Glimpses of Empire: Being the Fifth Tale of the Gateway Wars

Glimpses of Empire (4989) / Being the Fifth Tale of the Gateway War: During the winter months, Phillip works on sketches of an ancient Galatian wall mural and on his new dragon magic. The Galatian wizard, Jacob Givens discovers a hidden treasure. Trespass into the secret room filled with jewels and gold, triggers an alarm that brings DarrkOwl to Constandria seeking vengeance for the theft. There are battles between wizards in the city that kill Jacob Givens, scare Phillip, and satisfy DarrkOwl's need for revenge. In a moment of arrogant self-confidence, Emperor Neslar reveals his timetable for attacking the Towers of Mentep and more information on gateways.Ordered to clear the office used by Jacob Givens, Phillip finds proof of Loranian plots to start wars in the west by bribing dwarves and Northmen. When Ephanie and William Gascon return in spring with the trade delegation, Phillip tells the healer of two gifts the Hodd arranged for the Loranians to receive. Major Hart ventures off with a tribe of janissaries, hopeful of helping them escape. Meklar and Keslar enlist Phillip to stage a palace coup-the artist uses new illusion spells in new portraits to create high emotions, leading to a bloody battle in the throne room. Meklar becomes emperor of the Loranian Hegemony. In the aftermath, the new emperor offers rewards to the artist before he is exiled across the Spine of the World. To everyone's surprise, Phillip asks for the mammoths imprisoned in the imperial zoo. To escape before problems, erupt across the Loranian Hegemony, Geoffrey Drake and Phillip d'Arcy leave Constandria with the mammoths marching through the streets to the train station. Phillip carries more surprises for his fellow travelers as their train leaves for the journey back to the Spine of the World.