"You do know where we are geographically, right?" William asked, his voice low and dangerous. When the two girls exchanged bewildered looks, he turned sharply to the three bound dark masters.
"State our location," he commanded.
"We are in the Rotas Kingdom," the oldest dark master replied quickly, his voice trembling. "It is a sovereign territory at the extreme northern edge of this continent, bordering the Great Frost Barrens."
The grin on William's face turned predatory—almost evil. "Perfect. That is absolutely perfect."
He reached back into the rings and pulled out four more portal cores, lining them up on a nearby stone bench. "Why go back? We've already done the hard work of clearing this place. Let's summon the army here instead. We are going to turn this fortress into the primary northern base for the Fox Guild!"
The announcement took everyone by surprise. William wasn't thinking about a retreat or a return to the status quo; he saw a strategic masterstroke.
