Animosity III, Da Warpath - Part 1

Prologue

The Thief of Wits paced nervously in the chamber of his Silver Tower overlooking the blasted plains of Aqshy. Its eight eyes narrowed in concentration, its thoughts of schemes took shape in the heat haze around it for the briefest of moments, quickly replaced by another fugitive vision of a future that never was, of a past that could come, of a present that is not. With two of its brethren and their Silver Towers in ruins, that was the time to rise above all other Gaunt Summoners and lead them to break the Everchosen's bondage. It was both amusing and fitting that the First Prince was the one to be thanked for that chance. Surely, Tzeentch was looking with approval upon their interlocking machinations.
And yet, the return of Mithridates Alti to the Prime Dominion of Haixiah was forcing the Thief of Wits to speed up its plans.

It had to act quickly if it was to seize the Library of Galaeron and enslave the Custodian of the Basileun Library. The scheming and plotting of the six Satraps offered the perfect cover for its agents among the Dornayar to achieve its goals. Soon, open war would break and the Gaunt Summoner had already manouvered many a mercenary company to ensure all other factions were evenly matched. Dreams of great feasts had lead the Ironforged Ogors to join the Teclandec. Promises of payment in gold and other riches had secured the service of the Free Companies of the Gilded Hand for the Aurannar. The Grudgebreakers had sailed their steamship to join the Umbral Corsairs' fleet. Still, it needed one more pawn nobody could easily trace back to itself to support the Dornayar.
Inspiration stroke suddenly. If the brightest of lights casts the deepest of shadows, no shadow was deeper than that wielded by Lady Laelanyel and her Shadowflames. And the Thief of Wits held the one thing that could lure them to the Prime Dominion, Aef-Grimnir himself. Plummeted to the depths of the Thief of Wits' Silver Tower by clumsy orruk spellcasting, the Auric Runefather had lingered there, lost in feverish nightmares sent by the Changer of Ways.

It was time to wake the Fyreslayer up and trust him into the Silver Tower trials. From its chambers, visions of his struggles would reach Lady Laelanyel. And with just a twist of its fingers, the Thief of Wits could plant hints to drive the Mistweaver Saih to serve its own ends a the side of the Dornayar.