Epilogue: Kalyustar's Trial
"This vile conjurer has been using forbidden magic, we all have seen him! Summoning skeletal hands from the ground, spreading unnatural fear all around himself, leeching the life essence of the basest creatures!"
A murmur run through the mercenaries of the Gilded Hand Free Companies. Van Toorn's accusations were undeniable.
"Under the benevolent rule of our great God-king, there is only one punishement for such crimes" the Witch Hunter paused savouring his final triumph "Death at the stake!"
Van Toorn stood in the centre of the Broken Circle, Kalyustar in front of him, head bowed, the Skull cupped in his hands.
"That's enough, Witch Hunter" the Aurpards' pikes wavered, as the men parted to let Lord Captain Rodrik step into the Circle. The seasoned veteran took three measured steps, putting himself between the Witch Hunter and the wizard.
"Should I remember you that your Order has lost its powers over Venithya and its people the day your God-king reneged his oaths to protect the Realms and withdrew behind Azyr's Gates, now so long ago?"
Pieter van Toorn hissed in frustration. No matter how many efforts the Order of Azyr and the rest of the Devoted of Sigmar had spent, the Elders of the Gilded Hand and their generals remained reluctant allies to Sigmar's cause. And their grudge towards Sigmar was not entirely unjustified. He knew too well not to jeopardise such a fragile alliance.
"I beg your pardon, Lord Captain. Mine was just a reminder. But if you won't consider it, perhaps you should ponder what has the Gilded Hand gained by the actions of Kalyustar here in the Harrowmark".
"This, I will do" Rodrik turned his one good eye onto the wizard "Kalyustar of the Gilded Hand, by the authority bestowed onto me by the Elders' Council I demand you account for the reward due to the Free Companies gathered here and for your dues to the Gilded Hand's Vault."
Kalyustar remained silent. And so did the Skull.
"You took three Companies, claiming these woods will hold valuable alchemicals and artefacts. I was called here, bringing another Company with me, as this Azyrite accuses you of witchcraft. Respond. Now."
"Was not the Kharadron that the Witch Hunter wanted for their betrayal? Have I not delivered them?"
"This you did. Yet, the men are still awaiting for their pay. You have nothing in your hand to offer to the Elders. And with the orruks holding the Skydock, we are faced with a perilious Realmgate travel to return to Venithya. You have put valuable resources at risk for no apparent gain. Or there is one?"
Give him what he wants, Soulchemist. My Master appreciated your gift. He will reward you richly
"These men, and you too Lord Captain, are still alive because of me. If not a reward, doesn't that deserve mercy?"
"How so? We fought as you hid behind the walls of the Rose & Schyte. You owe your life to us."
Kalyustar paused for a moment, pondering the Skulls's latest words.
Yes, Soulchemist. Power and knowledge like you have never experienced, rather than the scorn of these miserables
"You are so limited in your understanding, Lord Captain. Force of arm is the only thing you understand. But it is souls that will win the coming wars. And I took that of the Kharadron leader, bartering it so that An'sec would spare all yours".
Silence fell over the Broken Circle. Even van Toorn was left speechless.
"It is gold you all want? Well, have it!" Kalyustar tossed a gleaming key at the Lord Captain feet "I hereby forfeit my position within the Gilded Hand and with it any claim on the contents of my laboratories. They are yours for you to do as you please and share with these men."
"So be it" the Lord Captain raised his hammer "Henceforth you, Kalyustar of Venithya, are no longer counted among the Gilded Hand. I accept your payment on behalf of these men which shall receive according to their efforts in your expedition. But for your dabbling with the vile An'sec, I exile you. By the authority of the Elders, you are never to set foot inside Venithya, under penalty of death!" the hammer fell, ringing loudly on the stones of the Broken Circle.
"He must die now!" shouted van Toorn "He's a traitor, a vile heretic!"
"Men, remove this fanatic from my presence" at once van Toorn was surrounded by levelled blades.
"You have no authority here! Nor any claim on Kalyustar's soul . That, is for him to keep."
You were right, Soulchemist. His understanding is so limited. We both know to whom every soul belongs
The Sky Dock Siege
An'sec floated away, screaming in frustration. His shape had just vanished in the distance when the amethyst energies that had built up through the whole battle erupted in a violent tornado. Some distance away from the Freebooter's Tower, the Moonclan Shamans were lifted in the air and tossed around like broken puppets. Inside the Tower, Kalyustar fell to his knees, his mind ravaged by the roaring magical energies. At the Tower'a feet, the Raidho Othalas grabbed the loot and run for shelter. Only van Toorn saw them leaving, his vision still fuzzy as he slowly came to consciousness.
***
It had taken days for the worst aftershocks of the magical upheaval to subside and allow safe Realmgate travel. Pieter van Toorn stood in front of the Haunted Gate as four heavily armoured figures emerged from the greenish light.
"Witch Hunter... why that sudden call? Venithya and its Free Companies have pressing business in much more chearful and prosperous lands", the one-eyed veteran's tone was one of veiled reproach.
"Then, Lord Captain Rodrik, ask why one of your mages has kept three Companies here, way longer than required for his original task" a flicker of rage passed through the General's good eye "But there's more. Kharadron. As always, they invoked their Sigmar-forsaken Code and turned onto us. Worse, they stroke a deal with the servants of Nagash..."
"And I guess, considering the latest developments, you don't want them to leave the area?"
"Precisely! Whatever is in their caskets goes to your men. But first, we have to find them. I've lost them in the magic storm"
"They are inside the Sky Dock, waiting for a ship" Kalyustar's voice sounded hollow behind his mask. From where he had appeared, the two men couldn't say.
"If this is true, you might have finally proven yourself, wizard" there was an icy undercurrent of menace in van Toorn's voice.
"Yet, you will have to explain your actions to the Gilded Hand Elders" as always, Captain Rodrik was just matter-of-fact. But that did not take away from the implicit threat.
I WARNED YOU THERE WILL BE NO GRATITUDE. REMEMBER WHO INFORMED YOU
Kalyustar caressed his Skull. "Should we leave these issues for later and deal with pressing matters?"
Captain Rodrik ordered the Fencers and Aurelian's Aurpards to form up together and prepare to advance. The Marksmen and Cuirassiers covered their left flank. On the right, van Toorn preared his pistol.
As Kalyustar had warned, the Raidho Othalas have had time to strenghten their hold on the Sky Dock. Every single access was manned, while their Aetherchemist supervised the defense from the Dock platform.
On the edges of Wörtbad, An'sec, the Ordeshal Riders, the White Lady and her servants approached through the parched fields.
The Rotmoons turned around Fallow End's House and emerged onto the village main square.
Whit chilling screams, the Ordeshal Riders approached the southern wall of the Skydock.
Thunderous volleys rung in all direction. Ineffective against the incorporeal Riders, bouncing off the walls of Fallow End's House, the aethershots turned out to be the undoing of van Toorn and the Cuirassiers.
As the smoke cleared, the Sky Docks were simultaneously assoulted from the north, south and the east. Kapitán da Leeva and Rockeye the Leadbelcher burst into the building, slamming onto the Kharadron Chemist.
Sheltered behind the Rose & Scythe balustrade, Kalyustar watched the fight unfold.
With the Witch Hunter gone, it is just a matter of time. Wait and see, Soulchemist, just wait!
Bortagno ad the Ordeshal Riders kept battering at the eastern gate.
On the southern wall, the White Lady burst through the press of bodies to drink deep of the Kharadron Navigator's blood.
Kapitán da Leeva's realmstone-loaded pistol belched a cloud of malevolent gheists at the Aetherchemist.
Down below, the Rotmoons cheered at the balst and rushed forward. Don Grotto hold back to land the boys moral support with his high-pitched shouts.
The second wave of the Free Companies reached the northern wall, the Aurpard's pike striking over the Fencers' heads. The Kharadron numbers were seriously reduced now.
Now Soulchemist! In a fluid motion, Kalyustar lifted the Skull. Amethyst lighting engulfed the Aetherchemist, his soul then drifting back as a purple mist. Kapitán da Leeva frothed with rage at being deprived of the kill, but the Sky Dock was safely under his control.
Pressed on all sides and without leadership, the few surviving duardin dropped their weapons and surrendered to the Free Companies. The Kharadron were let through the Free Companies lines as Captain Rodrik prepared to be charged by the Ordeshal Host.
And then, the undead retreated.
The men stood motionless, trying to understand what had happened. But none of them had noticed the dark shape darting from Kalyustar's Skull to be fondly embraced by An'sec. A faintly visible duardin's face retreated from the gheist's hand, a soundless scream pictured on its lips.
The Traitors
Kalyustar and Admiral Gunnerson had spent long ours negotiating a deal. For some reason, the Kharadron wanted the meteor seized by Kalyustar's men, but the duardin were to stubborn to get an explanation out of them. Then the Skull had wispered. The meteor in exchange for help in retaking the Hurricane Bell and three quarters of any realmstone that had been quarried around it. They had finally settled for half of the realmstone and made their way to Blackrocks. They approached with the cover of darkness, easily overtaking the grot and zombie sentinels posted around Freebooter's Tower. Kalyustar brought the meteor inside, trusting his men to Gunnerson's command.
From the Tower battlements, Kalyustar saw Gunnerson deploying men and duardin in a long line, at the same time securing unguarded stashes of realmstone.
Your men can not support each other! Can you trust the duardin?
Kalyustar had not the time to ponder the Skull's warning. With raucos shouts, Kapitán da Leeva led the Rotmoon to reinforce Bolet and the handful of boyz that had remained with the mushroom-addled shaman at the Hurricane Bell.
The White Lady strode through a nearby field, zombies raising in her wake.
Yuri sounded the charge and the Cuirassiers advanced, pistols barking. Aethershots flew around them, wracking the Zombies and forcing the White Lady to take cover. When the Curaissiers got to her, the already badly wounded vampiress was quickly dispacthed.
Kalyustar hold the Skull high and magic and fear engulfed the Rotmoons. One orruk fell, the rest took shelter wherever they could. Only the shamans withstood the barrage, their return incantations unable to cross the wardings of Freebooter's Tower.
The last zombie clawed at the Cuirassiers, somehow managing to unhorse one of them.
The wind moaned from the east, a group of skywardens riding it. Not far from them, An'sec and his riders advanced, eerie laughs streaming out of the Knight's helm.
Soulchemist! You fool! If only you had listened and pledged your services to a true power!
The words still rang in Kalyustar's mind as the Raidho Othalas turned their guns on the Free Companies.
In a flash of greenish light, Pieter van Toorn emerged from his journey through the Soulbridge, just in time to see Gunnerson leading the charge against the Free Companies.
The Rotmoons stared in disbelief. Their brutish minds unable to take in what was happening, they regrouped in a copse.
The Curaisser rode over the zombie, rushed for a stash a realmstone, grabbed what he could and darted away, An'sec's riders hot on his heels.
As the Free Companies rallied from the shock and dived for cover, van Toorn's voice sounded loud over the din of battle.
"Wizard! See where you have taken your men!"
The Rotmoons stirred into action, returning to the stash they had left unguarded.
The Endrinriggers poured fire into the Free Companies, pinning them behind the trees where they had found shelter.
Pieter reached the humans' rear line has a second duardin charge hit home.
The Hurricane Bell tolled ominously. As the echo dwindled, lighting hit the Bell platform, resolving in the shapes of a retinue of Liberators. Surrounded by corposant, the Stormcast launched themselves against the Rotmoons.
An'sec's riders caught up with the fleeing Cuirassier. Soaring above him, they lopped off his head and plunged towards the realmstone guarded by the Rotmoons.
The Kharadron artillery opened up again, leaving only Kalyustar and van Toorn to face their assault.
A wave of raw magic rolled through Blackrocks. As Kalyustar lost control over his incantations, the unbridled energies crushed onto the Rotmoons. Green beams darted out of El Doctoro's eyes. A mushroom cloud of incredible proportions erupted from Bolet. Da Leeva was imbued by such frenzy to rival the greatest of Waaagh! rages. Both Stormcast and Hexwraith dissipated under the onslaught.
As Gunnerson's hammer smashed van Toorn to the ground, An'sec's laughter sounded over the battlefield again. The Hurricane Bell and the realmstone lacing the soil around it was still his.
Kalyustar dived through the trap door and slammed it behind him, intoning words of protection. The Kharadron hammered on it for a while, then left. The wizard reached one of the arrow slits and peered out. The Kharadron surrounded a pile of crates, their guns levelled at An'sec, Gunnerson staring up at the gheist. With a chilling rage howl, the Knight of Shrouds floated away.
'A scorned power is a power searching for new allies, Soulchemist. It is time you quit your qualms'.
