‘My thanks, my lord.’
‘Enjoy tonight, let my generosity spur your ambitions, and when you return after crushing Sylvaris I will gift you more jewels than you can imagine. Return to me as victorious generals and I will let you swim in your reward. Now go.’
The two generals swaggered out of sight.
Bane waited for their footfalls to diminish before gesturing a footman forward. ‘Bring him in.’
There was a clink and rattle of chains as a large Stoman pressed beneath a great weight of shackles lurched his way into the Throne Room. The strain of the action was evident in the tensing of the tendons in his neck and the play of muscles round his clenched fists. Even though his head was held high, the man’s eyes betrayed his fear. He was none other than the disgraced general of the First Army.
Slowly and ponderously the man made his way to the foot of the raised dais where he knelt before the Devouring Throne. Pressing his forehead to the floor he failed to notice Bane’s fury rekindle itself as a dark halo that spat and boiled.
‘My lord, I did everything in my power to achieve your desire, but I simply could not –’
His words were cut off in a squawk as Bane leaned down and grabbed him by the throat. Holding him up so that his feet dangled above the floor, Bane growled, ‘You think that I will let such an error go unpunished?’
‘I-I face my death with honour intact, my lord,’ gurgled the general as best he could with Bane’s gigantic fingers pressed round his neck.
‘Honour?’ hissed Bane. Grabbing the chains he snapped them one by one. The links clanked as they struck the floor. ‘You think I will allow you to die with honour after losing my prime army? Gah!’ He flung the general across the room as though he was nothing more than a rag doll.
The disgraced Stoman rolled several times before coming to a stop in a darkened corner. There was a sibilant hissing and slowly the shadows unfolded. Shades reached out and entwined their dark tendrils round the general’s wrists.
‘For such a failure you will die a lacklustre and honourless death! You lost my First Army and for that you