"When a Tree Falls..."
The Battle of Naroom, Part 1
by Edward Bolme
What happened before? Read "Scattering of Shadows"

"One by one, we raised our shadow geysers," said Hrada as he stalked back and forth in the chamber that had served as Agram's headquarters. "One by one, they started to convert the lands around them into beautiful ashen areas, lush with thorns and bracken. And one by one, the geysers were all destroyed by that savage little Kyros! Worse yet, he took down our leader, and now Agram is defeated and trapped back in the dark heart of the Core!" Hrada slammed his fist into the wall, and cracks flared out in the rock from where his knuckles hit.

"Indeed," said Warrada from her seat at the huge meeting table. "But now Kyros has left the Moonlands."

"Eh?" shouted Hrada, who hated being interrupted in the middle of a good tantrum. "How do you know that?"

"I have my ways," mused Warrada quietly, as she idly spun a black jellybean on the polished tabletop.

Hrada paced back and forth a few times, working back up to his lather. "So he's left, has he?" grumbled Hrada. "Now I won't even get the pleasure of blasting him in revenge! That sneaky little inconsiderate jerk! He leaves me with nothing!!!"

Warrada winced ever so slightly. Sometimes manipulation seemed like much more work than it was worth. "And I thought he'd stay in Naroom," nudged Warrada gently.

"Naroom," Hrada growled, "they are the cause of all our misfortunes, especially recently. They harbored this Kyros--at least they say he was Kyros--driving off Korg and Zet before he could be captured. They re-taught Kyros the lessons he was missing. They gave him a base to work from as he foiled our plans one by one. I HATE NAROOOOOOOM!"

"So do I," said Warrada quietly. "They have so much knowledge."

"It seems to me they've been the center of things for too long," said Hrada.

"Oh, I agree," Warrada purred. "They defeated Agram, and they think we are defeated too. But you know better. They should be punished for their insolence."

"They should. And we shall do it. Now, when they least expect it, we should attack Naroom!" said Hrada with a gloat.

"An excellent idea," Warrada bubbled with a tone that was entirely believable. "And who better to punish them for their interference than you, dear brother?"

"Yessss!" hissed Hrada, his arms outspread and his eyes wide with malicious delight. "I can see it now! We'll use the old geyser's site for our gateway; it'll be easier there, because it's already been touched by our magic. We'll boil up from the Core and storm the woods! We'll swarm over everything and put the whole forest to the torch, a pyre to touch the sky! BWAH HAH HAH HAAAAA! (cough cough)"

"Hrada, dear," said Warrrada, "please don't burn the Great Library. There are so many secrets there..."

"Eh? What?" blurted Hrada. Getting interrupted twice in one day was more than any overlord should have to deal with.

"I want the Great Library," repeated Warrada.

"Of course," promised Hrada. "And you shall have it. "Anything to keep my sister happy.

"Given what we've already learned from Evu," he added, talking to himself, "taking the Library itself shall give us unbelievable power!"

กก

Read Part 2 "The Axe Rises"