《The Lich Queen [Empire Builder]》


 1. Undead Rebirth

    I


    Undead Rebirth


    The year was 5869, following the Luciarian Calendar. Necropolis was quiet. Even with the hail thundering from the sky. Hidden within the streets of the great city were the restless undead, all awaiting my orders. I watched from the balcony of my palace. Necron knew no sun, and so all my days were spent in utter darkness. Yet I saw everywhere. The pale undead were my eyes, their numbers were legion. All my enemies were dead¡ªswallowed and conscripted into my ranks. So, too, were my family and closest advisers.


    Empress, came the call from behind.


    I languidly glanced over my shoulder. The Deathguard was like the city, quiet except for the scraping of his cuisse as he knelt.


    Speak.


    My Empress, Archon Syiin is ready.


    Twirling around, the hem of my dress whispered. I strode past the kneeling guard into the hall connecting the balcony and my chamber, and the six guards standing at attention near the exit spread out behind me like wings.


    I admired the paintings on the walls for what would be the last time. One showed my late husband, Lucian, countenance stern, sitting on a high-backed, walnut chair wearing his red and black ceremonial robe.


    It was the complete opposite of how he had been in life, but he had insisted on the pose because: ¡®It¡¯s cool, Sephie.¡¯ My lips curved.


    I passed a depiction of my three children, Diane, Elias, and Khaine. They had inherited my white hair and sharp but dignified features, to the consternation of their Father.


    All four of them had been lost during the War of Heaven.


    My eyes went to the front. Two maids waited on either side of the necronite entrance to my chamber. Necronite was an alloy found in all our strongest weapons, so opening the door was no easy feat. These undead had been trained specifically to complete that task.


    The only sound was an intake of breath from the gaping room beyond, then I was inside.


    Archon Syiin, a twisted and stooped individual who lurked without trying, was standing next to my bed. He shoved the white drapes of the four-poster bed aside with his sceptre, so I could freely enter. I paused before doing so, my gaze falling on a green solution inside a vial and an empty syringe on a table nearby.


    That will put me to sleep? I asked.


    Yes, Silent Empress. This humble servant will administer it over the course of a year.


    I huffed and climbed inside, quietly watching as the Deathguards surrounded my bed, necronite blades poised and ready to strike at any intruder.


    I turned to my Archon. Syiin, a question, if you will.


    My Empress?


    Do you remember the Century of Strife? I said, side-eyeing him.


    All of it, my Empress.


    A pause. Even how I slaughtered your entire family and raised them?


    A masterful move on your part, my Empress. It put you in control of the economical heartland of the South.


    I listened to how the hail splattered against the window panes.


    Will you enjoy killing me? I asked finally.


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    No, my Empress. Not a hint of hesitation or emotion in his tone.


    I sighed, closed my eyes, and waited. After what felt like an eternity, the syringe penetrated into my bone marrow, and the fluid dug in. It didn¡¯t hurt. It was like a cold was spreading through me, but a gentle one. Before my consciousness fell away, I gave my armies one last command: to defend this place to the last undead. Necron was our planet¡ªthe one my family had sacrificed everything for. It was only fitting the benefactors now did the same.


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Lesser Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Minor Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    895/895


    Skill Points =


    0


    }


    I was awake from one moment to the next like I¡¯d never gone to sleep.


    The first thing I noticed was the roughness of paper between my fingers. I was holding a note. A single line written in red, dripping letters read: The key to the realm lies in the heart of the Forest.


    I turned the note over. Nothing. I frowned. Necron doesn¡¯t have any forests.


    I put the note down on the surface of a desk made of smooth, dark wood and looked around. Two bookcases lined the side walls. From the centre wall hung a painting. White hair fell down the shoulders of a man in armour, who glared at his audience, leaning on the pommel of a blade. The blade wasn¡¯t necronite, and the man was unfamiliar to me.


    Where am I? A set of new instincts answered: This is my estate.


    The estate of Sepharin K. Vrost.


    And who was that supposed to be? I rotated an oval mirror with golden markings along its edges. The reflection wasn¡¯t mine. At least, not what I expected to be mine. The hair was white, and the skin so pale and lifeless it was nearly grey. The piercing blue eyes were on point, too, and the so was the long, elegant face. But the proportions were¡­what word was I looking for?


    Human, I thought after a moment.


    Yes. They were human. So, too, was the animation. My chest was rising and falling, and a wet sound played when I opened and closed my mouth. Then there was the light. A lamp at the edge of my desk cast out the darkness sneaking up on me. I couldn¡¯t see into the shadows.


    I changed race¡­how is that possible? Had Syiin made a mistake¡­improbable. But then what? Was my mind passing time? Possible; the potion would kill me, but it would take a year. However. These sensations¡ªthey are real, I thought. And I had never been terribly creative.


    Then there were the words floating in front of me.


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    I had no idea what half of them meant, yet I recognised the term Racials. Lucian had mentioned them once. They were a part of a game, a creation of his home world.


    Could it be¡­?


    I looked around, stood, and moved to a window on my right. Sharp breath flew past my nostrils (I would need to get used to that). A storm of snow fell from the heavens. Snow wasn¡¯t new to me, yet seeing it in the light was. They were like a great swarm of Dronides, an insectoid xenos, that swallowed all in sight. Only less deadly. A man with a hunched back fought against the storm, shovelling heaps of it into a cart. Gravel showed itself where his shovel had passed, revealing a road that led to an iron gate and a stone wall that ran around the entirety of the estate. I imagined the way the path slithered underneath the snow, and my eyes passed two men on horses dragging a wagon and landed on a great shadow beyond the wall of falling white.


    What is that? The shadow stretched as far east and west as I could see. Was it a fortification? It was immense, if so.


    This place was¡­


    I turned at the sound of knocking. Come in. I waited, but the door remained shut.


    The knocking came again.


    I frowned, realising the issue. ¡®Come in,¡¯ I said. The ice in my voice surprised me. How many centuries had it been since I had uttered a word?


    A girl wearing a dark, long, and wide skirt bowed before entering. ¡®Milady, I have news.¡¯


    My eyes narrowed as I studied her. She didn¡¯t radiate a shred of death energy.


    Kneel, I thought. And though the girl trembled underneath my silent gaze, she remained standing.


    ¡®I¡¯m listening,¡¯ I said. My hands went behind my back, and I turned to the shadow of the mighty wall.


    The girl bowed deeply. ¡®Your shipment has arrived, Milady.¡¯


    ¡®Shipment?¡¯


    ¡®Th¡ªthe one from Castle Frost, Milady?¡¯


    I spared her a glance. ¡®What did I ask for?¡¯ The remark came out as a snide. As if I was challenging her authority to say I had asked such a thing.


    The girl shrunk, lowering her head until she almost touched the floor. ¡®I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean to presume, Milady. Please forgive me.¡¯


    ¡®You misunderstand. I¡¯m asking you: What are they bringing?¡¯


    She carefully raised her head. ¡®Lord Blackwater of Castle Frost sent two of his frostguards. They bring a set of corpses at your behest, Milady.¡¯


    Corpses? The skill list mentioned necromancy. Was that what this was about?


    ¡®Or so they claim,¡¯ she hurriedly added. ¡®Was it a mistake, Milady? I can ask Sir Decim to send them away.¡¯


    ¡®No, that¡¯s fine,¡¯ I said. ¡®Lead me to them.¡¯


    The maid eyed me discretely. ¡®¡­are you changing, Milady?¡¯


    I glanced down. The linen shirt and thin trousers indeed wouldn¡¯t hold outside. Not since the change to my physique.


    ¡®Lead me to my wardrobe,¡¯ I said, moving before the maid could say anything.


    Let us see who these frostguards were.

 2. Corpses

    II


    Corpses


    Drake spit in the snow. ¡®Dis ain¡¯ right.¡¯


    ¡®It isn¡¯t.¡¯ Michael sighed. He pulled the hood of his thick, frost-blue cloak over his face so he couldn¡¯t see the cart from the corner of his eyes. It didn¡¯t matter. The horses pulling it neighed, reminding him of its presence all the same.


    ¡®So why?!¡¯ Drake snarled. He glared in the general direction of the estate as if that would help.


    ¡®Because the Warden demands it,¡¯ Michael said.


    ¡®She¡¯s no Warden,¡¯ Drake said. ¡®She¡¯s only here cuz her daddy got sick and her brother¡¯s a cuck.¡¯


    ¡®Careful, frostguard,¡¯ a tall man warned. The guard captain was armed in leather gear, and both the sword at his hip and the shield on his back carried the insignia of House Vrost: a shield of ice in the form of a snowflake. ¡®You may have your opinions. But disrespecting the Warden will not be tolerated.¡¯


    Drake snorted. ¡®Ya hear him, Michael?¡¯


    Michael remained silent, busying himself with counting snowfall.


    Drake clicked his tongue. He whirled on the guard captain and stormed forwards. ¡®Ya think yur so tough, huh? Yuv got easy talkin, mate. It¡¯s not yur brothers who she¡¯ll turn.¡¯


    ¡®Back off,¡¯ the guard captain said, hand on his pommel.


    Drake revealed yellow, crooked teeth. ¡®Ya wanna know sumthing?¡¯ He jammed a finger at the cart. ¡®We slip up an¡¯ un of tha demons ever make it past the walls, an¡¯ that¡¯ll be you in that cart. An¡¯ when yar a walking dead, I wonder if ya still speak in defence of that witch!¡¯


    ¡®Back off.¡¯ The captain¡¯s sword half-cleared his scabbard.


    Drake held his gaze before lazily throwing up his hands. ¡®Yar lucky ya masters here.¡¯


    The captain glanced back and struck a salute.


    Drake chuckled, doing the same, and Michael followed, too.


    His condescending snarl turned into one of concern. Drake had heard tales¡ªstories told in the barracks over wine¡ªheard that the Vrosts were descendants of Frost Giants living high up on the mountains west of the Weeping Lake. He had laughed at the time. Seeing the wanna-be Warden in person, though, he believed them. The woman must¡¯ve been seven foot, which wasn¡¯t the impressive part. There were grunts at Castle Frost that were seven foot. What shocked him was the size. She was that tall yet she wasn¡¯t lanky. Her arms hugged the sleeves of her coat (they must¡¯ve been the girth of his thigh), and her boots left an imprint in the snow that could swallow his foot.


    The maid at her side looked like an ant in comparison. The horses were more like dwarves. They stamped their feet, nothing but the reins Michael was holding and the weight of the cart keeping them from hightailing out of here.


    ¡®Captain,¡¯ the giantess said with a gruff voice. She turned to the others. ¡®Frostguards. I hope your journey from Castle Frost wasn¡¯t perilous.¡¯


    ¡®Not at all, Warden!¡¯ Michael said, hand still in the position of a salute. ¡®But we would like to return before dark. If we may request your approval of the¡­contents of our shipment.¡¯


    The giantess placed a hand on the side of the carriage, making the horses whine, and lifted the snow-covered flap sparing the bodies from the elements. Her gaze stayed trained on the contents for a moment. ¡®When did they die?¡¯ she asked, lowering the flap.


    Drake swallowed his lips. He thought he¡¯d seen sympathy for a second. But he¡¯d expected too much of a witch.


    ¡®Three days ago, Warden,¡¯ Michael said like the good dog that he was. ¡®They fell during a ranging expedition out into The Wailing Forest.¡¯


    ¡®I see,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®That all?¡¯ Drake barely kept his words from coming out as a snarl.


    She fixed him with a look. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Then turned to her house pet. ¡®Captain, please take them out back.¡¯


    ¡®Right away, Warden.¡¯ He took the reins from Michael.


    The giantess watched him go before turning around. ¡®You,¡¯ she said, looking at Drake. ¡®Name and rank.¡¯


    ¡®Drake Greyhound, Ma¡¯am, Ice Ward,¡¯ he saluted despite himself. Why am I even saluting? She ain¡¯t the Warden.


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    Ice Ward was the lowest rank after novice. Drake hadn¡¯t manned the walls for more than a year.


    ¡®Ice Ward Drake,¡¯ she repeated. ¡®You should be more careful.¡¯ She glanced at the dark spot in the snow next to him, then fixed him with a stare so cold his hackles rose. ¡®The wind carries voices further than you think.¡¯


    Drake swallowed. ¡®Noted, Ma¡¯am.¡¯


    ¡®Warden,¡¯ she said. ¡®I won¡¯t correct you a second time.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Warden.¡¯ Drake quickly saluted.


    She grunted. ¡®You can wait at the gate. The captain will return your cart after offloading the bodies.¡¯


    Then she was gone, following in the steps of the guard captain.


    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Michael said, shaking his head. ¡®Because of you we need to wait out in the cold.¡¯


    ¡®Oh shut yer trap!¡¯ Drake snarled low enough the witch wouldn¡¯t hear.


    He spit in the snow again. Hopefully she doesn¡¯t remember my name.


    The captain hauled the last of the five corpses into the shed. Tables with tools and shelves with equipment belied its history as a tool shed. But it had been repurposed. A spherical crystal hung from the ceiling like a chandelier, releasing mist that clouded the air. My breath came out as mist, too.


    These were freezing temperatures.


    The guard captain dropped a man with a gash across his entire face on a table in the centre. Then he paused. The captain closed his eyes and placed a hand against his heart. Leaning on the wall to the side of the entrance, I waited for him to finish.


    After closing his prayers, the guard captain took a silver coin from his pocket and put it on the man¡¯s forehead.


    ¡®A custom?¡¯ I asked.


    The guard jumped like he¡¯d forgotten I was here. ¡®Yes, Warden! It¡¯s an old Bear Tribe custom.¡¯


    I hummed. ¡®Only the one coin?¡¯


    He shamefully shook his head. ¡®I don¡¯t have any smaller change on me. One will have to do.¡¯


    I nodded.


    He shifted in place in the quiet left between us. ¡®Is there anything else I can do for you, Warden?¡¯


    ¡®No. You may leave. Return the frostguard¡¯s their horses and cart. I don¡¯t want them returning late.¡¯


    The door to the makeshift freezer closed, and then I was alone with the corpses.


    I breathed in deep¡ªthe cold and partially stale air of the shed stung, and there was the obvious smell of rot. It calmed me. I could taste the chill in the air that was more than physical: a thick and dark energy waiting for me to command it. In this foreign place, Death was the sole thing truly familiar to me.


    My eyes went to the words.


    Miasma =


    895/895


    ¡®Miasma,¡¯ I said. The term echoed slightly when I pronounced it. Letting instincts guide me, I extended my hand in front of me, holding my palm out to the sky. For a while I just stood there. I listened to the slight moaning of the crystal, the shrill cry of the wind outside that pierced through the walls.


    ¡®Gather.¡¯


    Nothing. I kept my hand outstretched. My attention heightened, the background noise fell away, and I sensed for a flow inside myself that reflected the dark energy I sensed in the room.


    ¡®Gather.¡¯


    This time, a dark sphere of rippling shadow coalesced in my palm. I exhaled at the sight. My breath was colder¡ªmore sinister¡ªthan before, and my mind practically begged for me to wield the well of power and shape it into¡­


    Something dead. Something unliving. And wouldn¡¯t you know, there were five deceased beings right in front of me. But I didn¡¯t do it. I allowed the sphere of dark energy to fade.


    There was no use in raising these dead right away. They would do nothing but sit here. Worse¡ªdespite my skill, I was in an unfamiliar body¡ªI could lose control of them and they could attack the servants.


    ¡®I¡¯ll return later.¡¯


    Before doing anything else, I wanted a better overview of the world I was in. They had called me Warden, and I had adopted the title to blend in, but what exactly did it mean?


    The maid who¡¯d brought news of the frostguards dropped a thick tome on my desk.


    ¡®There was only a single volume relating to the history of the Duchy in our library, Milady.¡¯


    ¡®That is good enough. You may return to your tasks.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Milady.¡¯ She curtsied and hurried out of the room.


    I rubbed a hand over the bound leather. ¡®A Compendium of the Duchy of Vrost,¡¯ the title read. There was no mention of an author.


    The first page showed a map. My eyes fell on a long line to the north, which must be the fortification I had seen. It was known solely as The Wall and spanned the entirety of the northern border, being around 480 kilometres in total.


    I had a few questions. One: How had it been built? A wall that tall and wide would take more than just human hands. Two: Why had it been built? Walls kept others out.


    Who was the North defending from?


    The map didn¡¯t answer. It did, however, enlighten me to something else. The overview was a zoomed-in version of the entire continent so everything beyond the borders was blank. But the Duchy of Vrost was clearly visible. I flipped a page to a more detailed version of the Duchy. The wall, it turned out, was under my family¡¯s authority, together with the many towns around it and two more notable cities: Frostholm to the east, and Vrost to the south, in the middle of the Duchy.


    We had more under our control. Multiple woods and mountain ranges, a large stretch of frozen, uninhabitable ground called the Frozen Wastes, and a road that went down south and passed our border. At a guess, I¡¯d say we made up around thirty percent of the entire North.


    ¡®Expansive,¡¯ I said.


    But sparsely populated. Keeping a region as big as this safe was quite the task. Luckily, we had help.


    I searched for Castle Frost and found it midway along the wall. It was part of a row of similar strongholds stretched along the border. I looked out the window. I couldn¡¯t see Castle Frost, but I could judge from the route the two frostguards took which direction it was in. If they wanted to return before night on horseback while dragging a cart, it couldn¡¯t be far. I also saw silhouetted signs of civilisation. I was near what looked to be a town.


    My fingers traced the route. That must be Snowspire.


    ¡®They certainly have the ice theme down.¡¯


    Next, I tried finding the woods the frostguard mentioned. The Wailing Forest was directly beyond the wall, being several hundreds of kilometres in scope. The entire area was marked in black, and an asterisk, which was explained in a footnote, noted that no sane man had ever set foot in the forest willingly¡ªit urged the reader to follow this advice.


    ¡®Fascinating.¡¯


    The fact I had truly been transmigrated into another world caught up to me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about it. I had gone to sleep expecting death. Instead, I found myself with what was maybe a second chance at life. The one thing I couldn¡¯t understand was: Why? Lucian and my children were gone, and there was nothing I had left undone.


    A brooding sensation I had never experienced before gripped my heart.


    What purpose did I have in this world, if any?

 3. Lich Queen

    III


    Lich Queen


    After digging through the book, I¡¯d found mention of a ¡®Warden¡¯. The Warden (more fully: The Frost Warden) was the Supreme Commander of the Frostguards. Commonly, that duty was held by the Ruler of the Duchy of Vrost. It just so happened that my Father was ill, and I had been assigned as his replacement until he recovered.


    It¡¯s why I was making my way back to the shed. Now that I knew I had a duty to defend our border, the priority of finding the limits of my power had shot up.


    The bodies were in the exact same position as I¡¯d left them.


    ¡®Let me inspect you more carefully, my pretties,¡¯ I said, closing the entrance behind me.


    I moved towards the frostguard with the gash across his face. The wound originated from his ear, which dangled in two pieces, and roved down his face like a river. His frost-blue uniform was cut up in multiple places, revealing pale skin that was a shade of what it must¡¯ve once been.


    Whatever had done him in had done a number on him.


    ¡®It didn¡¯t try to eat him, though.¡¯


    I inspected the others. All of them were in various states of disrepair, yet none bore postmortem consumption marks. That ruled out natural predators.


    I returned to Mr. Gash. My finger moved along the cut. The blood had long frozen so it left no bloodstains, but a hint¡ªthe touch of a smidgen of darkness¡ªclung to my fingertip.


    ¡®Mana,¡¯ I said. Or rather, miasma.


    Either his killer could use magic, or they had an enchanted weapon. I doubted the latter. The wounds were too ragged for a blade or other sharp tool.


    These were claw marks.


    That left¡­pretty much anything. And I had no way of figuring out the answer, so I turned back to the corpse.


    ¡®Let us see what I can do with you.¡¯


    I moved a finger across, and the dark energy clung like mucus. I raised it to eye level. There were two layers to it. The top layer was the miasma, which swirled and slowly dissolved into the air. The second layer didn¡¯t move.


    Death energy, I thought, feeling my lips curve.


    Gathering miasma in my hand, I pulled the bottom layer towards me. The stagnant energy skipped forwards like a child and bit the candy I was dangling in front of it.


    The corpse remained lifeless.


    Frowning, I pushed out more miasma but the result stayed the same.


    I thought for a moment.


    The third time, I placed my palm on the freezing flesh. The cold jabbed into my fingers. My awareness unfolded like a sixth sense, and for a moment I was back on the balcony, overseeing Necropolis. I could see everything. Could see the way the ice ate into the arteries and blackened the flesh, the way the nerves had once connected to and animated the man. In this clear world, the second layer of energy was a trail of tar, and I followed it to its mouth: the heart.


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    Frost necromancy, the skill said. Not necromancy.


    I focused on the cold, imagined it spreading. Faint crackling echoed from the body as ice grew to surround the organ in a protective layer. I kept pouring miasma until, finally, a pulse reverberated through the shed.


    I briefly glanced at my miasma.


    Miasma =


    356/895


    Over half of my energy, that felt about right.


    The guard¡¯s eyes shot open, and blue husks pierced through me. When I stepped away from the table to give it space, I noticed the air around it was a lot colder than the rest of the room.


    [Undead soldier, lvl 1.]


    Levels, I thought. Another one of those game mechanics Lucian told me about. That should mean it could grow stronger through gaining experience.


    The undead soldier grabbed onto the table, raising and separating itself from its former brothers. It fell after trying to stand and didn¡¯t get back up.


    No. It didn¡¯t fall.


    The undead was kneeling. I felt an imaginary line connect us. Through that connection, I could make out a thought¡ªnay, thought was too sophisticated. It was an instinct, which screamed:


    Lich Queen.


    ¡­I shivered. The title coursed through me, shocking my limbs as it went.


    I grinned. ¡®I like it.¡¯ The sensation of power that accompanied Death was the same no matter which world you inhabited. ¡®But Queen is too small.¡¯ The undead didn¡¯t do anything as humane as tilting its head, but I sensed confusion.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it,¡¯ I chuckled. It would learn in time.


    The door behind me rumbled. I considered while the undead rose to its knees. They knew of my power¡ªthere was no reason to hide it.


    ¡®Come in,¡¯ I called.


    ¡®Warden¡ª¡¯ came the guard captain¡¯s voice. He froze inside the doorway.


    ¡®Close the door behind you, Captain,¡¯ I said. I stepped to the side so he could see the undead soldier better.


    The captain swallowed. Then, the door closed.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ I said. ¡®He won¡¯t attack.¡¯


    I¡¯d worried about control before¡ªcontrolling undead was always a risk¡ªbut my connection to the soldier was tangible. It wouldn¡¯t break even if I fell asleep or unconscious.


    ¡®¡­Did you raise him, Warden?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. He was a test. The others will be raised in due time.¡¯


    He breathed out sharply and looked at the soldier, who motionlessly stared ahead of him, lacking any animation you would expect from a person.


    ¡®What do you think of him, Captain?¡¯ I asked after letting the silence ride.


    ¡®Horrifying,¡¯ he said without hesitation. ¡®It feels like its staring straight through me.¡¯


    ¡®His appearance wasn¡¯t what I was referring to.¡¯


    He frowned. ¡®I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t¡ª¡¯


    ¡®What do you think of me using the bodies for my necromancy?¡¯ I clarified.


    The guard captain shifted in place. He didn¡¯t speak right away, perhaps hoping I would retract the inquiry.


    I waited.


    ¡®If I may speak freely, Warden?¡¯ he said eventually.


    ¡®I command you to do so.¡¯


    That loosened his shoulders. ¡®With all due respect, Warden, I think this ungracious. The Frostguard do a thankless job for the entirety of Erst. They deserve better than this.¡¯


    Despite the admonishment, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Having someone reject what you were saying, standing opposite someone with their own thoughts, there truly was nothing better than that.


    Reigning in my enjoyment, I turned my sights on more practical considerations: if a guard captain not linked to the frostguards thought so, what must the actual frostguards think of my power? Something to keep in mind. Especially, since they were supposed to be my army.


    ¡®Thank you, Captain,¡¯ I said.


    The Captain looked like he was expecting me to say more. He spoke up when I didn¡¯t. ¡®I came to deliver a message, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    ¡®Sir Levi Vrost has sent word ahead. He is to arrive in Snowspire this evening and wishes to meet with you come morning. What shall I reply to the messenger?¡¯


    I frowned. Hearing the name hauled memories to the forefront. That was my older brother. He was also a member of a Temple, a faith absolutely opposed to necromancy. I knew because my brother had made his gripes known to me on numerous occasions, which often ended in a fight.


    But none of that knowledge could squash my excitement. A real blood relation.


    ¡®Accept his request,¡¯ I said, lips trembling. ¡®Tell him my servants will expect him around ten.¡¯ I considered. Lucian had loved tea. ¡®Tea and refreshments will be prepared,¡¯ I added.


    ¡®Understood, Warden.¡¯


    I signalled for him to take his leave, and the captain fled the shed like the wind.


    Levi nearly spit out his tea on the bald head before him. ¡®She accepted my request?!¡¯


    The old servant bowed deeper, placing a hand upon his heart. ¡®It is so, Sir. The guard captain came to tell me himself.¡¯


    Levi sagged back in his chair. ¡®What in the world¡­¡¯ And here he thought he would need to spend a month just to gain entry to the estate. Wouldn¡¯t have been the first time his sister did such a thing in order to spite him, either.


    He shook his head. ¡®She probably wants this be over quick.¡¯ His fingers tightened around the handle of his mug. Well, then she¡¯s dead wrong. He wasn¡¯t leaving until she promised not to use that horrible power of hers!

 4. Snowspires Invasion

    IV


    Snowspire''s Invasion


    Levi was wearing his best robe. The Vrost family¡¯s emblem was strapped to to the chest of his blue and black dress. He¡¯d gotten Jonathan to trim his beard and touch up his hair so his black locks fell just beyond his ears.


    ¡®How do I look, Jonathan?¡¯ Levi asked for the twelfth time.


    ¡®Splendid, Sir.¡¯


    Splendid was good. If his wear was bad, the old snake would¡¯ve said magnificent.


    ¡®Then let¡¯s go,¡¯ Levi said. And he trod out of the manor house, preparing for war.


    ¡®This way, Sir Vrost.¡¯


    Levi followed the young maid¡ªshe couldn¡¯t be over nineteen¡ªthrough the hallways of the estate to the east wing, walking past a painting of his father as they did so. He was seated in a red velvet chair, his bathrobe draping over the floor.


    Scandalous, Levi thought. His father¡¯s mistress had painted that picture.


    ¡®You should take that piece of art down,¡¯ he said.


    The servant released a surprised noise before following his gaze. ¡®Is there something wrong with it, Sir Vrost?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s a shame to our house.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Levi shook his head. ¡®Forget it. My sister¡¯s office.¡¯


    The servant nodded and led the way. She stopped in front of a wooden door shaped like an arch, which also had their House¡¯s symbol etched into the front, and knocked.


    ¡®Come in.¡¯ Levi heard his sister¡¯s cold voice.


    He signalled for the servant to open the entrance, and inhaled before entering behind her. Sepharin was behind her desk. She nearly loomed over him despite sitting. Her snow-white hair fell to the small of her back, and the sight of it pinched a nerve-ending inside Levi.


    Levi flicked his black hair back and forced a smile. ¡®It¡¯s been a while, Seph,¡¯ he said.


    He saw how she stopped a frown from creasing her forehead. ¡®That it has. We should¡¯ve met sooner.¡¯


    Met sooner my ass. How many times had she refused to meet him?


    ¡®Past mistakes,¡¯ Levi said, smile still visible. He took the seat opposite hers. The steaming pot of tea released the sweet aroma of black berries, which gently nudged his nose, soothing the chill that had nibbled at him on his journey here.


    ¡®Please, help yourself,¡¯ his sister said. ¡®I had the maids prepare it for you.¡¯


    He doubted it. However, this was the most cordial start to a conversation they¡¯d had in a while. He refrained from raising his eyebrow, but couldn¡¯t stop his eyes from narrowing. Is she planning something?


    Taking a gamble, Levi leaned on his manners and poured a cup for the regnant head of the house before doing so for himself. He quietly eyed Sepharin as he did. If she was going to burst, she would do so now¡­


    ¡®Thank you, Levi.¡¯ She lifted her cup and blew on it.


    He blinked. It was almost¡­as if she had forgotten their past conflicts completely.


    ¡®¡­Are you well, Seph?¡¯


    ¡®Perfectly so. How was your journey, Levi? I hope the Frozen Road was merciful.¡¯


    ¡®It was,¡¯ he said, still beside himself. ¡®The side roads less so.¡¯ He blew the heat from his cup and considered whether to let her know of what had happened. ¡®Our carriage was nearly robbed,¡¯ he said after a moment.


    ¡®Bandits? I wasn¡¯t aware of their presence.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s the season,¡¯ he said. The North, especially the Duchy, was not a forgiving region no matter the time of year. But the winter was a true killer. Crops died, the roads froze, and any effort to clear them was made moot during the night. The cold was so fierce no hearth could keep it out. He¡¯d seen the numbers on the ledgers. Dozens died every winter in their homes.


    And those were just the ones that got reported.


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    ¡®The Temples and churches do what they can,¡¯ he said, ¡®but the need is too great. We cannot help everyone.¡¯


    His sister hummed thoughtfully. He felt a spark of energy in her hand that nearly made him jump. A blue glow surrounded her palm, and the steaming of the cup halved instantly.


    Sepharin pulled eagerly of her tea. ¡®Did you report them?¡¯ she asked. ¡®I¡¯ll see if I can get them taken care of.¡¯


    ¡®Taken¡ªtaken care of?¡¯ he sputtered. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    She raised her eyebrow. ¡®They¡¯re criminals, Levi. I¡¯m the Warden. Obviously, I¡¯m imprisoning them.¡¯


    ¡®They may be criminals,¡¯ he said, ¡®but they¡¯re only trying to survive. Imprisoning them won¡¯t do any good. Also, who is going to feed their families after they¡¯re gone?¡¯


    ¡®All true,¡¯ she said. ¡®Yet they cannot be allowed to remain stealing.¡¯


    ¡®Of course not! But you need to tackle the source, not attack the result.¡¯


    His sister placed down her empty cup. ¡®If you have an easy way to solve deep-rooted poverty and the frost, I¡¯m all ears.¡¯


    ¡®¡­I don¡¯t.¡¯


    ¡®And until then,¡¯ Sepharin said, ¡®they¡¯ll be imprisoned.¡¯ The ease with which she said it though¡­It was as if she was making a statement about a cool breeze. This complete apathy and lack of care for others, that was the Sepharin Levi knew, and also the Sepharin he despised.


    Levi shook his head. It was like he thought: She should¡¯ve never become the head, Darius. If only their older brother had returned. I¡¯ll write him again, he decided. Then, he turned his attention back to his sister.


    ¡®I¡¯ve heard the rumours, you know,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Rumours?¡¯


    ¡®Your request,¡¯ he said. ¡®You asked Castle Frost for their dead.¡¯


    She paused. ¡®So I did.¡¯


    His mouth opened and closed. He hadn¡¯t expected her to confess it so easily. ¡®Are you serious, Seph?¡¯ he asked. ¡®You¡¯re going to raise the corpses of the fallen frostguards?¡¯


    Even before she answered, a red rage stormed through Levi, and he slammed his hands on the table, making the porcelain rattle. ¡®This is asinine, Seph! You cannot raise the dead! Father forbade it!¡¯


    She tilted her head. ¡®Did he now?¡¯


    ¡®Did he now?! He specifically instructed you not to practise your necromancy under any circumstance!¡¯


    Sepharin stared at him for a moment. ¡®That¡¯s truly too bad,¡¯ she said. And Levi thought he saw genuine guilt flash within her eyes. ¡®I raised two of them already.¡¯


    The oscillating porcelain went quiet the same time Levi¡¯s breathing got stuck in his throat.


    ¡®You did what?¡¯


    ¡®You didn¡¯t mishear me, brother,¡¯ his sister said calmly, the guilt gone with the wind.


    His hand formed a fist. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡®You¡¯ve sinned.¡¯


    She waited for him to continue.


    ¡®But you can still atone for this, Seph. You said it¡¯s only two? Release them. Afterwards, we¡¯ll go to the temple. I will personally ask the head priest to plead to Ruelle for your forgiveness.¡¯


    She stared at him for several seconds, looking like she was seriously considering it. But when she opened her mouth, whatever she wanted to respond was cut off by the blasting of a horn through the frozen air.


    Levi whipped around. ¡®What?! An invasion this far past the wall?¡¯


    Sepharin got to her feet immediately. ¡®That was in the direction of the town.¡¯ She was already bursting through the door.


    Levi loped to catch up with her. ¡®Where are the stables?¡¯


    ¡®Milady!¡¯ A maid came running down the hall, face completely red.


    Sepharin held out her hand to quiet the girl. ¡®Lead us to the stables and then get everyone into the common room. The guard¡¯s will receive my orders.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Milady!¡¯


    And the three of them were off.


    After seeing the horses react to me yesterday, I feared my only option was a carriage. I was wrong. A young man¡ªour stable master, most likely¡ªled a tall destrier to the front. Black hide hugged thick leg muscles. The horse didn¡¯t flinch even when I stroked a hand over its mane.


    ¡®This will do,¡¯ I said, lips curving.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ The guard captain¡¯s boots pelted the frozen ground as he rushed forwards. He handed me a sword and belt. ¡®It¡¯s all I could find.¡¯


    It was on the smaller side but it was double-edged and sharp.


    ¡®That¡¯ll be enough. Your men are to remain here and defend the estate. All the servants are gathered in the common room. Don¡¯t let anyone in.¡¯


    The captain turned to another guard behind him who I¡¯d seen walking the grounds once or twice. ¡®You heard the Warden,¡¯ the captain said. Then he strode to one of the horses, saddling himself.


    I frowned. ¡®You were included in my command, Captain.¡¯


    ¡®With all due respect, Warden,¡¯ he said. ¡®My duty is your safety. I go where you go.¡¯


    I considered. After a moment, I nodded, not wanting to argue because of a lack of time.


    Levi mounted himself the same time as I did, and we rode for Snowspire.


    Snowspire was burning.


    Dense smog clouded the skies above the farming village. It shrouded the barren fields, ate into the wooden homes packed around the manor house, and cast the silhouettes of the farmers in dark shadows. Already, the ash was infiltrating my nostrils and burning through my lungs.


    ¡®Ruelle¡­¡¯ Levi whispered the name of his patron God and coughed.


    My destrier whined harder the closer we got. I patted him on the side of the neck. ¡®Get me to that tree, boy.¡¯


    A lanky tree without leaves stood right outside the town borders, its bark as black as the ash. Next to it was a watchtower with a broken wall. An ivory horn lay in two pieces on the ground.


    We tied our horses and ran the rest of the way into the town. Instinct made me cover my mouth and nose. The fires had swallowed many of the homes near entrance to the town.


    These flames aren¡¯t natural, I thought. I turned at the sound of shouting.


    ¡®Please, help us!¡¯


    An older man dragged an unconscious elderly lady out of a home.


    Levi rushed towards him. He helped the man lay the woman down in the middle of the road, placed a hand on her chest, and muttered under his breath. A golden light suffused his hands.


    ¡®She¡¯ll be alright,¡¯ he said, eyes on the woman.


    ¡®Thank the Lady Above,¡¯ the grandfather cried. He was on his knees, hands clasped together in worship.


    Screams thundered from further inside the town accompanied by what sounded like the roar of a great beast. I shivered.


    ¡®Levi,¡¯ I said, hurriedly, glancing at his hands and noting that the energy didn¡¯t feel the same as miasma. ¡®Can you defend yourself?¡¯


    ¡®I can cast a barrier but that¡¯s it.¡¯


    Which wasn¡¯t enough for my liking. I closed my eyes and imagined a crystal in my palm. The atmosphere, still cold despite the fires, whirled and shaped in the form I desired. I let go, and the crystal hovered in the air. Levi watched with a frown, which turned into wide eyes when it expanded, growing limbs and a head. The undead stepped out into the world, clothed in the regalia of House Vrost, shield and sword in tow. Arming my soldiers was part of the reason why I currently only had a blade to my name.


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ Levi began.


    ¡®Save it for later,¡¯ I cut him off. ¡®It will protect the two of you. Captain, prepare yourself. We¡¯re moving in.¡¯


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted before falling in a guard stance.


    We stormed into the heart of the chaos.

 5. Undead Caster

    V


    Undead Caster


    ¡®Help! Help!¡¯ A man burst around the corner of a home to our right. His eyes widened when he saw us. ¡®Guards! Please, help me!¡¯


    ¡®Sir!¡¯ my guard captain yelled. ¡®Where¡¯s the threat? How many¡ª¡¯


    The man stormed past the front exit of the house as the entrance burst open in a flash of light that made me shield my eyes and step back. When my sight recovered, the man was gone.


    What the hell?


    I scoured our surroundings. Something fell with a thump, and my gaze fell on two leg stumps. I blinked. A groove dug into the road where the upper body should¡¯ve been, leaving smouldering earth in its wake. That¡¯s when the stench of burnt pig meat reached me.


    A figure stepped out of the doorway, and a ball of ice formed in my stomach. I had lorded over everyone I¡¯d met. Even my brother was shorter than me. No longer. The shadow which exited the house was twice my mass and two heads taller. He was covered in a heavy, ragged cloak of animal skins with a hood drawn up that looked like a wolf¡¯s head. Embers flickered around his palm.


    ¡®An orc shaman,¡¯ the guard captain whispered beside me.


    The orc shifted towards us. His mouth parted to reveal wicked tusks set into a heavy jaw. He raised his palm.


    ¡®Dodge!¡¯ I yelled.


    The heat rushed past me as I jumped and rolled to my feet. I summoned my other soldier without waiting another moment. ¡®Let the undead draw its attention! Search for an opening!¡¯


    The guard captain landed in a crouch behind the fence demarcating the home. He took his bearings before shouting: ¡®Understood!¡¯


    My gaze flashed to the front. A distorted rumble I took to be a cackle heralded the next fireball. My soldier rushed forward¡ªand he was quick for a dead man. I felt the connection I had with my soldier jerk. In a split second, I realised what he was requesting and gave it to him.


    Miasma drained out of me. Then, a blue shimmer consumed the soldier¡¯s buckler like a picture frame. The fireball slammed into the undead¡¯s shield. Sparks flew as the fire and frost energies clashed. My soldier stumbled onto his back foot, but he held. He flung the attack to the side, sending it careening into a house on the opposite end of the street.


    Wood splintered and cracked. Fires consumed the rest of the house within an instant. That wouldn¡¯t do wonders for the spreading flames.


    ¡®Careful with the homes,¡¯ I said. Though I doubted it could follow a complex command like that.


    The shaman¡¯s cackling stopped after his fireball was blocked, and the subsequent movement of his forehead may have been a frown. He brandished a bracelet strung with animal fangs from his coat pocket and began chanting.


    There was no need for words. The guard captain and I blasted from cover while my soldier drew more miasma from me, coating its blade and shield in necromantic frost.


    I didn¡¯t speak orcish but the spell was short. The shaman ended on a high note that sung into the ash-sky, then the bracelet pulsed and burst into flames. My undead swung his blade of frost at the artefact right as the ground exploded beneath him. I shied away for the second time this fight, protecting my retinas from the pillar of light that had erupted. No, not light, I thought. The radiating heat waves seared my skin. A pillar of flame.


    Fires raged for what felt like forever, the air snapped like whips, and nothing but a shadow remained visible of my soldier.


    It¡¯s dead. It had to be. But. The dark and cold energies within me were still giving.


    A blue blade carved through the fire, cutting it in half like you would a sandwich. The shaman let out a surprised yelp and tried to jump back, but the blade was too close. The edge cleaved into his temple. Blood spurt and painted the doorway behind the orc. The pillar died.


    I glanced at the back of my undead. His leather armour was fused to his skin, and he was so badly burnt in places the two couldn¡¯t be told apart. But he was standing. The soldier pulled out the blade, leaving the orc to drop to its knees.


    Something like confusion lined the orc¡¯s countenance. How could he expect something to keep moving after taking that spell head-on? He screamed in rage, defying the entire ordeal, and raised his palm, where embers once more formed.


    My eyes went wide. It was still alive?! I rushed forwards, sword in hand¡ª


    But the guard captain¡¯s blade tip planted itself in the orc¡¯s throat.


    The greenskin gurgled as he reached for his windpipe, his thick, green fingers clasping around the blade.


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    ¡®Die, shaman,¡¯ the captain snarled. The sword ripped free, opening the airway.


    The orc fell on his back. It was quiet for a moment, all three of us waiting for another sign of movement. There was none.


    I let out a breath. ¡®Good work, Captain.¡¯ He¡¯d used the chaos as a distraction and snuck up behind the orc, just like I¡¯d told him. ¡®They¡¯re true to their reputation,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Yes. Hard fuckers to kill.¡¯ He jerked after remembering who he was speaking to and coughed. ¡®Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Captain. I¡¯ve heard worse.¡¯


    As Silent Empress, I¡¯d made it a point to spend time amongst the lower ranks as if I were a part of their unit. Necrons were undead. They were also masterful swearers.


    I strode towards the corpse and glanced at my energy.


    Miasma =


    800/895


    Keeping my soldier kicking through those flames had cost less miasma than I¡¯d thought. That was good. I would have energy to spare. Another boon was that my soldier had levelled to lvl. 3, though I wasn¡¯t sure what those levels would do for it exactly.


    ¡®Captain, move away from the shaman.¡¯


    He stepped back. ¡®¡­Are you going to raise it, Warden?¡¯


    ¡®If I can.¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t certain if my dead were limited to humans, or if I could raise anything deceased. The answer came to me after I stepped through the blood pooling around the shaman and placed a hand on his chest. Death energy throbbed within.


    This is new. Because the death was so recent, another option lay before me: I could take the death energy and absorb it. This would power me and refill my miasma levels, giving me more to distribute to my current army. But I couldn¡¯t raise the creature after doing so.


    Another time, then.


    The death energy went still as I reached out to it. Surprisingly enough, the orc¡¯s heart was still beating, ever so minutely. It, too, went silent after my frost crystallised around it.


    ¡®Rise,¡¯ I said.


    My guard captain sucked in a breath as the orc pushed himself off the floor, caring not one bit about its injuries, and knelt like my previous soldiers had done.


    [Undead caster, lvl 3.]


    Lvl 3. Did it start at a higher level because it had more base strength than the others? It was also a caster. That meant I had access to different types of units. Interesting.


    ¡®I won¡¯t get used to this,¡¯ the guard captain said.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t.¡¯


    I turned to see my brother hurrying towards us. My other undead was with him. They were unharmed.


    ¡®The villagers?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®On a horse back to the estate.¡¯


    I nodded and gave my army new orders. ¡®Soldiers in the front, caster in the middle. We¡¯re making haste.¡¯


    There were more screams on the horizon.


    Levi bit his lips, swallowing whatever he wanted to say as he glared daggers at my undead.


    The guard captain went to join the two soldiers at the front but I pulled him back. ¡®You¡¯re with me at the rear. Levi, get in the centre next to Caster.¡¯ It was a simple formation but it would have to do.


    ¡®Caster?¡¯ Levi looked at the orc which had blood running down the side of its temple and neck. ¡®It¡¯s a mage? What can it do?¡¯


    ¡®It could conjure fireballs before, Sir,¡¯ the guard captain said.


    ¡®I doubt it still can,¡¯ I said. I could sense a fountain of frost energy within it, but no fire. ¡®Figuring out its capabilities is part of this field exercise. Now, stay alert. There could be more of them.¡¯


    More townsfolk were running towards us.


    ¡®Get to the village exit!¡¯ Levi yelled. ¡®We¡¯ve cleared the way there!¡¯


    The people needed no more convincing. They sprinted past us, men carrying their children on their backs as their wives ran ahead of them. My chest contracted at the sight.


    The guard captain pulled a lone man towards him. ¡®Are there more orcs? Where are they?¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯re assaulting the manor house!¡¯ The frightened man said.


    ¡®The manor house?¡¯ Levi said, voice going soft. ¡®That¡¯s where Jonathan is.¡¯


    ¡®Jonathan?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Our butler, Seph. You know, the one whose served our family for years?¡¯


    No recognition showed on my face.


    He frowned. ¡®Seriously? How can you forget his name¡ª¡¯


    I held up my hand to cut him off. ¡®How many are attacking the manor?¡¯ I asked the man.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ he said, gaze passing between the siblings. ¡®But the reeve took the town guards to head for the manor. They¡¯re all holed up in there.¡¯


    That explained where the town security was. Being a town that relied on hunting, foraging, and trading with nearby settlements like Castle Frost, Snowspire had a meagre population of around five hundred. Yet even for a town this small there should be guards since it was close to the wall.


    ¡®That¡¯s enough,¡¯ I said. ¡®Get to the village exit. We¡¯ll handle it from here.¡¯


    The man eyed my soldiers warily before running for his life.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go,¡¯ I said.


    The manor home was located in the middle of the town in the centre of a T-section. Well, calling it a manor home was doing it a greater service than it deserved. It was twice the size of the homes around it and two-storied. But the wooden exterior was rotting in places. ¡°Twice the size¡± was also misleading. Perhaps the ground floor had enough space for a common room, a kitchen, and storage closet.


    ¡®No sign of a breach,¡¯ the guard captain said. He frowned. ¡®I thought he said they were assaulting the manor.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe Jonathan took the soldiers and ran?¡¯ Levi offered.


    ¡®And go where, Sir? The shaman would fry them if they were out in the open.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not so sure.¡¯ I looked around us. ¡®There are no fires this far in. Could be the distance between the homes. Could also be a lack of resources.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know how mages were trained in this world, but if it was anything like my own, they were a rare commodity. The shaman we killed may have been the only one in the assault force.


    Our conversation fell silent after we crossed the small clearing keeping us on our side of the T-section. Leather armour squeaked as my soldiers moved. I heard the guard captain¡¯s belaboured breath, and felt Levi¡¯s nervous twitching.


    It¡¯s quiet. Too quiet. If there were guards inside, they should¡¯ve seen and signalled us. The manor is compromised, I decided. I opened my mouth to call off our advance¡ª


    The front window of the manor splintered, and a glinting object burst past, heading straight for my brother. Levi yelped. The air in front of him shimmered as he hastily swirled his hands but my soldier was quicker than his barrier.


    The undead was lifted off its feet as it blocked the object, and Caster pulled Levi out of the way so the soldier didn¡¯t smash into him. The soldier skidded to a halt. My eyes narrowed. The object was a huge cleaver that was partially stuck in his buckler. It had dug into the bone of his arm. That¡¯s some serious throwing power.


    A feral roar from behind us. I looked back to the sight of four orcs crawling from their cover on the rooftops. Their clothing was the same as that of the shaman, only their hoods were regular caps instead of a wolf¡¯s head. Two more orcs burst from the manor entrance, and one exited the window. This one was different. Its skin was unlike that of the others: black instead of green. It also didn¡¯t wear a hood or any animal skins, but was draped in full plate except for its head.


    ¡®Puny. Humans,¡¯ it said, voice gruff and harsh while chewing on a piece of meat. It raised its offhand. ¡®Kill them.¡¯

 6. Orc Ambush

    VI


    Orc Ambush


    Ambushes were funny. As both Empress and head commander of my armies, I¡¯d been in my fair share. If there was one thing new commanders often got wrong, it was thinking the ambush itself immediately lead to victory. Not so. Surprise could rattle even seasoned warriors¡ªand that was often all the advantage you needed.


    I pulled my blade off my hip. ¡®Charge forward!¡¯


    My yell startled Levi but Caster dragged him off his feet and ran. The guard captain was already in motion together with my undead. That left me in the rear with the soldier that had an axe stuck in his buckler.


    ¡®Levi, cast a barrier behind us!¡¯ I screamed.


    My long legs ate the distance as quick as they could. I hadn¡¯t taken three steps when the hairs on my neck trembled. I pivoted, swinging my blade purely on instinct. The axe head caught on the edge of my sword, saving my skull from getting crushed. Spinning with the force, I threw the axe to the side.


    I was now facing the rear, eyes going wide as I watched three orcs leap from the rooftops in a great arc that would land them in our midst. The fourth, still on the roof, threw his axe.


    Light warped and twisted in front of me, forming into an oval barrier. The jagged cleaver bounced off. And then the three orcs were in our middle.


    The frozen ground broke upon impact, sending gravel and ice flying. One swung for Levi¡¯s head but caster threw him to safety and took the hit on the shoulder. The second charged me, while the third, who was barehanded, let loose a bellowing war cry before jumping after Levi.


    My guard captain saw the events happen same as I. His heel dug into the ground as he prepared to turn¡ª


    ¡®Hold the front!¡¯ I yelled, locking eyes with him for an instant.


    ¡ªhe continued to charge ahead with my soldier.


    Caster¡¯s hands shot out. The power wafting from his palm was no longer red, but an icy blue. The frostbolt slammed the orc trying to dislodge his axe from Caster¡¯s flesh in the head, and the green skin crashed to the floor.


    Caster summoned a second bolt, aiming for the orc rushing me and my soldier. I redirected his focus with a thought. The bolt veered in midair, striking the greenskin mid-leap just as it lunged at Levi, blasting it to the ground. I then ordered Caster to support our vanguard.


    Steel rang on steel as my soldier met the orc¡¯s charge. The undead staggered, its bones already unstable because of the previous strike, and the orc grinned. The great green beast leaned forward, tusks gleaming in the firelight and victory within its eyes¡ªthat light vanished when he noticed my blade.


    The frost-blade swallowed the whistle of wind as it pierced the air, the point going through the eye socket of the undead soldier to lodge itself deep in the orc¡¯s throat.


    The two fell forward.


    Dislodging my weapon would take too long so I dashed towards Levi. As I charged, I spotted the cleaver from the earlier deflection, half-buried in the snow. Grabbing it on the run, I turned to the orc struggling to his feet. Frost clung to his flesh where Caster¡¯s bolt had struck him in the side and slowed his movement. That was good for me; I drove the cleaver into the back of his skull to end his troubles.


    Two down. But there was no time to rejoice.


    ¡®Watch out!¡¯ Levi screamed.


    I rolled to the side just quick enough to avoid a similar fate as my most recent victim, rushed to my feet, and blocked an overhead swing on the shaft of my axe.


    A foul animal smell assaulted my nose as I got locked in a battle of strength with the greenskin.


    I glanced to the side. My soldier was trying to untangle itself from throat-punctured orc, but despite the fatal injury, he clung onto my undead for dear life, not allowing it to get up. Back in front of me, the orc unlocked his jaw. I immediately let up the pressure and pivoted, dodging his bite and making him stumble in the process. I raised my axe to finish him¡ª


    But was forced to lean backwards after catching a glint in the corner of my sight. The weapon sailed past me, not even close to hitting.


    I turned to find the orc Caster had headblasted. His face was a mess and frost clung to his flesh but that didn¡¯t stop him from charging me barehanded, albeit clumsily. I swung to keep the brute at bay, and as he jumped back to dodge, the throat-punctured orc finally choked to death, allowing my undead to free itself by yanking its head through the hilt of the sword. It ran to get to Levi¡¯s side.


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    The other orc had gotten to his feet by the time my soldier arrived. That put Levi and my undead opposite me, the now-standing orc on my right, and the barehanded greenskin on my left.


    The orcs eyed us, unsure who to charge.


    A huff of breath blew a strand of hair out of my eyes. ¡®Pick wisely.¡¯ I grinned. ¡®It¡¯ll be the last decision you make.¡¯


    Could the orcs understand me? Because a lump went down their throats. They stepped back, lowering their centre of gravity, preparing to put it all on the line for a final gambit.


    My breath frosted and curled upwards as my muscles tensed¡ª


    An indecipherable yell echoed from the other group. I whipped around. My heart skipped as I feared they had lost that side of the battle. When I looked, I saw the black orc throw the guard captain off him, who caught his balance instantly.


    Then, the orc ran.


    The orcs at my side turned and ran as well.


    ¡®Chase them!¡¯ I yelled. Letting them escape wasn¡¯t an option as it would only invite more attacks.


    The black orc¡¯s group had lost a member, making the retreating orcs number four. Caster¡¯s bolt connected with one¡¯s legs and sent him sprawling. My lvl. 1 undead soldier was on him in an instant.


    That left three barrelling down the street, jumping over toppled and abandoned wagons and bodies left to freeze or be consumed by the flames.


    Miasma drained out of me as Caster requested more energy.


    Miasma =


    150/895


    Caster missed. He requested even more energy but I refused.


    ¡®Levi, any attack spells?!¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®No!¡¯


    I bit my lip. We were running as hard as we could yet the gap was widening.


    The black orc turned its head and grinned. ¡®No more magic?!¡¯ he laughed while running. ¡®Slow humans!¡¯


    That may be, I scowled. But how long could they keep this pace, and where were they going?


    Fate answered after we burst onto the farm fields. The black orc reached for his belt and removed something out of a pouch which he threw ahead of him in an arc. It popped after landing.


    What I could only describe as a gate parted the air like a curtain. It was small enough the first orc had to dip his head to get through. The second orc was right behind him, his figure disappearing behind the red light of the gate, leaving the black orc at the rear.


    He turned and threw his hands in the air. ¡®Human! Good fight!¡¯ He laughed. ¡®We be back¡ª¡¯


    This time when caster requested miasma, I gave it to him. The bolt struck the black orc in the face. He would¡¯ve fallen back into the portal if it wasn¡¯t for a barrier from Levi. The black orc rebounded off the light screen and staggered forwards, landing face-first in the dirt. He tried to get up but my guard captain arrived in a run and kicked him in the face.


    My party arrived, completely out of breath.


    ¡®Quick thinking, Levi,¡¯ I praised my brother, patting him on the shoulder.


    His eyes went wide. ¡®Thank you¡­¡¯


    I strode towards the black orc, slapped my guard captain on the shoulder as well, and planted my heel on the orc¡¯s chest. ¡®Amateur. Never a good idea to monologue right before escaping.¡¯


    He squirmed on the floor. The frostbolt had left a layer of frost over his mouth, keeping him from speaking. He tried to slam his shield against my leg in a last ditch effort but my undead threw himself on top of the orc.


    One undead, I frowned. I glanced back, which was when I noticed the other one was not with us yet. He was getting closer but was incredibly slow in doing so. Had the orc broken his leg?


    No matter. He¡¯d done his job. That, and there were more waiting to replace him.


    ¡®Caster,¡¯ I said. ¡®Inspect the gate¡ª¡¯


    But the red light vanished as the portal collapsed right in front of us.


    ¡®Too bad,¡¯ I said.


    I turned to my party. Levi and the captain were ready to fall apart. Caster was out of miasma, and I heard my soldier¡¯s bones creak as he kept down the black orc.


    ¡®Well fought, everyone,¡¯ I said. ¡®I would like to offer a warm bath but the fighting may not be over. We need to do a final sweep of the town.¡¯


    Begrudging faces at the remark but they saw the truth of it. A horn blast kept me from issuing another order.


    Shadows on horseback approached on the horizon. We waited patiently for them to arrive since we weren¡¯t outrunning them if they were enemies.


    ¡®Hail!¡¯ the guard captain yelled.


    ¡®Hail!¡¯ a man answered.


    The horses quit their gallop and came to a standstill. A group of five men stood before us, all wearing the frost-blue cloak of the frostguard. My eyes latched onto one in the back.


    ¡®Drake, is that you?¡¯ I called. ¡®What a day for me to be happy to see your face.¡¯


    His features scrunched up. ¡®Gud¡¯ Evening¡­Warden.¡¯


    The frostguards descended their horses and saluted. One of them took the lead, a young man with a stubble beard.


    ¡®Warden! Lord Blackwater sent us immediately after we freed up the castle. We were to run ahead of the party and scout the area.¡¯ His eyes fell on the orc at my feet, then on the fires which still raged in the distance. ¡®How many are in the town?¡¯


    ¡®We killed four,¡¯ I said. ¡®We chased this one¡ª¡¯ I kicked the orc ¡®¡ªonto the field. He tried to leave through a portal. How many men are you sending?¡¯


    ¡®Ten, Warden,¡¯ he answered.


    ¡®Ten only?¡¯ Levi said askance.


    The frostguard lowered his eyes. ¡®We were hit pretty heavily, Sir.¡¯


    So the orcs attacked more than just this town. I clicked my tongue. They caught us off-guard.


    ¡®Help us tie this orc down,¡¯ I said. ¡®Strip him of his gear. He conjured the portal from an item in his pouch.¡¯ I turned to Drake. ¡®Drake, give me your horse.¡¯


    ¡®¡­Yes, Warden.¡¯ He got off while chewing his lip.


    Luckily for me, the beast didn¡¯t try to throw me off after I ascended. I looked down on the delegation. ¡®We¡¯ll make a round through the village. Should all threats be dealt with, retrieve the dead orcs and bring them to the manor house. They¡¯ll be down the road ahead.¡¯


    Some confused looks at the order but they all yelled: ¡®Yes, Warden!¡¯


    I turned to my guard captain. ¡®Bring the black orc to the manor house as well. We have questions for him. Take Caster and the soldier with you.¡¯


    Levi told one of the other frostguards to dismount and took his horse. ¡®I¡¯m almost out of mana but I¡¯ll heal any injured we find on the way.¡¯


    ¡®Good. All of you have your orders. Good luck.¡¯


    We rode with the remaining frostguards. The tension in my shoulders had vanished, though. While I told them we were making a final round, a message in front of my face told me the battle was over.


    [Quest Completed: Push Back Snowspire''s Invasion]


    {Skill points awarded: 1}

 7. A Dark Road

    VII


    A Dark Road


    The taste of victory was bitter.


    When you stalked through a combat area, your mind blocked things in the same manner it did during a chase or ambush. But the combat was over.


    Upper bodies hung from balcony windows, hands stuck in the animation of trying to reach salvation before their owners got cleaved at the middle, and I had to guide my horse around dismembered body parts. The stench was one thing. The screams another. Some had escaped the orcs yet any exit and entrance to their homes were blocked so badly no one could get out or in¡ªnot even my undead, who could boldly charge through the flames.


    I stopped in front of one such home, where a group of people had just given up on pouring buckets into the sea of flames.


    A woman¡¯s shrill cry roiled above the fires. The wail of a baby drowned in the scorching sea.


    Beside me, Levi looked at the floor. I closed my eyes, listened, and felt my entire body convulse. Something deep within me yelled in defiance. A vestige of Sepharin, I realised¡ªthe former one. She cursed the heavens for what was happening to her people. The feeling was so strong it was as if I was feeling it myself.


    And why shouldn¡¯t I? Though these were not my people, I was still their Warden. Now¡ª


    An impact on my cheek snapped my face to the side, blasting me out of my introspection. I looked down to the sight of a stone diving underneath the melting layers of snow. I rubbed a hand over my cheek


    and touched blood.


    ¡®Seph¡­¡¯ Levi said aghast.


    My head turned in the direction of the throw to find a girl screaming her lungs out.


    ¡®You¡¯re frostguards, aren¡¯t you! That¡¯s my mother and baby brother in there! Why aren¡¯t you doing anything to help her!¡¯


    ¡®Emma, stop this!¡¯ An older man rushed to her side, clutching her like she was his last precious diamond, and placed his hand over her mouth. She savagely bit into his palm so he let go with a yelp.


    The girl swung her hands in the air like she was punching me. ¡®What do we even pay tribute for?! Aren¡¯t you supposed to protect us?!¡¯


    Her screams were so raw. Everyone looked away.


    I paused and breathed in deep. ¡®How could I have know there¡¯d be orcs who could use portals, or that I¡¯d be Warden so soon? Why assault only me when my brother stands right beside me?¡¯


    ¡­


    These were but a few things I could say to excuse myself. Instead of speaking up, I dismounted my horse and strode towards the girl.


    ¡®Sepharin¡ª¡¯ Levi reached out, but he was too late to stop me.


    Wide eyes overtook the audience of townsfolk. The elder man came to stand in front of his, presumably, daughter. ¡®Warden, please, she¡¯s distraught, she doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s saying!¡¯


    The title sent gasps down the gathering. While most of his neighbours stepped away in fright, others closed ranks around him, supporting the father. They couldn¡¯t stop me due to my size.


    ¡®Emma, was it?¡¯ My voice was an undercurrent to the screams still coming from inside the house.


    Emma glared up at me. The area around her eyes was red like blood. Some of it really was blood, most likely a result from a falling piece of debris. She no longer had to look up when I took a knee.


    Everyone went silent.


    I lowered my head. ¡®I have no excuse for what I allowed to happen to your family, and any apology would be empty to you.¡¯ My cheek hurt from the stone¡¯s throw, but the agony inside me was deeper than a well. When I looked up, that stabbing pain reached my eyes. ¡®But know this: I will bring to justice every orc that took part in this assault. Their leaders¡¯s spiked heads I will hang on the Wall, so any enemy foolish enough to attack us can look upon them and know what will happen. That¡¯s the sole solace I can offer you.¡¯


    The girl and I locked gazes for what seemed an eternal moment. A pressure built on my shoulders. Like a higher force stood behind me, acting as a witness to this promise.


    Emma nodded once, and words sped past my vision.


    Quest created: The Warden¡¯s Promise.


    Then the pressure was gone.


    Silence continued for a moment.


    ¡®Warden,¡¯ someone called softly.


    I stood, snow falling from my trousers. My guard captain and the frostguard who¡¯d hailed us were here, standing a respectful distance behind me.


    ¡®We brought the captured orc to the manor house like you ordered, Warden,¡¯ the frostguard said. He let his voice carry so everyone could hear.


    That was on purpose.


    ¡®Good,¡¯ I said, striding back.


    I mounted my horse and found Levi¡¯s wide eyes staring at me. I waited to give him the opportunity to speak but he remained silent. My neck craned for a final glance. The girl and her father were watching the burning wreckage, crying in each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡®It¡¯s time for answers,¡¯ I said, spurring my horse into motion.


    The frostguards had bound the unconscious black orc to a chair in the living room (he¡¯d provided too much resistance awake). For good measure, I made Caster freeze his hands and feet.


    My guard captain stoked the fireplace. A warm hue suffused the room and fell on the orc corpses stacked in a corner. They were a strange sight in this ordinary common room with nothing but a few tables, a sectioned off space for a kitchen, and a staircase to the second floor.


    ¡®What now, Warden?¡¯ Jaeger asked.


    He was the one who¡¯d retrieved me together with my guard captain. Funny that I learned his name before I learned that of my own servant¡ªbut then everyone always called him ¡°Captain¡±.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡®Fetch a glass of cold water,¡¯ I said.


    Jaeger sent Drake, making the Ice Ward pout. He splashed the orc¡¯s face after he returned.


    The orc jerked awake. His gag swallowed his panicked grunts as wide eyes darted across the room. He settled quickly after seeing all of us.


    ¡®Good,¡¯ I said. ¡®There¡¯s no reason to panic, black orc. You¡¯re not getting out of this room. One of my men is going to remove your gag.¡¯ I signalled Drake, who begrudgingly strode forwards and cut the binding keeping the gag in place.


    ¡®Ow shit!¡¯ Drake yelped and jumped back when the orc tried biting away at his neck.


    The dodge was for nothing since the orc lacked the mobility. But based on the orc¡¯s smile, it hadn¡¯t been a serious try either.


    Jaeger pulled Drake towards a chair before he could further embarrass his delegation.


    I caught the orc¡¯s gaze. ¡®Do you have a name?¡¯


    ¡®Durak,¡¯ he said, voice as gruff as the first time I¡¯d heard it.


    ¡®Durak. Do you know why you¡¯re here?¡¯


    The orc stared at me for a moment. Then, a deep and sharp rumble crawled over the room.


    The sound of a glass falling cut through the noise. ¡®Fack!¡¯ Drake jumped out of his chair, wiping at his trousers.


    Jaeger shook his head. I almost did the same but refrained.


    Durak¡¯s laugh gained in volume. ¡®Wimp.¡¯


    I waited until the orc¡¯s mirth died. ¡®Ice Ward Drake,¡¯ I said. ¡®Go dry yourself upstairs.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Warden!¡¯ He saluted. The gesture lost its esteem coming from him. ¡®¡­fockin¡¯ witch¡­¡¯ he whispered as he stalked upstairs, loud enough for everyone else to hear.


    Jaeger stood. ¡®Warden, please continue without me. I¡¯ll make sure to discipline him thoroughly.¡¯


    ¡®I leave it to you.¡¯


    Jaeger went up and took the scabbard of his blade in hand.


    The orc chuckled as he watched them go. ¡®You army. Unprofessional. Weaklings.¡¯


    I sighed. ¡®You orcs are the opposite. I admire your ferocity. Quick to jump into battle. Slow to fall.¡¯


    Durak chuckled again. ¡®You strong. Shame you human. Would make good orc. Nice bitch.¡¯ He showed his fangs.


    I snorted. ¡®I¡¯m a noble in our society. A grunt soldier like you wouldn¡¯t have a chance. I need someone more¡­influential.¡¯


    ¡®Warchief,¡¯ the orc nodded understandingly. ¡®He like good genes. Strong sons.¡¯


    My legs crossed as I shifted in my chair. ¡®Warchief,¡¯ I repeated. ¡®Does he have a name?¡¯


    ¡®Grimhand,¡¯ Durak said.


    I could taste the reverence on his tongue. The name echoed like my own. Was Grimhand a title that held power?


    ¡®Durak,¡¯ Levi said icily, sitting in a chair behind me. ¡®My butler. Where is he?¡¯


    The orc tilted his head. ¡®Butler?¡¯


    ¡®An old man with a balding head,¡¯ Levi clarified. ¡®He should¡¯ve been in this manor house.¡¯


    ¡®Ah. Old man,¡¯ Durak said. He licked his teeth. ¡®Old bones soft. Good meal.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t lie,¡¯ Levi said, unperturbed. ¡®There¡¯s no blood or remains anywhere.¡¯


    Durak released a puff of air I took to be a huff. He didn¡¯t say anything else.


    ¡®There are more people missing,¡¯ I said.


    After making sure the town was clear of orcs, we¡¯d recalled the inhabitants. Most were busy salvaging what they could of their homes. We¡¯d done a headcount as they scrambled. 450. That was twenty less than our lowest estimate of the town¡¯s population. The number of corpses didn¡¯t complete the equation either.


    Durak eyed me. ¡®Maybe they run. They wimp like him.¡¯ He nodded to Drake, who was sombrely descending the staircase while rubbing his hands.


    ¡®Maybe.¡¯ I reached for a table at my side and held up Durak¡¯s pouch. ¡®Or maybe you took them into that portal. Which one do you think is more likely?¡¯


    Durak revealed his teeth again (I was beginning to think that was the orc way of smiling), but said nothing.


    I placed the pouch back. ¡®You need to work with us here, Durak. Tell us where you took our people, and we¡¯ll let you go. Simple.¡¯


    My answer was silence. From the set of his shoulders I could see there would be no give.


    Unless I resorted to more drastic measures than questions.


    I solemnly shook my head. ¡®You leave me no choice. Caster.¡¯ I motioned forward with a finger.


    Durak¡¯s eyes closely followed my undead as he strode to my side.


    ¡®Khagar¡­¡¯ Durak snarled. ¡®What you do?¡¯


    ¡®I raised him from the dead,¡¯ I said, tapping Khagar on the shoulder. ¡®Now, he¡¯s my undying servant. Forever.¡¯


    Durak went silent. This time, the silence wasn¡¯t a confident or smug one, but one filled with fear, a fear known to the shadows in the manor home, which filled with nightmares at night.


    Smiling, I pointed to the stack of bodies in the corner. ¡®These strong, professional men of yours that fought to the death, they will be the next ones to join my ranks.¡¯


    I let that sink in before speaking.


    ¡®Durak,¡¯ I whispered. The light from the fireplace fell on my face at an angle, leaving half of it in shadow. ¡®I will bring you back from the dead. And for as long as you are in my service, your soul will find no peace. You¡¯ll be a mindless slave, turned on his own brothers-in-arms.¡¯ I leaned forward and linked my hands. ¡®But you can save yourself. And your subordinates. So. I need you to think hard when you answer this next question: Where did you take the townspeople?¡¯


    Frozen bonds creaked in the quiet. Wood snapped in the fireplace. Anxious breaths inhaled the rotting smell of dead animals.


    I knew what Durak¡¯s answer would be when the creases on his forehead vanished one-by-one.


    ¡®This why puny humans weak.¡¯


    ¡®Oh?¡¯ I said.


    He smiled. ¡®You think orc fear service? Orc fight since birth. Orc fight after death.¡¯ His laughter was dry and rasping. ¡®Durak fight for any God. Even God of Death.¡¯


    My party took in a shuddering breath. Finally, they understood how unlike ourselves these creatures were. That even though they could speak our tongue, they were alien.


    Now it was clear: no amount of persuasion or pain would make him betray his kin.


    ¡®I see,¡¯ I said. ¡®That¡¯s a shame. Caster, choke him.¡¯


    The big shaman moved behind his former captain and put him in a chokehold. The entire room watched mutely as the black orc¡¯s life left him.


    ¡°Blood. For. Vorlok,¡± were Durak¡¯s final words, and we were silent as his voice faded.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to raise all of the orc corpses,¡¯ I said. I turned to Jaeger. ¡®It will take a while, so it¡¯s better if you return to Castle Frost. Tell Lord Blackwater I will meet with him shortly and expect a report of everything he knows.¡¯


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Jaeger saluted. He led his men out of the manor house.


    That left me, Levi, Caster, the guard captain, and the corpses. Levi''s fists clenched, his knuckles pale in the firelight.


    ¡®Captain,¡¯ I said. ¡®Give me and my brother a moment.¡¯


    ¡®Warden,¡¯ he said softly, eyeing my brother as he escaped the room.


    And then the door closed.


    ¡®This is wrong,¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®What is?¡¯


    ¡®You know what I¡¯m speaking of, Sepharin!¡¯ He glared at me, the edges of his eyes wholly red.


    He must¡¯ve really loved his butler, I thought.


    I turned to look outside. At the destruction a single squad of orcs had sowed without trying. And then I thought of how late the frostguards had arrived.


    ¡®Levi,¡¯ I said, voice soft and matter-of-fact. ¡®Snowspire would have died today if it wasn¡¯t for my necromancy.¡¯


    ¡®I know,¡¯ he said through his teeth. ¡®And that¡¯s why it¡¯s wrong. The worst evils are those which have a justification, Seph.¡¯


    I took a deep breath. ¡®Don¡¯t misunderstand me, brother.¡¯ There was a snap as an anchor fell inside me, a commitment rooting itself in place. ¡®I don¡¯t require a justification for my power. My goal and duty are to defend the Duchy. If this power helps me achieve that, I¡¯ll use it.¡¯


    Levi jumped out of his chair. ¡®Father would never allow such a thing!¡¯


    ¡®Yes. And Father isn¡¯t here.¡¯


    I could see the blood curl in his veins as he swiped his hands at the air. ¡®No, he isn¡¯t! But it¡¯s up to us to uphold his legacy, Sepharin. The Duchy is the last bastion of Good in the North, and your actions will tarnish that reputation forever!¡¯


    The way he said Good was capitalised, I sensed. What did he mean with us being the last bastion?


    Levi¡¯s shouting made way for laboured breathing. I saw the lines on his face. He was tired. Terribly so.


    ¡®Sepharin,¡¯ he wheezed, and his tone was pleading. ¡®Father may not survive the year, and Darius was forced to join the foulbloods in Kreed. It¡¯s just us two. And though I had my doubts before, you are not evil; no evil can kneel to a weeping girl who struck them. So don¡¯t do this. Or they¡¯ll look upon the Vrost family and see nothing but a shadow, a dark entity that¡¯s going to send this Duchy down a path it cannot recover from. And you will be the sole person to blame for it.¡¯


    The mention of Darius called memories of an older brother to the forefront that I suppressed in the moment. I closed my eyes and thought of Sepharin¡ªthe former one. She had known her brother¡¯s opinion beforehand. Yet she¡¯d requested the bodies of the fallen frostguard. Not because she was evil or petty, but because she thought it was necessary. My head turned towards Emma¡¯s home. My thoughts went to the promise I had made under a rising pale moon, with the screams of a dying infant and his mother as a haunting background lullaby. I could hear them clearly even now.


    Wheeling around, I looked Levi in the eye. ¡®I¡¯ll shoulder that blame if I have to.¡¯


    Now it was Levi¡¯s turn to breathe deep and find his poise. Though he opened his mouth multiple times, he said nothing in the end. He dragged himself out of the room, shoulders slumped.


    The quiet that followed devoured me. I rubbed my chest. How long had I yearned for real, familial bonds again? And now I¡¯d splintered one within a day. But then what was I supposed to do? Allow my subjects to suffer? I couldn¡¯t. Not because the previous Sepharin didn¡¯t allow me to, but because¡­


    ¡®You¡¯re an Empress, Sephie.¡¯ A memory of Lucian came to me. ¡®To the bone. That¡¯s what I hate and love about you.¡¯


    And it¡¯s why I had ultimately lost everything but my empire.


    My chin tipped to the ceiling. ¡®Why give me a second chance only to lead me down the same path?¡¯


    No one answered.


    I turned to the dead orcs and went to work.

 8. The Levelling Dead

    VIII


    The Levelling Dead


    I stood cross-armed and frowning in the manor house. Though I said I would work on the orcs, I couldn¡¯t raise a single one.


    ¡®My miasma levels are a problem,¡¯ I stated.


    Miasma was similar to mana, the raw energy I used back when I was still a Necron. But I had never had an issue raising corpses¡ªwhether it be a single one or thousands at the same time, a flick of the wrist was enough.


    Yet that was then.


    ¡®How do I solve my current problem?¡¯


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Lesser Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Minor Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    261/895


    Skill Points =


    1


    }


    I¡¯d learned to call up the status screen. I studied it. Was Minor Miasma Control influencing the rate at which I regenerated miasma? An intuitive sense told me it wasn¡¯t. Not necessarily.


    But then what?


    I took a seat on the floor. If miasma and mana were truly similar, there should be comparable ways to train and control it. My sight turned inwards. I envisioned an astral projection of myself, an outline of my physique without any features. Dark energy swirled inside me, nestling in every limb and organ, clouding my astral body. There was a single spot of blue¡ªa diamond-shaped crystal¡ªin my right arm.


    That¡¯s my undead soldier. I¡¯d retrieved it on the way back through the town when I found it crawling over the ground with two broken legs. The orc had overpowered it. Luckily, we found the greenskin before he could get away.


    I focused on the miasma and watched for a while. There was a flow to it. A minute one. A ¡°trickle¡± was a better descriptor. Miasma rotated through my body, attracting bits of energy from the world outside as it did. That was my regeneration.


    No wonder it¡¯s so slow, I thought.


    In order to regenerate miasma, I had to draw it from outside. However, the rotational speed of my miasma was directly proportional to the pulling force. The faster my energy rotated, the faster it would attract more energy to it.


    If I focused, I could speed up the rotation. The problem was that it was terribly inefficient. In order to rotate miasma, I needed to grab hold of it all at once and impress my will onto it. But the surface area was too large. Grabbing it would see most of it slip through my fingers. Kind of like spinning a heavy wheel with my bare hands. The harder I pushed, the more energy would slip away, lost to the sheer size of it. A better option was to concentrate on a small part¡ªspinning a compact wheel instead of a heavy, laborious one.


    Or, in other words: a core.


    Though this body didn¡¯t have one, it didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t create one.


    I pushed my disabled soldier out of my arm to clear my energy ways, told it to guard the entrance with the others, and prepared myself. It had been at least a thousand years since I formed my core as a Necron, but I remembered how.


    First, the gathering. I dragged the miasma furthest away from my stomach closer to my centre. The energy crawled up my legs, down my skull and past my forearms. The pressure within me build as the energy converged. It was a slow process but it couldn¡¯t be rushed.


    It finally finished after what felt like an hour and thus came the last part: I took hold of all my miasma and piled it together, pushing it into an octahedral shape, roughly the shape of a raw diamond. The formation fell apart the moment I created it. But every revolution it stuck together more. It was tough on the spirit. I paused frequently, taking deep breaths. Careful and controlled breaths. Waiting for my heart rate to settle. Then I continued. Gathering together the lost shape, compressing, shaping. And gathering again.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    And then finally I was finished.


    I opened my eyes with an exasperated sigh and glanced down. The elongated diamond was a glowing black and blue to my magic-senses. It was about the length of an orange and the thickness of a nail. Not big at all. But mana was dense.


    The result of my effort was immediately noticeable. When I took hold of the crystal and spent energy rotating it, the speed was visible to the naked eye. Before, it had taken an entire night to refill my miasma. Now, it would be a matter of a couple hours.


    This wasn¡¯t all I could do. Enhancing the rotation speed and increasing the quality of the core were but a few. But for that I would need to prepare Sepharin¡¯s spirit.


    [Frozen Miasma Core created!]


    {Skill points awarded for achievement: 3}


    Frozen Miasma Core =


    261/895


    ¡®Interesting.¡¯


    More skill points. I wasn¡¯t certain what I could use them for, and to be honest, I was too tired to think about it.


    I hauled myself off the floor. My three undead were waiting, spread out in a triangle formation in front of the door, Caster in the back and the soldiers at the front.


    Huh. So they had some awareness of best-practise combat. Good to know.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ I heard a shaking voice when I opened the exit.


    I blinked. ¡®Captain. You¡¯re still here? Why are you waiting outside?¡¯


    ¡®They wouldn¡¯t let me in, Warden, so I decided to wait.¡¯


    I looked up. The sun was gone and darkness ruled the night. ¡®How long did you wait?¡¯


    ¡®Two hours at a guess. Did you finish with the bodies, Warden?¡¯


    I stared at him. The blood on his armour had frozen over, and flakes of white were stuck to his beard. Not for a moment had I stopped to consider what randomly spending my time on cultivating would mean for someone else.


    And I don¡¯t even know his name, I thought shamefully.


    I would figure it out first thing in the morning¡­No. Morning was too late.


    ¡®Captain, what¡¯s your full name?¡¯


    He looked taken aback but answered: ¡®Malakai Brownhammer, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Malakai Brownhammer,¡¯ I tasted the name. ¡®You can be more informal with me when we¡¯re in private, Malakai.¡¯


    Now his eyes went wide. ¡®As you say¡­Warden.¡¯


    I smiled. He would warm up to it. ¡®Let us return to the manor. I¡¯ll tell the maids to prepare a warm bath for you. You deserved it.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t say no.


    They brought be the corpses to the shed in the morning, and I spent most of the forenoon and afternoon raising them.


    [Army Overview] =


    {


    Undead soldier, lvl. 1 x 1


    Undead soldier, lvl. 3 x 5


    Undead caster, lvl. 5 x 1


    Undead soldier, lvl. 10 x 1


    }


    I had found a way to list all of my soldiers in a neat format, which saved me both time and space in my head.


    The level 1 soldier was the one with the broken leg, which had unironically not achieved anything yesterday except charging into the orc frontline and getting slapped around, buying time for Malakai and Caster to do the work.


    I cut him some slack. He had been outmatched.


    All the orcs were baseline lvl. 3. Better yet, Durak started as a lvl. 10 soldier. Because of that, I had discovered an interesting facet of my power.


    In the light of the crystal in the shed, I narrowed my eyes and focused on the black orc.


    [Class Upgrades available for Undead Soldier lvl. 10]


    [Options] =


    {


    1. Warrior (+1)


    2. Squire (-2)


    3. Captain (+2)


    }


    If I recalled correctly what Lucian once told me, classes were umbrella terms for what was essentially a profession or trade. Being in a class enhanced certain aspects of a person.


    ¡®A squire can turn into a knight.¡¯


    Did the ¡®-2¡¯ mean Durak had less potential of becoming a squire than he had of becoming a captain or warrior?


    I looked the black orc over once. ¡®You definitely don¡¯t strike me as a knight.¡¯


    Though I considered for a moment, it wasn¡¯t a consideration at all. I wanted to see what upgrading to another class would do, and the choice was an easy one.


    [Undead soldier specialisation changed!]


    Undead soldier lvl 10. ¡ª> Undead captain lvl. 1


    Total of twelve skill points gained!


    Bones snapped, the echo roiling through the freezer. Durak grew even taller than he already was. His arm muscles stretched against his skin, and the blue glow of his eyes deepened.


    I licked my lips. The energy disturbance his body created in the miasma around us had doubled. My attention turned to the skill points. Twelve¡­one for every level and two because of the bonus? It added up.


    ¡®What can you do with your skill points, Durak?¡¯


    He didn¡¯t answer. The mindless undead had no words for the living.


    I frowned. Skill points made one stronger. If I couldn¡¯t find a way to spend them, my soldiers wouldn¡¯t reach their full potential. Neither would I, for that matter.


    A thought occurred to me. Though my soldiers were dead, they still had their instincts.


    ¡®Durak, spend your skill points.¡¯


    He shivered. It was the sole sign that something had happened. That, and the way my other undead¡¯s presence in the room grew. I peered. A transparent blanket spread from Durak¡¯s shoulders, shrouding the other undead. Captain¡¯s Cloak, the name appeared in my head.


    I breathed out sharply. Is he making them stronger? Makes sense that a captain would have such a skill.


    ¡®Is there anything else you can do, Durak?¡¯


    He opened his mouth and roared.


    Demoralising shout.


    The reverberation pounced through me, and suddenly my limbs felt heavier. My vision whirled minutely as I looked at my other undead and found their countenance twice as menacing as before.


    Both area-of-effect spells, I mused. Interesting. But I wanted to know if he had anything that would make him do direct damage.


    ¡®Durak¡ª¡¯


    The door to the shed burst open.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Malakai screamed. ¡®Are you alright?! Are we under attack?¡¯


    I glanced over my shoulder¡­and chuckled. His left greave was loose, and he didn¡¯t have his helmet on. He must¡¯ve just been clocking into his shift.


    ¡®Everything is fine. I was running some tests and Durak responded in a way I didn¡¯t foretell. That¡¯s all.¡¯


    He sighed. ¡®Please, tell us next you start experimenting, Warden.¡¯


    I nodded at the multiple guards behind him, all staring wide-eyed at the dead orc. ¡®I will. However, please, dress properly before rushing to my aid next time, Captain Brownhammer. You won¡¯t fight off an orc like that.¡¯


    He coughed into his palm. ¡®Understood.¡¯


    The guardsmen left, whispering amongst each other, and my attention returned to my undead. I would figure out another time what abilities they were hiding. For now, it was enough knowing they were perfect candidates for raising. Humans got antsy when I raised their own, but orcs? There was a big chance they would accept that.


    ¡­unless we were speaking of Levi that is.


    I shook my brother from my head. I had more pressing matters to engage in.


    It was time I visited Castle Frost.

 9. Castle Frost

    IX


    Castle Frost


    Castle Frost adhered to the colour theme like anything else part of the Frostguards. Tiles a particular shade of blue formed neat walls that connected twelve bastions¡ªtwo on each corner and two for the entrance and back wall. With the snowfall shrouding it, the castle was less than a shade. But the blood, like liquid fire, was clearly visible. It littered the road towards the castle, and underneath red humps of snow could be seen a digit or two¡­or more. Both human and orcish in origin.


    ¡®We cleared the way as quick as we could, Warden,¡¯ Jaeger said.


    I turned away from the limbs hidden in the snow. ¡®You did as well as could be expected. How large was the attacking force?¡¯


    ¡®Around eighty, Warden. They came through a portal right into the heart of the castle.¡¯


    I suppressed a wince. ¡®Losses?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯re still counting,¡¯ he said, voice terse.


    Still counting after an entire day had passed¡­I allowed silence and diverted to another subject. ¡®Were any of the soldiers taken?¡¯


    He shook his head, perhaps freeing his thoughts. ¡®None that we are aware of.¡¯


    I nodded. The attack on the castle had likely been a diversion.


    We rallied our horses and made our way into the fort. Though the frost had made the moat less relevant, we still had to pass over a chained, wooden bridge. I looked down. Some half-buried corpses that must¡¯ve fallen down from the walls.


    ¡®Stupid beasts,¡¯ Drake spit.


    Jaeger shot him a look and the man quieted immediately. The ruling had been that Drake couldn¡¯t say another word until dinner time this evening.


    ¡®Hail the Frost Warden, the Lady of Vrost!¡¯ A boy at the side of the gate screamed as we entered.


    Soldiers dropped what they were doing and saluted. Not all of them, though.


    Beside me, Jaeger swallowed nervously.


    ¡®The men are trained well for the cold,¡¯ I said.


    Even in this weather, they were hard at work piling the bodies on a funeral pyre, mending cracks in the defences, and sharpening their gear. Some of the silhouettes on the pyres were too large to be human, I noticed.


    ¡®It¡¯s because we take our duty seriously.¡¯


    The statement came from a man wearing a black, woollen cloak, who stood in the centre of the courtyard like he¡¯d been waiting for a while.


    This must be Lord Blackwater.


    I dismounted, handing the reins of my horse to a frostguard that came to relieve me. My steps carried me forwards. ¡®Lord Blackwater, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you whole.¡¯ I gripped his hand. He was of middling height and quite old, but his grip was firm.


    ¡®You as well, Lady of Vrost. I heard the heroic tale of your victory. You saved the entire town.¡¯


    From the corner of my eye, I spotted men pausing their tasks to sneak a glance our way. They watched for a reaction. I kept my frown off my face. Slapping the Lord of the castle after a heavy battle wasn¡¯t a good idea. Moreover, he¡¯d used one of my official designations, so he wasn¡¯t technically in the wrong. But that he forewent the use my other title told me enough.


    That could be why he decided to burn the corpses before I got here. He wasn¡¯t denying a command if I¡¯d never given it.


    ¡®My triumph was mostly luck,¡¯ I said. ¡®The result could¡¯ve been different on another day. Let us speak inside.¡¯


    ¡®How reserved.¡¯ He didn¡¯t do anything as obvious as hum in surprise, but his features smoothed ever so slightly. His arm swung out to the side. ¡®Let us.¡¯


    And the courtyard continued.


    The office on the second floor of the keep was small but cosy. Two armour displays stood in the back corners of the room, and a large map was fastened to the side wall, showing the Duchy and the Wall in its entirety.


    Lord Blackwater sagged into the chair behind his desk. ¡®Some of my scouts are still assembling reports, but even the onset looks grim, I¡¯m afraid.¡¯


    Snow didn¡¯t obstruct the sight inside, allowing me to see the chain fastened underneath the Lord¡¯s full beard. The pendant depicted a woman standing in the centre of a snake, coiled so it ate its own tail. Could be that that was Ruelle, though it was too early to say. Malakai knew, maybe. But he was outside the room, guarding the entrance.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    I accepted the cup of tea Jaeger offered me.


    ¡®Hopefully his presence doesn¡¯t offend, milady,¡¯ Lord Blackwater said, blowing on his own cup. ¡®Jaeger is my steward. He needs experience speaking to those in command.¡¯


    ¡®Jaeger is a great candidate,¡¯ I said. I used a flash of my power to cool down the cup, drawing the watchful eye of both the Castellan and his steward. I regarded the marked locations on the map. ¡®Other towns were assaulted?¡¯


    Lord Blackwater nodded at his charge, whose finger traced the names on the map. ¡®Snowpeak, Coldmarsh. There¡¯s rumour of Hailstone being hit on the other side of Iceridge. Of the many villages in our domain we have no news but we sent a runner to each and every one.¡¯


    ¡®We fear the worst,¡¯ the Lord added.


    I peered. Iceridge was a mountain range west of the Weeping Lake and below Giantswood.


    ¡®So every town and village north-west of the Duchy,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®That looks to be the case, Warden,¡¯ Jaeger said.


    I leaned back in my chair and sipped of my tea. This was no longer a frostguard issue but a national one. The entirety of the populace would soon know about the attacks, and the first figure they would look to desecrate and question would be myself.


    ¡®For this to happen the first month you¡¯re in office, I don¡¯t envy you, Lady of Vrost.¡¯


    To his credit, the Lord seemed genuinely compassionate and apologetic.


    I put down my cup. ¡®Spare me your pity, Lord Blackwater. What I need are answers. How did the orcs find stones capable of creating portals, and why are they abducting our people?¡¯


    ¡®Wish I had an answer for you, milady.¡¯


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to have them. But I do expect your full cooperation in uncovering them.¡¯


    ¡®That you have.¡¯


    I huffed. ¡®Do I now?¡¯


    Lord Blackwater raised an eyebrow. ¡®I beg your pardon?¡¯


    My gaze found the window behind him, where the ash and smoke of the burning pyres clouded the sky. ¡®Offering the frostguards their rest is one thing. But who told you to offer the orcs the same respect?¡¯


    Jaeger shifted uneasily as the Lord¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡®Who told me? Preservation is what did. Leaving the dead to rot would be inviting disease.¡¯


    I drew of my tea, letting the silence stretch. Then, I tilted my head. ¡®Do you think me a fool, Lord Blackwater?¡¯


    He frowned.


    I continued. ¡®The cold would¡¯ve slowed disease. Had you acted in the Duchy¡¯s best interest, you would¡¯ve waited. Instead, you burned them before I arrived, denying their use in protecting our realm. I wonder why.¡¯


    His tone sharpened. ¡®Are you accusing me of breaching my duty?¡¯


    ¡®I am.¡¯


    His hand slammed on his desk. ¡®What I did had the Duchy¡¯s best interest in mind, girl!¡¯


    ¡®Oh?¡¯ I said calmly. ¡®All I see is your own moral concerns being served.¡¯


    ¡®What?¡¯


    I crossed my legs, laid my hands on top of my knees, and went out on a limb. ¡®My brother shares your beliefs, Lord Blackwater. ¡°Raising the dead is Evil,¡± and all that.¡¯ My gaze pierced him. ¡®I¡¯ll repeat myself one more time: by burning the bodies, you didn¡¯t serve the Duchy. You served your faith.¡¯


    He glared me down as my words echoed. A second passed. Another second went by. Then something clicked in his head, and he fell back in his chair with a bitter laugh. ¡®Ah, I see. You¡¯re as shortsighted as you are young.¡¯


    ¡®I hope an ad hominem isn¡¯t your excuse.¡¯


    The Lord turned to his steward with renewed bravado. ¡®Jaeger, what do they call her in the barracks?¡¯


    The man in question, who¡¯d remained still as a statue the entire time, coughed. ¡®Uhm, milord, I don¡¯t think¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Say it!¡¯


    Jaeger coughed again, looking at a spot in front of his feet. ¡®They¡ªthey call you a witch, Warden¡­they say you cursed your own father so you could assume his place, raise your army of undead, and take over the Duchy.¡¯


    I paused. ¡®I¡¯m the Warden. There¡¯s no need for me to usurp the Duchy.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re the acting-Warden,¡¯ Lord Blackwater starkly corrected. ¡®Until your father returns. Even if he doesn¡¯t, your older brother has more claim to the title than you, should he come back.¡¯


    ¡­


    That realisation hadn¡¯t crossed my mind yet.


    The Lord¡¯s laugh returned. ¡®Your situation finally caught up to you, huh? If you continue to raise an undead army, soon, the entirety of the North will believe you¡¯re plotting mutiny against your family. So, yes, what I did was in the Duchy¡¯s best interest. No Frostguard will support a traitor, Lady of Vrost.¡¯


    My gaze narrowed as I tapped my leg. This complicated things. A lot.


    Darius wouldn¡¯t return from what I understood. He chose to become a commander in the army because he didn¡¯t care for being a Warden. But that didn¡¯t matter. Not to the people. The Faith of Ruelle, which had many believers in the North, would cling onto my brother being their saviour should I try to build and unleash my ¡°undead plague¡±.


    It was a seriously sticky situation. How¡ª


    Three rapid knocks boomed, keeping me from thinking on matters further.


    The frostguard stepped inside before Lord Blackwater had given his assent. ¡®Warden, Lord!¡¯ He yelled. He was out of breath. ¡®A runner from our station near Coldmarsh reports that a group of orcs fled the town on foot. They were headed for the larch wood nearby.¡¯


    I turned to the map. Coldmarsh was half a day on horseback removed from Castle Frost.


    ¡®How large is the group?¡¯ Lord Blackwater asked, the wind of his previous rage still visible in the redness of his cheeks.


    ¡®At least a dozen, Lord.¡¯


    ¡®Our station doesn¡¯t have the manpower to combat that many orcs,¡¯ Jaeger commented. ¡®Our reinforcements also left the town already.¡¯


    ¡®The bigger problem,¡¯ Lord Blackwater said, ¡®is that they escaped into the woods.¡¯


    ¡®How so?¡¯ I asked.


    The Castellan snorted. ¡®You are asking me? Though you¡¯re a whelp, you¡¯re still a Vrost. You should know the reputation of those woods better than I.¡¯


    He turned to the scout hovering in the doorway. ¡®Do they have captives?¡¯


    ¡®The report didn¡¯t say, Lord.¡¯


    ¡®Did the first intel on Coldmarsh mention portals being used to escape?¡¯ I asked Jaeger, mind still stuck on the reputation I was supposed to know but didn¡¯t.


    Jaeger thought, then said: ¡®I¡¯m not certain, Warden.¡¯


    I got out of my seat. ¡®Perhaps their magic malfunctioned. They could be stranded.¡¯


    ¡®Is the Lady planning on searching the woods?¡¯ Lord Blackwater said. Despite his tone being serious, the mockery in his posture was defined.


    ¡®We cannot leave a group of orcs to run amok in our lands,¡¯ I said. ¡®The damage they can inflict is horrendous.¡¯ I regarded the scout. ¡®Did they have any shamans?¡¯


    ¡®The report¡ª¡¯


    ¡®¡ªdoesn¡¯t say,¡¯ I finished and clicked my tongue. ¡®I will take a small strike steam with me. Can you spare around ten men, Lord Blackwater?¡¯


    ¡®Within the hour.¡¯


    ¡®Good.¡¯ I strode out the exit and patted Malakai on the shoulder. ¡®We¡¯re leaving.¡¯


    ¡®After having dinner, I hope?¡¯


    His words called to attention the groping of my stomach. I still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the need for food and forgot about it quite often.


    ¡®We¡¯ll make it quick,¡¯ I said.


    I loosened my neck muscles as we left the Castellan¡¯s office behind us. Though I let the Lord¡¯s derogatory comments pass, I would need to deal with his disrespect eventually. Everything in due time, I thought. Better to let him think I was a meek, newborn babe out of her element until I was in a position to strike.


    I turned to Malakai, levelling my voice so a stray guard in the hallway didn¡¯t overhear. ¡®Are you aware of a larch wood near Coldmarsh? Any rumours?¡¯


    If he wasn¡¯t, I would need to ask Levi. But luckily my captain had something for me.


    ¡®Nothing but old wives¡¯s tales, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®What do those tales say?¡¯


    He hesitated slightly but said: ¡®That the spirit of an ancient magus haunts the woods.¡¯


    And wasn¡¯t that interesting.

 10. The Hauntings of the North

    X


    The Hauntings of the North


    We decided to leave early the next morning.


    The landscape of the North was like a vast sheet of ice where no spare ray of sunshine fell to miraculously warm us. But there was a reprieve in the snowfall and winds, lending the frosty planes a sense of quiet: the ever-looming quiet of Death over a town of elderly.


    It was peaceful, and that allowed me to think as my horse¡¯s hooves dug into the snow and found the pavement underneath.


    Darius was a commander of a division in the Black Legion, the military force of the foulbloods who ruled over Kreed, far to the south. I, or rather Sepharin, had seen a foulblood in person. Once. They were a type of elf, and the Duchy was one of their vassal states. However, their method of ruling was hands-off, so the power of my family was intact. The reason for that was most likely the environment. No Governor from Kreed would want their seat to be in the cold, desolate North, which wouldn¡¯t achieve anything but place the burden of safeguarding the Wall in their hands.


    And now that Governor is me. Yet my position was even more precarious: even if I gave my heart and soul to protect the North, my brother could return and demand to become the Warden at any moment¡­


    But was that bad? Though I had accepted the responsibility to keep my people safe, I didn¡¯t care about how that was done. If my brother could do a good enough job, then what was the issue? What did it mean to me if I suddenly wasn¡¯t the Warden anymore? I hadn¡¯t shouldered the title for more than a week.


    The answer didn¡¯t shoot into my head, so I was left to ruminate on it the entire ride.


    ¡®We¡¯re almost there, Warden,¡¯ Malakai said.


    He pointed to what was unfolding into the beginnings of a town on the horizon.


    We spurred on our horses.


    A mixed reception welcomed our arrival.


    ¡®Warden! Coldmarsh is grateful for your presence!¡¯ a man with greying hair said. The white robe and coat he wore on top weren¡¯t worn, but they weren¡¯t new either. ¡®My name is Trish. I am the reeve of this humble town.¡¯


    Coldmarsh was twice as big as Snowspire and was a fishing hamlet in the summer months, when the frost let go of the large lake to our south. In the winters they spent their resources trading with the local frostguards.


    Around fifty townspeople were gathered behind Trish. Some wore rags, others wore pieces of clothing that they solely called upon for formal occasions. But all, behind the cheer put on for the arriving frostguards, hid a core of anxiety and anger. Anxiety for why we were here. Anger for what they had lost.


    The emotions infected my guards, who searched for free patches of ground to look at instead of faces.


    ¡®The Frostguard appreciates the welcome, Trish,¡¯ I said, sweeping the gathering in turn. ¡®Worry not. We will not burden the town with our upkeep.¡¯


    ¡®Of course, not!¡¯ the reeve yelled. ¡®Please, be assured that you can stay as long as is required! The safety of the Duchy is paramount.¡¯


    I gave a silent nod. ¡®Indeed. So let us not dally. My brother will soon see to the wounds of any of your people.¡¯


    The townsfolk lit up, gawking at Levi like they would a puppy. He¡¯d joined our mission with the reason being that he wanted to help as many towns as he could. It didn¡¯t matter to me. I was glad to have him at my side, even if we hadn¡¯t spoken since our last fallout.


    ¡®I would see the person who escaped the orcs,¡¯ I added.


    ¡®Right away, Warden,¡¯ the reeve said. ¡®Please, follow me to the manor house. I will fetch him myself.¡¯


    And so we followed the elderly man.


    Trish led a scrawny boy of around seventeen into the living room. ¡®Warden. This is Dimitri.¡¯


    The poor boy was shaking, glancing between me, Levi, and the frostguards.


    ¡®Dimitri,¡¯ I said, rising and offering my hand.


    He flinched but took it.


    ¡®Sepharin K. Vrost,¡¯ I said. ¡®You did well to escape your captors.¡¯


    His palm snuggled into mine. He chuckled. ¡®Ain¡¯ did much to deserve credit for, Lady. I¡¯m juz a cowward.¡¯


    The reeve quietly rebuked the boy and told him to use my title.


    ¡®Yar not a cowward, son,¡¯ Drake said. He stood at the back of the room with the other frostguards. ¡®Fleein¡¯ a losin¡¯ battle dun¡¯ make ya a cowward.¡¯


    For once, I found myself agreeing with Drake.


    ¡®Thanks to you,¡¯ I said, ¡®we may have a chance to save the others.¡¯


    We sat Dimitri down. He eased up after the reeve handed him a cup of warm milk (a rare luxury in the town) and told his story.


    The first minutes of the assault had not been much of an assault at all. The townsfolk didn¡¯t know they were under attack. Not until the homes started catching fire and the screams poured in. By the time everyone had realised what was happening, the boy had already been chained together with another group of people, and force marched out of town.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    There were multiple groups, he said. All of them a cluster of around twenty humans led by ten orcs. They were led to the farming fields, where the greenskins drew a strange stone from their pouch and spawned what the boy called ¡®a magic gate to another dimension.¡¯ The others stepped through and vanished, but when it was time for the orcs in his group to create a portal, no gate appeared. It was then that horns blew in the distance (a group of incoming frostguards, stationed at a fort near here). The issue was that their group had been the last to leave, so the orcs couldn¡¯t use another group¡¯s stone. In the end, the orcs decided to run for it. They pushed themselves and their prisoners through the cold, but it was clear they hadn¡¯t planned on traversing the climate. Dimitri and two others found a way to break free from their bonds somewhere in the evening, when the orcs were showing serious signs of fatigue.


    ¡®We split up to increase our odds,¡¯ he said solemnly.


    My party minutely shook their heads at the end of the boy¡¯s tale, stealing glances at his feet as they did so. He¡¯d been wearing indoor sandals when they caught him. Levi promised he would look at his feet.


    ¡®Ya heard from the others?¡¯ Drake asked, his face more sour than that of all of us combined.


    ¡®Nuffin,¡¯ Dimitri said.


    Jaeger spoke up next. ¡®You think the orcs knew where they were headed?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Sir.¡¯


    I tapped my forearm. ¡®Any army would get a sense of the land before invading. Portals or not.¡¯


    The question was, where were they going? They couldn¡¯t possibly think to make the trek all the way to the mountains and use one of the passes to cross out of our territory. The townsfolk were grabbed in a haste and would not survive such a journey¡ªand whatever the orcs wanted our people for, they needed them alive.


    I looked up from my thoughts to find the room waiting for me to speak. ¡®Do you have a map?¡¯ I asked Trish.


    He searched a drawer in a nearby cabinet and returned with parchment that looked ready to crumble in his hands. ¡®It¡¯s an old map, I¡¯m afraid, Warden,¡¯ he said after rolling it out over a table.


    ¡®That¡¯s perfect.¡¯ It¡¯s what I¡¯d hoped for.


    The old man threw me a confused glance, but I leaned over the drawing. I had a crystal clear image of the map in Castle Frost in my head, yet I couldn¡¯t see any locations the orcs could reach, even if I gave them more credit than was due. But perhaps the map I had wasn¡¯t complete.


    I searched for differing landmarks and found my eyes glued to a single one immediately. ¡®What is this? It wasn¡¯t on the map in Lord Blackwater¡¯s office.¡¯


    Jaeger followed my finger to the symbol of a tower near the larch wood and frowned. ¡®¡­I¡¯ve never heard of it, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®That would be Frostmourne, Warden,¡¯ Trish answered in his stead.


    I raised my eyebrow, inviting explanation.


    ¡®It¡¯s a long abandoned fortification.¡¯ The reeve¡¯s gaze became unfocused. ¡®The first settlers built it to keep watch over the Giantswood to the west. But they left long ago, claiming the location was cursed. They said its walls seemed to drink the lives of those who stayed too long¡ªhence the name.¡¯


    Icy winds whispered outside and stroked the windows.


    ¡®What did they think would get through?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Enemies, I presume, milady. No one knows what kind though.¡¯


    The room shuffled in place.


    ¡®How long has it stood abandoned?¡¯ Jaeger asked.


    ¡®Centuries,¡¯ the reeve answered. ¡®But¡­¡¯ he trailed off. ¡®No. It has been abandoned for centuries.¡¯


    ¡®Tell us anything,¡¯ I told the reeve. ¡®Even if you think it doesn¡¯t concern us.¡¯


    The reeve scratched his head. ¡®There have been rumours, Warden.¡¯


    I waited, half expecting what would come next.


    ¡®Many disappearances have happened,¡¯ he said, then paused. ¡®Now, voices whisper that the spirit of a vengeful sorcerer haunts both the fort and the woods around it.¡¯


    ¡®Disappearances?¡¯ That would lend the wives¡¯s tale more credence.


    Drake snorted. ¡®With all respect, Warden, dis is bullcrap.¡¯


    Drake caught a glare from the reeve and a quelling look from Jaeger, but his derision didn¡¯t vanish. ¡®Lemme guess, most who went up an gon¡¯ were kids?¡¯


    The head of the town opened and closed his mouth, eyeing me from the corner of his eye. ¡®They were.¡¯


    ¡®Frum poor families?¡¯ Drake said.


    The reeve remained quiet, and Drake rolled his eyes. ¡®Told ya.¡¯


    Beside me, Levi looked like he had bitten into sour fruit.


    ¡®Care to explain?¡¯ I whispered to my brother.


    ¡®Winters are cruel,¡¯ Levi said through his teeth. ¡®They can force families to make tough decisions.¡¯ He swallowed to force the belief in his own words down.


    My eyes narrowed as I read between the lines. Horrifying. But it wasn¡¯t our problem. Not right now.


    ¡®An abandoned fort would serve as a hiding place,¡¯ I said in the quiet that followed. ¡®Jaeger, your best scout?¡¯


    ¡®Michael,¡¯ he said immediately, nodding at a man near Drake. ¡®He¡¯s still a Ward but he¡¯s got a nose for navigation and a silent step.¡¯


    The name and face were familiar to me. ¡®Michael, choose a companion and track the orcs. Given the distance to the fort and the difficult climb through the woods, they will need shelter for the night. We won¡¯t let them rest.¡¯


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted.


    He chose Drake, and the two of them were out of the room after a brief word with Jaeger.


    ¡®What about the rest of us, Warden?¡¯ one of the frostguards asked.


    ¡®Though we¡¯re behind, we have time,¡¯ I said. ¡®Our horses will catch up to them eventually, so use the leeway they offer to prepare yourselves for battle.¡¯


    Because something told me things were about to turn hectic.


    I was in one of the sole spare rooms upstairs in the manor home, sitting on the floor, following my own advice. The room was bare except for a small table and chair, and the ground was freezing. But the cold enhanced my focus as I rotated my miasma. Though my core was full, I was starting the process of enhancing my body by saturating it with the dark energy. Sadly, there was a limit to how much I could improve in a day due to the strain involved, and I was quickly out of anything to do.


    My attention fell on my status screen.


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Lesser Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Minor Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    895/895


    Skill Points =


    4


    }


    It wasn¡¯t the first time I¡¯d shifted through my skills list. My suspicions were that [Lesser Frost Necromancy] was what allowed me to create the cores around a corpse¡¯s heart, which were a combination of death and frost magic. But what about the others? I had the [Lesser Frost Manipulation] skill. What did it do? And what about [Minor Necromancy] and [Minor Frostmancy]?


    I pondered these questions for a while.


    If Lesser Frost Necromancy allows me to create the core¡­


    I held out my hand and guided a tendril of miasma towards my fingertips. The energy rose from my skin. I imagined myself back on the horse, overseeing the vast sheet of frost that was the north. Then, I pulled on the cold. My breath curled as the miasma sphere above my palm froze over and became a ball of solid ice the size of a coin. I smiled. Miasma was mana. Neutral energy. According to the user¡¯s innate talents, it could shape and transform into other types.


    ¡®So, I can create pure constructs of frost.¡¯


    I played with the ability. I could grow the ball, changing it from the size of a coin to that of a waterskin. That consumed quite a bit of miasma, though. What took even more was when I shaped the ball into a shard with a tip so sharp it would have no trouble penetrating flesh.


    The ice shard cruised around me in a circle with nothing but my thoughts driving it. Yes, this would do well for a crude attack.


    Yet inspiration hadn¡¯t finished striking me. Frost Necromancy was a combination of death and frost magic. So, what if I infused the shard with necromantic energy?


    I tried and found that the shard drunk of my death-attuned miasma greedily. The ice lost its pure shade of blue and turned darker at the centre, creating a scattered shadow effect along its circumference.


    How interesting. Would the Death energy infect a target when the shard drew blood? Combat would answer.


    I dissolved the shard and meditated to recover my lost miasma.


    It was well into the evening when someone announced themselves outside my door.


    ¡®Come in,¡¯ I said.


    One of the frostguards entered. ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted. ¡®Michael sent back word. He¡¯s found their trail.¡¯


    I got to my feet. The time had come to save my people¡­and for a tasting of my new abilities and undead.

 11. Undead Captain

    XI


    Undead Captain


    Asking Jaeger to send his best scout hadn¡¯t been necessary.


    When night ran into the Duchy, dread and cold chased its footsteps. And though my body was quite resistant to the frost, the night chill was a persistent attack that wore down the senses like a staying headache did the mind. I could no longer feel my toes or fingertips. And if I felt that way, fully clothed and prepared, the fate of the abducted townsfolk was no wonder.


    We passed our third victim, a middle-aged woman who was curled up against a tree. Her clothes were torn, leaving her exposed skin covered in snow.


    ¡®Hypothermia,¡¯ Jaeger said. He guided his horse around the corpse, then forced his face towards the darkness waiting on the horizon. ¡®Makes you feel hot instead of cold. Just a matter of time till you die once it sets in.¡¯


    My gaze was on the frostguard collecting the body, who tried not to stare at the woman¡¯s desolate expression as he wrapped her in a blanket and saddled her. He would take her to the corpse cart bringing up our rear.


    Wind harassed my face, making the chill dig deeper inside me. I thought of a girl in Snowspire. Of the sting of a stone.


    ¡®That could¡¯ve been her mother,¡¯ I whispered.


    A moment of silence.


    ¡®We¡¯ll hunt them all, Warden,¡¯ Malakai said.


    I didn¡¯t respond. My horse was already moving.


    We followed Drake as the rolling landscape sped past us. Eventually, we counted seventeen human corpses, which spelled the deaths of everyone except Dimitri. His friends had likely run too far off the path we were following for us to find them.


    The dead, frozen faces burned behind my retinas as our company dashed into a treeline that beckoned the start of a wood made up of snow-dusted larches. We should be around two-thirds of the way to Frostmourne, but the trees and landscape blocked any potential view of the tower.


    A low whistle made us halt.


    Michael jumped down from a nearby tree, saluting sharply. ¡®In the cave beyond the clearing ahead, Warden. No lookouts spotted in the past hour. Their group of ten split¡ªfour headed toward the tower after a fallout.¡¯


    ¡®The death of all their captives probably agitated them,¡¯ Jaeger muttered.


    ¡®Or the cold,¡¯ Malakai added.


    ¡®Good work, Michael,¡¯ I said, already planning ahead.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted. Then, he bit his dried lips, looking like he wanted to say something else. I knew what.


    ¡®Not one will make it through the night,¡¯ I said.


    He inclined his head.


    I turned to my party. Four frostguards went back with the corpse cart, which left six guards (including Jaeger), Levi, Malakai, and myself.


    Six in the cave. Four roaming the woods.


    Malakai joined my side before I said anything, which was just as well. I hadn¡¯t planned on going without him.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to give the deserters any shot at reaching the fort,¡¯ I told the frostguards. Michael would need to pick up their trail again. But without any bodies and the lack of natural light? It may not be possible if we wait too long. ¡®I can spare two orcs. Can you do it¡­¡¯ I trailed off.


    The hood of the thick frostguard-cloaks shielded their faces, but their eyes blazed through the shroud. At this moment, I doubted they noticed the cold at all.


    ¡®Forget I said anything.¡¯ I summoned the two orcs, then added: ¡®Levi, go with the others.¡¯


    My brother startled, so lost in thought was he. ¡®Yes,¡¯ he stammered.


    And then it was time. The guards went their route, their steps promising death to every greenskin in the woods. Malakai and I circled around the edge of the clearing, moving slow and torchless to stay unseen. Soon, the cave loomed ahead. A stream meandered in front of the cave bored into the rocky base of a small mountain, its surface a sheet of ice that glimmered faintly. Cracks spider-webbed across the brook, and the faint sound of moving water could be heard from underneath. The clearing itself was silent, the kind of silent that was alive.


    I summoned Durak. The big orc emerged in a swirl of frost and miasma, his plated armour groaning as it settled into the snow. The shield strapped to his arm gleamed in the dull moonlight, and his axe head purred, awaiting the violence to come.


    Durak, I thought. Assemble your party.


    Truth be told, I expected the command to be too complicated and for nothing to happen. But our connection pulsed¡ªstronger than any pulse I had felt thus far. When I acquiesced to the call, three undead joined Durak. One was Caster, the other was a lvl. 3 orc, and the third was the lvl. 3 human (who I had stabbed through the eye).This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Only three? I thought, inspecting them. Our bond was muddled. I felt I could ¡°unmuddle¡± it whenever I wanted to, but they were no longer under my direct control. Durak had truly assumed command.


    So I watched as the undead moved without me having to instruct them.


    Caster and the orc stayed at my side like sentries. The human joined Durak at the front, standing slightly behind and two-handing his blade. Though his buckler had been replaced, his arm was still damaged and unstable. It wasn¡¯t blocking another full-on blow of an orc.


    Was Durak aware of the soldier¡¯s deficiency? Was that why he told it to assume a two-handed stance and not try blocking? That¡¯s what I questioned as Durak strode towards the entrance¡ª


    And bellowed, making Malakai jump. The dead scream sent shockwaves through the living quiet of the night, waking anything and everything within reach.


    My jaw tightened. Had he just thrown away our element of surprise?


    His challenge issued, the black orc¡¯s power spread over his soldiers like a cloak. It was right on time for a stray axe to come flying out of the cave straight at the undead captain¡¯s head. Durak slapped the weapon out of the air with a slap he could¡¯ve thrown while lying down.


    ¡­That was some power, I thought with a sense of deja vu.


    Six orcs scurried out of the darkness of the cave entrance, the shaman amongst them. The weather had done a number on the greenskins. Not only did they tremble where they stood but their normally blood-red eyes had lost their fire and become dull.


    Their leader¡¯s eyes went wide when he gazed upon Durak. He yelled something in their native tongue, which fell on deaf ears.


    ¡®Stay out of this,¡¯ I told Malakai, and left him my sole remaining lvl. 3 orc, just to be sure.


    I joined Durak at the front and tapped him on the shoulder. ¡®Show me what you can do.¡¯


    My words were like the falling of a leaf, for our enemies chose that moment to charge. Their tread shook the ground. Their six combined roars shot through me, casting a seed of doubt in the well that was my anger.


    But Durak¡¯s bond was stable and quiet. The black orc waited. He waited even after they passed the halfway mark¡­and roared as one of the orcs leapt. This wasn¡¯t like his first shout¡ªDurak¡¯s battle cry dwarfed anything that had come before. The leaping orc froze in mid-air, tumbling to the floor. The others slowed in their advance, and when the lead orc¡¯s axe fell on Durak¡¯s shield, the impact had all the force of a wet noodle. Durak dismissively shoved the blow to the side, unbalancing his attacker. The orc stumbled¡ª


    And the undead human¡¯s blade pierced the greenskin¡¯s neck as if the weapon was going through butter. Death energy seeped up the sword, getting my soldier to lvl. 4.


    There was another yell. One of the greenskins swung with abandon, rage taking over as he watched his brother get slaughtered. Durak didn¡¯t bother sidestepping. Miasma curled around his axe as he lifted the weapon, and he swung. Where the steel passed, it rent the air, leaving a haze as a wound. The axe¡¯s target didn¡¯t have time to cry out before his head was cleaved in half.


    My breathing hitched. What a stupidly large increase in power. If this version of Durak had fought us in Snowspire¡­I shook my head and focused on the battle.


    Two orcs had died within a blink, which left the orc who¡¯d just gotten to his feet from falling, two who¡¯d been at the rear of the charge, and the shaman.


    All four paused.


    That hesitation was Durak¡¯s opening. He barrelled forwards at a speed unnatural for his size, and the greenskin barely had the time to raise his buckler¡ªDurak cut short a wide swing, used his inertia to sweep the orc¡¯s legs, and smashed in their skull with a reversed blow.


    Not a minute had passed and three orcs had died.


    The battlefield shifted with that thought. Shadows of larches stretched across the frozen ground, long and dark, blending with the pale blue glow of the frost. Fear crept in where courage and pride had once been. The realisation dawned on the alien invaders, the understanding of how far from home they were, surrounded by the life-eating cold of the Duchy, with no way out of the woods but their two feet.


    And now, they faced the restless undead.


    Wide, shaking eyes slid towards me, noticed I hadn¡¯t taken a single step, noticed the other undead at my side who had yet to move.


    And then they ran for it.


    A fireball tried to cover their escape but was blocked by an icy barrier cast with a swipe of Caster¡¯s arm. Then, a frostbolt took one orc warrior in the back, sending him sprawling.


    ¡®Collect the bodies!¡¯ I yelled at Malakai. ¡®I¡¯m chasing them!¡¯


    No way I was letting another Caster slip my grasp.


    Caster loosed two bolts and caught the last orc warrior, but the shaman darted between trees like a shadow. Caster¡¯s next shots missed, and the chase turned frantic¡ªa game of cat-and-mouse in the dark. Finally, an ice shard from me struck the shaman¡¯s leg on pure chance, tripping it with a satisfying thud.


    Durak leapt ahead.


    ¡®Keep it intact!¡¯ I yelled. The better the condition of the corpse the¡ª


    Shrieking wind drowned my thoughts. A massive torrent of fire struck Durak in the side, slamming him out of the air.


    What?


    I pivoted to the source of the attack, already shaping more ice shards. Standing on a mound, I found a cloaked figure holding onto a staff with gems on both ends. Flames licked at the dark wood, and a heat distortion in the air whirled around the shaft like a small twister.


    I glanced at Durak. He¡¯d crashed into a larch, but my captain was quick to jump to his feet, unharmed. My attention returned to the figure. They were quite tall. Was this another orc?


    ¡®Consider that a warning shot,¡¯ the hooded figure said. The voice was that of a woman¡ªone that wasn¡¯t a greenskin. ¡®Take your squabbles out of our territory.¡¯


    ¡®Your territory?¡¯ I said, still stunned. ¡®These woods are part of Vrost lands. No one but they can lay claim to them. Who dares do so?¡¯


    The woman snorted. ¡®None of your business. I have told you what there is to say. Heed it or don¡¯t at your risk.¡¯


    My gaze narrowed. If the previous attack was a ¡°warning shot¡±, this magician was potent. No one in my party could match that firepower. Could this be¡­no. This was no ghost or spirit, I could feel. Still,


    Picking a fight would be unwise.


    I snatched a look at the shaman. Though the orc was still on his stomach, he was stealthily trying to rise so he could use the confusion to escape.


    None of that.


    ¡®I understand a battle near one¡¯s residence is concerning,¡¯ I spoke into the night, watching the woman for a reaction and finding none. ¡®But worry not. We will leave these woods after I take that orc prisoner.¡¯


    I stepped towards the shaman¡ª


    Blue light flashed from the staff quicker than I could react to. The blinding explosion blasted through the trees, throwing snow from its comfortable porch on leaves and branches. When my sight cleared, the earth in front of me had blackened and charred, dispelling the frost like it was but a puff of smoke. A pungent ozone smell rose from the ground.


    ¡®This is your last warning,¡¯ she said. ¡®Leave now.¡¯


    It should have been threatening. I should¡¯ve turned around and taken the loss of the shaman, for I already had five more orcs to add to my army. But a bone-chilling cold welled up from my core. The frozen corpses of the townsfolk flashed past my sight like an after-image. My promise resounded in my head, banishing the echo of the explosion, and my face darkened.


    ¡®Listen closely.¡¯ I glared the woman down, my voice low and biting. ¡®You¡¯re obstructing a Duchy-wide military operation. So consider this your last warning. Look away, or under my name as Sepharin K. Vrost, Frost Warden of the Duchy of Vrost, you will be dealt with.¡¯


    The answer was another explosion.

 12. Sorcerer Battle

    XII


    Sorcerer Battle


    This time, I was prepared.


    My narrowed eyes hooded themselves against the light, allowing me a glimpse of the lightning discharge coming straight at me. Caster cast a barrier. The thunderstrike blew through the shield, but it slowed down enough for me to jump out of the way before it slammed into the earth, sending debris flying everywhere.


    Landing from my jump, I rushed to find cover behind a larch. I was in such a rush I forgot to command my undead, yet when I peeked from my hiding spot, they were already in motion. Durak was controlling them.


    Good black orc, I smiled.


    I searched for the shaman. He wasn¡¯t far from where I¡¯d last seen him because of his injury, but he was getting away. My tongue clicked. Could the others chase him? The ones I¡¯d left with Jaeger gave the distinct sensation of being in combat. The one with Malakai was running towards me but he was far¡ª


    I leapt out of the way of a lance of pure fire that penetrated through the trunk I was hiding behind and slung a shard as I got out of my roll. The sorceress blasted it out of the air with a trifling spell.


    I cursed. Her magic was truly in another class.


    No matter. Casting this many potent spells will tire her. I just need to survive until then.


    In front, Durak started a mad dash. He and the two other melee undead devoured the distance towards the sorceress while Caster provided cover fire. A simple plan. But a smart one. She couldn¡¯t strike them all down at once and only one of them had to reach her¡­


    So then why was she lazily watching the charge happen?


    ¡®Idiots.¡¯ Her voice roiled over the space between us, clear despite the distance and chaos of battle. She pointed her staff at Caster. The undead shaman had erected a barrier in front of him that he used as cover while casting. He tried to fire a bolt,


    When an implosion whistled from the staff.


    Flames shot out in a concentrated beam that pierced his barrier, chest, and the ground, digging to an unknown level in the earth¡¯s crust.


    My breathing turned uneven. Though it had missed the heart, the smouldering hole in Caster¡¯s chest was big enough you could clearly see the environment on the other side.


    Horrifying, I thought. But¡ª


    The sorceress minutely shook her head. She languidly glanced from Caster to Durak, who was halfway up the mound.


    And was forced to erect a hasty barrier when Caster¡¯s spell still fired.


    ¡ªfortunately not enough.


    ¡®What?¡¯ she said.


    Durak was there, caring not one bit about her surprise. His axe whined, and the blade aimed to cleave her at the midsection. The sorceress¡¯s hand pulsed a bright blue at the last moment. An invisible force pushed against my captain¡¯s weapon, making him strain as he tried to bisect her, but the weapon couldn¡¯t move closer.


    Now, the human and orc undead were in range. The human¡¯s profile and blade went low, going for her abdomen, while the orc tried to smash in her skull with an overhead blow.


    The sorceress grunted. Her staff, which was holding up the barrier keeping Caster¡¯s spells at bay, slammed straight into the floor, freeing up her other hand. She swept her arm. The human flew into a nearby tree before she brought her arm back and froze the orc in mid-air with the same invisible force she used to block Durak¡¯s axe.


    Her wide motions had blown the hood of her cloak back, leaving silver light to reflect off golden hair, beautifying her smooth, pale skin. With her hands outstretched, the woman was like titan holding up the world.


    But she was a stationary titan. And I was already running.


    My human undead got to his feet. Caster requested more miasma, which I gave to him easily. Anything to keep her pinned; if either the human or I reached her, this battle was over.


    Of course, the sorceress understood that, too. She yelled, and her high-pitched voice shrieked past the treetops as a pulse of brown light travelled down her staff.


    A moment of pause, then the mound exploded.


    My arms shielded my face from the launched earth, and I backpedalled until I hit a tree to hide behind. The rumbling underneath my feet and the ringing in my ears didn¡¯t vanish until seconds later. My undead frantically tugging on our bond replaced the noise.


    What was happening to them? I peeked the corner just as a frostbolt pierced through the dust cloud obstructing my vision. The sorceress was standing on the broken mound, chest heaving up and down. Around her, trees and roots lay mixed with a mass of earth.


    My heart sank. My undead were underneath the debris, unable to move.


    ¡®What is that?¡¯ the woman said. She wiped her mouth and glared at Caster. ¡®Why is he not dead?¡¯


    Though I would love to gloat, speaking would reveal my position. My mind raced. Those were most of my forces incapacitated. Who remained? The ones with Jaeger gave the distinct sensation of being in combat. The orc I¡¯d left with Malakai was closer but still too far. That meant I had Caster and the lvl. 1 human with the broken legs.


    I bit my lips. This was bad.


    I ordered Caster to rush for cover while I began shaping ice shards, keeping my miasma tightly contained so to not leak energy and give myself away. She¡¯s tired, I thought. Which meant her senses were weakened. That¡¯s my chance. All we had to do was layer our abilities at the right moment.


    That hopeful plan heated my chest.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡®No matter.¡¯


    The cold voice swallowed the bubbling heat and sent a chill up my spine. The sorceress flipped her staff horizontally, and a bright, red sphere covered in runic letters appeared beneath Caster¡¯s feet. ¡®We¡¯ll find out if he¡¯s indestructible.¡¯


    Eyes going wide, I commanded Caster to drop his barrier and run faster¡ª


    The ground underneath the undead exploded as the shadow of a spell I had seen before lit up the night. Flames rose high into the sky. The warm hues contrasted with the dark, exuding a radiant, glistening, and comforting atmosphere. And at the peak of the pillar, I thought I saw the silhouetted face of a great avian.


    It vanished with the flames. There was no thud of a body dropping to the floor, and I released my breath. Caster had survived the attack. But when I ordered him to keep moving, he didn¡¯t respond. I tried again, forcing the command down our bond, which was when I noticed there was no bond. Lead sunk into my boots. There¡¯s been no thud because there was nothing where the undead had previously been. Not his clothes or a patch of dead skin.


    Caster had been destroyed.


    ¡®So not unkillable.¡¯ A chuckle came from above. The sorceress was floating in the air, robe utterly drenched, hair plastered to her skin. Yet her descent was controlled, as if she was a deity, descending. ¡®Just hard to kill,¡¯ she finished, then added: ¡®But what about you?¡¯


    Her staff struck the air, and a wave of fire as sharper than a knife poured forth. The tree crashed to the floor. There was no blood, for I wasn¡¯t there; I¡¯d used Caster¡¯s death as cover to change positions.


    ¡®You love to hide,¡¯ she observed. She landed from her semi-flight and tilted her head. ¡®Where is your zeal? Weren¡¯t you going to deal with me, Warden?¡¯


    Her words rung ominously in the now-turned-clearing of the woods. I suppose this was when a lesser person no longer saw the light at the end of the tunnel.


    But not me.


    You¡¯ve been exposed to certain destruction many times before, Sepharin. A confident brat won¡¯t be the last.


    My eyelids closed. I regulated my breathing. Sounds in the outside world died, the thundering of my heart weakened, and all of my mental prowess poured into the spell I was crafting. This would work, I told myself, and my sight honed in like that of a hawk.


    The sorceress turned this way and that, surveying her surroundings, spreading her exhausted senses to search for a magical trace. I picked my moment when she turned the opposite way of where I was hiding.


    My blade flashed as I darted from cover, the dozen or so shards I had formed already in flight. The sorceress whirled around and a breath of flame spread in front of her like a wall. Some shards made it through, but not one hit.


    I grimaced. Though I hadn¡¯t hoped for a kill, I¡¯d wanted at least one of them to damage and distract her. But now I was already running and abandoning my charge meant death.


    The head of her staff snapped towards me. The flames forming at the tip were a lot less vibrant than they had first been, but they would kill me all the same.


    ¡®You should¡¯ve listened to me and left¡ª¡¯ she monologued.


    I threw my blade.


    She stepped back and flung the blade from its trajectory with a swipe of her entire body. ¡®I hope,¡¯ she wheezed, ¡®you were as sorry a Warden as you are a magician. At least then your presence won¡¯t be missed.¡¯


    Flames returned to her staff. I needed three more steps to close the gap, but those three steps may as well have been the distance between heaven and earth.


    ¡®Die.¡¯


    ¡­


    The spell she built up didn¡¯t fire. Instead the sorceress yelped as her feet were dragged out from under her, causing her vision to swim (it was just clear enough to see the crawling undead yanking on her legs), and she faceplanted.


    She rolled onto her back and tried to whirl her staff at me but I was quicker. My boot smashed against her wrist, and she screamed as the staff flew out of her grip. Her eyes spun towards me. All bravado was gone, replaced with pure, unadulterated fear.


    ¡®Wait¡ª¡¯


    There was a sickening crack as my gauntlet dislocated her jaw. Her head snapped to the side, and she sprawled, whining. The angle was too awkward to repeatedly punch her face, so I dragged her by the scruff of the neck into a chokehold. I rolled us over so I was lying on my back and she was facing the sky.


    She tried to pull on my arm which did nothing but break her nails on my gauntlets.


    My mouth hovered beside her ear. I smiled. ¡®Who''s the sorry magician now?¡¯


    Her attempt to speak was nothing but sputters. She gave up on my arm and began to claw at my face. When that, too, didn¡¯t show any sign of working, a warped wail exited her throat as tears streamed down her cheeks.


    ¡®Sshh,¡¯ I whispered. ¡®Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯ll be just like going to sleep.¡¯


    Only she would never sleep. Not a sorceress as formidable as her, who could be a candidate for becoming an Archon¡ª


    ¡®If you would be so kind as to release my apprentice.¡¯


    I stilled. The beginning of a brown boot and purple robe were at my side. I followed the clothes upwards and found a man standing over me, staff in hand and pointed at my face.


    The girl sobbed and muttered in my arms.


    ¡®Good to see you, too, dear,¡¯ the man said with an easy smile. ¡®Though I see you¡¯ve got yourself in quite the pickle.¡¯ His gaze fell on me. ¡®Can you at least not choke her unconscious? Carrying her would be the most bothersome thing.¡¯


    The pressure I exerted on the girl¡¯s throat let up. A little. She still had trouble breathing, but she wasn¡¯t going under.


    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ he said. He stabbed the butt of his staff in the ground and linked his hands in front of him, clearly showing he was not casting anything. Though the girl had done the same and made the mound explode, I thought.


    ¡®Before we speak of how we can resolve this unfortunate situation peacefully, I believe introductions are in order.¡¯


    ¡®Amusing.¡¯ I chuckled despite myself, wondering where in the hell this man had come from. ¡®She told me to sod off when I tried being diplomatic.¡¯


    ¡®Did she now?¡¯ the robed-man asked, frowning.


    The girl mumbled. The man frowned. His emerald eyes promised a lesson she wouldn¡¯t forget when they returned home.


    He sighed. ¡®I apologise for her actions. I am willing to compensate you for any damage she has done to your person. How about it? We can let it all be in the past and move on¡ªno one has to get hurt any further.¡¯


    My brow raised. ¡®Move on? Your apprentice would¡¯ve killed me if I didn¡¯t outsmart her in that last exchange.¡¯


    I sensed for my undead. The ones near me were still immobile, but Malakai¡¯s orc was close. Yet as I glanced at the newcomer, I couldn¡¯t help but think the undead¡¯s arrival wouldn¡¯t change anything. Something danced and flickered within the deep green eyes of the man, and I recognised it for what it was.


    Power. Power that lay twice as deep as his apprentice¡¯s skill had ever dug.


    The sorcerer¡ªno, mage, I corrected myself¡ªregarded me like he knew what was going through my mind. ¡®And it was a masterful move,¡¯ he said, ¡®to disguise your construct as a mere ice shard. Most likely, it would¡¯ve escaped even my notice. However, I cannot watch and allow you to take the life of my apprentice; I want her home, where she belongs. You must understand that.¡¯


    So he¡¯d been watching the entire time and only stepped in when it got dangerous for his student. Amazing.


    ¡®Oh, I understand,¡¯ I said, puffing my chest with confidence I didn¡¯t feel. ¡®But your apprentice is not going anywhere. Not tonight. Not after interfering in a military operation that encapsulates the entire Duchy despite being warned. This is treason.¡¯


    A frown knotted tighter and tighter on the magus¡¯s head as my words continued. ¡®Sorry, may I have your name?¡¯


    ¡®My name is Sepharin K. Vrost¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Daughter of Alvander Vrost, The Frost Warden, making you the current acting-Warden.¡¯ His sigh was deeper this time around. ¡®You told her who you were in advance?¡¯


    ¡®Did I?¡¯ I rotated the girl around so she could better see her mentor.


    She nodded.


    ¡®Your punishment will not be light,¡¯ the mage said to his student.


    In the back of my head, I finally felt the orc arrive at the scene. He was followed by the sounding of hooves.


    ¡®Warden! What¡ª¡¯


    Malakai trailed off as he saw the extent of the damage that had been done to the surroundings. Molten frost and earth had mixed to create pools of sludge, embers raged and threatened to consume the remains of the larches they had latched onto, while the pervasive stench of ozone kicked the senses.


    ¡®¡ªwhat has happened here?!¡¯


    ¡®Sepharin, are you alright?!¡¯ Levi had arrived as well. He sent me a worried look before confusion overtook him at the sight in my arms.


    The mage smiled as he caught sight of my brother. ¡®Ah, you must be Sir Levi Vrost. How wonderful to finally meet the heirs of the Vrost family!¡¯ He gestured at the sky. ¡®Considering the hour, I invite your party to my tower! There we can discuss tonight¡¯s¡­unfortunate events in comfort. How about it?¡¯


    ¡®¡­and who might you be, Sir?¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®Xunish Auvrytt, you may have heard of me.¡¯


    From the way Levi¡¯s mouth disconnected from the rest of his face, the man was a big deal.


    I huffed and released the girl despite my inner desire to kill and raise her. It had been a long night, but it looked like it would be a longer one yet.

 13. Payment and Danger

    XIII


    Payment and Danger


    The master mage levitated the rubble and debris trapping my soldiers. Durak was the first to crawl from underneath.


    I dusted off his armour and inspected him. No sign of damage.


    Any structural injuries?


    The black orc performed some exaggerated movements without issue, so I tapped him on the cheek. ¡®Glad to have you back.¡¯


    His bond pulsed as he knelt. Lich Queen.


    Xun¡ªas he insisted I call him¡ªhummed. ¡®Are they intelligent?¡¯


    ¡®More intelligent than you think.¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t letting a man content watching me die in on anything. But the mage¡¯s emerald eyes lingered on my undead captain, and he seemed to be taking in the sum total of Durak¡¯s existence. What that equation amounted to, I could not tell.


    ¡®Did you have to be so rough, Seph?¡¯ Levi raised his voice. The golden hue sticking to his hands snapped the broken jawbone back in place, making the apprentice yelp.


    ¡®She nearly killed me, Levi,¡¯ I responded simply.


    My brother gave the girl a once-over. Her white robes were stained from the mud and dirt I¡¯d wrestled her into, and her face was a mess. Yet her beauty pierced through the grime.


    Levi blushed and looked down, coughing into his palm. ¡®I apologise on my sister¡¯s behalf,¡¯ he said. ¡®She has a bad attitude. Sometimes.¡¯


    ¡®Iss awlrite,¡¯ the girl mumbled (her jaw would need more time to heal fully). ¡®Thanx.¡¯


    I frowned. ¡®I said she almost killed me. Why are you apologising to her?¡¯


    ¡®I just feel like you were in the wrong.¡¯


    His response got him a pained smile from the apprentice, which Levi returned.


    My gaze narrowed.


    Beside me, the magus chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re all getting along.¡¯


    Of course he was. She would be in less trouble if my brother was on her side.


    I was about to utter my grievances when the faintest of glimmers in the earth caught my eye. Something blue was reflecting within the dirt. Was that what I thought it was?


    I purposefully averted my gaze. The two other undead soldiers freed themselves from the mound, and I ordered one to move where I had seen the glimmer.


    The mage wasn¡¯t fooled and followed the orc sneaking ahead. But the approach of hooves drew his attention, allowing the undead to do his deed unnoticed.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Jaeger saluted. He led my destrier forward.


    ¡®A fruitful hunt?¡¯ I asked, accepting the reins.


    He pointed to his men. All of them had a corpse straddled to their horse (though one merely looked unconscious). ¡®Your orcs are carrying one as well, Warden, but the horses wouldn¡¯t let the undead mount.¡¯


    I indeed sensed the soldiers I lent them further behind. ¡®They''ll arrive,¡¯ I said and surveyed our group. Everyone was here. ¡®Xun, your tower?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll guide us there,¡¯ the mage said. ¡®If I may bother you for a ride, Warden?¡¯


    My destrier glared at the mage. I barely stopped myself from snarling. ¡®Get on,¡¯ I said, and I shuffled forward in my seat.


    The road towards the tower was tough since we had to climb up uneven mounds and hills while dodging through trees. But the ease with which our horses covered ground surprised me.


    I asked Malakai, who pointed at the hooves. An all-black horseshoe surrounded their feet.


    ¡®It¡¯s engraved with runic magic,¡¯ the magus said from behind me¡ªhis apprentice was hitching a ride from Levi, which annoyed me in a way I couldn¡¯t explain. ¡®It allows for surer footing and a quickened step amongst other things.¡¯


    Handy, I thought.


    It¡¯s why, not even half an hour later, we reached what I could only describe as a crater. A chunk of the land had been pulled from the surrounding hills, leaving a circular vale, almost like a primeval celestial impact was the origin of this place.


    Frostmourne stood in the centre of it all. Its base was the flattened peak of a tor, its stones a massive work of white and dark mortar. A low wall around the fort connected to a wall surrounding a bailey, and within those outer walls were the decrepit remains of a stable and a smithy.


    Gazing at the tower as I was¡­a shiver couldn¡¯t help but shoot through me. I felt a¡­presence. Like I was being watched.


    ¡®There¡¯s an entrance at the rear,¡¯ the magus said. ¡®You can store your horses there.¡¯


    So we entered the bailey, passing a strange field of sticks jutting out of the ground on the way. I couldn¡¯t tell their purpose and I didn¡¯t ask.


    Our entrance wasn¡¯t more than an arched doorway. I raised an eyebrow. Half of my men were back in Coldmarsh (as escort for the deceased townsfolk and protection for the town), but we still had nine horses. Could we fit inside? My answer came when my destrier stepped across the infinitely thin layer separating the exterior and interior of the tower. The world shifted. Outside, smudge and dirt stained the mortar between the stones, which had crippled at the edges. It made one believe the stories of the tower being abandoned. The inside killed that notion. Phosphorescent globes fastened to the walls illuminated a perfect stable with many stalls and fresh hay.


    ¡®Welcome to Frostmourne.¡¯ The magus smiled. ¡®Make yourselves at home.¡¯


    We left the stables and entered a hallway bedecked with red carpet. A golden chandelier above us replaced the pity light of any phosphorescent globes, and an ambient violin tune played, coming from all sides at once.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The magus was waiting near the entrance together with his apprentice. The master wore a short tabard that hung to his waist, over trousers tucked into oversized boots. A maroon cloak hanging from his shoulders swallowed his thin frame. The apprentice was draped in a violet robe that had the embroidery of a winged serpent on the side of the leg, which curved around her thigh and must arch up past the small of her back to come out over the right shoulder. A dark, wooden wand was strapped to her hip, but it wasn¡¯t the staff she had used earlier.


    Standing beside each other as they were, though the girl was taller, I could see the resemblance between them, especially with their hair the same shade of gold and both looking young.


    ¡®You cleaned up quick,¡¯ I commented. That caught me an elbow from Levi, but the glare on the apprentice¡¯s face made it worth it.


    The magus coughed. ¡®Please, do not bully my apprentice overly much, Warden. She¡¯s already shaken.¡¯


    ¡®Am nawt,¡¯ she mumbled. Yet she rubbed her jaw.


    ¡®Whatever you say,¡¯ he said. He turned to us. ¡®The long night must¡¯ve tired you. My chef has a meal prepared. After replenishing yourselves, you will find a hot bath waiting for you.¡¯


    That wiped any suspicion for the magus still lingering amongst my men. I huffed. Let Levi pray to Ruelle that we weren¡¯t being played, or we were all dead.


    A winding staircase scaled the far wall, leading to higher floors. The first stairs ended on a level platform, a circular room with a long hallway extending into the distance. Strange. The tower was narrow and tall, not wide¡ªthere should be no way for the hallway to extend that deep. More magic, I decided.


    The magus climbed another staircase. Two more followed before we reached the banquet hall. A heavy-set central table dominated the room, surrounded by modest chairs. On our right was a gallery that overlooked the hall, which seemed to have another exit and entrance altogether since there was no staircase leading to it. Left of me was a podium where hung a giant curtain. Those curtains parted after we all took a seat, revealing ghostly silhouettes playing the violin tune that could be heard all throughout the tower. If that wasn¡¯t enough to woo my men, cutlery and plates floated into the room on nothing but air. Bowls filled with vibrant green soup swirled as if stirred by an unseen hand, and the rich aroma of earthy mushrooms and fragrant spices was enough to nearly behead me of all my common sense. Loaves of bread¡ªdark as the soil of the larch woods¡ªsteamed as they landed. When the roasted quail glazed with honey and garnished with sprigs of thyme came in, the fervour of my men could no longer be stopped.


    ¡®En¡ª¡¯ the magus was cut off by Drake¡¯s cutlery smashing against his soup bowl. ¡®Enjoy,¡¯ he finished.


    No one spoke a word as they devoured their meal.


    A hellishly good dinner and warm bath later, Jaeger, Levi, Malakai, and I had retreated into the magus¡¯s observatory at the very top of the tower. The observatory was a circular room infested with clear windows at every turn. Globes illuminated numerous curved tables with all manners of devices clustered on top of them: a sphere of a planet here, stacked notebooks there. On the left wall also hung a map that took up most of the space. It showed¡­the Duchy? I recognised some of the places but the area was too big.


    I wanted to study it but forced my gaze to the centre of the room, where both apprentice and master lounged in chairs made of canvas and carved wood. My head tilted at the sight of the mage. His ears. They had turned pointy, though I was certain they hadn¡¯t been this entire evening.


    He noticed where my gaze lingered. ¡®I disguise my ears with a spell when I go outside. Takes a while to wear off.¡¯


    ¡®Are you a highblood, Sir?¡¯ Jaeger mouthed with something akin to reverence.


    ¡®You almost never see us outside Queleth, do you?¡¯ he smiled.


    Queleth was the highblood capital city, I knew.


    ¡®A shame,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®The highbloods have been valuable allies to our cause since ancient times.¡¯


    ¡®That we have,¡¯ the mage said. ¡®It¡¯s why forming a pact with your family was quite easy.¡¯


    We had a pact? Must have something to do with how he was the master of this tower despite it being our land.


    My gaze went outside. Utterly dark. ¡®Let us not dally and discuss reparations.¡¯


    That uglied the bubbling mood in the room but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡®Do we have to?¡¯ Levi asked. ¡®No one got badly hurt in the end.¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ I said. ¡®Though I am not aware of the particulars of our pact, Xun, I assume it discusses our conduct towards each other¡ªhow we are expected to behave as neighbours.¡¯


    ¡®In quite some detail,¡¯ he said, crossing his legs.


    ¡®Then besides the breach of laws,¡¯ I continued, ¡®your apprentice destroyed one of my soldiers. A valuable soldier. One whose replacement she also stopped me from retrieving.¡¯


    ¡®As she should¡¯ve,¡¯ Levi started. ¡®You would¡¯ve made him an undead, Sepharin¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Levi,¡¯ I said sharply, and he quieted. My back straightened so I loomed over the room. ¡®Allies or not, undead or not, that she interrupted our operation is a fact. Moreover, the aid of a magus can perhaps save all of our people. I won¡¯t allow them to get out of this for free.¡¯


    That last sentence dug up memories of corpses stuck in the frozen mud, and faces went dark.


    ¡®What has happened to your people?¡¯ the mage asked in the stretching silence.


    ¡®The orcs, Sir,¡¯ Malakai answered. He gave a quick recounting of the events.


    The magus considered for a moment. ¡®Abductions¡­I did notice a disturbance west of the Wall.¡¯


    I locked in on that detail. ¡®In the miasma, you mean?¡¯


    The mage¡¯s golden hair bobbed up and down. ¡®The energies beyond the Wall are chaotic by nature, but a few days ago they stabilised¡­like they were being harnessed.¡¯


    ¡®The portals?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®No. The signature was too uniform. This was a single spell of considerable magnitude.¡¯


    ¡®Of what kind?¡¯


    Xun¡¯s slender fingers stroked his chin. ¡®It could be anything. However, given the abductions¡­¡¯


    We waited.


    ¡®A ritual wouldn¡¯t be out of question,¡¯ he finished.


    ¡®A ritual, Sir?¡¯ Malakai whispered.


    My tone went cold. ¡®What rituals do you know that require live sacrifices?¡¯


    ¡®Many,¡¯ he said with a shrug. He chuckled at Levi¡¯s frown. ¡®Sacrificial rituals are amongst the easiest and most diverse spells, which is why even insignificant cults practise them.¡¯ He turned back to me. ¡®But many of those rituals wouldn¡¯t result in the destruction of a Duchy¡ªI assume that¡¯s what the orcs are after. For that, there¡¯s only one feasible category.¡¯


    ¡®And that is?¡¯


    Xun paused. Beside him, his apprentice shifted in place.


    ¡®That would be a summoning,¡¯ he said. ¡®Most likely demonic in nature.¡¯


    You could¡¯ve heard a nail drop in the room.


    ¡®A demonic summoning¡­?¡¯ Levi was lost for words.


    My hands linked in front of my face to cover a snarl.


    ¡®Your men must be familiar with them,¡¯ the master mage said.


    ¡®We are.¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®But their sightings have decreased vastly in the last year for unknown reasons. We thought it was because of the orcs.¡¯


    I¡¯d learned by now that demons roamed outside the Wall. But ¡°demons¡± was an umbrella term. An unknowing villager would coin an orc a demon just as soon as they would an eight-footed monstrosity from a different dimension. It also didn¡¯t help that no one knew the exact layout of the north beyond the wall and the Wailing Forest¡ªnot even the frostguards, whose scouting operations didn¡¯t reach past the first stretch of kilometres.


    However, hearing that the demons were ¡°taking a break¡± was concerning. Demons, true demons (as I knew and hated them), didn¡¯t require sleep. Something was going on if they were inactive.


    One problem at a time, I sighed, and I tapped my legs. ¡®Can you tell what they¡¯re summoning? A horde or a single entity?¡¯


    ¡®If they¡¯re summoning anything,¡¯ he said, ¡®a horde would be my guess. I would need to see the spell for any certainty.¡¯


    Which was the worst option. The frostguards¡¯s manpower problem had skyrocketed after the attacks. Depending on the size of this horde, we would have no way of safeguarding our territory, especially not with the orcs¡¯s use of portals. This needed to be stopped. And quick.


    ¡®We¡¯re leaving first thing in the morning,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Ith out a lowkatian?¡¯ the apprentice said, a smug smile on her lips.


    I blinked. ¡®What?¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s asking if we¡¯re going there without a location,¡¯ Levi translated.


    I turned to Xun. ¡®You know where the disturbance is, do you not?¡¯


    He shook his head. ¡®The presence has since been masked. All I know is that it was in the west.¡¯


    I glanced at Jaeger but of course our scouts would not have any information. They would be hearing of this for the first time same as I was.


    ¡®I suppose this is where we can return to your reparations, Xun.¡¯


    Getting any legally-binding and long-term compensation would be difficult (who wouldn¡¯t write some sort of diplomatic immunity into their pact?), so my focus was on immediate services or goods which didn¡¯t require promises or trust. Helping me deal with the orc threat was priority number one. Whatever else I could drain out of him would be a bonus.


    The highblood magus locked eyes with me. They were dancing again, and it felt as if a monstrous astral computation was happening in mere moments. When it finished, he regarded his apprentice.


    ¡®Since you were so kind as to offer, Leah, I¡¯m certain the Warden will appreciate your help.¡¯


    The apprentice frowned. ¡®Wath?¡¯


    But the master disregarded his student and addressed me. ¡®We have been neighbours for many generations of your family, Warden. No conflict has ever come between us. To show the same truth still holds, in addition to yet to be discussed compensations, I offer the full services of my apprentice until the resolution of the ongoing conflict. She will travel with you and be as your companion, to ensure the growing orc threat is dealt with.¡¯


    This time, Leah¡¯s jaw didn¡¯t dislodge because of anything I did.

 14. Undead Assimilation

    XIV


    Undead Assimilation


    ¡®There are two things I want your help with right away,¡¯ I told our new mage at breakfast the next morning.


    Leah closed her eyes in an effort to find mental peace.


    I raised a finger after swallowing a slice of fluffy brown bread. ¡®Finding where the orcs are keeping our people.¡¯


    ¡®We can use any items the orcs had on them,¡¯ she said despite her knuckles whitening.


    I smiled. Xun had made Leah swear to grant any reasonable request to the best of her ability. Enjoying the frustration that brought the apprentice was a small satisfaction I allowed myself.


    ¡®They may contain traces if we¡¯re lucky,¡¯ she continued.


    ¡®What kind of traces?¡¯ Levi said, voicing the immediate question on the lips of the frostguards around the table (who were happily surprised Leah was joining us).


    Leah opened her mouth¡ª


    ¡®The Law of Sympathy,¡¯ I answered in her stead, thinking of her injured jaw and not at all trying to one-up her out of pettiness. ¡®A person¡¯s handling of an object leaves behind residues of their intent and emotions on said object, which a skilled mage can read like words on a page.¡¯


    Both magus and apprentice shot me wide eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯m impressed, Warden,¡¯ the magus said. ¡®Though you call on sorcery, I didn¡¯t expect you to be knowledgeable on magical theory.¡¯


    The compliment lost some of its touch since he was wearing a bib to keep the white robe he was wearing from dirtying. It was a serious effort not to chuckle.


    ¡®Only in passing,¡¯ I said.


    Syiin had been a proficient Archon, and sometimes I had found the motivation to query him on magical laws.


    Levi chewed noisily as he thought. ¡®We still have the failed portal rune.¡¯


    Malakai quickly explained how we had come across such an item.


    ¡®That would be perfect,¡¯ Leah said begrudgingly.


    Her master agreed. ¡®Rune crafting is precise work. The artisan must carefully inscribe the locations onto the rune in order to facilitate a link between them.¡¯


    ¡®Your second request?¡¯ Leah said.


    ¡®Aiding in the interrogation of our captive.¡¯


    Levi¡¯s brow rose. ¡®We have a captive?¡¯


    ¡®One of the orcs of yesternight, Sir,¡¯ Malakai answered. ¡®He was placed in the dungeon.¡¯


    It was the one who¡¯d ran with the shaman¡ª


    The cold connection of an undead snapped in place in my head. I frowned. I didn¡¯t recognise the signature, but it was coming from the larch forest¡­ah. Is that¡­? I told them to head towards me.


    ¡®I won¡¯t assist in torturing him,¡¯ Leah said, bringing my attention back. She glanced at her master, who took a generous bite of his meal in silence.


    Right. Reasonable requests only.


    ¡®That was not my intention,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Then you want me to mind read them?¡¯ she asked, catching on quick. ¡®Possible. But the orc will need to be in a relaxed state of mind.¡¯


    ¡®Would putting him to sleep work?¡¯ Jaeger said. He glanced at his pommel.


    ¡®It would.¡¯


    With that settled, we quickly finished the rest of our meal.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait in the dining hall,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®I dislike dungeons.¡¯


    So he stayed with the guards, which left Jaeger, Malakai, Xun, Leah, and I to make the trip to the dungeon entrance on the first floor.


    The magus took us into a side passage near the entrance to the tower that had a dead end. Until he pulled a lever disguised as a wall-mounted torch, and the walls separated to reveal a staircase that was a mirror to the one going up.


    Xun held out his palm. An orb of light appeared that lit the descent into the underworld. Our footfalls echoed on moist steps as the master mage¡¯s spell cast a wide berth, refuting the existence of darkness wherever it touched.


    We only needed to go down a single set of steps.


    The spell did its work and revealed the bare-bones dungeon: rough-hewn walls with iron chains jutting out and a single piss bucket in the centre that was filled to the brim. A spell from the magus later, the bucket was empty, thankfully improving the smell in the dungeon.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡®He¡¯s fast asleep,¡¯ Jaeger commented.


    The ¡°greenskin¡± had been stripped to his underwear. Most of his skin had turned black and blue. His head was lolled into his chest, and a string of drool dripped down the side of his muzzle.


    ¡®He¡¯s faking it,¡¯ I said.


    Jaeger studied the orc again, then glanced at me.


    ¡®A hunch,¡¯ I said. Sleep and death were related; I could tell one from the other. ¡®You mentioned a sleeping spell?¡¯


    Jaeger smiled and reached for his sword, but Leah quickly drew her wand. A moment of focus later, the orc¡¯s already slack posture went limp.


    Jaeger cursed under his breath as Leah knelt in front of the orc. ¡®Anything besides the hostages I need to search for?¡¯


    I considered. ¡®A warlord named Grimhand. Find where his armies are stationed.¡¯


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ The hands she placed on the orc¡¯s forehead glowed with a faint blue light.


    ¡®This may take a while,¡¯ Xun warned.


    ¡®How long?¡¯ I asked.


    Tables and chairs appeared with a flourish of Xun¡¯s arms. He flopped into his seat. ¡®Depending on how deep the memories are¡ª¡¯


    Leah screamed and threw herself backwards as something popped inside the orc¡¯s skull. The magus¡¯s chair clattered to the ground¡ªhe was at her side at once, hand on her shoulder as he cast a barrier.


    My soldiers were ready, too, but we all watched, stunned, as blood poured from our captive¡¯s nose and ears before he fell on the floor, his chains rattling as he did.


    I strode forwards and lifted the orc¡¯s head with the tip of my blade. My face turned sour. He was dead.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ Jaeger hissed.


    The magus let his barrier vanish. ¡®She triggered a defensive mechanism planted into the orc¡¯s brain.¡¯


    ¡®That was our biggest lead, Leah,¡¯ I snarled.


    The master mage solemnly shook his head. ¡®This was not carelessness, Warden. You¡¯ve experienced her capabilities firsthand. There aren¡¯t many who can hide a spell so well she wouldn¡¯t at least notice its presence.¡¯


    ...there was truth in that.


    Leah was holding onto her head. ¡®They must be on your level, Master,¡¯ she said, and Xun nodded.


    ¡®That means your apprentice¡¯s aid won¡¯t be enough, Xun,¡¯ I started and was interrupted when he held up his hand.


    ¡®My hands are tied, Warden.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow.


    The magus turned to the back wall of the dungeon, staring at a place visible solely in his mind. ¡®Though I¡¯m far from home, I¡¯m still of the blood. My participation in a conflict between two nations will incite the wrath of the entire highblood council. I cannot risk that. Not even for a dear neighbour.¡¯


    Now it was my turn to pinch my forehead. ¡®Your apprentice¡­¡¯


    ¡®Will still be available,¡¯ he said. ¡®She¡¯s not a highblood, so she cannot be held to our standards.¡¯


    Silence passed. An angled light beam fell on the cloud of dust whipped up by the whispers of unspoken words.


    Not a highblood, huh. Well, it wasn¡¯t my business. I blew away the fine particles assaulting my nose.


    ¡®First teleporting orcs,¡¯ Jaeger said wearily, sheathing his sword. ¡®Now, a magus that we cannot handle.¡¯


    Beside me, Malakai grimaced.


    There was a snappy huff of breath. Leah freed herself from the magus and raised her chin. ¡®By all means, continue belittling yourselves, but do not drag me into your pity party. Though I¡¯m not the Master¡¯s match, he cannot swat me like a fly. This unknown magus will find me a thorn in their side at the very least.¡¯


    Xun smiled and patted his student on the shoulder. ¡®That¡¯s the spirit, Leah.¡¯ He regarded me. ¡®Moreover, there¡¯s another angle at play.¡¯


    ¡®Oh?¡¯


    ¡®Given you have some background in magic,¡¯ he said, ¡®I may have some learning materials. Leah can aid you in your studies; my methodologies are burned into her heart.¡¯


    ¡®You may call me Master,¡¯ she said.


    I almost rolled my eyes. The fact that she got on my nerves aside, it was a boon. Though I knew death, frost magic was not a known school to me.


    Leah stepped away from the corpse and joined my side. Her stride was confident and bold, her golden hair swaying with the burning of her pride.


    ¡®So. You mentioned a portal rune?¡¯


    We left the dungeon. Leah retreated to her study, saying she needed to prepare for the inquiry into the stone (she was taking it extremely seriously). Jaeger left as well, mentioning something about speaking with the other frostguards about sending word to Castle Frost of recent events.


    That left Xun, Malakai, and I.


    ¡®Would you like a tour of the tower, Warden?¡¯ the magus said. ¡®There are some rooms I think will be of interest to you.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe later. There¡¯s someone I need to pick up.¡¯


    Xun tilted his head but I didn¡¯t elaborate. Instead, I made my way to the stables.


    ¡®Did something happen to one of your undead, Warden?¡¯ Malakai said.


    ¡®You could say that. Are you certain you want to come with? He¡¯s quite far away, still.¡¯


    My guard captain dead-panned, and I chuckled.


    ¡®Forgive me,¡¯ I said.


    Our mounts devoured the distance, and we reached the location of where I was sensing my undead. The orc shaman stopped limping once we reached him.


    Hoh. I thought it had been him but I couldn¡¯t be sure.


    Malakai appeared at my side. ¡®Did you forget to collect him, Warden?¡¯


    ¡®Not at all.¡¯


    I dismounted and circled the orc.


    [Undead caster, lvl 3.]


    He was haggard and thin, and his wolf¡¯s head was torn from where my ice shards had narrowly missed him. Black veins ran from his leg to his upper torso and branched up his throat to cover his face. My finger stroked along one them. Death energy. The undead miasma I¡¯d infused into my shard must¡¯ve corrupted him overnight. It would¡¯ve siphoned the life from the already weak orc, fuelling both itself and its twin in the frost energy, until there was no more life to leech. Then, the energies combined to raise him.


    ¡®Is there something wrong with him, Warden?¡¯ Malakai asked, eyes glued to the undead and half drawing his blade.


    ¡®I¡¯m just thinking,¡¯ I said.


    The sword quietly returned into its scabbard.


    I called into my palm the shard my soldier had retrieved the night before.


    [Undead caster, lvl 7 - Core Status: inactive]


    That Caster¡¯s core had survived the battle was a surprise since the connection I had with the undead had vanished, but the status baffled me.


    My undead being destroyed wasn¡¯t new. Even in my previous life it could be done. The degree of firepower required for the task varied with the rank of the undead, and to kill my strongest soldiers their necronite phylacteries must be shattered on a subatomic-level. But it was possible.


    However, anything short of annihilation would see them come back with but a touch of mana. I thought the frozen cores similar in nature.


    So why are you inactive?


    Sunlight reflected as I rolled the shard between my fingers. Had something inside the core broken¡­or was it a product of my abilities? Spending skill points unlocked skills. That meant my undead¡¯s capacity for regeneration could be locked until I gained a skill that facilitated it.


    Or maybe it wasn¡¯t and I was missing something. Based on what Lucian had explained, I assumed my powers were largely limited by what the "game system" (though I didn''t think this was a game) granted me. But how true was that? What could I do and not do, outside of the system?


    I glanced at the crystal, then at the undead, and an idea formed in my head.


    ¡®Malakai. You should step back.¡¯


    He did so and watched me approach the undead without a word. In one hand I held Caster¡¯s core. The other I placed on the shaman¡¯s chest. I searched for the core of death and cold within, and lined up Caster¡¯s shard.


    If I¡¯m right¡­


    Miasma flowed, dead skin parted like water before a rock, and Caster¡¯s core sung as I pushed it into the undead¡¯s chest. The corpse shook, then his head reared back and a blue light beam fired from his mouth.


    [Timed Hidden Quest Completed: Begin an Undead Assimilation]


    {Skill points awarded: 3}


    [Cores required: 1/5]


    [Do you want to continue the assimilation?]


    Malakai gasped. ¡®Warden, what¡¯s¡­¡¯


    I smiled. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it,¡¯ I said, and produced more cores.

 15. A Necromancers Spoils

    XV


    A Necromancer''s Spoils


    When Malakai and I returned to the tower, a guard was waiting for me at the entrance.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ the frostguard jumped to his feet. ¡®Sir Levi Vrost has invited you to his chamber.¡¯


    I frowned. This was a formal request if he was going through a servant. My mind went to our last conversation, and a hand placed itself on my chest without thought.


    Malakai slapped me on the shoulder. ¡®Good luck, Warden.¡¯


    I shook my head and made my way up the tower.


    ¡®I want to join you on the rest of your journey.¡¯


    Levi was sitting on his bed since his chamber only had a single chair, but he had neatly folded his sheets. His hair was combed, the shirt and trousers he was wearing straightened, and fervour danced behind his black eyes. He had prepared.


    And for what? Solely to ask me to come with? I refrained from stroking my chest. Why was a bond between brother and sister this tense? It didn¡¯t need to be like this.


    My thoughts kept Levi waiting in silence.


    ¡®You can,¡¯ I said finally.


    His gaze widened as if to say: ¡°That was easier than expected.¡±


    And perhaps he was right.


    ¡®But I¡¯m laying some ground rules,¡¯ I added.


    ¡®Such as?¡¯


    My arms and legs crossed. ¡®First, you obey my orders. I may be questioned but not challenged. Especially, not on matters regarding strategy and battle.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­¡¯ he chewed on it. ¡®Fair,¡¯ he added.


    ¡®I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s fair, Levi. It¡¯s non-negotiable.¡¯


    He sighed. ¡®What else?¡¯


    Here my tone sharpened. ¡®Do you recall what you did in the observatory last night?¡¯


    ¡®¡­I spoke out against your powers?¡¯


    ¡®We¡¯ll have no more of that.¡¯


    His mouth opened¡ª


    ¡®I¡¯m not telling you to bury your faith and grievances,¡¯ I cut him off. ¡®But you can voice them to me. In private. Not in front of a Lord (one neither of us has ever even met). You are undermining my authority and making me appear weak, Levi. I will not have it.¡¯


    His mouth shut.


    ¡®Third,¡¯ I continued. I paused and locked eyes with him. ¡®Do not get close to Leah.¡¯


    His head tilted. ¡®Close?¡¯


    ¡®Close, yes. I¡¯ve seen how you act around her.¡¯


    The skin on his forehead turned into a maze, then slowly grew horrified. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not planning on raising her,¡¯ I sighed.


    If she happened to die, so be it, but I wasn¡¯t actively out to lure her into an ¡°accident¡±.


    ¡®Then why?¡¯


    ¡®You heard the town reeve same as I, Levi.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t follow,¡¯ he said, frown still on his face.


    I huffed. ¡®This tower is not what it seems. You must feel it too.¡¯


    Every time I passed a closed door, or my steps ate the distance in a hallway too slowly, I got this sensation¡ªthe same one I had felt the first time we arrived.


    ¡®Wive¡¯s tales can carry truth,¡¯ I said. ¡®Staying in this place for too long¡­¡¯ I shook my head to free my thoughts. ¡®It cannot be good.¡¯


    And who knew how long master and student had spent here?


    Levi cupped his chin and thought. ¡®I agree,¡¯ he said a moment later.


    ¡®Good¡ª¡¯ I started.


    ¡®We should ask them.¡¯


    I blinked, unsure if I was hearing correctly. ¡®Sorry?¡¯


    ¡®We should ask them?¡¯ his brow raised.


    Even with the confirmation, his words didn¡¯t want to digest.


    ¡®We¡¯re not asking them anything, Levi.¡¯


    ¡®Why not? They¡¯re our allies. We may be able to help them, Seph.¡¯


    ¡®And risk our lives in the process? Some secrets aren¡¯t meant to be heard, Levi. Moreover, what could we possibly help two mages with?¡¯


    ¡®We won¡¯t know unless we ask.¡¯


    ¡®No. I¡¯m not dragging my men into this.¡¯


    He tried to argue but I wasn¡¯t hearing it. ¡®You can come if you agree to my rules.¡¯ I stood from my chair. ¡®Think on it¡ª¡¯


    Footsteps rushed towards the chamber entrance in a cadence I was starting to recognise and hate.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Malakai peeked around the corner as the frostguard burst into the room, breathing hard from all the staircases he rushed up.


    ¡®Take a deep breath,¡¯ I said, doing so myself both to be an example and prepare for what else the universe was about to throw at me. ¡®Now, what happened?¡¯


    All of us were gathered outside. The frostguards checked their gear for the last time and prepared their mounts. I was doing the same.


    Xun approached me. ¡®Here. A parting gift from me.¡¯


    He handed me a staff made from black wood. A half-onyx, half-azure crystal adorned the top, locked in place with four teeth that curved from the stump and pressed tight against the stone.


    ¡®In addition to enhancing your general energy flow,¡¯ the magus said, ¡®it¡¯ll enhance your death and frost-based abilities. I also engraved the wood so it can take blows. Though it was a hasty job with the lack of time, so you should have Leah look at it periodically to make sure its stability holds.¡¯


    Despite it being slender, there was weight to the staff, which made swinging it satisfying. But best of all was the flow. My miasma glided up and through the shaft as if beckoned, and at the crown, my miasma almost begged me to shape it into the dual energy of the core.


    ¡®You had a core like this lying around?¡¯


    ¡®I pride myself on my collection.¡¯


    I glanced at the mage but didn¡¯t pursue the topic. ¡®This is a great boon,¡¯ I said instead. ¡®You have my thanks, Xun.¡¯


    He simply smiled.


    I turned and caught the way Levi sneakily rolled his eyes. ¡°See? What are you on about?¡± they said.


    But a single gift, though significant, wouldn¡¯t bury my reservations.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t we need to save a castle, why are we still dallying?¡¯


    Leah was riding a white horse almost as tall and thick as my own destrier. The mount was decked out in white plating, whose main feature was a tail guard in the form of a dragon. Where the mouth opened, the horse¡¯s tail cascaded down.


    My destrier neighed.


    ¡®I know, buddy,¡¯ I whispered. ¡®She loves to show off.¡¯


    The magus sighed. ¡®A bad quality she got from me.¡¯


    I frowned at him. I¡¯d been whispering in my mount¡¯s ear.


    He chuckled. ¡®Nothing can be said near this tower without me hearing it.¡¯


    Huh. Good to know. Albeit a little too late. From his smile, he knew what I was thinking of, too.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Jaeger yelled from near the exit. ¡®We¡¯re ready.¡¯


    I mounted my horse after securing both my blade and staff in the bags strapped to his side. ¡®Xun.¡¯ I half-turned towards him. ¡®Though I cannot promise to bring your student back in one piece, I will do everything within my power to make it so.¡¯


    ¡®Your concern and protection are unwarranted.¡¯ Came the immediate call from a certain woman.


    The magus¡¯s lips curved. ¡®Don¡¯t misunderstand. I send her on this quest as much for her sake as for yours. You will not be held responsible for anything that happens.¡¯


    ¡®For her sake?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®A bird that doesn¡¯t leave the nest can never fly, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Wise,¡¯ I said.


    I trotted towards the exit, and the magus followed. ¡®Lord Auvrytt,¡¯ I raised my voice when we reached the gate of the bailey. ¡®I, and all of my frostguards, thank you for your hospitality. When I return to Vrost, I will tell my dear father¡ªand all who will hear¡ªof your great service to the people, and the aid you were willing to lend.¡¯


    He inclined his head. ¡®Then, you may also speak of my great gratitude to your family. For centuries more do I hope to be a neighbour in good standing with the Vrosts.¡¯


    I nodded.


    Xun turned to his student. The girl¡¯s chin was raised as she glared at her master from the high perch on her horse.


    ¡®Leah¡­¡¯ Xun said. For an instant, the sparkle in his eyes wasn¡¯t a mere trick of the light.


    Leah dismounted and rushed into his arms.


    We looked away. Again, I caught Levi¡¯s disapproving gaze. ¡°How?¡± he quietly asked.


    I did not answer.


    Miasma spun in Leah¡¯s hand as the defect portal rune hovered in front of her. The singular double-lens of the ocular device she was wearing glistened, but the winds whipping past our speeding mounts swallowed the mechanical whirr.


    ¡®Think you can solve it?¡¯ I yelled.


    ¡®With time,¡¯ she said without looking up. ¡®The creator was careful.¡¯


    ¡®Careful?¡¯


    This time she did look away from the rune and showed her irritation at the interruption. ¡®To use your previous metaphor, think of it as them using a cypher to disguise what they wrote.¡¯


    ¡®I see,¡¯ I hummed, then I left the moody not-elf to her own devices.


    Jaeger pulled up beside me. ¡®How are we going to approach the situation, Warden?¡¯


    The hurry we¡¯d left in hadn¡¯t allowed us time to discuss plans.


    Castle Frostmouth, a Castle west of Castle Frost (whose Lord was a woman if rumours hadn¡¯t lied to me), was in trouble. The news had come through the men I had left back in Coldmarsh, who had gotten the information from one of Lord Blackwater¡¯s runners.


    ¡®It¡¯s two days of travel?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Yes, with multiple villages in between.¡¯


    ¡®Then we¡¯ll rest along the way.¡¯


    Though we didn¡¯t know exactly what was going on, the threat wasn¡¯t orcish in nature. We had time. Our presence would also both reassure the villagers and allow me a better view of how hard my territory had been hit.


    ¡®Which villages are we passing?¡¯ Malakai asked, his horse galloping besides mine.


    ¡®Icehill, Icevein, Frosthollow, and Frosthaven,¡¯ Jaeger listed them.


    I turned to Malakai, whose head was aimed at the frozen ground beneath. ¡®What is it?¡¯


    ¡®¡­are we certain the villages are alright?¡¯


    ¡®They should be,¡¯ Jaeger frowned. ¡®Our patrol wouldn¡¯t have come this far, but Castle Frostmouth would have sent their own delegation to aid them.¡¯


    ¡®The same castle which is now requesting help,¡¯ I said.


    Grim faces at that.


    We rode harder.


    Our horses slowed as we reached an inlet of mostly flat land. Icehill¡¯s shadow could be found on the sole elevated mound in sight. At a guess, not more than two hundred people could live there. The village would rely on livestock and small, frost-resistant crops, with trade caravans passing through only sporadically.


    I looked up at a wolf¡¯s howl that spread across the night sky as if to heed our arrival.


    Jaeger frowned. ¡®We¡¯re far from the mountains and forests.¡¯


    ¡®Is that supposed to mean something?¡¯ Levi said, his horse catching up to our own. Leah was further behind, having lost pace as she got deeper into studying the rune during the ride.


    ¡®It¡¯s a bad sign, Sir,¡¯ Malakai said. ¡®They avoid human settlements. If they¡¯re this far out¡­¡¯ he trailed off.


    We didn¡¯t speak as we rode into the village proper. As we did, my mind returned to the caravans. What would the travelling merchants have seen? A village of hardy people battling and surviving the cold against all odds? Smiling faces proud of their achievements and neighbours? Maybe. Maybe the village survived every battle with the cold, and maybe the people were joyous.


    But they didn¡¯t survive the battle with the orcs, and their laughter was no more.


    The sole sounds were the rustling of wind through debris, the buzzing of flies, and the squawking of carrion birds. Cottages had been reduced to nothing, and the village square was stacked with bodies.


    ¡®How could this happen¡­¡¯ Levi trailed off.


    ¡®Icehill is on the edge of Frostmouth territory,¡¯ Jaeger said sombrely, forced to accept Malakai¡¯s logic. ¡®It would¡¯ve been the last village to receive help.¡¯


    Dead in the centre of the village square was a weathered shrine. It wasn¡¯t more than a raised platform of stone that carried a statue of Ruelle, the woman with the snake eating its own tail, yet it was there. Or rather, it had been.


    Ruelle¡¯s body lay scattered.


    ¡®Desecration,¡¯ Levi snarled, picking up a few pieces of the rubble, which crumbled further in his hands.


    The guards helped him clear the debris out of reverence for their deity.


    ¡®Warden?¡¯ Malakai reached my side.


    I was watching the bodies. Around thirty dead. Most had been scavenged, either by birds or wolves. Scattered around lay broken shovels, hoes, and even some spears. Most of them were men, too. They must¡¯ve made a last stand to allow others to escape. In view of their deity.


    But where was She when they were in need? A decrepit chuckle escaped me at the thought.


    ¡®Warden?¡¯ Malakai said again. Behind him, I caught Levi glaring, but he remained quiet.


    I ignored my captain and wandered along the ring of corpses, to the growing silence of the men watching me.


    The obsidian staff scraped over my gauntlet. I pressed the gem to a deceased man¡¯s forehead, my eyes closed as miasma poured down the staff. Old deaths, these, I thought. The death energy within was thin and spread out.


    My arm tensed. A pulse spread from the dual-gem staff and the pull of Death strengthened. The black substance hiding within the corpse rose out of the skin, pooling and bubbling together so it hovered in the air. I ambled past the other corpses. Where I walked, the death-attuned miasma was wrenched from its vessels, and flowed into the growing sphere, which reached the size of a marble after the last corpse was siphoned.


    I condensed the dark miasma into a black crystal that sunk into my palm like my frost cores did and opened my eyes to find everyone staring at me. ¡®We¡¯ll burn the bodies,¡¯ I said.


    The world released its breath.

 16. A Logistical Catastrophe

    XVI


    A Logistical Catastrophe


    Reaching Frostmouth didn¡¯t realise our worst fears, yet I couldn¡¯t call the situation lucky.


    Frostmouth was special. Its location at the base of a mountain range and stone quarry made it a hub for quarry workers and masons. But more people had fallen into its embrace. A chaotic sprawl of hastily built shelters stood right outside the fortress. There were hundreds, and the smell of death hung above the entire settlement.


    ¡®Can the Castle support this many refugees?¡¯ Malakai said.


    ¡®Certainly not,¡¯ Jaeger answered, face dark.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Levi agreed. ¡®But where else can they go? The mountains? The forests?¡¯


    Malakai shook his head. ¡®They¡¯ll riot if they¡¯re pushed any further.¡¯


    ¡®We won¡¯t let it get that far,¡¯ I said, urging my destrier on.


    A road large enough for three of us to pass side-by-side had been established, but the rest of the surroundings were messy. There were makeshift markets where people traded the last of their belongings for petty cash or breadcrumbs, and where young children offered services like carrying belongings for the boys, or taking care of an injured person for the girls. The latter group also offered another service at times, which I found disgusting to think about.


    Our crossing didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Our company, especially the frostguards, caught suspicious and wrathful glances, cheers and warm smiles, shouts of joy and ridicule. A particularly cheeky group of boys threw a rotten fruit at Leah. They yelped and scattered when the food smashed against a transparent barrier and the apprentice shot a missile of wind at their feet.


    The scenery changed once we passed a clearing in the shelters. Tents grew more robust and clothes less torn and worn. On the side of homes stood drape-covered wagons, which were in turn covered by half-asleep guards playing cards. A man in luxurious robes yelled at two impoverished children after they presented him some coppers for food.


    Merchant families, these.


    We left the them behind and reached the castle gates proper. Jaeger had sent a runner ahead, so it was no surprise to see the delegation of guards waiting at the entrance. Two men at the side of the gate waved black banners carrying the insignia of House Vrost. Behind them were arranged about fifteen rows of a dozen soldiers each.


    ¡®Hail the Frost Warden!¡¯


    They saluted as one.


    I searched for a person wearing more formal clothing and came up empty-handed. We¡¯re off to a good start. A Castellan deciding I wasn¡¯t worth their time was just what I needed.


    I approached a young man with glasses at the front. ¡®Lead me to the Castellan,¡¯ I said cutthroat.


    The young man coughed. ¡®You are looking at him, Warden.¡¯


    Huh.


    ¡®I expected¡­¡¯


    ¡®A woman,¡¯ he offered. ¡®Middle-aged.¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    His lips curved ruefully. ¡®Until a week ago, that was the case, Warden.¡¯


    I raised an eyebrow.


    ¡®Lord Medarda and her steward died during the defence,¡¯ he said.


    Behind him, frostguard eyes bored holes into the ground.


    My neck turned to the funeral pyres which hadn¡¯t been broken apart yet. The soot and ash at their base had blackened the snow. But worst of all: some were still going.


    ¡®Castle Frostmouth¡¯s army,¡¯ I started.


    ¡®You¡¯re looking at the remainder of it, Warden.¡¯


    A whipping, frigid wind struck the floor between us, which may as well have been a canyon.


    ¡®Fack Ruelle,¡¯ Drake mouthed.


    That.


    My fingers pinched my forehead. ¡®How many refugees are we dealing with?¡¯


    ¡®We don¡¯t have an exact count, Warden,¡¯ Fernando said. ¡®A guess puts us anywhere between two and three thousand.¡¯


    Jaeger cursed. ¡®It¡¯d be hell to defend the castle against those numbers.¡¯


    ¡®They are starving,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®An attack is the least of our troubles.¡¯


    The two began bickering between themselves as I descended into thought. An army of more than a hundred orcs had hit Frostmouth, reducing the standing army to below two hundred. We were not pushing back another invasion of that scale.


    ¡®We need reinforcements,¡¯ I cut through Levi and Jaeger.


    ¡®From where, Warden?¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Every castle is undermanned.¡¯


    ¡®The military is not our immediate concern,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®People are dying in the streets.¡¯


    ¡®We cannot operate from a compromised location, Levi,¡¯ I said. Jaeger nodded before I added: ¡®But the townsfolk are indeed a priority.¡¯ I turned to Fernando. ¡®What¡¯s left in the storage?¡¯Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡®Enough for two months of rationing.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s not a lot,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®The sick and injured need more.¡¯


    Which may as well be half of the refugees with how thin they looked.


    ¡®The merchants outside,¡¯ I said, ¡®how much do they have?¡¯


    ¡®Plenty,¡¯ Fernando said. ¡®But most don¡¯t want to share. The ones that do are requesting a ludicrous price for their wares.¡¯


    I thought back to the two impoverished children.


    ¡®Blasphemous,¡¯ Levi snarled. ¡®They should know better in these times of need.¡¯


    ¡®We will have word with them,¡¯ I said. ¡®That they are in possession of sustenance is enough.¡¯


    We could always confiscate it, though that would hurt my reputation¡­then again, I was the undead witch to most. My reputation couldn¡¯t get much worse.


    ¡®Rather you than me, Warden,¡¯ Fernando sighed.


    Unlike Jaeger, Fernando had never had any training to prepare him for becoming a Castellan.


    And now the situation was five times worse than normal.


    ¡®Don¡¯t cheer too soon,¡¯ I said. ¡®I won¡¯t be here forever.¡¯


    ¡®¡­You won¡¯t, Warden?¡¯


    ¡®Sadly, no.¡¯


    Not with our people still missing and the looming threat of the ritual.


    ¡®Should an emergency require my attention, you will need take command once again.¡¯


    The young frostguard swallowed.


    Jaeger tapped him on the shoulder. ¡®Learn what you can while we¡¯re here.¡¯


    I turned at the faint shouts coming from the window. Malakai opened the door and let in a guard.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ The frostguard saluted. ¡®The refugees are pressing the merchants. It¡¯s about to turn into a fight.¡¯


    I stood and swung my coat overhead.


    Damien raised his buckler, and the stone bounced to the floor with a thud. He peeked over the edge of his shield.


    ¡®You cannot do this!¡¯ a man yelled. ¡®Have some sympathy!¡¯


    ¡®My husband is sick!¡¯ went a woman.


    ¡®You Moretons are devils!¡¯ another man roared. He tried to push past the line of fifty or something guards and was shoved back so hard his butt built a snow angel.


    More are gathering, Damien thought. Luckily, they were only a minority of the total number of refugees.


    An older gentleman wearing a brown coat besides Damien snorted. He buried his nose inside his shawl of snow fox fur. ¡®Cut them¡­¡¯ the shawl muffled his words.


    ¡®Sorry, Sir?¡¯ Damien said, leaning in to hear better.


    The merchant irritatingly pulled on his shawl. ¡®Cut them all down if you have to. The rest of the Duchy needs these wares more than they do.¡¯


    Damien barely kept himself from shaking his head. He hadn¡¯t expected anything else¡ª


    Something¡¯s coming.


    Damien frowned at the strange sensation in the back of his head. He glanced at the towering blue walls of the castle, which loomed like they hadn¡¯t ever done before.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s smart, Sir,¡¯ Damien said.


    ¡®Then it¡¯s good I don¡¯t pay you to think but to follow my orders.¡¯ Though Damien was twice the merchant¡¯s height, the man managed to stare him down.


    Damien shuffled in place. I hate dealing with wealthy folks.


    From his left, more of the merchant company (about twenty in total) approached. A girl and man, the girl¡¯s arm linked through the man¡¯s elbow, advanced ahead of the group.


    ¡®Father, don¡¯t be so hard on him!¡¯ the girl said.


    Her short-cropped black hair and chubby cheeks, which were further puffed up by the fur cloak she was wearing, sold her ¡°damsel-in-distress¡± appearance.


    Damien knew better after travelling with her father¡¯s caravan for months.


    ¡®Elsa, Jason,¡¯ the old merchant said, face going soft at the sight of his daughter. ¡®You needn¡¯t have come outside for this little scuffle.¡¯


    ¡®The screams are impacting Elsa,¡¯ the blonde stud said. He pulled her tighter, and Elsa practically fell into his embrace.


    ¡®They are calling us devils, Father¡­¡¯ she whispered.


    The patriarch joined the cuddle and glared up from beside his daughter¡¯s head, his look promising what would happen if Damien didn¡¯t act.


    Damien turned back to the defensive line. Refugees carrying blunt and sharp tools were pushing their way to the front¡ª


    Something¡¯s coming.


    Damien craned his neck. No sign of movement from the castle. So, he stepped up and joined his men at the front.


    ¡®Stand down, or we¡¯ll draw!¡¯ he yelled.


    That enraged the mass.


    ¡®You dare?!¡¯


    ¡®Devils! All of them, I told you!¡¯


    ¡®Warden, where¡¯s that damned Warden?!¡¯


    Then, the screams of hungry men with nothing to lose crashed through the air. Damien gave the order. The shrill whistle of metal ripping from its sheath disrupted the chaos, and for a moment, there was silence.


    Damien¡¯s terse voice filled it: ¡®This is your last warning.¡¯


    The most fervent of refugees paused in their step...until primal instincts took control.


    A big man roared, spittle flying from his mouth, and he raised his makeshift club to bludgeon a hired guard next to Damien.


    Damien cringed. The swing was wild and untrained. He could see the guard¡¯s blade pierce the hole in the defence to find the throat before it happened.


    The guard lined up the strike¡ª


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡¯


    Damien felt the words before he heard them. His heart fell into his chest. He pivoted, blade coming around in a swing that would cleave the head off a man¡¯s shoulder¡­and it would have. Had his opponent been a man.


    Instead the blade smashed into a concrete wall. The resulting tremor shot through the sword into Damien¡¯s forearm, nearly making him let go with a curse. Then, the fear receptors in his head fired when he tried to pull back his weapon but couldn¡¯t. He looked up,


    And found the wall was no wall at all. Black gauntlets with digits twice as thick as his own were clasped around the blade. They were as dark as the black-skinned demon they belonged to.


    Before Damien¡¯s mind could truly register what he was seeing, his gaze was drawn to a figure at the demon¡¯s side as if by a gravitational force.


    ¡®I recommend you sheathe your weapon, soldier,¡¯ the white-haired woman said.


    Her voice was gruff like a harsh winter. Her eyes were cold and striking like a forgotten blizzard that caught up to the season.


    Damien knew at once who he was looking at it. And though his mind told his body to rush and do as ordered, his muscles didn¡¯t respond. I cannot move, he thought. He tried to, arms trembling and legs shaking, but God, he just couldn¡¯t.


    Not until she looked away and Damien fell on his rear, forcing him to gaze up like a child.


    ¡®My recommendation extends to you all.¡¯


    The Frost Warden¡¯s words were a black cold invading the air. It swallowed the chaos¡ªallowing not a single shout or curse to survive one look at the towering woman.


    ¡®Yo¡ªYour Excellency, what a relief!¡¯ The old legs of the Moreton patriarch forced themselves forward.


    The warden half-turned.


    Though the merchant faltered, his old bones kept moving. ¡®We tried everything to prevent it from coming to blows, but they wouldn¡¯t listen.¡¯ His words pricked a hole in the quiet the Warden had carved out.


    ¡®You liar!¡¯ a refugee yelled.


    Their shout strengthened others, who also began to find their voice, but the Warden silenced them with a finger.


    She regarded the patriarch. ¡®Your name?¡¯


    ¡®Indo Moreton. Please, call me Moreton, Your Excellency.¡¯


    ¡®Moreton,¡¯ she said. ¡®You were the one that ordered the guards to draw?¡¯


    ¡®You were not here, Your Highness.¡¯ The old man said without pause. ¡®These¡­refugees. They are mad.¡¯


    ¡®It is true!¡¯ That was Jason, one arm around a sobbing Elsa. ¡®A moment later and they would¡¯ve assaulted us.¡¯


    ¡®Then you should¡¯ve retreated to the castle,¡¯ the Warden said.


    ¡®And leave behind our wares?!¡¯ Moreton cried. ¡®You know the importance of our goods to the Duchy¡¯s survival, Your Excellency. We cannot leave them for these savages.¡¯


    The tall woman¡¯s gaze narrowed. ¡®That may be. Yet the next time you draw steel on our starving citizens, I¡¯ll leave you to their mercy.


    Moreton sputtered. His gaze flicked between his hired guards the Warden, and then the refugees. ¡®But¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Enough.¡¯


    Moreton shut up with a jerk, and the Warden turned to the townsfolk, who were trembling from standing still in the cold. ¡®I am aware of your predicament. And though it delights to see you¡¯re still ready to fight for your survival, there will be no violence. Not today.¡¯


    Soldiers similar to the one at her side, whom Damien hadn¡¯t even noticed infiltrating the field, pulled back with a raised hand from the woman.


    ¡®You have an hour to select three representatives,¡¯ she said. ¡®I¡¯ll speak with them and the merchants. We will reach a beneficial verdict by the end of the day. That I promise. Dismissed.¡¯


    The dismissal carried such force no one dared disobey it.


    Damien released his breath after the two darker than black shadows looming over him vanished. Another took its place immediately.


    A middle-aged man with a beard, who carried the Vrost emblem on his shield, offered Damien a hand.


    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Damien said, taking it.


    ¡®Keep it. The Warden wants to speak with you.¡¯


    ¡­fuck me.

 17. Beneath the Ruins and Frost

    XVII


    Beneath the Ruins and Frost


    ¡®I humbly introduce Mel of Icevein, myself, Theodore of Frosthollow, and my son, Martin. We greet you, Warden.¡¯


    The representatives being mostly reeves was no surprise. The suddenness of my order combined with the settling chaos outside left them with little time to prepare, let alone wear anything besides some half-clean rags. Yet, despite their appearance, I could tell these men had experience. Age had not worn out Mel and Martin¡¯s posture and all three lacked the accent of the common folk.


    The older man I¡¯d chewed out an hour ago rose and placed a hand on his chest. ¡®Indo Moreton, Your Excellency, as you already knew. I bring with me a selection of the merchant company¡¯s finest: Marco Ballemaker and his son, Harrison. And to not suppress the minority, I requested the attendance of one of our smaller merchants, Diego.¡¯


    Their indoor robes were fitted with fur and a lining of silver, and gold adorned their ears and wrists. They were a stark contrast to the reeves. However, somehow, they lacked the subdued yet rigid presence. Indo¡¯s shoulders were slumped, and both of the Ballemakers wouldn¡¯t have been able to run for their life if they tried with their stomachs protruding so far. Diego was the sole exception, I thought. He was skinny for someone that had wealth (however moderate in scope). His glasses didn¡¯t help sell his toughness either. But.


    ¡®No last name?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®I have discarded my last name, Warden,¡¯ he said, voice clear.


    I nodded. ¡®Leah, you¡¯re ready?¡¯


    ¡®Yes¡­Warden.¡¯ She was seated on my right, holding a notebook and quill.


    I stopped a smile. With clever intimidation and calling up memories of a certain promise, I made her refer to me in my official station when in public. Now, I could¡¯ve made Fernando act as minute-taker (and he was the person better-fitted for the role), but a Leah who was biting her teeth was too much of a treat.


    I briefly turned to Jaeger, Fernando, and Levi, who signalled their readiness.


    ¡®Then, let us not dally,¡¯ I said.


    The floodgates burst.


    ¡®Your people are dying, Warden,¡¯ Theodore stated. ¡®They will not survive the night without sustenance.¡¯ The old reeve¡¯s gaze flicked to his left.


    Moreton was leaned back in his chair and the Ballemakers stared straight ahead. And though Diego¡¯s head was turned to the floor, he didn''t respond.


    Martin¡¯s knuckles whitened around his armrest. ¡®You disgusting¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Keep it civil,¡¯ I said. I regarded Moreton. ¡®You have good reason for not sharing your wares.¡¯


    ¡®As you know, Your Excellency,¡¯ Moreton said, ¡®our goods were not meant for the West alone.¡¯


    My attention stayed on him, and his frown grew slightly as my silence held on.


    ¡®Our company starts in Vrost and travels the country to supply the domain,¡¯ he added, unsure. ¡®We cannot give our merchandise away however we please. Especially since we¡¯re only halfway through our campaign. Moreover, though they like to make us out as ¡°demons¡±¡ª¡¯ a turned up his nose replaced Moreton¡¯s frown ¡®¡ªwe already supplied them with their share.¡¯


    I turned to the other group. Theodore looked like he wanted to punch a hole in the floor. Martin was already exacting a similar fate on his chair.


    ¡®This is true, Warden,¡¯ Theodore got out through his teeth.


    Moreton and the Ballemakers snorted.


    ¡®But,¡¯ Theodore continued. ¡®With everyone hellbent on fleeing for the safety of the castle, we had no choice but to leave behind our storage.¡¯


    ¡®And that,¡¯ Moreton said, ¡®is not our problem. We delivered on what was expected.¡¯


    Levi had his arms crossed as he listened. ¡®Sometimes, we need to deliver on more than our expectations.¡¯


    Marco rubbed his belly. ¡®With all due respect, servant of the Faith, we already did. We sold them our wares at an alarmingly discounted rate.¡¯


    From Theodore¡¯s grave face, this was another truth.


    ¡®You said you left your storage behind?¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Why have you not sent a small delegation to retrieve it?¡¯


    ¡®We tried!¡¯ Martin said. ¡®But it was already too late by the time we returned.¡¯


    ¡®Too late, how?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Bandits, Warden,¡¯ Mel said. ¡®The Black Hearts.¡¯


    Levi breathed out sharply.


    ¡®Explain,¡¯ I said.


    Theodore held up his hand to stop his son from launching into a furious explanation. ¡®They are scum that force us to pay tribute to ¡°keep us safe¡±.¡¯


    I frowned and glanced at Fernando, who shook his head.


    ¡®We cannot be everywhere at once, Warden. They also know our patrol schedules so they keep low when we near.¡¯


    ¡®Their hideouts?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Spread all over,¡¯ Fernando said. ¡®Though there are rumours of a leader, we don¡¯t know who it is or where they reside. Some whisper the Giantswood. Others claim the western mountains.¡¯


    ¡®Levi,¡¯ I said. ¡®These are the same ones that attacked you on your journey to Snowspire?¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ he snarled. ¡®That our own could do something so ugly¡­¡¯


    ¡®Long not everyone shares your conviction, Priest,¡¯ Martin chuckled.


    Levi said nothing. The way he spoke up for them before must be grating.


    ¡®So,¡¯ I broke the silence, ¡®the bandits stole the food you left behind under the pretence of ¡°tribute¡±?¡¯


    Theodore nodded. ¡®Some of their men remain in the towns, abusing our homes and holding those who were too weak to make the journey here hostage.¡¯


    ¡®They offered us part of our food back,¡¯ Mel said.


    Jaeger scoffed. ¡®I don¡¯t even want to hear the price.¡¯


    ¡®You don¡¯t, Sir,¡¯ Theodore agreed.


    ¡®Fernando,¡¯ I said. ¡®Do we have an indication of their numbers?¡¯Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡®Our most generous estimate is five hundred.¡¯


    The room quieted with my thoughts. Those numbers would be spread over multiple territories, which meant a single hideout wouldn¡¯t be more than fifty bandits at most. It made sense, too. The group would draw attention if they were too numerous, no matter their discreteness.


    All we need is a location. If we had that, we could raid it and recover the towns¡¯s supplies. Even if we didn¡¯t, Leah could read any bandits we captured to find the leader, whom I doubted had the same mind protection the orcs did.


    Time was the biggest wrench in that upstart plan. The hideouts may be days of travel away if not weeks. The refugees were dying now. Forcefully conscripting the merchant company¡¯s storage was an option, but that would solely lead to problems down the line. So, too, would buying part of their goods on my family¡¯s tab. Not only was I not aware of my family¡¯s accounts and if such a thing was at all possible, but the other regions would suffer the same as the West if I tapped into supplies meant for them.


    I needed an immediate stopgap to the starvation¡ªsomething that would just buy us a few days at the very least¡­


    I exited my thoughts. The room was waiting on me as it always did. However, for the first time, an easy answer escaped me.


    My head rotated to find the window. ¡®Let us take a break and have lunch be served.¡¯


    I did not join the others in the hall. Instead, I strolled the castle grounds, partaking of the fresh air (for so far the smog allowed it). Leah was at my side, notebook in hand.


    ¡®What do you think?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®¡°She has two goddamn hands, why am I holding this notebook?¡±¡¯ she said.


    ¡®What else?¡¯


    ¡®¡°I¡¯m killing her if there¡¯s no more food when we go back inside.¡±¡¯


    I smothered a smile and waited.


    The tall beauty sighed. ¡®It¡¯s a sticky situation.¡¯ She turned to the pyres behind us. ¡®Death is never comfortable. But death due to starvation is a fate I wouldn¡¯t wish even on you.¡¯


    Her tone was stable, but the rhythm of her walk had changed subtly, like her body was reliving a memory.


    ¡®You have experience?¡¯ I asked. ¡®With starvation.¡¯


    ¡®None of your business.¡¯


    I hummed and quickened my step. We passed frostguards busy with various activities and reached the castle gates. Here the goings-on was at its peak. Crumbled parts of the wall were being carried off and new stone took its place. Some of the damage was being ignored for favour of patching up more critical defensive positions, I noticed.


    ¡®How many minds can you read in a day?¡¯ I said.


    Leah looked around. ¡®Unprotected ones? Dozens. I doubt anyone here would know of the hideouts, though.¡¯


    ¡®Perhaps,¡¯ I said.


    She slowly raised her brow. ¡®You think different?¡¯


    I looked ahead. From our vantage on the hill the castle was on, the sprawling refugees were like ants crawling over sand, hungrily hovering near the wagons housing what they so desperately wanted.


    ¡®Castle lords can be obtuse,¡¯ I said. ¡®Yet they are not fools. From what Fernando told me, the late Lord Medarda wasn¡¯t an exception.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t follow.¡¯


    ¡®Think,¡¯ I said.


    Leah deadpanned. ¡®You¡¯re acting like my Master. He can never give a direct answer.¡¯


    ¡®Great minds,¡¯ I said and waited.


    She tutted her lips but thought it through anyway. About a minute later she said: ¡®You think there¡¯s a traitor.¡¯


    ¡®Why would I think that?¡¯


    Her eyes rolled into her skull. ¡®Because Medarda would suspect the bandits were avoiding her and routinely change her patrol schedule to catch them offguard.¡¯


    I nodded and patted her shoulder. She slapped my hand away.


    ¡®Luck exists,¡¯ I said. ¡®Avoiding the guards for some time may be possible, but they would¡¯ve ran into them eventually. If that never happened¡ª¡¯


    ¡®¡ªthen someone¡¯s been feeding the bandits the schedule,¡¯ Leah finished. Her lips nearly turned blue as her eyes found the frostguards once more. She flourished her arm, and a bubble of air settled around us.


    ¡®A privacy spell,¡¯ she said.


    The guards were too far away to overhear us, but I appreciated her diligence.


    ¡®So, dozens, you say?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Dozens,¡¯ she repeated. ¡®But if you want me to inspect all the guards, I will also need to make them forget any session they have with me without touching their other memories. It will drain my energy reserves.¡¯


    That, and searching everyone would still take days, which brought us back to the original problem I yet had no solution for.


    It was when we were standing before the gate, contemplating quietly, that a muffled voice caught my attention. I¡¯d left Malakai with the captain of the hired guards to discuss their numbers and organisation. He was climbing the hill to the castle with a woman in tow.


    I hadn¡¯t seen her before. She sported a black fur hat, coat and boots, which was the signature style of the wealthy and noble of the Duchy. But she was a foreigner. Her dark skin and rough-textured hair could not make her out to be anything else.


    The bubble vanished and I could once more hear Malakai clearly.


    ¡®Warden! I bring word of¡­¡¯ Malakai glanced to the side. ¡®The Black Hearts.¡¯


    The intensity of my attention doubled.


    The woman smiled, bowing low. ¡®Frost Warden of Vrost, I greet thee. My name is Miranda, and I come bearing a gift.¡¯


    ¡®A gift?¡¯


    Beside me, Leah angled subtly so she could draw the wand tucked under her coat.


    The woman straightened and stepped aside, theatrically motioning behind her. I peered. I¡¯d thought them merchant caravans, but the wagons at the bottom of the slope were foreign. Their guards also wore black leather.


    ¡®Through fortunate circumstances,¡¯ Miranda said, words flowing like silk, ¡®we have come into possession of much-needed nourishment.¡¯


    ¡®Fortunate, huh,¡¯ I said.


    Her teeth contrasted against her skin. ¡®Indeed. After all, it would be tragic for it to go to waste. That¡¯s why we deliver an initial batch, free of charge.¡¯


    I see, I thought. A smart move. Since the refugees were on death¡¯s door, they knew I couldn¡¯t refuse their gift; even I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the resulting riot. Moreover, by coming in peace, they were effectively stopping me from taking violent action. Not only would it damage my reputation to do so, but their remaining stores would not be near here. If I killed or imprisoned them, the rest of their company would simply refuse to negotiate further, which would lead to a riot a few days down the line anyway.


    The timing was too good to be true. Moving those wagons must¡¯ve taken days.


    I glanced at Leah, who tipped her chin, then turned back to the Black Heart representative. With her inside information and current bartering position, it was no wonder she strolled in here, going as far as to place her guards within range of the castle. In their eyes, this was the easiest payday of their lives¡­


    Or it would¡¯ve been, had I not had means beyond their imagination.


    I held out a hand. ¡®Miranda of the Black Heart, consider yourself welcome. Let us head inside so we can speak business.¡¯


    I smiled wide as she shook on it and followed me in.


    Sometimes, fate brought the answer to your questions to your doorstep.


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Lesser Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Minor Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    995/995


    Skill Points =


    7


    }


    Night had advanced upon the Duchy.


    I was in the castle¡¯s master bedroom, getting my daily hour of meditation out the way. The cool and dark energies collected and swirled within me, washing away my concerns like a river cleansed the valley, and my thoughts flowed.


    Miranda had accepted my offer to camp near Frostmouth. Leah would investigate them over the coming days. What would come from that inspection was for Ruelle to decide, I supposed. I would deal with the result.


    So my thoughts turned to other matters as my senses spread beyond the confines of the room into the dark. I saw frostguards patrolling the damaged walls and ground, torch in hand and jumping at every moving shadow. The possibility of an orc attack wasn¡¯t all that put them on edge, for my soldiers stalked amongst them. And though the humans avoided them like the plague, I couldn¡¯t help but feel odd at the sight.


    I had never been fond of living beings. For my old, Necron-self, they were nothing but a nuisance waiting for me to add them to my ranks. However, as the new Sepharin, there was no call to usher in death wherever I went.


    Was it a result of our differing race? Maybe. Perhaps it was something else altogether.


    My senses looked out over Frostmouth, over the broken walls, over the sprawl of townsfolk¡ªhuddled around campfires, brewing stew, fighting against the frost for their lives. This morning they¡¯d seemed like just another problem.¡­but there was something beneath the ruins and growing tension.


    The West did not have a major city like the South and East did. Yet here its people were, all in one place, ready to hide underneath a single banner.


    Yet that was only part of the opportunity.


    My week stay in the Duchy had seen me dragged from one end of the country to the other, with no time to catch my breath. That wasn¡¯t my style. It didn¡¯t befit a ruler to chase problems; I had to prevent them. And to do so, my reach must extend across my entire domain to every problematic region. For that, I would need a base of operations.


    And where better to start building that base than a city I could shape from the ground up?


    I glanced over my shoulder. Durak was standing near the door with his back to the wall. The glow of his eyes cast off his armour, but the light did not reach the corners of the room, where a ghost hid in the shadows, and ethereal tentacles of black frost crept forth from the dark.


    The undead Caster had become was staring straight at me. It followed my every move¡ªlike a cub would its mother to reenact her movements during a hunt.


    I breathed out deep and fell back into my meditation.


    The ritual and missing people, my promise and the bandits, and all the other problems that were no doubt heading my way¡­to challenge and overcome them I must be a pillar¡ªan immovable beacon of strength capable of being in multiple places at once.


    Luckily, I had the perfect method for such a feat.

 18. Frost and Death

    XVIII


    Frost and Death


    Mornings were the chilliest. Darkness had long swallowed the fireplace¡¯s evening warmth. Tea had yet to be poured, leaving one with nothing but the defences of their body against the cold seeping up from the floorboards. The fight was rough. Especially since I was sitting cross-legged on the floor...but it cooled my head and oiled my thoughts.


    I would wait until evening to test my death magic, where I had the cover of dark to experiment. For now, I flipped through the tome on frost magic instead and read:


    The world of the mage is one of understanding and imagination.


    To understand, for example, the process of creating by magic. Are we calling an element or object into being, or is it summoned from a parallel plane?


    To imagine, for example, whether magic can be inverted. Would powering a fire spell with frost energies produce one of ice?


    To answer such queries one needs understanding and imagination, which are often inverse qualities. For, the beginner¡¯s mind holds many possibilities, but the expert¡¯s holds few. A sorcerer must avoid this. Because what he cannot imagine, he cannot understand. What he cannot understand, he cannot create. And what cannot be created, can never be magic.


    ¡®Understanding and imagination¡­¡¯ I whispered and flipped the page.


    The next two lines were the sole ones on the page.


    Thus, the novice frost mage¡¯s study begins with the nature of their element.


    What is ice?


    I turned to the blue-white sky outside my window. Ice is the cold given form, was the first answer that came to me. I also knew it to be the easy and wrong answer. Ice¡­frost¡­it''s a brazen element; one that refused to leave unless destroyed with force. Necron¡¯s frost was such an example. It was a permanent entity, and until my ¡°death¡±, I hadn¡¯t seen frost anywhere that was more formidable.


    It had just never meant anything to me, so I had not put any time into studying it.


    ¡®A shame,¡¯ I said.


    My control over ice would¡¯ve been leaps and bounds ahead of what it was now, otherwise.


    Well, no use crying about it.


    I got to my feet. If I needed to study ice, there was no time like the present.


    Down the hill from the castle was a training ground. It was a large field the soldiers used to run drills with wooden and stone targets set up all over¡ªmost of which were in the shape of orcs.


    Swords and spears smashed against their faces to the point of breaking, their owners shouting in fury. Ardent instructors yelled above the chaos with ease and commanded their lessers to ¡°kill the boy,¡± as one of them put it. I was uncertain if it was a metaphor or literal statement as a young soldier really did look like he was about to die any moment. Unfortunately for him, his instructor¡¯s fervour increased after he noticed me.


    Good luck, kid, I whispered.


    I found a clearing in the hustle and bustle. It was occupied.


    A lone woman stood within, resting like a boulder in a raging river. She held a tome in one hand and a staff in the other. A white cloak hugged her bosom tight, which drew the roving eye of more than one soldier, who were quickly reprimanded by their superiors. Those superiors would steal a glance themselves afterwards, however.


    ¡®Do you mind if I sit here?¡¯ I asked.


    Leah¡¯s mouth curved like a snake. ¡®I do.¡¯


    So I took seat a little away from her.


    She snorted and went back to what she was doing.


    I drew from my core and conjured an ice crystal above my palm. Then I continued reading from my tome. Whenever I reached a subject that was difficult to digest, I turned the whole of my attention on the chill of my magic and tried to replicate the example the book was using to explain its concepts. It didn¡¯t always work. But it sped up my process significantly.


    I was repeatedly splintering a shard into fragments and recombining them when Leah spoke up.


    ¡®You need to work on your transmutation.¡¯


    I looked up. Her book was strapped to her waist now and in its stead she held her staff. A ball of miasma that changed between being composed of thunder and fire floated in front of her, lighting our surroundings.


    ¡®My transmutation?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    As I stared at her, the sphere adopted another element, adding earth into its rotation.


    Leah sighed and deigned me with a look from the corner of her eye. ¡®Chapter 1 in the book, what does it talk about?¡¯


    ¡®Understanding and imagination,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Be more specific.¡¯


    I frowned. Transmutation¡­though the meaning wasn¡¯t an exact fit, there wasn¡¯t anything else it could be.


    ¡®It questioned whether magic is called into being, or summoned from a parallel plane.¡¯


    ¡®Got it in one. Now, think back on what I said.¡¯


    My brow raised, which drew a grin from her.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t feel so good when you¡¯re on the opposite side, huh?¡¯


    I slapped her remark away. However, this was one of the concepts I had never bothered asking Syiin about. To me, mana led to magic. That was all there had ever been to it.


    And that mindset was keeping from having a valid answer at the moment.


    ¡®You¡¯re sharp, Warden.¡¯ Leah smirked. ¡®You¡¯ll figure it out.¡¯


    ¡®I do have a knack for solving problems.¡¯ I stroked my throat on coincidence.


    A heated response would¡¯ve come flying my way had Leah¡¯s gaze not been drawn to an approaching figure behind me.


    ¡®Warden, could I trouble you with a personal request?¡¯


    My guard captain was walking around bare-chested. His abs would¡¯ve glistened in the glow of Leah¡¯s magic if it wasn¡¯t for his body hair.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Leah looked at the thick layers which could pass for fur. ¡®It¡¯s near freezing.¡¯


    ¡®You just need to keep moving,¡¯ he chuckled.


    She blinked. Then returned to her practice without another word.


    ¡®I¡¯m listening, Malakai,¡¯ I said.


    He raised one of two wooden swords he was holding. ¡®I was hoping for some pointers.¡¯


    Huh. That was unexpected.


    Well, I¡¯m stuck on the current subject anyway. That, and something else. I studied Malakai. His expression was easygoing, yet there was a tension in his shoulders.


    ¡®Pointers.¡¯ I got to my feet and handed my book to an irritated Leah. ¡®Have you already decided I¡¯m your better?¡¯


    Malakai passed me the blade. It was on the lighter side.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anyone dismantle orcs the way you do, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®And how many times have you seen anyone fight an orc?¡¯


    ¡®Twice,¡¯ he shrugged innocently.


    I grinned and removed my coat, leaving me in a grey, long-sleeved, woollen shirt. We took up position near the edge of the clearing.


    ¡®Three rounds of two minutes,¡¯ I said.


    He nodded, adopting a high guard. ¡®I¡¯ll be in your care, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Likewise.¡¯


    Malakai wasn¡¯t one to hesitate. He stepped in, his blade coming down in an arc. A short pivot got me out of the way. I raised my blade to catch a reversed cut, then used my better leverage to shove him back.


    Though he stumbled, I did not take the opening.


    ¡®Why the request?¡¯ I asked.


    He caught his footing and whirled around to face me. ¡®No particular reason, Warden.¡¯


    I hummed.


    A quick step brought me in range to thrust at his defence. He tapped the blow off course and prepared to strike, but I jumped back before he could.


    We circled each other again.


    ¡®You never asked during our stay in Snowspire or our journey here,¡¯ I said.


    He grunted, threw a feint to close the distance, and aimed to cut open my guts. I leaned back¡ªthe tip nearly kissed my stomach¡ªthen lunged forward and dropped my blade. One hand pulled his arm to get him off balance, the other went for his face. My hook planted in his cheek. Or it would have, had I not pulled back the punch.


    I let him go, strolled back to our starting position and tilted my head.


    He glanced at the floor. ¡®I didn¡¯t yet think it was necessary.¡¯


    ¡®To get stronger?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Yes. I was just a mansion guard until a week ago.¡¯


    And how easy it was to forget that. Would he have even seen any combat before, outside his training with other estate guards?


    ¡®You¡¯re holding up well,¡¯ I said.


    His response was taking position.


    I made us wheel in the opposite direction and searched for an angle. ¡®Do you dislike the change? Though it will pain me, I can get you back to the estate.¡¯


    ¡®No! But¡ª¡¯


    I rushed forward. He stumbled onto his back foot as I used my longer reach to get him in an awkward position, and when he tried to close the gap, I cut him off before he could move. Malakai was breathing hard by the time my onslaught stopped, but he had only allowed me to score shallow wounds.


    No, I thought. He must¡¯ve been more than just an estate guard in the past.


    ¡®¡ªit¡¯s quite scary, you know?¡¯ Malakai spit in the snow.


    ¡®Our enemies?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Amongst other things.¡¯


    I waited.


    ¡®It¡¯s my duty to protect you, Warden.¡¯ The grip on his blade tightened. ¡®But after the larch forest¡­I¡¯m not sure I can. Or if it¡¯s needed.¡¯


    His words floated in the breeze. We did not speak for the rest of the round. Not even the rounds after that. But though we didn¡¯t speak, his inner monologue crawled down my blade whenever we clashed. And when I threw him to the floor at the end of the last round, I felt his inner turmoil tremble from the hit.


    I wiped the sweat from my brow. ¡®I¡¯m glad, Malakai.¡¯


    ¡®Glad¡­about?¡¯ He heaved.


    ¡®What you¡¯re feeling.¡¯


    His brow raised.


    ¡®You¡¯re experiencing what every great leader goes through,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Being uncertain,¡¯ I continued. ¡®Thinking you don¡¯t measure up and never will. If you¡¯re lucky, those thoughts will stay with you forever.¡¯


    ¡®If I¡¯m lucky?¡¯ He rolled onto his knees.


    I nodded. ¡®Doubt drives us. You, and everyone counting on you, lose the moment it vanishes.¡¯


    My eyelids drooped as my mind flashed with my four dearest treasures. Centuries had passed, yet I could recall them down to the smallest crack in their skin.


    A single mistake was all it took.


    I offered Malakai a hand. ¡®So cherish it. But don¡¯t give in to it.¡¯


    His forehead creased as he caught his breath. Eventually, though, his lips took on a slight curve. ¡®You sound like my father,¡¯ he said and clasped my arm.


    ¡®Then your father is a smart man,¡¯ I said as I pulled him up.


    ¡®He was.¡¯ He chuckled, straightened, and stared into the distance. ¡®¡­no wonder I failed him,¡¯ he mumbled.


    That piqued my interest. But the moment wasn''t right for me to jab at that story.


    ¡®There¡¯s no time like the present,¡¯ I said. As I did, an idea popped into my head. ¡®I may have a method to speed up your growth.¡¯


    ¡®Does it involve me staying alive?¡¯


    I shrugged. ¡®Being an undead isn¡¯t half as bad as you think.¡¯ I turned to the greenskin, which was at my side at once. ¡®Isn¡¯t that right?¡¯


    The orc did not answer.


    Malakai, already used to my summons, didn¡¯t so much as yelp. Others were different. Many weapons aimed our way in moments as all feigning of training stopped.


    Ah, our spar had drawn quite the audience.


    Malakai glanced between me and the orc. ¡®I don¡¯t quite follow, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s going to make you fight it,¡¯ Leah said. She was no longer training her spells and was instead meditating.


    ¡®Eavesdropping, are you?¡¯ I said. ¡®How unladylike.¡¯


    She snorted. ¡®Says the giant muscle-head that wrestles women to the ground.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t expect you to understand,¡¯ I sighed. ¡®A real lady must use all the tools available to her.¡¯


    ¡®A real lady?¡¯ Leah said. ¡®Malakai, you think she¡¯s a lady?¡¯


    I crossed my arms and looked down at him.


    He coughed in his palm. ¡®I think you¡¯re the perfect picture of strength that the Duchy needs, Ma¡¯am.¡¯


    So I unsummoned the greenskin. Durak took its place.


    ¡®As I said, Durak is the perfect sparring opponent for you since you¡¯re both captains.¡¯


    Malakai¡¯s face turned sour. He glared at Leah, who suddenly found herself within the depths of concentration, unaware of the distractions outside.


    He sighed. ¡®...thank you, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t mind it.¡¯


    Jokes aside, this was a perfect opportunity that wouldn¡¯t draw attention.


    I gave Malakai back the sword. ¡®See if you can find an axe,¡¯ I said. ¡®It¡¯ll be better practice.¡¯


    And as Malakai left, I fell into my meditation. I reached for my connection with Durak and stroked it like I would a kitten. Durak didn¡¯t smile; there was no place for happiness amongst the dead. But he did¡­purr. I didn¡¯t have a better description of the way our bond thrummed.


    Faint beams of sunlight fell on my eyelids. They left behind patches of red warmth in the dark shrouding my vision. Yet as I pulled my mind along Durak¡¯s bond, the darkness vanished. Slowly. Like dark-eating ants were nibbling away at the shadows.


    I got the sense I was moving, pounding the earth with heavy footfalls and lashing out against the air with crisp, weighty swings. It was nauseating. The sensations clashed with the knowledge I was sitting still. What didn¡¯t help was that I began swaying and wasn¡¯t sure who was doing so¡ªDurak because he got hit, or me, whose body was trying to instinctively mimic the motions it was experiencing. It got so bad bile rose in my throat. However, luckily, my vision cleared up completely before I could deposit the contents of my stomach.


    Then I was looking at Malakai, who was in the middle of a wide swing that would cleave Durak at the temple.


    The black orc had dismissed the blow as trifling and chosen to react with a swing of its own. But that was a habit a regular orc wouldn¡¯t share. So I ducked and let go of my weapon. Malakai¡¯s eyes went wide at the sudden shift in movement, and his blade sailed overhead¡­


    Durak¡¯s uppercut landed square in his stomach, sending him sprawling.


    I cringed. I hadn¡¯t meant to put that much force behind the blow. Before I could so much as apologise, a shout at my side interrupted me.


    ¡®Soldier! Are you alright?!¡¯ A middle-aged guard barrelled forwards and stopped some distance away from me. His eyes never left me as he spoke.


    ¡®I¡¯m¡­alright. Just wasn¡¯t expecting¡­that.¡¯


    ¡®Can you go on?¡¯


    Malakai raised the white flag.


    ¡®Tom!¡¯ The man shouted for another guard. ¡®Help him off the field.¡¯ Still he watched me. Or rather, Durak. He cracked his neck and raised the wide, claymore-esque blade he carried. ¡®Gather round!¡¯


    The audience of soldiers stepped closer, forming a circle around our position.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he yelled. ¡®My name is Gregory White, Senior Frostblade. I happened to witness your captain¡¯s duel and would request the same of this¡­orc.¡¯


    All eyes were on me¡ªthe real me.


    ¡®You¡­may,¡¯ I said. It was an effort to make myself speak instead of Durak, but I managed. ¡®Do not¡­disappoint me.¡¯


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he screamed. I made Durak face him fully. The undead¡¯s cold gaze pierced through whatever he looked at. It gave the soldiers pause. But not the Senior Frostblade. In him, I sensed the surging of a storm, the rising of a tide pulled back by recent events that was ready to unleash devastation beyond the shore.


    ¡®Watch closely,¡¯ he told the novices, voice low. ¡®This is what you should¡¯ve done.¡¯


    And when everyone leaned forwards despite the fear Durak inspired, I understood: this was not a mere sparring session. Not for these men who had lost over half of their force¡ªwho had lost friends that were like family.


    This was retribution.


    Durak released a long, death-touched breath. Black gauntlets raised their axe, and a rusty, decayed voice slithered out. ¡®Come. Human.¡¯


    The Senior Frostblade was on me.


    The screams and shouts of frostguards could be heard outside the office window¡ªabove even the humming of Leah¡¯s magic and the Black Heart representative¡¯s snoring.


    Many more had followed the Senior Frostblade, all demanding a duel with the big, bad orc. And though it was great practice for both sides, I had other matters to attend to. So I left Durak and some orc warriors for the frostguards as sparring partners.


    For now, I spent my time reading scouting reports, old and new. I scoured them for any mention of the Black Hearts and found relatively little. Whether that was because they were good at covering their tracks or our leak was hiding their involvement, I couldn''t tell.


    An interesting nugget of information I did find considered the wildlife. There were an increasing number of wolf sightings.


    So Icehill wasn¡¯t a solitary event? I thought, sipping from my tea. Was something drawing them down the mountains?


    The humming of Leah¡¯s magic quit before I could ponder it further.


    My mage let go of the representative¡¯s forehead and turned towards me. ¡®I have a location.¡¯


    I put down my cup and moved towards the map on the wall. ¡®Show me.¡¯

 Name Poll (1 day deadline)

    Hi, everyone! First off, thank you for reading The Lich Queen¡ªyour support means the world to me.


    Second, I wanted to try something new. As a writer, I create all the names in my story myself. Then, I thought to myself: would a reader enjoy seeing a name they chose in the story instead? For that reason, I''m giving you a few options to vote on, including clan, village, and character names. They will feature prominently in the next arc. You''ll see the first of their names appear in tomorrow''s chapter, so there''s a strict deadline of 24 hours for this vote. Be sure to cast your votes quickly if this interests you!Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Here''s how it will work:


    <ul>


    <li>You get four votes total to use across all categories (clan, village, character 1 and character 2 name).</li>


    <li>Feel free to spread them out or use them however you like.</li>


    <li>The most popular choices will be selected, and the clan name will pair with the chosen character name (e.g., "Varrick Ebonfrost").</li>


    </ul>


    I¡¯m excited to see what you choose¡ªyour input will help shape this part of the story. Happy voting!

 19. The Cold Within

    XIX


    The Cold Within


    I was in my office the second time I entered Durak¡¯s body. It went smoother than the first time. I no longer grew nauseous and controlling my strength came easier too. That¡¯s why the following message didn¡¯t surprise me.


    [Timed Hidden Quest Completed: Learn to Control Your Constructs]


    {Skill points awarded: 3}


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Lesser Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Minor Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    995/995


    Skill Points =


    10


    Skills Menu=


    [


    [Minor Frost Necromancy] (2 points)


    [Minor Frost Manipulation] (2 points)


    [Necromancy] (5 points)


    [Frostmancy] (5 points)


    [Miasma Control] (5 points)


    ]


    }


    The new addition to the screen was a surprise.


    ¡®Points¡­I¡¯m certain those are skill points.¡¯


    Well, half certain. I was only going off what Lucian told me. Spending the skill points was supposed to increase my strength. And though that thought charmed me¡ªRuelle knew I needed power these days¡ªI refrained from choosing.


    I didn¡¯t know the skills¡¯s purpose yet. Hell, I wasn¡¯t even certain if they did anything. My current skill list had many ¡°lessers¡± and ¡°minors¡± in it. That meant my skills were at their lowest level. However, it didn¡¯t appear my strength was being held back. I could assimilate my undead, and that wasn¡¯t exactly a beginner level ability.


    So what was the purpose of the skills if not to regulate my strength?


    ¡®I¡¯ll think about it.¡¯


    I could also ask Leah. But I wasn¡¯t sure if the system was something everyone had. If it wasn¡¯t, asking her was a blunder.


    Who else could know?


    My eyes went outside, to where a tent shone golden in the dark. Faint silhouettes could be seen going in and out, some carrying smaller silhouettes in their arms. Even this late, the line outside Levi¡¯s tent was headache-inducing.


    ¡®Would he know?¡¯


    He may. Even if he didn¡¯t, who better to trust with such information than your family?


    ¡­But my gut squirmed at the thought of asking him.


    I frowned. This started happening after our conversation in Snowspire. We could still be in the same room and conversing was not an issue. Yet anytime I wanted to ask him a personal question like ¡°When did you last speak to our brother?¡± or ¡°Have you heard from Father?¡±, I got this sense. The sense I was talking to a wall. It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t hearing me or responding to what I was saying. Instead, the wall was like a barrier. One keeping us from seeing eye-to-eye.


    ¡®It¡¯s a lie,¡¯ I told myself. ¡®You¡¯re just afraid.¡¯


    ¡­Afraid of what?¡­to take another step. To risk reducing our already thin bond to ash. That hesitant, guarded nature was how I¡¯d always been, and Lucian had reprimanded me for it more often than I could count.


    ¡°But don¡¯t give in to it,¡± I heard myself say to another. You have another chance.


    So I got to my feet and went outside.


    I bypassed the line.


    ¡®Hey,¡¯ a man yelled, rising and balling his fists. ¡®Whaddya think yar¡ª¡¯


    Then the lamps revealed my face fully. He quickly sat back down.


    I reached Levi¡¯s tent. It was the same as any of the other temporary shelters. But the immediate surroundings had been cleared of debris, and a sign at the front read: Open for Care. Golden light shone from underneath the tent flap, giving the scarlet tent an ominous feel despite the healing that was going on inside.


    I waited until his current patient exited to enter¡­and walked into a little girl.


    ¡®Au!¡¯ She bounced back and rubbed her nose.


    ¡®Ah, pardon me,¡¯ I said. ¡®I thought it was clear.¡¯


    The little girl glared upwards¡ªbut her anger faded as she was forced to nearly glare at the roof. Her mouth fell open. ¡®You¡¯re big!¡¯


    I chuckled. ¡®Thank you. Would you mind stepping aside? I have business with my brother.¡¯


    ¡®Your brother?¡¯ she asked as she moved out of the way.


    ¡®Her name is Sepharin,¡¯ came Levi¡¯s voice.


    He was seated behind a desk stacked with bottles and wiped a needle with a cloth. He turned towards the entrance. ¡®Could you please flip the sign, Sophie? I¡¯m taking a break.¡¯


    The little girl nodded and went outside.


    I didn¡¯t spare her any mind. Instead, my gaze was glued to Levi¡¯s face. The bags underneath his eyes were almost black and his cheeks sunken.


    ¡®What happened?¡¯ I said. ¡®It wasn¡¯t this bad yesterday.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s the healing. Casting too often drains me.¡¯ He waved away my frown. ¡®It¡¯s nothing a good night¡¯s rest won¡¯t fix.¡¯


    I doubted that but didn¡¯t mention it.


    ¡®You¡¯re doing great work,¡¯ I said. I took a seat in the chair beside him, the one his patients used. ¡®But make sure to take care of yourself. They won¡¯t last if you don¡¯t.¡¯


    He blinked. ¡®Thanks¡­I will.¡¯


    I hummed. He would definitely ignore my advice, so I¡¯d look into having someone check up on him regularly.


    Sophie entered the tent and hastened to a table on the side. She poured a cup of water for the both of us.


    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ I said.


    The little girl flushed and drew back to a corner of the tent, where she began scribbling in a notebook.


    ¡®Your assistant?¡¯ I asked.


    He nodded. ¡®She lets the patients inside and keeps a ledger of their names and ailments. I offered her the job after treating her. In exchange, I give her a few coppers.¡¯


    I noticed a mark near her windpipe after he mentioned treatment.


    ¡®Noble,¡¯ I said and sipped from my drink.


    The water was ice cold, and the lack of warmth crawled into my skin. It differed from the cold outside, I thought, and not just in intensity. But I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what exactly was different.


    When I looked up, Levi was staring at me.


    ¡®What are you here for, Seph?¡¯


    ¡®Do I need a reason? I¡¯m spending time with my brother.¡¯Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    His brow touched his skull. ¡®You never ¡°spent time¡± with me. Not when we were children or teenagers, and certainly not now.¡¯ He crossed his legs. ¡®What are you here for, Seph?¡¯


    ¡­That was true. I recalled often watching Levi play in the gardens of Vrost all by himself from the balcony. Once I asked the maid following me at all times: ¡°Who is he and why is he all by himself? I want to talk to him.¡± There was a moment where disgust and contempt usurped her countenance. ¡°Someone too minor for your worries, Milady.¡± The following morning, my arms instructor drilled me until my muscles quivered, forcing me to repeat each manoeuvre until perfection. My history teacher handed me a tome on the noble bloodlines of Vrost and demanded I memorise passages for an impromptu test that afternoon. Never before or afterwards had such a thing happened.


    My forehead creased. Were they acting out her father¡¯s orders? Maybe. Maybe not. But it would explain why Sepharin avoided Levi as an adult¡ªeven disregarding their differing opinions.


    Memories faded, and my mind returned to the present. I suppressed the stab in my chest as I regarded Levi. I had come for a reason, hadn¡¯t I?


    I took a deep breath. ¡®I wanted to know¡­¡¯ I trailed off.


    My digits tightened around my mug. Don¡¯t be like this, Sepharin. Just say it. I looked at him, mouth parting to speak, and something about him just¡­it just squeezed my throat.


    ¡®About what?¡¯ he said.


    Seconds passed.


    ¡®The refugees,¡¯ I said finally. And I swallowed the taste of defeat. ¡®Their worries. Anything I can act on.¡¯


    He sighed, which released the tension in his shoulders (Was he glad I was here for an actual reason?).


    ¡®The Black Heart¡¯s shipment has helped. However, the sick could still use more. That, and the cold. Many have already fallen during the night.¡¯


    I exhaled and got my head back on track. Temporary shelters indeed weren¡¯t anything to bet your life on. But building everyone a home was unfeasible. Even if we had the resources, it would take too long¡­The castle? Not enough space. We could offer the sickest a place to stay, but that was it.


    ¡®The latter I will search a solution for,¡¯ I said. ¡®For now, we can offer the most vulnerable a place in the castle.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s better than nothing,¡¯ he said. ¡®The former?¡¯


    I glanced to the side and Levi followed my gaze.


    ¡®Sophie,¡¯ Levi called. The little girl looked up. ¡®It¡¯s getting late. How about you return home for the night?¡¯


    She didn¡¯t appear particularly happy about that, but she left all the same, offering her goodbye before promising to be back tomorrow morning.


    ¡®We figured out where the bandits are hiding,¡¯ I said after she had gone.


    The shadows clinging to Levi¡¯s face lightened. ¡®Leah¡¯s work?¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®We plan on striking soon.¡¯


    ¡®I see. That¡¯s great news.¡¯ He drew from his cup but didn¡¯t say anything else.


    My lips pursed. ¡®Levi, when we find them¡ª¡¯


    ¡®You should do as you see fit,¡¯ he cut me off.


    I paused and showed my surprise.


    He chuckled. ¡®You already spoke your truth, Sepharin. There¡¯s nothing else for me to say to you.¡¯


    And I didn¡¯t know what stung more¡ªhis expression after I denied his plea in Snowspire, or the ease with which he now spoke.


    ¡®Say it anyway,¡¯ I said. ¡®What would you suggest I do with them?¡¯


    His eyelids lowered. ¡®I¡¯m not doing this, Sepharin. I¡¯ve got patients waiting for me.¡¯


    I waited too.


    The shadows deepened again as they seeped the energy out of his skin. His sigh was deeper than before. ¡®They did more than rob this time¡ªtheir actions are leading to the deaths of others. So I would say imprison them. Isn¡¯t that what you said you would do?¡¯


    ¡®I did,¡¯ I said. ¡®Before I knew their numbers. Frostmouth won¡¯t be able to support that many prisoners. Besides more food, it would also require a watch for whenever they shower or get some time out in the yard. It¡¯s¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Look,¡¯ he said. ¡®I don¡¯t have the answers. You already know what I¡¯d do. Will that be all?¡¯


    The cold touch of the mug made my fingers tremble, so I put it down. I was right not to speak on anything else, I told myself. He¡¯s already tired and overworked as it is.


    ¡®Don¡¯t stay up too late, Levi. Let me know if you need anything.¡¯


    ¡®Thanks, Seph. I will.¡¯ He didn¡¯t meet my eyes as he spoke.


    I pushed away the flap¡­and paused in the door opening. The refugees, still waiting in line and huddled together, looked up. Their eyes beamed¡­until they noticed who it was. They shook for a reason other than the cold.


    And why wouldn¡¯t they be after the way I stopped them from rioting?


    But I had an opportunity to speak. My mouth parted (to say what? ¡°I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. It was necessary to keep the peace.¡±?), and I sighed.


    Levi poked his head from between the doorway. ¡®Is there a problem?¡¯ He surveyed his patients to spot anything offensive, and turned to me when he found nothing.


    ¡®No,¡¯ I said. ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯ And I walked away.


    I stopped and watched my breath curl up into fog well after the dark swallowed the tallest of the silhouettes. My chin turned up to the moon as a breeze ruffled the bottom of my coat.


    Yes. The cold outside truly was different.


    ¡®~hello?¡¯


    I was sitting in the mess hall, staring into my cup of tea. A haze of heat wafted up into my cheeks, and my eyes closed to accept it. Cold began where warmth fled. When it took root, ice was close to follow. So I followed it, eyes closed, into the darkness where it resided. My thoughts slowed. The drumming in my chest lessened. It was peaceful¡ª


    A snap wrenched me from the dark space. I looked up and found Leah standing beside me, fingers in front of my face.


    ¡®Yes?¡¯ I said sluggishly.


    She paused. ¡®You look horrible.¡¯


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯


    She snorted. ¡®Did you sleep at all?¡¯


    My hands automatically went to rub my eyelids. ¡®Not a lot.¡¯


    A moment passed.


    ¡®Something happen?¡¯ she asked. ¡®You were particularly silent during breakfast.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯


    She blinked, then shook her head. ¡®Right. Do you have a plan?¡¯


    ¡®For?¡¯


    ¡®The bandits,¡¯ she deadpanned. ¡®I can cast a sleeping spell on you, you know.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d rather do anything else with my time than sleep. And yes, I do have a plan. Why?¡¯


    Whatever, she shrugged, and fished the portal rune out of her pocket. ¡®It was gruelling work, but I¡¯m nearly done deciphering. I should have it done by the end of the day.¡¯


    Now that threw a wrench in said plans. The bandits were a problem. So was the lack of food. However, the threat to the Duchy took priority.


    ¡®Let me know right away.¡¯


    ¡®I will.¡¯


    Another person joined us in the hall. ¡®You called for me, Warden?¡¯ Fernando said.


    Leah decided that was her cue to leave.


    I rose from my seat, eyeing my cold-growing cup one last time. ¡®We¡¯ll speak outside.¡¯


    The air would keep me awake.


    We were standing near the gate of the castle, overlooking the infant city.


    ¡®It¡¯s possible.¡¯ Fernando stroked the beard he didn¡¯t have. ¡®And smart,¡¯ he added.


    His eyes glistened with something akin to renewed appreciation. Could be that he hadn¡¯t expect any smarts out of someone my size, though he would never say it.


    ¡®But is it feasible?¡¯ I said. ¡®I want it to surround the entire settlement.¡¯


    Here Fernando pursed his lips. ¡®Materials should not be a problem. The Winterforge quarry is nearby. My concern would be manpower and funding. However¡­¡¯


    I waited.


    ¡®Perhaps the Ebonfrost clan can help,¡¯ he added.


    ¡®The masons? I haven¡¯t seen them since our arrival.¡¯


    ¡®They left, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®Left?¡¯


    He nodded. ¡®When the refugees came pouring in, they packed their bags and returned to their village. The homes you see the merchants use are theirs¡ªthey brokered a deal.¡¯


    Probably to use their homes while they were gone. Still, it was strange.


    ¡®That¡¯s quite the opposite reaction,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®They¡¯re isolationist,¡¯ he said. ¡®Despite being neighbours, we barely spoke outside of ordering goods and produces.¡¯


    I hummed. ¡®You said they returned to Winterforge? Does that mean we can still contact them?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure, Warden.¡¯


    My brow raised.


    ¡®Before they left,¡¯ he said, ¡®their representative mentioned an emergency at home.¡¯


    ¡®The orc kind?¡¯


    ¡®Not probable. Our delegation was turned back at the gate. There were also no signs of any fires or damage.¡¯


    ¡®Send a runner,¡¯ I said. ¡®Make him inquire about their issue.¡¯


    ¡®And should they turn him away?¡¯


    ¡®Then he can tell them the Warden is asking.¡¯


    They may be isolationist, but they were an integral part of the Duchy¡¯s defences and economy. ¡°Not probable¡± wouldn¡¯t cut it.


    Fernando saluted and was off.


    I stayed where I was and allowed the next in-line for my attention to approach.


    ¡®How is the sparring?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Demoralising, Warden,¡¯ Malakai¡¯s face was covered in bruises. ¡®But I¡¯m learning fast,¡¯ he added, and I detected a hint of pride in his tone.


    I smiled. ¡®Good to hear.¡¯


    But my smile vanished when I thought of the next subject. I glanced around. The frostguards were hard at work. Still, I caught them glancing from the corner of their vision more than once.


    ¡®Let us go down the hill,¡¯ I said.


    So we walked.


    ¡®I summoned you regarding our Black Heart issue,¡¯ I said once we were far enough away from the walls.


    ¡®Do we know where they are?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. Don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡¯


    We didn¡¯t know who our leak was after all.


    ¡®Understood,¡¯ he said. ¡®What is it you want me to do? Are we flushing them out?¡¯


    ¡®You are, to be specific.¡¯


    He tilted his head. ¡®I am, Ma¡¯am?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. I want you to lead a small team to their hideout. You are to incapacitate or wipe them out and recover our stolen supplies.¡¯


    There was quiet for a moment.


    ¡®With all due respect, Ma¡¯am, I go¡ª¡¯


    ¡®¡°Wherever you go,¡±¡¯ I finished for him. I placed my hand on his shoulder. ¡®I know, Malakai. But I need to stay here in case of an emergency, and you¡¯re one of the few I can trust with this. Will you accept?¡¯


    Strained lines appeared around his mouth. But they smoothed out as the seconds passed.


    ¡®How big is the team? Can I choose my own companions?¡¯


    ¡®Ten.¡¯ I tipped my chin. ¡®I had planned to give you Jaeger¡¯s men. Are you eyeing the castle¡¯s force?¡¯


    ¡®I sparred with a few,¡¯ he said. ¡®I¡¯d feel safe with them having my back.¡¯


    I hummed. It was a risk. The very same one that I was trying to avoid. However, getting Malakai closer to the frostguards was a boon. That, and this could be an opportunity to chisel his feel for people¡ªa feeling I could trust when sharpened.


    Besides, it also freed up Jaeger, whom I needed to do something else.


    ¡®Give me their names by tomorrow,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted.


    We turned to go back up the hill.


    ¡®Also,¡¯ I said. ¡®Though I will not be there in person, I¡¯ll be present in your force.¡¯


    He frowned and asked for an explanation.


    ¡®You¡¯ll see when the time is right,¡¯ I said, and smiled as he grew more confused.


    Night was present as I stalked through the makeshift streets beyond the castle. My hood covered my face from the glare of burn barrels and oil lamps. It didn¡¯t stop me from drawing glances. But the refugees were quick to snap their heads the other way, wanting nothing to do with the three cloaked figures wading amongst them.


    I left the sprawling city behind me just as quick, and strode into the snowy landscape of the Duchy. The city had all but disappeared when I finally came to a stop and looked back.


    This was where my connection with the undead began quivering.


    That¡¯s a few hundred metres.


    I grimaced. Though I had told Malakai I would be present, I wasn¡¯t yet certain if it was at all possible. The issue was the range. Perhaps a product of my minor and lesser skills, my undead could only travel so far before I could no longer take control.


    But there was a caveat to it. I made the human point forwards, and the orcs at his side began running into the night. My senses followed them through the darkness as they distanced themselves. When they reached the limit, I ordered the third to start running.


    It¡¯s as I thought. This had been a non-issue in my previous life, so I had never questioned it. But it appeared my control functioned as a relay network did. As long as I had an undead in range of me and another undead was in range of them, I could control both. Only when the chain was broken did I lose command.


    Even if I did, though, I could still sense them, so they weren¡¯t lost.


    The problem was that I lacked the numbers to encompass the scope I required. I was pondering a solution when a poke on my shoulder dragged me out of my focus.


    The human glanced backwards. There was nothing there.


    Ah, not this one.


    I drew back my senses and returned to my room in the castle. Leah had poked my shoulder with a wand.


    ¡®Losing awareness of your surroundings during meditation,¡¯ she said. ¡®Novice mistake, that.¡¯


    Her being right annoyed me. Something I would need to work on. Especially if I didn¡¯t want to sit still every time I commanded one of my undead.


    ¡®You deciphered the rune?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, are you ready to be surprised?¡¯


    My brow raised.


    ¡®It¡¯s to the west, near the mountains.¡¯


    ¡®West? Not north beyond the Wall?¡¯


    She shook her head, and my frown deepened. Xun had said ¡°West of the Wall¡±, but he never mentioned what side of the Wall.


    The mountains lay beyond Winterforge. Why would the orcs choose to return there? And if they had, why had no one caught so much as a whiff of them? Where were they hiding?


    ¡®How accurate is your prediction?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®To within a few kilometres. The nearer we draw, the more accurate I¡¯ll be.¡¯


    ¡®Then we set out tomorrow.¡¯


    There was no time to waste.

 20. Visionary

    XX


    Visionary


    My first order of business the next morning was with my brother.


    ¡®I¡¯m entering,¡¯ I said and lifted the flap to his tent. My forehead scrunched after catching sight of him. ¡®You didn¡¯t listen to me.¡¯


    He was looking worse than two days ago.


    ¡®Many needed treatment right away,¡¯ he said while yawning. ¡®It¡¯ll be less busy now that they¡¯re dealt with.¡¯


    That was a lie if I¡¯d ever heard one. I¡¯d already assigned someone to check on him and make sure the line outside his tent didn¡¯t grow too long, but it appeared more drastic measures were required.


    I¡¯d think of a solution. Well, later anyway, if I were to get what I wanted out of this conversation.


    I took a seat. ¡®Leah finished deciphering the rune.¡¯


    The height of his attention peaked despite how tired he was. ¡®And?! Where are they?¡¯


    I repeated what Leah told me.


    ¡®Near the mountains?¡¯ he said. ¡®Why would they go there?¡¯


    ¡®Your guess is as good as mine unfortunately.¡¯


    He paused to think. ¡®You should mobilise our army.¡¯


    ¡®That won¡¯t do us any good.¡¯


    ¡®It won¡¯t?¡¯


    I shook my head. ¡®Their scouts will see us coming from miles away. It would only ruin our advantage of surprise.¡¯ My hands linked underneath my chin. ¡®We¡¯ll send out a small team who will search for the orcs instead. Their report will determine our next move.¡¯


    ¡®I see,¡¯ he said. ¡®Well, you''re the commander of us two. When are you leaving?¡¯


    ¡®Tomorrow at the latest. However¡­¡¯


    He invited the rest of the sentence.


    ¡®I was hoping that small team would include you, Levi.¡¯


    He sighed as if he¡¯d expected it. ¡®I¡¯ve already done enough fighting for my like, Seph.¡¯


    ¡®I know. That¡¯s why you¡¯re staying in Winterforge. You¡¯ll be the recouping point for Leah and whoever else.¡¯


    Mentioning her name got the reaction I wanted. Though I disliked having them together, giving her extra guarantee was necessary. That, and it was an excuse to get him away from this tent.


    ¡®Also,¡¯ I said, ¡®you¡¯ll be bartering with the Ebonfrost clan in my stead.¡¯


    ¡®Bartering with the masons?¡¯ he said.


    I nodded. ¡®I have a plan to help the refugees. We need the clan¡¯s workforce for it to work, so you¡¯ll be my mouthpiece.¡¯


    That would lend credence to whatever was said. The only better option was for me to be there in person or have Leah do the trading. Both of those weren¡¯t possible.


    Levi thought hard and long. So long, in fact, that I thought he¡¯d fallen asleep. But he opened his eyes and stared straight at me.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Sepharin, I cannot leave the refugees to fend for themselves.¡¯


    I paused. There was more I could say, but one look into his eyes was enough.


    ¡®Very well,¡¯ I said, sighing. ¡®I¡¯ll ask one of the merchants.¡¯


    They wouldn¡¯t do it for free, but there was no other way.


    This was where Levi expected me to take my leave, so he raised his brow when I didn¡¯t and said: ¡®Is there anything else?¡¯


    I had pondered the phrasing of my next sentence an entire night. Even now, I was considering it. But consideration could turn into hesitation, so I spoke quickly.


    ¡®Do you mind if I stay and watch?¡¯


    He frowned. ¡®Watch what?¡¯


    ¡®You work,¡¯ I said, careful to keep my tone level.


    He huffed. ¡®I¡¯m not a child, Sepharin. I won¡¯t work myself into my grave.¡¯


    Yes, he would.


    ¡®It¡¯s not that,¡¯ I said.


    To get closer to someone, you had to get closer. But of course, I wouldn¡¯t tell him that. I turned to the exit, behind which I sensed the presence of dozens of people. ¡®I want to see what ails my citizens. Surely, you won¡¯t deny me that?¡¯


    And though he chewed on it, he couldn¡¯t find reasonable grounds to refuse me. ¡®I suppose¡­but don¡¯t disturb my work!¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯ll be a fly on the wall.¡¯


    And so I sat down in the corner of the room, watching my brother work.


    The black orc known only as ¡®Captain¡¯ or ¡®The Black Menace¡¯ to the frostguards was on the field. His black armour was matted in so much old blood his attire looked painted, and in some places, the foul-smelling substance had the shape of a wicked smile.


    Malakai shivered to his toes at the sight. What he¡¯d told his liege was true. Combating the creature was demoralising. The tremor going down your arm when you blocked a swing was enough to siphon all determination out of you. A glance at his face was enough to make you envision the cold grave you¡¯d be lowered into, should you be lucky enough to remain in one piece. Besides him, one felt small. Worthless. Pathetic.


    And so every frostguard had given up sparring the Captain. They sat on the sidelines instead, hollering at whoever dared do battle.


    There was one who always did.


    ¡®Oh, he¡¯s going, he¡¯s going!¡¯ the guard at Malakai¡¯s side said. ¡®Get him, Gregory!¡¯


    Malakai watched the Senior Frostblade level his claymore and circle the Menace. When nothing happened for a while, he found his gaze drawn to the disabled frostguard beside him. Ian One-Eye, they called him. His name explained it all except that he also had one ear. He¡¯d lost his organs before the orc attacks. The reasoning differed depending on who you asked and at what time (the craziest tales were told at night), but whatever the story, one thing was certain: Ian was a damned good fighter. Malakai had scored a hit on him only once.


    And melee combat isn¡¯t even his strong suit, he thought solemnly. The bow Ian carried with him everywhere wasn¡¯t far from his hands.


    ¡®Have you thought on what I requested?¡¯ Malakai said.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    In front of them, Gregory broke the stalemate. He roared and barrelled forwards with a horizontal sweep that would bisect any regular man. It did not get through the orc¡¯s buckler.


    ¡®Wat he ask ya?¡¯ Another guard said who threw his arm around Ian.


    ¡®Nothing that concerns a drunkard like you,¡¯ Ian said, dodging the guard¡¯s arm with ease. ¡®Didn¡¯t they chew you out this morning?¡¯


    ¡®Nawp,¡¯ the guard guffawed.


    Malakai didn¡¯t comment. Too many had lost too much in the attacks. Who was he to judge?


    After Ian didn¡¯t budge, the man was quickly lost in the ongoing spectacle.


    ¡®I thought about it,¡¯ Ian said.


    Malakai tensed and prepared himself for the rejection.


    But Ian smiled. ¡®I¡¯ll do it. I want to see whats¡¯s got our ice queen so worked up.¡¯


    ¡®Ice queen?¡¯ Malakai said, hiding his joy with surprise.


    ¡®You seen her face?¡¯ Ian chuckled. ¡®Not one guard has seen her so much as smile ever since she arrived.¡¯


    ¡®That so?¡¯ Malakai said, searching his memory. ¡®I¡¯ve seen her smile.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a lot, mind you, but it was plenty.


    Ian¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡®You for real?¡¯ When Malakai nodded, Ian¡¯s head whipped around. ¡®Ay, Rider, hear this¡ªMalakai says he¡¯s seen the ice queen smile!¡¯


    ¡®What?! He¡¯s taking a piss!¡¯


    Rider was one of the others Malakai had asked to join him. A short and stocky man. Part of the reason Malakai wanted him was because Rider knew his way around the frontline of a battle. The other was his strategic mind; tests showed Rider had a battle IQ of 200.


    Malakai thought the perfect opportunity had arrived to check two of the targets on his list at once, but the revelation of ¡°the ice queen smiling¡± had drawn the attention of nearly everyone around them.


    ¡®We know yar a cripple, but dunt lie for sum attention, One-Eye!¡¯ One guard yelled.


    ¡®Ain¡¯t no lying, Doug,¡¯ Ian said. ¡®Came straight from the pup¡¯s mouth.¡¯


    Malakai sighed and shook his head as the questions and accusations rained down on him. He should¡¯ve kept his mouth shut¡ª


    Thoughts were cut short as a hellish warcry thundered across the field. Malakai¡¯s muscular system spasmed and he went to his knees. Other soldiers cried out. Many bent over and clenched their stomachs, fighting the fear hidden within the deepest pits of their soul that was coming to the surface.


    One man laughed maniacally.


    ¡®Hah! I made you use it, didn¡¯t I, hellspawn!¡¯ Gregory yelled.


    And though his movement was sluggish, the big man powered through with a swing that had the force of a cart which lost its wheels at full speed. It caught the Menace off-guard¡ªthe orc turned a slash into a quick defence and caught the blade in the nick of time¡­but not even the Menace could block this one.


    The claymore shoved shield and arm aside as if they were children and struck the orc across the mouth. The Captain stepped back. One step. Two steps. And a third before he caught his balance. If an undead could show surprise, the orc¡¯s face was the epitome of it.


    Silent was the field. All that could be heard was Gregory¡¯s ragged breathing. His pupils were alive. He raised his claymore to the air, and the field exploded in cheers.


    The guards rushed Gregory, pulling him off his feet and proclaiming him their champion.


    Ian huffed. ¡®Monster. I wouldn¡¯t face him if you offered me the kingdom.¡¯


    ¡®Me neither,¡¯ Malakai said. Briefly he considered who was stronger in a straight up fight, Gregory or the Warden. But the idea left his mind just as quick. The Warden¡¯s reach advantage was significant. However, beyond that, Malakai just couldn¡¯t envision her losing. Not to anyone. Or anything.


    The hero of the day escaped his captor¡¯s clutches and trod their way.


    ¡®Young Wolf!¡¯ Gregory said in a low voice, which was nearly yelling for him. ¡®I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯ve returned! Are you ready for a round with the beast?¡¯


    ¡®Greetings, Sir. Not yet. It¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for today.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, then what are you here for?¡¯


    Malakai paused. He still hadn¡¯t figured out how he was going to convince this behemoth to join him.


    It was afternoon, which meant it was finally time for Levi¡¯s break.


    ¡®And?¡¯ Levi yawned. ¡®What do you think?¡¯


    I was still sitting in the corner of the tent. ¡®That our people are hardy.¡¯


    There was nothing else to say. Despite the ailments they suffered from (which ranged from frostbite and infested wounds to anything else), they never gave in. It was as if the hardship was a known commodity to them¡ªsomething they expected and adapted to rather than rebuke with curses.


    Levi watched me. What he searched for within my countenance, I didn¡¯t know, but he nodded. ¡®I will continue in an hour. You can leave and return later if it pleases you.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll stay here for now.¡¯


    ¡®Alright.¡¯ He picked a book from his desk and began to read.


    For myself, I descended into thought.


    There were two issues that required my immediate attention. One, extending the range of my network. If that wasn¡¯t in place, the risks of everything I was planning rose astronomically. Luckily, I had a few ideas.


    Second, was my manpower. I called a frozen core into my palm.


    [Undead soldier, lvl 5 ¡ª Race: Human.]


    I had two powerful undead. Ones I believed could win a fight against everything I had seen until now except Leah. One of the two was going with Malakai. The other was shadowing my mage. The problem with that setup was that it left me alone.


    And I was the most important piece in the chain.


    What I need is another super soldier.


    And how best to make one? Killing levelled my undead, yet there wasn¡¯t much of worth to kill around here except humans¡­but it wasn¡¯t the killing that made them stronger.


    I searched inside myself for a core of black, and the obsidian gem flickered to life in my other palm. The air around the crystal grew heavy. Closing my eyes, I put my ear to it. A moment passed. And in that moment I thought I could hear them cry¡ªthe souls from which it had been pulled and crafted.


    My hands held both cores to the light. Blue and Black. Frost and Death. I pushed them closer together on a whim, and the cores started humming. Stronger and stronger the nearer I held them until it was an effort to keep them separate.


    Yes, I thought. What made them stronger wasn¡¯t the killing. It was the miasma. And death-attuned miasma¡ª


    I put away the black crystal and drew energy from my core. Death crawled up with it, and I poured it all into the frozen gem.


    Nothing changed. But the crystal kept absorbing, so I kept going. And then I watched as the core pulsed.


    [Undead soldier, lvl 6 ¡ª Race: Human.]


    I smiled. Durak had gotten the option to become a squire yet had not been fit for it. But what about him? Would he usher in the revival of an order, one that had followed me everywhere in my previous life?


    Perhaps. I¡¯d make certain to feed him well over the next few days.


    The high of nostalgia vanished, and I remembered where I was. But when I turned to the side, I found Levi¡¯s face nestled in his book.


    I chuckled and covered him in a blanket I plucked from a nearby table, then went outside.


    It was time to test another theory.


    Jaeger and two faces I hadn¡¯t spoken to in a while were waiting for me outside the city near a treeline.


    ¡®Why she got us collectin¡¯ critters?¡¯ I heard Drake¡¯s complaints over the wind. Michael looked away and pretended not to hear his companion. It¡¯s why he was the first to notice me. He nudged Jaeger.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®We did as you asked.¡¯


    Drake jumped in place before adopting a scowl. I hope she didn¡¯t hear me, his expression said.


    I stifled a chuckle and glanced at the pile of dead animals at their feet. There were at least a dozen, being a mixture of hares, snow foxes and owls, and ermine.


    ¡®I see your hunt was successful.¡¯


    Jaeger jabbed a finger at Drake. ¡®Hunting and complaining are his two strengths.¡¯


    Drake chewed his lip but didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡®Your work is appreciated,¡¯ I said, then bowed and placed my hand on the hide of a hare. Blood smeared onto my gauntlet as I searched for the heart¡ªa task made easy because the arrow had pierced straight through and I could follow the bolt''s trajectory.


    ¡®You¡¯re a good shot,¡¯ I said.


    Drake mumbled his thanks.


    A flash of power, and the hare got to its feet. I made it run in a circle to test its integrity. No complaints. I quickly raised a second one and produced one of my orcs. The soldier ran into the frozen wastes together with its newly raised companions.


    The three frostguards mutely watched all of it happen.


    Drake asked Michael a silent question. The boy raised his shoulders and said wordlessly: ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Well, it wasn¡¯t for them to know anyways.


    ¡®Let us return,¡¯ I said. I didn¡¯t have to stay here to know the results.


    Darkness was pushed aside, and light settled where its cousin lost ground.


    Levi opened his eyes...and found himself on an island.


    ¡­Strange.


    His only experience with islands could be found in a book, yet he knew that the piece of land he was on must be one, for there was nothing but sea around him. A cool breeze that wasn''t cold sailed past as waves ebbed back and forth. The sound mesmerising. He must¡¯ve stood there for an eternity, just listening.


    Then he noticed the sun. It was overhead. Bigger than he had ever seen it before. Hotter than he had ever experienced.


    ¡®Where am I?¡¯


    He looked around as he questioned this. Nothing but trees with big, green leaves, and sand in all directions. Levi peered, focusing his mind on gathering anything useful.


    That¡¯s when he saw her. A woman sitting on the edge of the island. She was sitting so still he had thought her a part of the land at first. But though he noticed her now, Levi couldn¡¯t make out the features of her face nor the shape of her body, though he somehow knew she had both.


    ¡­However, if he couldn¡¯t tell any of these things, how did he know it was a woman? The more he thought on it, the more it confused him. But that confusion vanished¡ªnay, it was expunged¡ªwhen she turned towards him, and a wave of divine energy purer than anything he dare produce in his wildest dreams washed over him.


    She spoke. Levi did not hear. Before he knew it, he was prostrating. And right after that, he was fully awake and back in his tent.


    The difference between the worlds slammed into him. His head snapped up from the book it was resting on, and a blanket he didn¡¯t remember pulling over himself fell to the floor.


    He couldn¡¯t think. He couldn¡¯t even question what he had seen or what it could¡¯ve been. His hands and arms were quivering. They were so raging hot he removed all of his clothing so his limbs could breathe.


    And yet they burned hotter.


    Levi ran outside and buried his arms in the snow. The heat remained. He should be screaming, he knew, for he faintly recognised the sensations as pain. But a single thought dominated his being more than anything did:


    ¡®Leave for Winterforge.¡¯

 21. Forging the Plan

    XXI


    Forging the Plan


    Something had happened to Levi.


    ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Yes, yes¡­I¡¯m fine.¡¯


    That¡¯s what he said. But rumours were quick.


    ¡®You were seen running out of your tent.¡¯


    ¡®I needed a breath of fresh air.¡¯


    My face was impassive. ¡®Did you also ¡°need¡± to bury your arms in the snow?¡¯


    He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. ¡®You were right, Seph.¡¯


    A frown grew on my forehead.


    ¡®I have overworked myself,¡¯ he said. ¡®The mana channels in my arms were burning.¡¯ He looked up at me. ¡®I need a break.¡¯


    His words were what I already believed and knew to be right. And that¡¯s why I mistrusted them so.


    ¡®A break,¡¯ I repeated. ¡®You want to head towards Winterforge after all?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    ¡®What about the refugees?¡¯ I asked and studied his face intently.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the details of your plan, but securing aid will do them better in the long run. Leah¡¯s safety is also paramount. We¡¯ll need her to push back the orcs.¡¯


    My gaze did not stray from him. He¡¯s trembling. Oscillating, may be a better term. Like some force was keeping him moving despite his wants.


    ¡®Let me see your arms,¡¯ I said.


    His breathing hitched, and when I reached out, he jerked back. My arm remained outstretched as I glared him down. He offered his arm.


    My first thought as our skin touched was that his description of burning was on point. The second was that I was imagining the sensation. Though his arm was hot, it was within believable boundaries. Even when I raked my fingers across his forearm and sensed underneath his skin, I discovered nothing unusual.


    ¡®I¡¯m already feeling much better,¡¯ Levi said.


    And I was forced to chew and swallow his lie. I wish I could choke the truth out of him. But that was a bad habit. He was allowed his secrets.


    ¡®Leah will take a look,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®That¡¯s fine.¡¯


    I searched my racing mind for a reprimand and painstakingly nodded when I found nothing. ¡®Let¡¯s head to the castle.¡¯


    Levi had to let his patients know of his absence so he would join later. In the meantime, Leah and I entered my office. A few others were already inside.


    Indo Moreton, Diego, Theodore, and Martin rose from their chair.


    I stopped in the doorway and held up my hand. ¡®That¡¯s alright.¡¯ My gaze roved over the town reeve and his son. ¡®I only summoned two of the members in this room.¡¯


    ¡®We let ourselves in, Warden,¡¯ Theodore said, bowing his head. ¡®Please forgive our intrusion, but the matter is quite urgent.¡¯


    ¡®Does it involve our merchants?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®No¡­¡¯ Theodore said. ¡®Perhaps,¡¯ he added.


    A snarky woman behind me cleared her throat.


    I stepped aside to let her pass and closed the door. ¡®So, it¡¯s about your village. You are requesting a relief effort.¡¯


    The reeve¡¯s lips curled in surprise. ¡®Ah, yes¡­that¡¯s exactly what we wanted to ask.¡¯


    Still standing near the entrance, I nodded and turned towards Leah. I waited until she sat down and relaxed in her chair to speak up. ¡®Leah, if you would be so kind as to fetch my guard captain? He would benefit from being in the room.¡¯


    The girl glared daggers at me but didn¡¯t speak out. ¡®Yes¡­Warden.¡¯


    ¡®You have my gratitude.¡¯


    ¡®Screw you,¡¯ she whispered as she exited.


    A great joy suffused me as I took a seat behind the desk. ¡®Let us wait until we¡¯re all here.¡¯


    In our downtime, the Moreton patriarch spoke of his visits to the corners of our domain. He spoke of the Frozen Wastes to our south, which was a land of unbroken ice where nearly nothing lived.


    ¡®Have you ever been there, Your Excellency?¡¯


    ¡®I have not.¡¯


    He shook his head. ¡®Just as well. I would advise against it.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s dangerous?¡¯


    ¡®No, but it is cursed.¡¯


    I hummed. A curse. Another term like ¡°demon.¡± Easy to use, hard to decipher.


    Moreton grasped his pointed beard. ¡®I¡¯m no religious man, Your Excellency. That place, however¡­it is better left alone. It¡¯s part of the reason the north has almost never been invaded from the south.¡¯


    He was quick to leave the topic behind him, turning his attention on brighter prospects. Namely, Frostholm to the far east. It was considered the holy city of the Duchy, for its temple was the most luxurious one in the North.


    I haven¡¯t heard Levi speak about it once, I thought. If that¡¯s true however, the temple would have a significant presence in the city. Something to research for later.


    There was a knock and Malakai entered the room with Leah. I motioned towards Theodore and Martin, who stood and explained their situation.


    The gist of it, was that the bandits were running rampant in their homes, abusing their villages and the people who had to stay behind. Most of the refugees were planning to rush home themselves in order to safe their kin, but there were many who were too weak to survive another exodus-like journey. It would split the population. And strength in numbers was one thing every village sorely needed.


    At the end, all heads turned to me¡ªas they always did. But it was time for me to step down where I wasn¡¯t necessary.


    I regarded Malakai. ¡®Your force is the one most fit for the situation. The call and subsequent strategic decision-making are in your hands.¡¯


    The surprise in his eyes was brief. ¡®Warden!¡¯ he saluted.


    ¡®Feel free to discuss further in our other office,¡¯ I said, glad that he was less hesitant than before. ¡®Inform me of the results.¡¯


    That left Leah, myself and the merchants after they left. Before the door fell closed behind them, though, Levi announced his presence.


    ¡®Your timing is perfect, little brother.¡¯ I leaned back in my chair and glanced at Moreton and Diego. ¡®Have you considered my request?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a request at all, but framing it as such softened the blow.


    ¡®We have, Your Excellency.¡¯ Moreton gave the floor to his fellow merchant.


    Diego placed his hand over his heart. ¡®Though I¡¯m still inexperienced, I believe I can be of great service to you, Warden.¡¯


    My hands linked underneath my chin. I had requested a merchant for two reasons: one, it would make our party¡¯s westward movement less suspicious to any possible scouts. Two¡ªand the most significant one¡ªI didn¡¯t actually trust Levi to barter for anything if his life depended on it. He was a priest, not an economic genius.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    However, the fact that the Merchant Company decided to hand me Diego was both a boon and slap in the face. It was a boon, because I personally judged Diego to be of a certain character¡ªone hungry for improvement. It was a slap, because the merchants didn¡¯t know this. In their eyes, they had just handed me one of their most disposable assets.


    ¡®More are coming with us?¡¯ Levi asked.


    ¡®Our company has agreements to settle in Winterforge, Sir,¡¯ Diego said. ¡®I¡¯ll act as your humble adviser and guide as I take care of them.¡¯


    ¡®The Ebonfrost have a particular way of dealing,¡¯ Moreton added. ¡®Presentation and attitude are important. Have one be deficient, and you¡¯ll be turned away at the gate.¡¯


    Though he didn¡¯t glance my way, the old man didn¡¯t fool me. Nothing stayed a secret here for long, it seemed. Not even frostguard issues¡­especially frostguard issues.


    But I reconsidered. Diego couldn¡¯t be that disposable if the company trusted him to handle their business in Winterforge.


    Moreton waited until he caught my attention. ¡®If we may be so preposterous, Your Excellency¡ªwe had a request of our own.¡¯


    ¡®I will hear it.¡¯


    He thanked me then said: ¡®We would like guards for our convoy.¡¯


    I frowned. ¡®You already have them.¡¯


    He shook his head. ¡®They wouldn¡¯t dare bet their lives in combat against an orc, Your Excellency. Nor would any of our company dare place our lives in their hands against such an alien threat. Many have already appealed to me to call off our journey east.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s ridiculous,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®If you don¡¯t travel¡ª¡¯


    ¡®The Duchy starves,¡¯ he finished. ¡®I am aware, Milord.¡¯ Here the older man paused and sighed so his wrinkles grew more pronounced. ¡®But we merchants are not soldiers¡ªwe¡¯re humans. And humans are selfish before they are saints.¡¯


    Was his countenance a ploy? Perhaps. Yet what did it matter? He was correct.


    ¡®How many guards would put the members of your company at ease?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®From what I gathered during the conversation,¡¯ he said, ¡®the force your captain is building would be agreeable.¡¯


    Which was my fear. I had no such other force available and taking them from the frostguards wasn¡¯t advised. Not since they would be gone for a long time.


    So how to handle this?


    Moreton mistook my quiet thoughts for hesitation. ¡®We¡¯re willing to pay handsomely, should the captain¡¯s time be too wanted.¡¯


    Meaning he was prepared to buy them out so they abandoned the villages and helped them instead. I huffed. Sly fox.


    ¡®Pay me you will,¡¯ I said. It would go a long way to filling the coffers whose capacity (or lack thereof) I wasn¡¯t even aware of. ¡®But Malakai¡¯s time is better spent elsewhere. I¡¯ll gather the required force myself. How long can you wait?¡¯


    ¡®About a week,¡¯ he said, ¡®Any later and we risk arriving too late at the border of the Duchy to offer relief.¡¯


    Thus the question became: How could I raise a significant force of dead within a week? The answer came to me within the same breath that I pronounced it. I stole a glance in Levi¡¯s direction. His tired mind was only half in the room, and he didn¡¯t notice my gaze until I looked away. I¡¯ll act after he¡¯s gone.


    ¡®Consider your request granted, Moreton,¡¯ I said. ¡®We¡¯ll hash out the specifics later.¡¯


    His eyes widened minutely¡ªperhaps he had expected more pushback¡ªbut his surprise vanished within moments. He stood and bowed. ¡®Thank you, Your Excellency.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®If that¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll no longer impede your time. Levi will fill Diego in on the particulars as they travel.¡¯


    They took the order to exit as it was, leaving solely myself, Leah and Levi.


    ¡®So,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®What¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Leah¡¯s looking at your arm,¡¯ I cut through.


    Her brow raised. ¡®What happened to it?¡¯


    I purposefully let him explain the situation to catch any discrepancies from when he first explained it, but I had no such luck.


    A hue of blue green light suffused Leah¡¯s fingers as she inspected him. ¡®You¡¯ve indeed channelled too much mana. I would recommend not casting anything for the next two days.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s what I expected,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®Thanks.¡¯


    My lips pursed. ¡®So it¡¯s just over usage?¡¯


    ¡®Nothing too worrying,¡¯ Leah confirmed.


    I clicked my tongue. Lucky bastard. I leaned back in my chair and exhaled my frustrations. ¡®The plan is for you to leave tomorrow morning.¡¯


    ¡®As I thought,¡¯ Leah said, returning to her chair.


    I eyed her.


    She shrugged. ¡®I saw you practising so I had my suspicions.¡¯


    That was true. The guards were one thing, fooling her another.


    ¡®Practising what?¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®You¡¯ll see,¡¯ I said. ¡®What matters for now is your destination, the members that are coming with you, and what I expect you to accomplish.¡¯ I sat up straight. ¡®First, Jaeger and some of his men are joining you.¡¯


    We needed to keep the team small, but too small would put them at risk.


    ¡®Good,¡¯ Leah said. ¡®They¡¯ll make for decent meatshields.¡¯


    Levi¡¯s jaw disconnected.


    Leah glanced to the side and chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m joking. I take it your precious captain is coming, too? The undead one.¡¯


    ¡®Him and a few other orc soldiers,¡¯ I said. ¡®That should round out your party.¡¯


    Their group had too many melee combatants for my liking, but then so did my undead. It was high time I diversified my roster.


    ¡®Right,¡¯ Leah said. ¡®So what is you want me to do? Find the orcs and report back?¡¯


    ¡®Find them,¡¯ I said, ¡®and figure out what they¡¯re doing. There has to be a reason they chose to return to the mountains.¡¯


    ¡®I can cast a scrying spell after we locate them,¡¯ Leah said. ¡®But it could blow our cover.¡¯


    ¡®Our Master Magus,¡¯ I said.


    I still hadn¡¯t figured out how we were going to take care of them. Our best bet was for them not to be there at all.


    ¡®We¡¯ll think of a method once we get there,¡¯ I said.


    The room grew quiet as there wasn¡¯t more to say on the subject, so I took the opportunity and changed topic. ¡®Levi, do you have a copy of our family¡¯s account register?¡¯


    ¡®Jonathan did. I didn¡¯t find it between his possessions.¡¯


    Unfortunate. That meant I¡¯d need to send someone to Snowspire¡ªthe manor had to have one.


    After I quickly explained to him what I was planning for the city, our conversation turned towards minutiae: the gear and supplies they should bring with them, if Levi needed a seal of the Vrost clan to prove his legitimacy or not, and other things.


    Before we knew it, evening was approaching, and with it Malakai¡¯s time to depart.


    Horses gathered near the back entrance of the castle and armed men heaved themselves on top. They wore the colours of the frostguards with the grace of experience. Except for one.


    Theodore watched his son clunkily ascend his horse. ¡®Martin, are you certain¡ª¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m certain, Father.¡¯


    Martin¡¯s helm blocked his face, but Malakai heard the conviction in his voice. He chuckled. There was no convincing a man out for either heroism or revenge.


    His mirth drew attention, and Theodore shot Malakai the lost, pleading look any father gave the universe that was about to take away his son. He put a hand on Malakai¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Please, keep him safe.¡¯


    Hearing him beg stung. Malakai respected the reeve, for he was a good leader and cared about his people. That, and the old man reminded Malakai of someone.


    He took the man¡¯s hand in his own. ¡®As long as I live, so will he.¡¯


    They paused and held each other¡¯s gaze. Theodore nodded and let his hand drop.


    ¡®Well said, Young Wolf!¡¯


    Malakai nearly jumped at the shout that wasn¡¯t really one.


    Gregory led his horse forwards. ¡®Worry not, Theodore of Frosthollow. I, Gregory White, also swear to protect Martin¡¯s life with my own¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Yeah, yeah, we get it,¡¯ Ian cried. ¡®Now stop yelling. We¡¯re leaving at night for a reason.¡¯


    Gregory coughed in his palm, murmured his apologies and went quiet.


    That¡¯s why her footsteps were clearly audible.


    Malakai turned at the familiar crunch of snow beneath tremendous weight.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ He began to salute¡­and froze.


    In the week or so that he¡¯d travelled with his liege, Malakai thought he¡¯d gotten used to her undead. Sparring Durak had only heightened that feeling. Whatever she pulled out, he wouldn¡¯t think it crazy or hide from it like a mouse.


    Until now.


    A cloaked figure shadowed the Warden. The light outside was low, yet its face, or at least the eyes, should¡¯ve been visible. But the centre of the hood was a mask of impenetrable blackness that could not be natural.


    Malakai¡¯s Adam''s apple went down his throat. Each of the undead¡¯s footfalls made him envision the approach of Death, and Malakai stepped back without meaning to.


    Behind him, none uttered a sound.


    The Warden stopped some distance away. ¡®Any further and I¡¯ll scare the horses. Come, Malakai.¡¯


    A moment passed before Malakai¡¯s brain processed the command. Many more went by before he could get his feet to work, but he eventually made it to within arm¡¯s reach of the Warden.


    ¡®¡­Warden¡­¡¯


    Next to the undead, the sight of his liege may as well have been that of an angel. She held her arm out in front of the undead. The cloak and shadows swirled like a vortex. Somehow, Malakai got the sense the creature was watching him even as it vanished.


    The Warden opened her palm, revealing the gleaming crystal in the moonlight. ¡®This is an undead of significant power. He¡¯s yours to call upon.¡¯


    She conjured another set of crystals, four in total. ¡®Orc soldiers. Also yours.¡¯


    They joined the core already in his hand. Malakai looked up, lost for words. ¡®That¡¯s¡­a lot.¡¯


    She patted his shoulder. ¡®I trust you will use them well.¡¯ She leaned in close and whispered. ¡®All you have to do is hold them in your palm and chant: Summon or Retract.¡¯ She pulled away. ¡®Understood?¡¯


    ¡®Ma¡¯am,¡¯ he said, still in shock.


    Her attention turned to the others. ¡®All of you have answered the call of my captain, whose voice is like my own. For that, you have my thanks.¡¯


    Gregory straightened from his slump. ¡®It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s only expected, Warden!¡¯


    ¡®Your sense of duty is commendable,¡¯ she said. ¡®I await great news upon your return.¡¯


    And at this, everyone found it in themselves to salute.


    Theodore embraced his son a final time, and then their group was through the gate, leaving Castle Frostmouth behind them.


    I saw Theodore out through the front exit.


    ¡®Your son is safe amongst my men,¡¯ I said after he inquired about my expectations of their successful return for the tenth time. ¡®Worst case scenario, my undead are prepared to sacrifice themselves for his safety.¡¯


    ¡®Yes¡­alright¡­¡¯ he said.


    Well, I huffed, nothing I said would convince a fearful parent.


    I motioned to the downwards slope in front. ¡®I wish you a goodnight, Theodore of Frosthollow.¡¯


    And the old man crawled down the hill. He passed two figures on horseback on his way, making me raise an eyebrow. We didn¡¯t have any patrols scheduled for tonight, and certainly not one that small.


    I caught the eye of a guard manning the wall, who readied his bow, and drew a crystal into my palm. But when the pair neared, a familiar (and not so familiar) voice reached me.


    ¡®Milady! There you are!¡¯


    My gaze remained trained as they dismounted their horses and shuttered their lanterns. A girl and an older man. Both donned a cloak which had the emblem of House Vrost on the breast. I recognised them, though I had only ever spoken to one.


    The maid I¡¯d seen on my first day here, and the head butler of my mansion knelt before me.


    ¡®Milady, we¡¯ve come to serve you,¡¯ the older butler said.


    I glanced behind them. ¡®You journeyed here from Snowspire all by yourself?¡¯


    ¡®The weather was fortunate,¡¯ he answered.


    That still didn¡¯t explain how the duo had been left alone by bandits and wildlife. Then again¡ªI peered¡ªa whiff of miasma leaked from the butler. Perhaps they hadn¡¯t been.


    I motioned for them to rise. ¡®You¡¯re welcome in the castle. Though I will hear on the morrow about your journey.¡¯


    ¡®Of course¡ª¡® the butler began.


    ¡®And,¡¯ I cut through. ¡®You¡¯ll explain to me why you decided to leave our manor despite no orders to do so.¡¯


    He lowered his head. ¡®Of course, Milady.¡¯


    I signalled one of the guards. ¡®Help them store their horses.¡¯


    As I watched the pair unsaddle their bags, I remembered something and said: ¡®Do you happen to have our account register in those sacks?¡¯


    ¡®A copy, Milady,¡¯ the butler said. ¡®We took it with us when we found your register in your office.¡¯


    ¡®Good,¡¯ I said.


    I suppose I¡¯d be less harsh on them tomorrow.

 22. Interlude: Cry of the Mountain

    XXII


    Interlude: Cry of the Mountain


    The little boy heaved a sack of potatoes on a chair in front of the counter.


    ¡®Here you go, sis!¡¯


    Nerya¡¯s gaze peeled away from the knife she was using to dice up carrots. ¡®Thanks, Thal. There¡¯s some fruit on the dinner table.¡¯


    ¡®Frostberries?!¡¯


    She ruffled his short-cropped hair and smiled. ¡®Your favourites.¡¯


    The boy was gone before she could blink.


    Nerya picked up one of the potatoes after finishing the carrots. Her knife carved across¡ªand stopped. She retracted the blade and held the piece of skin stuck to it to the light. Her gaze narrowed. There was a thin, red film underneath. Frowning, she pulled it closer and sniffed¡­smells regular. She set the potato aside and picked out another one. Surely enough, this one had the same red film underneath. She tested four in a row. Of the four, two were affected.


    ¡®Thal, where did you pick these?¡¯ she said.


    ¡®The central farm,¡¯ he said with his mouth full.


    She hummed. Was this some type of discolouration or fungus? If the latter, they had a serious problem on their hands. Not wanting to take any chances, Nerya decided to call upon the opinion of an expert. She passed the dinner table (quickly inspected the frostberries her little brother was eating) and went into the cellar.


    The gust of cold that rushed up the stone stairway after she opened the door was an old scare, and she did not jump. But she did cast a spell on her footwear; frost had clawed its way up the walls and steps like spiderwebs, making the surface slippery, and the tumble into the dark wasn¡¯t one she would bet her life on.


    Her slippers clicked as she went down. She picked up one of the oil lanterns they kept near the bottom as well as a matchbox. It took three strikes before the match caught fire and she could light the wick, but the light came and cast away the dark, revealing the mist pouring from the dozens of Cryospheres hanging from the ceiling.


    Despite the thousands of times Nerya had been down here, her body quivered. It didn¡¯t help that she was in nothing but an indoor robe.


    Ice cloak, she whispered. Damp mist curled around her and settled on her hide like a blanket.


    She raised her lantern. ¡®Mother! There¡¯s something I need you to look at.¡¯


    Her voice echoed between the rows of kegs stored on wooden cradles before disappearing into the cellar. No response.


    Huh. She thought she¡¯d seen her go down here.


    Nerya waded deeper into the chamber and called out for her mother again. No response this time either. She frowned. Their cellar was big, but not so big that Mother wouldn¡¯t hear her screaming¡ª


    ¡®Nerya!¡¯


    For an instant, she thought that was her mother, but the voice came from behind and was too deep.


    ¡®Varrick?¡¯ she called her brother¡¯s name.


    ¡®Nerya,¡¯ he said in an irritated tone. ¡®Gods, I hate this place. What are you doing down here?¡¯


    She made her way back to the entrance to find her brother in front of the stairwell.


    ¡®Searching for Mother.¡¯ She pushed the lantern towards him and tilted her head. ¡®What about you? You¡¯re all dressed up.¡¯


    He was in his full regalia of snow-white boots, trousers, hooded cloak and neck gaiter. His topknot partially blocked the view of the black and white bow strapped to his back.


    ¡®Father asked us to hunt a few elk,¡¯ he said.


    But the bow he carried was the one father had gifted him for his eighteenth birthday¡ªthat one was solely for special occasions, and there was only one of those coming up.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it too early?¡¯ Nerya said. ¡®The Winter Fest is two weeks away.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s what I said, too. Maybe he¡¯ll listen if you tell him.¡¯


    She chuckled. Yeah, right.


    ¡®Can you wait?¡¯ she said. ¡®I was busy preparing dinner.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m taking over!¡¯ Aunt May called from atop the stairs.


    Well, that settled that.


    ¡®Let me clothe myself.¡¯


    And tell auntie not to use those potatoes!


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait outside,¡¯ Varrick said and turned around.


    Nerya followed him, but she paused midway up the stairs and turned her head. The dark, quiet cellar stared back at her.


    ¡®You seeing ghosts?¡¯ Varrick said, already at the top. ¡®I thought you were past that phase.¡¯


    She rolled her eyes. ¡®I¡¯m coming.¡¯


    The door to the cellar closed.


    Up on the mountain, where the winds lashed out with barbed wire instead of taut rope, one foul step was enough. A missed waypoint, a misjudged change of weather¡ªthey would all spell your end. Solely the hardiest survived. The weak fueled the soil.


    Wide hooves pawed at the snow, leaving footprints deep as veins in their search for the lifeblood of the mountain.


    ¡®Aim carefully,¡¯ Nerya whispered, using her cloak as a mouth cover.


    They¡¯d searched hard and long for this single elk¡ªletting it get away was not an option.


    ¡®What do you take me for?¡¯ Varrick whispered back. He pushed himself up from the snow and settled onto one knee. ¡®You make sure you don¡¯t screw up.¡¯ Then he drew his bowstring back.


    Nerya closed her eyes to stop herself from rolling them (she did that too often around him), and motioned for Varrick to move his arrow closer. She paused to breathe as her hand curled in front of her mouth, forming a tunnel. Exhaling, the fog pushed through the makeshift pipe and shrouded the metal tip.


    The mist clung to it.


    She nodded. Varrick lined up the shot. The arrow didn¡¯t so much as whistle as it barrelled through the air. Not even when it penetrated just behind the front leg, piercing deep into the elk¡¯s lungs.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The beast cried out, kicked its back legs, and ran for it.


    ¡®Nice kill,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Job¡¯s not done.¡¯ Varrick got to his feet.


    It wasn¡¯t. But the bright red trail was impossible to miss. Nerya would give the elk a hundred metres tops. Lo-and-behold, they found it collapsed on the other side of a hill.


    Its wheezing, laboured breaths poured out as steam. Nerya crouched beside it, placing a hand on its head. Her palm pulsed, and as the seconds passed, the elk¡¯s trembling pupils stilled, their black hue taking on the colour of ice.


    ¡®Rest well,¡¯ she said.


    She rose to her full height and reached for the spider-like sculpture hanging from her belt. Her hand pulsed again. The tiny figurine expanded with a snap, and the ice construct grew until it reached her hips and became as long as she was tall.


    Without further command, it burrowed underneath the elk and lifted it onto its back. It started in the direction of their village.


    Brother and sister eyed the golem¡¯s slow pace.


    ¡®You can go if you want,¡¯ she said.


    He nodded. ¡®I¡¯ll see if I can hunt anything else.¡¯


    He pulled his neck gaiter over his mouth and was off, his cloak shrouding him as he stalked through the frozen hills.


    Nerya marched alongside her summon (there was no place to sit) and surveyed the valley. The winds ran free like demons hunting down anything that moved. But their lust for blood found no targets.


    ¡®It¡¯s so barren,¡¯ she said.


    The scent of the deceased elk would scare animals away, especially the smaller ones. Even so, it should not have been this quiet. This¡­desolate. A remembrance of the strange sight this morning came to her.


    ¡®Wait,¡¯ she told her summon.


    Nerya crouched and dug through the snow to touch the earth. She closed her eyes and listened. Many minutes passed in contemplation (what was she even listening for?). The earth remained as silent as its surface in all of them, so Nerya gave up. But she froze just as she rose.


    There was a shaking¡­a tremor coming from deep within.


    ¡®She¡¯s crying.¡¯ This time, she rose fully and stepped back despite herself. ¡®The earth is crying.¡¯


    What in Cryandra¡¯s name was happening?


    I have to tell father.


    ¡®Let¡¯s go,¡¯ she said to the golem, already regretting she had told it to stop at all.


    Should she hurry ahead? There weren¡¯t many predators that could pose a threat to¡ª


    An orchestra of howls preceded the snow-hushed rush of feet.


    Nerya whirled around¡­and saw a dozen shapes eating ground like an arrow, with white pelts that blended in amongst the snow. Among them, moving faster than all yet appearing as if it was running with the least effort, was a hulking shadow too big for anything to disguise it.


    Heart exploding in a rush of adrenaline, Nerya ripped the figurine hanging from her belt and threw it in the air.


    ¡®Spirit of Frost, answer my summon!¡¯


    The snap of expansion was twice as loud as that of the spider golem. Thick, icy limbs touched the ground in a crouch. The golem, its body sharp and angled, the head featureless and hexagon-like, rose for all of its six-and-a-half feet height, raised its arm,


    Then slammed the ground. The floor cratered around them, and the flying, frozen debris kept the closest of the wolves from lunging at them. Instead, the pack rushed past and around as a blur, their snarls whipping Nerya¡¯s skin.


    She whirled this and that way, swiping her knife to further keep them at bay. Fuck, she thought. The golem couldn¡¯t defend every angle. And there was one angle it couldn¡¯t face away from.


    The packmates parted without so much as a growl from the alpha. Despite its size, the beast¡¯s footfalls were silent. The sole sound was from the mist pouring down the two fangs jutting out from the side of its mouth, which poured even when the beast was dormant.


    Frostfang wolves, Nerya thought. They lived near the peaks. So what were they doing so far down?!


    It didn¡¯t matter. They were here now, and she was surrounded. And alone¡ªtoo much time had passed for Varrick to still be nearby.


    What do I do? If what she suspected about the earth was true, her village needed this elk, for the sacrifice could maybe appease the spirit of the land. But fighting a Frostfang pack would turn ugly. The regular wolves could injure her summons and the alpha¡­


    The beast stepped around her in a circle, forcing her to rotate with it. Its icy gaze pierced her, yet Nerya found her attention drawn to the many scars littering its hide, amongst which a claw mark with a red tinge in the centre.


    No, her gut squirmed. This wasn¡¯t a battle she could win.


    ¡®Lower it,¡¯ she whispered, biting her lips so hard she tasted iron.


    The elk flopped on the ground. Losing its cargo freed up the summon, so Nerya stepped on top and welded her feet to its back with a quick spell.


    All three of them slowly backed away. As they did, Nerya stared the alpha down. The beast stepped forwards. The pack did so too.


    She raised her chin, exhaled, and linked her hands. ¡°I won¡¯t win, but you won¡¯t either,¡± her stance said.


    The Frostfang alpha bared its teeth.


    ¡­


    And the packmates behind her separated so she could pass. They ran towards the corpse and dragged the beast off under the watchful gaze of their leader.


    It was only after she was well out of sight and the uncomfortable feeling of the alpha¡¯s gaze finally disappeared that the tension escaped Nerya¡¯s shoulders.


    Turning and running as fast as her summons would allow, she asked:


    What the hell is happening to our valley?


    Nerya was back in the central compound of Winterforge, the Ebonfrost clan elder¡¯s office, where she and her brother were seated on a cushion at a low, wooden table.


    A fireplace at the back of the hall cast long shadows underneath the chairs her parents were sitting on. The darkness was shapeless except for two instances. Wooden totems as tall as the ceiling was high stood on either side of the hall. Artic¡¯s tail curved around the base of the left pillar, leading up to the Frost Spirit of the Sky¡¯s resting form at the top. Grisha, the Frost Spirit of the Earth, camped at the bottom of his totem, where his many golems rose from the ground and towered over the land to oversee their domain.


    One of the maids carried in a tray of drinks as quiet as she could, not daring to disturb the silence between the family.


    Nerya downed her frostberry juice, then sighed to break the ice. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    ¡®The blame is not yours,¡¯ Varrick said immediately. His face was sour. ¡®We would¡¯ve stood a chance if I hadn¡¯t left.¡¯


    ¡®That is also my¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Now, now, mistakes can happen,¡¯ their mother cut through leisurely. She touched Father¡¯s arm as she spoke. ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought a Frostfang alpha would come this far down the mountains?¡¯


    Mother¡¯s voluminous hair flowed down her shoulders yet appeared stationary at the same time. Like a flash-frozen waterfall. The beauty in it was timeless, and the arctic-coloured dress she wore with its short sleeves that left her neck and forearms exposed only accentuated it.


    Nerya frowned. That attire was too cold even for indoors. She honed her senses, and of course, her mother was casting Ice Cloak, or at least a variant of it. Nerya huffed. If being a ¡°Lady¡± requires that much wasted mana, I¡¯ll never be one.


    She brought her attention back to the present just in time for her father to mention her name.


    ¡®Nerya losing to the alpha is one thing.¡¯ His voice was gruff like a glacier displacing. ¡®But what about you, Varrick?¡¯


    Her brother¡¯s chin tilted towards the floor. ¡®I didn¡¯t manage to find another target of sufficient size.¡¯


    ¡®So you failed,¡¯ Father said.


    Varrick opened his mouth but Nerya was quicker.


    ¡®Something is happening on the mountains, Father,¡¯ she said. ¡®It¡¯s not his fault the animals have migrated.¡¯


    ¡®I inspected the discolouration of our harvest,¡¯ Mother chimed in. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡¯


    Nerya had shown it to her after she returned home. Mother had been in the cellar after all.


    ¡®And the mark matched the scar on the alpha,¡¯ Nerya added. She didn¡¯t look away from Father to show she wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡®I believe you, child,¡¯ he said. Yet his stern expression didn¡¯t loosen. ¡®But are colours enough to prove correlation these days?¡¯


    ¡®No, but¡ª¡¯


    ¡®There are no buts,¡¯ Father said, then he whirled on Varrick. ¡®You have three days. Find us our offering. By yourself.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Father,¡¯ Varrick said.


    Father¡¯s gaze remained on him. ¡®Should you fail again, you will turn in your bow. Perhaps one of our other hunters can put it to better use.¡¯


    ¡®Father.¡¯ Varrick lowered his head.


    Nerya found her mother¡¯s eyes and silently pleaded for her intervention.


    The woman solemnly shook her head.


    It was when the building silence over the room was growing oppressive that a servant announced themselves at the entrance. Their message was urgent, for they didn¡¯t leave when Father told them to return later.


    ¡®Chief Arnok, Castle Frostmouth has sent a runner. They ask after our reason for leaving their territory so suddenly.¡¯


    ¡®Turn them away like the last,¡¯ Father said. ¡®The Ebonfrosts¡¯s problems are our own. Do not bother me again with such drivel.¡¯


    The servant didn¡¯t leave, though. ¡®We already did. They refused.¡¯


    ¡®Refused?¡¯ Father said.


    ¡®¡°The Warden asked and she demands an answer,¡±¡¯ the servant quoted.


    She? Nerya frowned. She stayed in the village, so news of the Duchy never reached her, but she could¡¯ve sworn their ruler was a man.


    Father looked equally puzzled, though probably not for the same reason.


    ¡®There¡¯s more, Chieftain,¡¯ the servant said. ¡®The guard states she¡¯s visiting Winterforge and expects accommodations for her party.¡¯


    ¡®She¡¯s showing up in person?¡¯ Father said. The slight rise in his tone was unusual, Nerya thought.


    ¡®I¡¯m not certain,¡¯ the servant said. ¡®The guard didn¡¯t give a clear answer.¡¯


    Father regarded her and Varrick. ¡®You¡¯re dismissed.¡¯ He turned back to the servant. ¡®Let him in. I¡¯ll hear what he has to say.¡¯


    And so Nerya and Varrick quickly left the room to return home. Or so she thought.


    ¡®I¡¯m going out again,¡¯ Varrick said once outside.


    Nerya pinched her nose, having already expected this development. ¡®Look, I know what Father said. But don¡¯t grow hasty. It¡¯s getting late¡ª¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯ll be careful, Nerya.¡¯


    And she could tell from his voice that there would be no convincing him.


    She sighed. ¡®Okay, but please be back before nightfall.¡¯


    ¡®I will.¡¯


    Then he was off.


    Nerya watched his silhouette blend with the landscape. She turned to the entrance of their village, where the guard should be. The timing of this visit couldn¡¯t be a coincidence.


    I need to prepare, Nerya thought as she returned home. Whatever happened, she would keep her family safe.

 23. Hidden Elements

    XXIII


    Hidden Elements


    Well-trodden paths out of the castle allowed Malakai¡¯s party to devour distance despite the lack of light. But they didn¡¯t make the dark any more inviting. A few misremembered hollows in the road were enough to stop their mission, so they took regular breaks to keep their mounts sharp.


    They had halted at a small grove near a stream, where Gregory chipped away at the frozen water with his claymore. Others gathered snow in buckets and heated it over a fire to quench the thirst of both animal and rider.


    Rider, the guard, stepped up to Malakai after his horse found a suitable twig to browse on. ¡®We should keep to riding in the night and evening.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯ll take more time,¡¯ Malakai said.


    Though their horses were familiar with the path, they couldn¡¯t go the same pace as during the day.


    ¡®We¡¯re not on a schedule from what I gathered,¡¯ Rider said.


    ¡®Not entirely, no. But it¡¯s best we get there sooner rather than later.¡¯


    Rider tilted his head.


    Malakai glanced towards the stream. Gregory offered Martin the use of the hole he¡¯d opened.


    Rider exhaled. ¡®I get what you¡¯re saying. But I still think it¡¯s best to travel in the dark. Haste won¡¯t serve us or anyone else if we¡¯re spotted.¡¯


    Malakai bit his lip. Not even two hours in and he was already facing a tough decision.


    Rider huffed and patted him on the shoulder as he trotted off. ¡®Good luck, Captain.¡¯


    ¡®Thanks.¡¯


    On reflex, Malakai pawed the pouch on his waist. There was the soft chime of crystals rubbing against each other.


    I wonder what she would do¡­


    Morning had come and with it Levi and Leah¡¯s time to leave.


    Diego¡¯s carriage was standing at the back exit of the castle and our new maid and butler loaded in my brother¡¯s bags.


    ¡®It was good to see you before we left, Decim,¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®You as well, Milord,¡¯ Decim said. ¡®I was loathe to hear of what happened to poor Jonathan. I wish you return safely from your journey, for both our sakes.¡¯


    I eyed the butler and maid. Levi seemed to know them quite well despite them being a part of my retinue. How¡ª


    ¡®Just so you know,¡¯ a voice said, ¡®I¡¯m running if my life is in danger.¡¯


    My head turned to the irritating owner it belonged to. ¡®I never expected you to lay down your life, Leah.¡¯


    She was standing cross-armed, watching the others work as she only had a single pack and suitcase with her. Her staff was strapped to her back and the butt of her concealed wand poked into the side of her fur-lined coat. Well, fur-lined was underselling it. Her attire was packed with enough hide she could pass for a teddy bear.


    ¡®Don¡¯t judge me,¡¯ she said. ¡®The mountains get cold.¡¯


    ¡®I know,¡¯ I said. I leaned forwards and glanced down. ¡®What¡¯s with the suitcase?¡¯


    ¡®Contingencies.¡¯


    My brow raised but she didn¡¯t elaborate. That left us standing in the cold and quiet for a few seconds. She held my gaze the entire time.


    A frown grew on my forehead. ¡®Anything you want to say?¡¯


    Her mouth opened, which was when Levi approached.


    ¡®Seph, take this,¡¯ he said, and handed me a slip of paper.


    I turned it over. It outlined instructions.


    ¡®This is?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d like you to keep my medic centre running, or at least assign someone to do so.¡¯


    ¡®We don¡¯t have a healer,¡¯ I said.


    ¡®You don¡¯t. But there are materials which can be used to treat minor injuries. The villagers shouldn¡¯t be ignored just because I¡¯m gone.¡¯


    Fair enough. I stored the note. ¡®I¡¯ll set someone on it. That all?¡¯


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    ¡®Then I wish you a safe journey, brother. Don¡¯t do anything reckless. Should anything transpire, stay near the guards.¡¯


    He nodded his thanks. ¡®I will.¡¯ He remained where he was for a moment, though, and awkwardly tiptoed in place before turning around and striding towards the carriage. It was at this time that Jaeger pulled into the backyard with the other soldiers¡ªDrake and Michael were amongst them.


    So was Durak.


    My gaze went to Leah, who was still at my side.


    She repeatedly looked between me and Levi, and finally at just me. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you at least hug?¡¯


    ¡®Hug?¡¯ I said.


    ¡®Yes, hug,¡¯ she repeated as if talking to a child. ¡®You never know when you see someone for the last time.¡¯


    ¡®I can see through my¡ª¡¯


    ¡®In the flesh,¡¯ she added after rolling her eyes.


    My mouth shut. I thought back to Levi¡¯s awkward movements just now. Surely he wasn¡¯t considering such a thing? We¡¯d never shown our affection physically, if there was any affection to show at all, that was.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­¡¯ I mouthed.


    Leah paused. When I didn¡¯t say anything else, she shook her head. ¡®Nobles,¡¯ she said. And she strolled away.


    Now it was I who was standing around awkwardly. I can still approach his carriage. But something in me irked at the idea. I had never been a physical person (not even with my children). The sole exception to that rule was Lucian, yet it had taken years (literal centuries) for him to get me that far. It was also how the previous Sepharin had grown up in this world. That¡¯s why I decided not to do it. I¡¯m sure Levi wouldn¡¯t appreciate it either, I told myself.


    Then, Jaeger and his men were ready, and it was time to say goodbye to the second half of the party I arrived with.


    ¡®We¡¯ll be certain to return successful, Warden,¡¯ Jaeger said.


    ¡®I¡¯m counting on it,¡¯ I said.


    After I offered the rest of the group some words, Diego spurred on his horses, and the party travelled down the hill. My breathing became a little laboured as I watched them leave. The cold must be getting to me.


    ¡®Let us go back inside,¡¯ I told the servants.


    I had a report to receive.


    ¡®That includes our report, Milady,¡¯ Decim said.


    He refilled my cup of tea. The steam that poured forth was a blend between roots and berries. But though the haze was warm, I got the distinct sense of a wintry field.


    My fingers rapped on the table. ¡®So, in short, you¡¯re saying you thought it safe to leave the mansion because it¡¯s already in able hands?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Milady,¡¯ Decim said.


    I glanced at the maid, Elene. ¡®You corroborate this?¡¯


    She bowed her head and voiced her support.


    I huffed. Logical. There wasn¡¯t much to go on to dispute them either. I¡¯d left Snowspire around a week ago and spent a few days in Frostmourne. Combined with them having to travel a few days, their timing made sense. It also meant the two must¡¯ve been on the lookout for any news regarding my location as their would¡¯ve been no way to arrive here so soon otherwise. But were they looking for my location so desperately because they were loyal, or because they wanted to spy on me? Though I was careful not to believe the former quickly, the latter had issues.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡®Decim,¡¯ I said, ¡®between you and Jonathan, who¡¯s been in our family longer? My memory of both your names goes as far back as I can remember.¡¯


    He fondled his moustache. ¡®That would be me, Milady. Though Jonathan is of an old order, I am of on an older one still.¡¯


    ¡®An older order?¡¯ I said.


    For an instant, his wrinkled skin tightened as if fuelled by youth. ¡®I was a gift of your father to Hilde, Milady.¡¯


    Hilde? That was the name of my mother, one of whom I had no memories at all. But Hilde wasn¡¯t her full name so a servant calling her such was untoward.


    ¡®Ah, forgive this old servant,¡¯ Decim said after noticing my frown. ¡®Though I was but your mother¡¯s butler, given the young age at which she was inducted into House Vrost, I was also her wet nurse. We grew to be the greatest of friends.¡¯


    And there lay the issue with the spy theory: Decim was such an old member of the family that it would be unthinkable. It was the entire reason Father assigned him to Snowspire as my servant.


    Well, two things can be true at once, I thought, turning to the maid again. She had been a part of the Snowspire residence for some time, but nowhere near as long as Decim. There was no way to figure that out right this moment, though, so I found my attention drawn to the other topic in front of me.


    ¡®I find I know surprisingly little of my mother,¡¯ I said. ¡®What would you describe her as?¡¯


    Since undead didn¡¯t procreate like humans, my previous ¡°mother¡± had been nothing but a spawn my Father used to fuel my birth. I had never learned her name (if she even had one).


    What a coincidence that I lack one in both lives, I thought.


    ¡®I expected you would one day ask such a thing of me, Milady,¡¯ Decim said. He gazed out the window in the direction of Snowspire, where miles beyond lay Vrost. ¡®In one word, I would say: breathtaking.¡¯


    I hummed. ¡®In more?¡¯


    ¡®An unfortunate existence.¡¯


    I waited.


    ¡®It was her dream to travel,¡¯ Decim said. ¡®Not only the North but also the rest of our continent. Even beyond the Wall.¡¯


    My breathing slowed. ¡®She was fragile of body. That much I know.¡¯


    Decim solemnly shook his head. ¡®The furthest she ever saw was the estate¡¯s garden.¡¯


    That¡¯s why her death shortly after childbirth, though grieved, hadn¡¯t come as a surprise¡­my palm came to rest underneath my chin. Sepharin could create and control undead. So, even if she wasn¡¯t one herself, she had some link to them. Could Sepharin¡¯s mother have died because her soul was used as fuel for Sepharin¡¯s birth¡­? Possible.


    A tightening in my chest accompanied that thought. The former Sepharin must¡¯ve never suspected such.


    I let silence remain for a while before speaking up. ¡®I will hear more of her some time.¡¯


    ¡®Whenever you desire, Milady.¡¯


    I nodded. ¡®Then onto other matters. Have you met the remaining servants in the castle?¡¯


    ¡®We introduced ourselves this morning, Milady,¡¯ Decim said.


    ¡®Good. Then you will fill the void of the former head servant. Divert work to Elene as you see fit.¡¯


    ¡®Milady,¡¯ he bowed.


    I stood from the dinner table and eyed the empty cup.


    Decim caught me and smiled. ¡®Snow White, Hilde¡¯s favourite. Should I bring another pot to your room, Milady?¡¯


    ¡®To my office,¡¯ I corrected and walked off.


    ¡®We¡¯ll get there by evening!¡¯ Diego called from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Levi backed away from the open window, sagged in his seat and sighed.


    ¡®Tired?¡¯


    Levi looked up at Jaeger. ¡®I¡¯ve never enjoyed carriages.¡¯


    ¡®The roads are quite tough,¡¯ Jaeger agreed.


    He had opted to ride inside instead of out front with the others for extra security.


    ¡®That and the ride itself,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®There¡¯s not much to do.¡¯


    The frostguard scoffed. ¡®She looks to be enjoying herself, at least.¡¯


    They both turned towards the golden-haired beauty who was absorbed in a tome.


    Levi peered and titled his head to read the title. ¡®Are you studying the geography?¡¯


    Leah glanced away from her obsession. If she had a face that showed her annoyance more, she would¡¯ve adopted it. ¡®I dislike being unprepared,¡¯ she said. Then she was back to reading her tome.


    ¡®Rather me than you,¡¯ Jaeger said.


    ¡®Not an avid reader?¡¯ Levi asked.


    He shrugged. ¡®The authors are always too old and formal for my liking. Especially the history ones. Blackwater forced them down my throat ever since he decided I was to be his second.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d always wondered how castle lords chose their protege,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®Do you duel other candidates?¡¯


    ¡®Every Lord has their own method,¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Some organise a tournament. For others there¡¯s no competition involved at all¡ªBlackwater simply chose me, for example.¡¯


    Leah scoffed. ¡®That¡¯s just nepotism.¡¯


    ¡®Maybe,¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®But it¡¯s great for when there¡¯s little combat outside the walls. Keeps everyone on their best behaviour.¡¯ He had lost her attention again before his sentence ended though.


    ¡®What about you?¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Aren¡¯t priests all about reading old texts?¡¯


    Levi chuckled. ¡®It¡¯s all I did from twelve to sixteen years old.¡¯


    ¡®Twelve,¡¯ Jaeger repeated, and stroked his chin. ¡®That¡¯s quite late for a priest, no?¡¯


    ¡®It is,¡¯ Levi said, and left it at that. He raised a different subject. ¡®Is this the furthest way west you¡¯ve ever come?¡¯


    ¡®On this side of the Wall,¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Not much here except rock. Makes the orcs¡¯s presence stranger than it already is.¡¯


    Levi opened his mouth to speak but Leah cut through.


    ¡®Just because a place is rocks now doesn¡¯t mean it always was.¡¯


    Levi frowned. ¡®The west was more than rocks once?¡¯


    And, of course, she didn¡¯t deign with any further answers.


    Levi and Jaeger looked at each other before shrugging and moving on with their conversation. They naturally petered off and Levi lost himself in thought. He glanced at his arms. Even now, he could faintly feel the burn that had caused him to lose his mind. It was the sole thing convincing him that what he¡¯d seen was real and not just a dream.


    But how could it be real? He¡¯d never heard of the Goddess appearing in a vision to anyone.


    Just because it¡¯s so now doesn¡¯t mean it always was, he thought to himself. Wasn¡¯t the opposite true as well? Things could change.


    But though his Lord showing Themselves should be reassuring, it scared Levi beyond anything he could imagine.


    There was something happening in Winterforge. Something so important She ordered him to leave behind innocent, suffering villagers.


    And what could be so important to draw the attention of God?


    Malakai and others were crouched on a hill overlooking Frosthollow.


    Rider pointed at the tower at the side of the village entrance. ¡®It¡¯s unmanned.¡¯


    ¡®Strange,¡¯ Malakai commented.


    They may be bandits but they weren¡¯t barbarians. Were they so confident in not getting assaulted? Maybe. But there was something off about the village that gnawed at him¡­


    Malakai looked over his shoulder at Martin, who was glaring in the general direction of Frosthollow. ¡®How many did you say stayed behind?¡¯


    ¡®A few dozen, give or take.¡¯


    Malakai turned back to the village. ¡®That¡¯s too little lights for a few dozen.¡¯


    Better yet, he couldn¡¯t find a single one.


    Martin shifted. ¡®Those bastards,¡¯ he cursed. ¡®If they did anything to her¡­¡¯


    ¡®Calm down, friend,¡¯ Ian said. ¡®No use getting angry at imaginary scenarios. Malakai, I¡¯ll scout the perimeter. I¡¯ll sign if I see anything.¡¯


    ¡®Please do,¡¯ Malakai said, still looking at the village.


    His sense of foreboding only worsened with time, though, especially when Ian returned and gave the clear.


    Could this be a trap? Malakai couldn¡¯t exclude it.


    ¡®We¡¯ll send the undead in first,¡¯ Malakai said.


    ¡®Good idea,¡¯ Rider said.


    So Malakai reached inside the pouch strapped to his side. For a moment, he considered whom to call (his stomach still twirled at the remembrance of that undead), but he knew which one it had to be.


    He¡¯d separated the undead¡¯s core from the four others the Warden had lend him. But even if he hadn¡¯t, he could tell. The undead¡¯s core was colder, somehow, than the rest.


    A deep breath prepared him before he put the crystal on the floor and chanted: ¡®Summon.¡¯


    The shadows deepened and coiled around the core, then grew into the shape of a cloak twice Malakai¡¯s size.


    Breathe, Malakai told himself as he watched the undead rise to its feet. It towered over him and his party.


    ¡®¡­Are we sure it wont turn on us?¡¯ Rider mouthed.


    That question hung in the air. Malakai hadn¡¯t considered it until now.


    ¡®I trust the Warden,¡¯ Malakai said, expelling the growing doubt in his mind. ¡®Undead,¡¯ he called.


    The creature whirled its head, and Malakai suppressed the shiver shooting down his thighs. During their trip here, Malakai had gotten the sense the creature was watching him despite being retracted into its core. He¡¯d pronounced himself crazy and a coward. But Malakai knew now¡ªthe quiet fear he felt was the same that plagued him during the ride.


    Malakai propped his chest with feigned confidence. ¡®Check the guard tower and the village.¡¯


    It paused for a second, then inclined its head and left.


    ¡®Ian,¡¯ Malakai said. ¡®Follow it.¡¯


    Ian merged with the shadows.


    All watched with bated breath underneath the moonlight as the creature strolled down the hill and did exactly as Malakai instructed. The tower was indeed empty, for it exited the tower as soon as it had entered and waltzed into the village. And though they listened for the tell-tale sign of combat, none made it onto the cold breeze of the night. The undead returned to the entrance, where he was visible from the hill, and waited.


    Malakai¡¯s party of ten entered the village, blades drawn, the Warden¡¯s four other undead stalking their rear. They split into two groups of five. Martin and Gregory in one, Ian, Rider, and Malakai in the other with the orcs split between them.


    ¡®Go with them,¡¯ Malakai motioned the meanest orc of the bunch, and the beast trailed the others.


    The crunch of its footsteps made Malakai cringe.


    ¡®It¡¯s too quiet,¡¯ Rider said from the front, also watching the creature depart.


    It was. Yet they walked on. They inspected a few of the homes. Empty, all of them.


    ¡®Did they flee the village?¡¯ Malakai asked.


    ¡®If they did, it was in a hurry.¡¯ Ian angled his torch so it caught the light of a vase. It was quite a work of art. Not something someone would leave behind willingly.


    The bandits didn¡¯t take it either, Malakai thought.


    They exited the home and made their way down the central road, where they met up with the other group.


    ¡®Nothing,¡¯ Martin growled low.


    Poor kid, Malakai thought. He tipped his head in the direction of the manor house. ¡®That¡¯s where she was staying, no?¡¯


    ¡®She was,¡¯ Martin said.


    So they approached. But as they did, Malakai¡¯s nose began to sting. He motioned for a halt and breathed in deep. Damp wood, which was regular for any village or town. However, there was a hidden current underneath the stream of regular smells.


    ¡®Get ready,¡¯ Malakai said.


    Rider positioned himself in front of the entrance, Ian and Gregory stood to his side. The monstrous orc stepped towards the door without needing any prompting and opened the entrance, revealing the darkness beyond.


    The men stepped away and coughed despite themselves. The waft coming from inside was horrible. And Malakai recognised the stench at once, for one that carried it was standing before them.


    ¡®Sarah!¡¯ Martin screamed and rushed inside.


    ¡®Oi!¡¯ Malakai yelled, too late to stop the boy. ¡®Go, go!¡¯ he said, and the others rushed after him.


    But they needn¡¯t go far. Martin was standing stock still in the living room. The others reached around him and angled their torches.


    Malakai fought down the bile. There were bodies upon bodies stacked on top of each other. Yet that wasn¡¯t what drew his attention.


    The far wall on their left and right was damaged, and it wasn¡¯t the damage of a chipped plank. Massive claw marks had etched themselves into the wood.


    Malakai turned to the corpses, which was when he noticed some were badly mangled.


    ¡®What the hell happened here?¡¯ Rider said, walking outside to spit out the decrepit taste.


    ¡®It couldn¡¯t have been the bandits¡­¡¯ Ian said.


    Malakai stepped towards Martin and tapped him on the shoulder. The boy was just standing there, gazing at the deceased.


    ¡®There are faces I don¡¯t recognise,¡¯ he mouthed.


    ¡®Bandits?¡¯ Malakai said, following his gaze.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ Martin said.


    ¡®What about the girl.¡¯ Gregory joined them. ¡®Is she amongst them?¡¯


    The mention of his fiance brought Martin back to the present. He used the tip of his blade to shove aside a few dead, whispering his apologies as he did.


    ¡®She¡¯s not here,¡¯ he said. His head whipped to the staircase before he exploded into motion¡ª


    ¡®Not so fast,¡¯ Malakai said, grabbing onto him. ¡®I understand your concern, but safety is paramount.¡¯


    He waved forward the undead instead, who climbed the stairs feeling none of the apprehension and revulsion of their living counterparts. They were quick to report the second floor as empty as well.


    ¡®She¡¯s not upstairs either,¡¯ Martin said after going up himself.


    ¡®There are more homes left,¡¯ Malakai said. ¡®See if you can find any survivors while you¡¯re at it. The rest of us will look for clues.¡¯


    ¡®Clues to?¡¯ Ian said, eyes quite clear despite the death surrounding him.


    Malakai turned to the wall. ¡®For whatever left those marks.¡¯

 24. Call of the Dead I

    XXIV


    Call of the Dead I


    Jaeger, Levi and Leah exited their coach near what Levi could only describe as a crevasse around a circular vale. Four pillars and flowing stone formed a sort of triumphant arch, the centre of which led nowhere but down into the depths.


    Levi had no idea why their reception was taking place here.


    That, and the welcome could¡¯ve been warmer. It wasn¡¯t an issue of lack of people, for a servant introduced four of the Ebonfrost clan: daughter, son, Mother and Father. They were dressed in wholly blue and black robes and fur caps, which, despite the amount of fur they contained, appeared too cold for outside wear. Perhaps that was why they didn¡¯t smile? The Duchy¡¯s cold could sap the life out of anyone.


    But then why not dress warmer?


    The servant said the last of their message and bid their party welcome.


    Jaeger filled the void the Ebonfrost servant left. ¡®Both the frostguards and House Vrost appreciate the reception.¡¯ He proceeded to introduce their party. The reaction to the undead being part of their group was comical to say the least. ¡®And finally, Sir. Levi Vrost.¡¯


    And though the Ebonfrosts looked him over, he got nowhere near the reaction Durak received. Well, Levi thought, he did lack the imposing figure of his siblings.


    ¡®If I may?¡¯ Chief Arnok said.


    Levi inclined his head.


    ¡®From what your guard told me, the Warden would be amongst you.¡¯


    ¡®We prepared a feast in the style of the Ebonfrosts,¡¯ Eirwen, Chief Arnok¡¯s wife, said. ¡®It would be a shame if Her Excellency were to miss it.¡¯


    Their concern was a subject Levi didn¡¯t understand himself. He was about to voice his lack of knowledge when Durak stepped forwards. All eyes were on the creature within moments.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to enjoy your feast, Eirwen Ebonfrost.¡¯


    The gathering paused.


    Durak motioned towards Levi. ¡®But my brother will partake in my stead so worry not.¡¯


    ¡®Ah, yes¡­Warden?¡­¡¯ Eirwen stumbled before she caught herself. ¡®We¡¯ll make sure he is pleased for the both of you.¡¯


    Durak nodded once, then stepped back, and his stance relaxed.


    Another moment went by before Chief Arnok spoke up. ¡®Then please, follow our servants to your residence. Afterwards, you can find us in the main hall, where dinner will be served.¡¯


    Levi, whose mind still hadn¡¯t caught up to the moment, was about to question how they would ¡°follow their servants¡± but then the daughter (Nerya, if he remembered correctly) crouched and touched the ice.


    The earth underneath their feet screamed and tore.


    ¡®What in the world¡­¡¯ Levi caught his balance.


    Shock rippled through their party as ice shaped from thin air and crawled along the edge of the crevasse. The staircase spiralled down towards the centre of the vale. Glancing over the edge, one could see a village in the distance.


    ¡®Truly master craftsmen,¡¯ Jaeger mouthed.


    ¡®Impressive but simple work,¡¯ Leah said.


    ¡®That¡¯s simple?¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®There¡¯s a formation rune hidden underground,¡¯ she said. ¡®Perhaps the rune itself and the original craftsman are worthy of respect.¡¯


    Meaning the mere activation of it wasn¡¯t. Still, Levi thought, watching the giant work of ice shape in front of him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel awed.


    The Ebonfrost family stood aside.


    ¡®Welcome to Winterforge,¡¯ they said.


    It was still dark out, so Malakai had borrowed a lantern from a nearby home. Not that anyone would miss it. He stood in the living room of the manor with the cloaked undead in front of him.


    ¡®The village is deserted,¡¯ Malakai told the undead. ¡®Warden,¡¯ he added. He was still getting used to the new circumstance.


    The Warden stared at the wall and hummed. Coming out of the undead¡¯s mouth it was more like a guttural roar, though. ¡®What creatures do you know that could¡¯ve left those marks?¡¯


    ¡®A Frostfang wolf or Mountain Guard to name a few,¡¯ Malakai said. The Mountain Guard was a bird of prey. ¡®But none that come to mind live in the neighbourhood¡ªnor would they come this far down the mountain.¡¯


    ¡®We heard the wolves on our arrival,¡¯ the Warden said.


    ¡®Those were likely the regular variant. Frostfang packs use the mountain cold to power their abilities, so they avoid the lower altitudes unless forced to. And I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything that can push a Frostfang to leave its territory.¡¯ Malakai¡¯s forehead scrunched. ¡®Anything except an orc army,¡¯ he added.


    But the orc army would need to deal with multiple alphas. Could they even do so without suffering significant losses? He told his liege of his concerns.


    The guttural roar came again. ¡®It¡¯s too early to draw any conclusions.¡¯ She turned from the wall towards Malakai. ¡®Did you find a lead on the bandits?¡¯


    ¡®They were definitely in the village,¡¯ he said. The bodies Martin couldn¡¯t identify were all male, so it made sense. ¡®We also discovered old tracks which we believe to be from multiple carts. They were headed East.¡¯


    ¡®East¡­the Giantswood?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s what we suspect,¡¯ Malakai said.


    She nodded. ¡®Then you know what to do.¡¯


    Malakai saluted.


    ¡®If that¡¯s all, I will take my leave,¡¯ the Warden said.


    ¡®Uhm, there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡¯


    The undead¡¯s head tilted in a decidedly human gesture.


    ¡®Does he have a name?¡¯ Malakai said, pointing at the corpse the Warden was controlling.


    Referring to the creature in third-person or adjectives was getting old.


    ¡®A name?¡¯ the Warden said and paused. ¡®Wraith,¡¯ she said finally. ¡®You can call him Wraith.¡¯


    A day had passed since Levi left.


    My steps echoed through the hallways of the castle as I followed Elene to the office. I looked around. The walls and ceiling loomed higher than before.


    ¡®Already?¡¯ I huffed to myself. What was I, a child?


    ¡®Sorry, Ma¡¯am?¡¯ the maid said.


    I shook my head and motioned for her to continue walking. We entered my office, where Decim was dusting off the table.


    He reached for a black notebook he¡¯d set aside. ¡®Our account register, Milady.¡¯


    I took the offered booklet. ¡®How familiar are you with the contents, Decim?¡¯


    ¡®More than passingly. I¡¯m the one who keeps our copy up-to-date with that of the main branch.¡¯


    ¡®Then remain here for a moment,¡¯ I said. ¡®I¡¯ll direct any questions I have at you.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m at your command,¡¯ he bowed.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The maid placed the books I had her carry over from the library on my desk.


    ¡®That¡¯s all,¡¯ I told her. ¡®You can go.¡¯


    And she exited the room.


    I seated myself and browsed through the account register. My first discovery was one of loans. The Vrost family, it turned out, had many debtors. Merchants, temples, nobles (amongst which castle Lords and big landowners).


    That¡¯s good, I thought. Having powerful families in debt to us would do wonders for our reputation.


    My fingers rifled through the pages in search of our most significant debtor and landed on an organisation called The House of Light.


    ¡®Does the House of Light refer to the temple in Frostholm?¡¯ I asked.


    ¡®Certainly, Milady.¡¯


    I huffed. Having the most luxurious temple in the North came at a cost, it seemed.


    My attention turned to further pages. The Ebonfrosts were on our debtor list too and their loan could be traced back to almost a century ago. A smile crept up my face. That they were behind on their payments would make it into our negotiations.


    I stifled my mirth and got into the details. Their debt was a bit over three thousand Icegilds (the name for the Duchy¡¯s gold-backed currency).


    What did an isolationist community need that much for? I frowned.


    ¡®Their production lines failed,¡¯ Decim said after I posed the question.


    ¡®Failed? You mean the quarry?¡¯


    He nodded. ¡®It was around the time of the Winter Fest. A malign spirit found its way to the surface, decimated their infrastructure and made the quarry all but unsafe. They battled the spirit for a month.¡¯


    Destroyed infrastructure. That would get them to three thousand. But to think a single spirit could destroy a village¡­I tapped a nail on the table. There was the possible attack in Frosthollow too. Was I underestimating the capabilities of the Duchy¡¯s ecosystem?


    I¡¯ll set my scouts on it. Adding wildlife to their list of things to look out for would be a start.


    I gazed up from my thoughts.


    ¡®Tea, Milady?¡¯ The butler stood at my side, pot in hand.


    ¡®The one you made last morning?¡¯


    ¡®The very one.¡¯


    He poured me a cup.


    Sipping from the hot yet cold drink, I continued going through our accounts. I jotted down important names together with the status and cause of their loans (or ours to them) and ended up with pages upon pages of intel. When I reached page fifteen, my hand went towards my mouth to cover a yawn. Behind me, the afternoon sun was piercing through the blinds.


    ¡®A rare sunny day, isn¡¯t it, Milady?¡¯


    ¡®Indeed,¡¯ I said. ¡®The servants can take extra time off. Let them enjoy the weather.¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯ll appreciate it,¡¯ Decim said. ¡®Please be sure not to forget about yourself, Milady.¡¯


    ¡®I won¡¯t,¡¯ I said, leaning back in my chair. I had about a tenth of the register left to go through.


    Decim sent me a knowing smile and motioned to his kettle.


    I hadn¡¯t noticed, but in the time I spent on our register, I had finished an entire pot. The one in Decim¡¯s hand was a fresh cauldron. I nodded, and his arm flourished, making the water flow down the mouth of the teapot. What fluid motions, I thought. I stared, appreciated the rhythm of his trained manoeuvre, and my muscles relaxed as the scent infiltrated my nose.


    My eyes closed. Still a tenth of the notebook, I thought, professing to myself to finish it quickly. The faster I was done, the faster I could take a nap. That¡¯s what I said, but before I knew it, I had left the room and was in another place. One I had inhabited in for most of my life¡ªthat desolate palace in a world that knew no natural light.


    Confusion overtook me as I glanced around and saw everywhere at once, but muscle-memory kicked in within a blink. Am I¡ªmy chest deflated. No. I was dreaming. My sight wasn¡¯t as clear in places as it should¡¯ve been and the connection with my undead was vague.


    Still, I was back in Necron, if only partially. I stepped out onto the balcony like I¡¯d done a million times and surveyed my domain. Towers whose peaks chased the sky, reactors that burned emerald in their feeding on the volcanic activity within the planet, and most of all¡ªthe restless and mindless dead.


    My eyelids shut. Necron was in an entire different stratosphere compared to the Duchy, yet I was glad I¡¯d left this world behind.


    ¡®No one would understand,¡¯ I whispered.


    And it was as if my voice echoed in both worlds at the same time.


    ¡®Understand what, Seph?¡¯ came a voice from my rear.


    I didn¡¯t startle, for I could always feel his presence without looking. I glanced back over my shoulder. Lucian stood in the doorway in his red and black ceremonial robe.


    My gaze returned to the sprawling world of undead.


    ¡®What losing everything is like,¡¯ I said.


    Solitary was too insignificant a word. Everyone became but a figment of your imagination, one you clung onto over centuries, millennia. But the worst part was that you could see them and speak to them¡ªonly so they could respond as the mindless waste that they were.


    ¡®Tell me,¡¯ Lucian said.


    I chuckled. What use would it be? This was a dream. Even if it wasn¡¯t, Lucian was long dead¡­but perhaps that¡¯s why I found it in me to speak.


    ¡®It¡¯s like a pit in the centre of your stomach that doesn¡¯t stop growing,¡¯ I said after a while.


    Lucian came to stand beside me and put his hand on my shoulder. There was no sensation where he touched me, but I imagined it.


    ¡®It follows you everywhere,¡¯ I said, looking out over the city.


    ¡®I can imagine it hurts.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯d slaughter a planet to fill it for a day,¡¯ I said. Or act the angel should that be what it takes, I did not say. I leaned my head on his hand. ¡®Do you think that makes me weak?¡¯ I said instead.


    ¡®Weak? No.¡¯


    ¡®But?¡¯ I said.


    A moment passed. ¡®You¡¯re vulnerable. That¡¯s not like you¡ªthe Sepharin I know wouldn¡¯t leave her defences full of holes.¡¯


    ¡®That Undead Empress is the one who got me here in the first place, Lucian.¡¯


    ¡®And the sweet empress you¡¯re playing as now can get you there, too.¡¯


    I exhaled. Wasn¡¯t that the truth.


    His finger raked through my hair. Though I wanted to imagine it, there was no need to, for the touch felt real. He leaned in close and whispered: ¡®Is it real family if you have to pretend around them?¡¯


    When my head whipped up, startled, I was back in my office in Castle Frostmouth. My gaze rushed through the room but found nothing except Decim standing a respectful distance away from my desk.


    My cup of tea was no longer steaming.


    ¡®Did I fall asleep?¡¯ I said, sagging back in my chair and catching my breath.


    ¡®Yes, Milady. I thought it wise not to disturb you. Should I wake you next time?¡¯


    ¡®No, it¡¯s fine.¡¯


    I huffed and stared at the ceiling. For a moment, I¡¯d thought him there. You¡¯re desperate, I thought spitefully. I hadn¡¯t had a moment like that in¡­.I couldn¡¯t even remember.


    My gaze travelled towards the register on my desk. Already I felt my eyelids drooping.


    Time for a change of pace.


    ¡®Decim,¡¯ I said. ¡®I need you to summon someone for me.¡¯


    ¡®Who shall be the fortunate recipient of your summons, Milady?¡¯


    Fortunate, huh, I chuckled.


    ¡®A foreigner that arrived last week,¡¯ I said.


    Our guest wouldn¡¯t think it anything so fortunate.


    The main hall of the Ebonfrost clan was decorated in murals of a sort Levi had never seen, depicting battles between various giant creatures. Two of them, a bird wit a tail that split into three and a golem of sharp angles, had a dedicated pillar of their own.


    Levi turned from the decor to his hosts. The Ebonfrosts, except for the patriarch, sat on the floor around the table and listened as Jaeger explained their requisites. The patriarch wasn¡¯t amused.


    ¡®The gates of Winterforge close at night,¡¯ Chief Arnok said and sneaked a glance at Durak, whose face was a silent mask. He and the orc were the sole ones in a chair.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to insist,¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®We plan to traverse the mountain by daytime and return by evening.¡¯


    ¡®Traverse the mountain?¡¯ Eirwen said, lightly touching her cheek. ¡®There¡¯s nothing up there but stone and beasts.¡¯


    ¡®We have reason to believe there may be more than that.¡¯


    ¡®The orcs,¡¯ Varrick said.


    Levi got the sense the son was some kind of warrior or ranger of the clan. His expression was generally harsh, but his face warmed with respect whenever Jaeger spoke.


    ¡®That only strengthens my conviction,¡¯ Chief Arnok said. ¡®I will not have a repeat of what happened a century ago.¡¯


    Levi thought it spoke to the village¡¯s craftsmanship that not a single sign remained of the catastrophe that had befallen it. But this placed them in a bit of a pickle. It didn¡¯t matter to him, however, Leah and Jaeger¡¯s whole purpose was to search the mountain. They could camp at night, of course, but the mountain wasn¡¯t a forgiving place, and their group lacked any familiarity with the range.


    So what to do? He looked at Durak, but Sepharin either wasn¡¯t home or didn¡¯t care to speak up.


    Eirwen offered an option. ¡®Perhaps they can use Varrick¡¯s base camps as shelter during the night.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m using those¡­¡¯ Varrick said.


    ¡®Your tribute hunt can wait,¡¯ Chief Arnok said. He stroked his chin and came to a decision in the same instant he considered it. ¡®Since that means you¡¯re free, you can be their guide.¡¯


    Chief Arnok won no favour in his son¡¯s regard with those statements, but the son didn¡¯t speak up.


    Levi got a foul taste in his mouth. He¡¯s that type of leader. He could recognise their like everywhere after spending half of his life under one. They always made decisions for you with the excuse: ¡®It¡¯s whats best for the clan.¡¯


    Made Levi want to throw up.


    ¡®How secure are these base camps?¡¯ Jaeger asked.


    Eirwen glanced at her son.


    ¡®¡­the runes around their perimeter ward off beasts and spirits,¡¯ Varrick said. ¡®They¡¯ve never been breached.¡¯


    Durak spoke up for the first time this meeting: ¡®That is agreeable for now.¡¯


    Which settled the matter.


    After it was decided Varrick would leave with Leah and Jaeger¡¯s party come morning, they spoke of other details. The patriarch requested that they keep to themselves as much as possible and not disturb the other clan members. A strange request, Levi thought, but not one they cared to combat. More minor details followed, and when the talks finished, it was time for the promised feast.


    Levi left the main hall a few pounds heavier than he had entered it. He wasn¡¯t the sole one in his party to suffer that fate. Diego finally looked like more than a skeleton, and Jaeger¡¯s stomach could pass for a beer belly. Leah was the picture of pristine. The beauty¡¯s hair waved in the night breeze as she gazed out in front of her.


    She side-eyed him, which was when Levi realised he was staring.


    He coughed in his palm. ¡®What were you so focused on?¡¯


    She blinked but didn¡¯t utter the obvious retort. ¡®There appears to be a magic-user of some skill in their family,¡¯ she said.


    Levi turned to where Leah had last looked and could barely make out Nerya¡¯s back profile. That meant the man next to her must be Varrick. The pair was speaking animatedly.


    ¡®She¡¯s a sorcerer?¡¯ Jaeger asked, joining their conversation.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Leah said. ¡®Sorcery refers to modern schools of magic that advance their fields through rigorous scientific study. She¡¯s more like a witch, though a formidable one.¡¯


    Leah turned to Durak, who was hovering behind them them. ¡®Did you notice?¡¯


    The undead¡¯s eyes refocused. ¡®The figurines on her waist?¡¯ Sepharin said.


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Leah said, ¡®but also the environment.¡¯


    Sepharin¡¯s gaze scoured Winterforge. The homes were built close on top of each other, representing the tight-knit community. Yet there was a structure to it.


    ¡®This place is more like a compound then a village,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Which means what for those not in the loop?¡¯ Levi said.


    ¡®There are runes everywhere,¡¯ Sepharin said. ¡®Their purposes differ, but most are defensive in nature.¡¯


    ¡®So they also specialise in runecraft?¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®That¡¯s my first time hearing of it.¡¯ His gaze went to the pouch at Leah¡¯s waist.


    Sepharin turned towards Leah as well. ¡®See if you can uncover one of the runes and investigate it.¡¯


    Levi frowned. ¡®Are you suspecting them?¡¯


    ¡®No,¡¯ Sepharin said. ¡®But it¡¯s worth looking into.¡¯


    And then Durak was back to being a statue.


    That left the three of them in the night cold. Well, two, as Leah strode in the direction of her room not a moment later.


    Jaeger chuckled. ¡®Let¡¯s head back and rest. We can talk more at breakfast.¡¯


    ¡®I suppose,¡¯ Levi said.


    As the pair walked in silence, Levi¡¯s head found the sky. The warmth he had felt coursing through him yesterday was still there, and it subdued the dread trying to enter him.


    Ruelle, he thought and took a deep breath. What¡¯s going to happen in this village?

 25. Call of the Dead II

    XXV


    Call of the Dead II


    Miranda ascended the stairs to the castle¡¯s main office. They were a bitch in high heels. This is the last goddamned time. For a woman that was built like a man, the so-called Warden was indecisive. Over the last few days, she had summoned Miranda at least ten times to discuss ¡°the terms of our deal¡±. Yet Miranda couldn¡¯t name a single one the woman had set during their last meeting.


    She¡¯s buying time. Miranda knew this. But what could she be buying time for? The warden knew she couldn¡¯t go against them. Perhaps¡­could it be to find their hideout? Miranda scoffed. She wished the Warden good luck if so. Better Lords before her had tried and failed.


    When she traversed the last step into the hallway, she breathed in, preparing herself for what she knew would be there, then continued. Two undead, a human and orc, stood beside the oakwood entrance to the Warden¡¯s office and Miranda stopped a little ways away from the pair. The human had changed since last time. The pristine black and blue shield on his back appeared part of his very flesh, like it had been forged from within and called into being. Similar was the black blade at his side, from which the putrid reek of death rose like steam.


    The human¡¯s gaze fell on her and Miranda gulped.


    She cannot kill me, she reminded herself.


    But the cold, dead stare remained on her, and she began to doubt her reasoning. It was funny. Things you didn¡¯t notice normally jumped at you when staring death in the face. The minute eye-movements, the hooded raising of their shoulders and chest, the twitch of a facial muscle. The undead lacked all. Only when it meant to, did it move. And it did so now, stepping aside to allow her entry.


    Miranda looked at the floor as she hurried past. It¡¯s why she felt the change in atmosphere before she saw it. Her head snapped up and found the giantess lounged in her chair with her back to the entrance, staring at the shadow of the massive structure in the distance.


    The door clicked shut behind her.


    She cannot kill me, Miranda gulped, and she willed her rushing heart to slow.


    ¡®Take a seat.¡¯ The woman¡¯s voice nearly made Miranda jump out of her skin. It had never been warm. But it had never been this cold either.


    Intimidation tactics, Miranda filed it away as and seated herself. ¡®Wa¡ªWarden,¡¯ she swallowed. ¡®¡­thank you for making the time to see me. I know how busy you are.¡¯


    The Warden didn¡¯t turn towards her, which unnerved Miranda more. When the room stayed silent, Miranda fidgeted in her chair, not knowing where to look.


    ¡®Is¡­is something the matter, Warden?¡¯


    The seat creaked as the Warden leaned forwards, but there was still no response.


    Fuck this. I¡¯m not spending another day in this place.


    ¡®Warden,¡¯ Miranda said tentatively. ¡®About our terms¡­I regret to inform you that the window for our deal is closing. Our company will leave, should we fail to come to an agreement by tonight.¡¯


    Miranda thought for certain the silent spell would continue, but then the Warden spoke.


    ¡®How deep does your loyalty run, Miranda?¡¯


    ¡®Sorry?¡¯ The question caught her so off-guard she couldn¡¯t do anything but blink. ¡®My loyalty¡­Warden?¡¯


    The giantess finally turned towards her, and Miranda froze. The gaze of the guard had been cold and piercing. That of the Warden was frigid and saw into her soul.


    ¡®Your loyalty to the Black Heart Company,¡¯ the Warden specified.


    A pause.


    ¡®Are¡ª¡¯ Miranda stopped a hiccup trying to clog her throat. ¡®Are you asking if I¡¯d give you a discount¡­?¡¯


    The Warden¡¯s hands slowly linked under her chin. ¡®What I¡¯m asking, is what you¡¯re prepared to do to save your own life.¡¯


    A moment passed, one wherein Miranda couldn¡¯t comprehend what she was hearing.


    The Warden stood and strolled towards a cabinet on the side of the room, where she removed two bottles of wine that she placed on her desk.


    Miranda stared as the bottles oscillated to a standstill. Something dark and sinister hummed within that seemed to call her name¡ªMiranda wrenched her gaze away.


    The Warden was back in her seat, patiently waiting for her attention. ¡®I¡¯ve decided to kill and raise your party,¡¯ she said like she was sharing a fact about the weather.


    ¡®You can¡¯t,¡¯ was the first thing out of Miranda¡¯s mouth.


    ¡®I can¡¯t?¡¯ The woman¡¯s head tilted before her frown lightened. ¡®Ah, you mean because of the deal. This is not about that.¡¯


    ¡®It isn¡¯t¡­?¡¯


    The Warden shook her head. ¡®I need manpower.¡¯


    ¡®Manpower,¡¯ Miranda repeated.


    The Warden nodded. ¡®More undead, to be specific. Your party happened to be at hand.¡¯


    Miranda leaned back in her chair, beside herself. She had been threatened with her life more than once. It was the last refuge of any swindled noble, after all. But their statements, though they were always screamed with fervour, never carried any true intensity. Their owners didn''t actually plan to kill her, not even if they caught her. A beating? Imprisonment? Rape? Possible. But killing was a line they wouldn¡¯t cross.


    The Warden¡¯s words didn¡¯t carry any of the anger of a swindled noble. Yet Miranda knew the Lord in front of her would do exactly as she said. And the worst part? Miranda suspected the reasoning she gave was true¡ªit was a decision based on pure chance and necessity. Nothing more, nothing less.


    ¡®I¡¯m just a negotiator,¡¯ Miranda said with a sudden sense of clarity and calm. ¡®Not even really a part of their clique. My death would mean nothing to them.¡¯


    ¡®Then I offer you an opportunity.¡¯ The Warden pushed the two bottles across the table. ¡®I¡¯ve infused these flasks with my power. No one who drinks from it will survive the night.¡¯


    Miranda reached out before stopping herself.


    ¡®You may touch it,¡¯ the Warden said.


    But when her hands fell upon the glass, Miranda wished she hadn¡¯t. Cold didn¡¯t begin to describe it. She let go immediately, yet couldn¡¯t feel her fingers anymore.


    ¡®I suppose you should wear gloves,¡¯ the Warden said. ¡®Return to me when the deed is finished. Should you think of running or telling anyone¡­well, you¡¯ll see.¡¯


    Miranda was silent on the way out.


    Morning had come, leaving the mountain shrouded in fog. The lack of ambient sound was ominous, Leah thought, surveying from a hill. Apart from a few trees, the white expanse was barren. And cold. Her lips tutted. What do you see in this place, Xun? If it was her decision, she would¡¯ve left this dump behind ages ago.


    She shook her head. Hopefully his tomes were accurate, she thought, or her entire assignment would end up being a waste.


    Her slender finger reached for the rune in her satchel. It was warm but not hot. It must be near the peaks.


    ¡®See anything?¡¯


    She covered the rune with her sleeve, returned it to her pouch, and turned. ¡®Nothing,¡¯ she said.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Jaeger and Varrick trudged up the hill in their thick boots and hooded cloaks.


    ¡®Has the mountain always been this quiet?¡¯ Jaeger asked Varrick, now standing beside Leah.


    ¡®No,¡¯ Varrick said. ¡®Just this lately.¡¯


    Jaeger hummed. ¡®Makes our job easier, at least.¡¯


    ¡®Do you truly think they¡¯re here?¡¯ Varrick asked. ¡®No one spotted anything and they couldn¡¯t have crossed from the other side of the mountain.¡¯


    ¡®Ask our expert,¡¯ Jaeger said, nodding towards Leah.


    Varrick turned towards her, but Leah didn¡¯t explain. ¡®How long until we reach your base camp?¡¯ she said instead. They¡¯d climbed quite far already.


    Varrick eyed her but didn¡¯t comment on her silence. ¡®Two kilometres¡ªso around half an hour. The camps are closer to each other once we reach the higher elevations.¡¯


    Her chin dipped and she descended the hill.


    ¡®¡­she always like this?¡¯ the breeze carried Varrick¡¯s question to her.


    ¡®¡­you learn to deal with it.¡¯


    Leah trod on.


    The base camp wasn¡¯t more than a single, wooden shelter made of thick logs. Not very inviting but it was better than nothing.


    Leah watched Varrick roll out a map over the sole table. ¡®There are a total of eight camps, including this one. I¡¯ve marked their location.¡¯


    Jaeger studied the drawing. ¡®Should be more than enough for our purposes.¡¯


    ¡®Right.¡¯ Varrick said. ¡®Still, I advise not to underestimate the mountain. A stray blizzard or storm is enough to snuff out someone¡¯s light.¡¯


    Jaeger turned to Leah. ¡®Where exactly are we headed?¡¯


    ¡®West,¡¯ she said.


    The room paused to allow her to speak further. She didn¡¯t.


    Drake, at the end of the table, coughed and Jaeger¡¯s lip drew a line. ¡®Look, I know you¡¯re playing the aloof beauty, but I¡¯ll need more than that if I¡¯m to plan our journey and ready my men.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t have an exact location,¡¯ Leah said, refraining from rolling her eyes. ¡®All I know is that we need to go west.¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s not a lot to go on,¡¯ Jaeger said.


    ¡®It isn¡¯t,¡¯ she responded.


    Jaeger sighed. ¡®So we make our way further up the mountain while keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.¡¯


    Michael raised his hand and Jaeger motioned for him to speak.


    ¡®How are we going to stop the orcs from spotting our approach?¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Besides keeping low?¡¯ Jaeger said. He glanced at Leah.


    ¡®Impossible if their magus is present,¡¯ Leah said.


    The frostguards grimaced.


    But Leah had already been thinking of a solution. ¡®I can cast a scrying spell and maybe catch a hint of their presence.¡¯ She¡¯d cast it a wide net since avoiding the magus¡¯s detection wasn¡¯t possible no matter what she did.


    ¡®How long do you need?¡¯ Jaeger said.


    ¡®About an hour.¡¯


    And so Leah got to work.


    The sky had faded from dusk to true dark. Malakai¡¯s group had split up. One, counting Gregory, Ian, Martin and a few guards, was headed to the other towns to ensure their safety. But also, if any townsfolk had survived the massacre and hadn¡¯t reached the castle by now, they would¡¯ve travelled there.


    The main group (consisting of Malakai, Rider, Wraith, and some other frostguards) was headed towards Giantswood. Giantswood was north of the Weeping Lake, and they would have to pass by it if they were to make their way to the woods in a timely fashion.


    And they were making good time.


    ¡®The marks are getting fresher!¡¯ Rider said.


    They were. The caravan had either left Frosthollow late, or taken many breaks. Either way, we¡¯re closing in. And given the direction of the caravan, it was most likely a bandit company.


    The marks grew deeper and more recent with every mile until their search party reached an area of flat land shrouded in moonlight. The caravan was there.


    ¡®I count a little over a dozen,¡¯ Rider said, squinting at the humanoid figures and four wagons around the campfire.


    There were women in the group, Malakai noticed, but he couldn¡¯t tell if they were captives from this distance.


    ¡®How do you want to approach this?¡¯ Rider said.


    Malakai thought for a moment. A quick attck could decide this battle instantly, but it left them at risk. They had a mission to complete in Giantswood. Too many casualties would deter that.


    His hand went to the crystal core in his pouch. ¡®I¡¯ve got an idea.¡¯


    Gerald sat in front of the dancing orange and yellow campfire that was their sole solace in the cold. He glanced to his right. The women they¡¯d taken with them from Frosthollow trembled despite being huddled together.


    Hemmel whispered in the ear of a petite blonde lass, who kept her face as far away as possible from Hemmel¡¯s crooked nose and yellow teeth.


    Gerald frowned. Hemmel had been annoying her the entire trip. Best to nip that in the bud before anything unpleasant happened.


    ¡®The lady needs some space, Hemmel,¡¯ Gerald said.


    ¡®Bugger off, Gerald.¡¯ Hemmel waved him away. ¡®We¡¯re enjoying ourselves! Right, Crystal?¡¯


    The girl whimpered something indecipherable.


    ¡®Give her some space, Hemmel,¡¯ Gerald said. He locked eyes with the other bandit. A second went by and Hemmel remained in place. Gerald¡¯s brow raised.


    ¡­


    Hemmel clicked his tongue, and moved to another bench, where he began conversing with another bandit, no doubt badmouthing his leader.


    Gerald didn¡¯t care and turned back to the campfire.


    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ the girl said. It wasn¡¯t Crystal (she had used the space to retreat to the other women), but the one the girls had designated as their leader, Sarah. The hems of her blue dress stuck out underneath the white coat she wore, but didn¡¯t cover her boots, which were full of holes from all the walking she had done these last few days.


    Gerald huffed. ¡®Save your thanks for people that are worthy of it.¡¯


    ¡®And you are,¡¯ she said. ¡®We¡¯d all be dead if it weren¡¯t for you.¡¯


    Gerald was still staring at the fire. In the dancing, the fluttering, he saw the swaying of the shadows he¡¯d seen that night, could hear the wails of anguish riding the sky above the town. Rushing into that unknown had been the toughest decision of his life.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t do it for you,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Even so, thank you.¡¯


    The two stayed quiet for a while.


    ¡®Have you been a bandit for long?¡¯ she said suddenly.


    He glanced from the fire towards her. The white of her skin burned like the lanterns in a temple., but her pupils were dark and clouded. Maybe she, too, could hear the cries.


    ¡®Too long to count,¡¯ he said. ¡®Why?¡¯


    She smiled ruefully. ¡®Do you get homesick?¡¯


    The campfire crackled along with the soft grunt of quiet conversation.


    He huffed. ¡®You¡¯re asking the wrong person. I don¡¯t have a home anymore.¡¯ And because that made her ask the obvious, he added: ¡®Frosvyre.¡¯


    She released a breath. ¡®The town destroyed by giants?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s what everyone believes,¡¯ he said. The thought soured the taste in his mouth. ¡®But we¡¯re not living in a fairy tale.¡¯


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    ¡®You don¡¯t need blame the supernatural for monsters¡ªwe¡¯ve got enough rulers.¡¯


    She was about to ask for clarification, but a shuffle in the darkness beyond their camp caused Gerald and the others to leap to their feet. His sword cleared the scabbard in a blink.


    ¡®It¡¯s a single person!¡¯ came the cry from the bandit sent to keep watch.


    A single person? Was it a lost townsperson? Gerald could see the man walking up to their encampment now. His hands were quite high in the air and far apart, so he was tall and well-built. Gerald squinted at the badge on the chest. The blue shield of house Vrost punched through the shadows.


    ¡®Not another step!¡¯ Gerald snarled.


    The man stopped right inside the illuminated ring of their camp. Now the others saw his insignia, too, and the women released a sob.


    Gerald cursed. He¡¯d thought they¡¯d made decent distance, but their pace had been too slow after all. He knew he should¡¯ve left the women behind.


    ¡®Is there a leader amongst you?¡¯ the guard said.


    ¡®That would be me,¡¯ Gerald responded. ¡®Why don¡¯t you take a seat so we can have a nice little chat¡ªafter leaving behind that weapon of yours.¡¯


    The guard eyed their caravans. ¡®Those are the towns¡¯s food supplies?¡¯


    ¡®Drop the weapon,¡¯ Gerald said.


    When the guard still didn¡¯t respond, Gerald reached out to the side. Sarah yelped as he yanked her by the hair. He put the blade against her throat.


    The guard quietly watched, his facial muscles shifting as if something he had expected had been confirmed.


    ¡®Are you aware of who the Warden is?¡¯ he said. He slowly reached for his belt and unstrapped.


    ¡®The woman?¡¯ Hemmel laughed. ¡®She¡¯s got giant knockers from what I heard.¡¯ He leered at the well-endowed blonde he had pestered all night.


    ¡®You don¡¯t have to do this,¡¯ Sarah whispered, careful not go speak too animatedly lest she cut herself open.


    ¡®Shut up,¡¯ Gerald snarled. ¡®Hurry it up!¡¯ he yelled.


    ¡®That¡¯s the one,¡¯ the guard said, throwing his blade on the floor. ¡®You may not know more about her, so I will offer you a piece of advice. Drop your weapons and surrender.¡¯


    The dozen or so bandits guarding the caravan cackled, Hemmel the loudest amongst them. Gerald¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. After that night in Frosthollow, his instincts had been working overtime. There was something off about the man. Why was he here all alone? Surely, House Vrost had other guards?


    ¡®I told you to take a seat,¡¯ Gerald said. The knife pressed on Sarah¡¯s throat, but the guard remained where he was. Gerald saw it, then: the pure relaxation in his stance. This was not a man under threat of being taken hostage or killed.


    ¡®Heed my warning,¡¯ the guard said. His tone was solemn, almost like he was pleading. ¡®Or you won¡¯t make it out of this alive.¡¯


    His voice put Gerald on edge. Was the man crazy, to threaten their lives when they outnumbered him so? Even if he had reinforcements right behind him, he would die before they reached him.


    But often, when man lacked answers, it was because nature or time had swallowed them whole.


    A freezing sensation assaulted his feet, so Gerald looked down. Mist drifted over the ground. Confused, Gerald followed the direction of the fog. It had surrounded their campfire and was curled around the flame like a set of wet fingers.


    A snap, and their campfire was snuffed out like a matchstick.


    ¡®What?¡¯ Hemmel cried.


    ¡®Everyone alright?!¡¯ Another went.


    Gerald whipped back to the guard¡­and froze. Shadows as thick as the moonlight blocked all sight. And yet.


    From where the guard had been, an apparition rose from the frozen earth. Gerald could see it because shimmering lines ran down the length of its silhouette like meandering rivers and its eyes glowed icy blue in the blackness.


    A chill crept up from the floor. Cold, Gerald¡¯s body screamed. It was colder than any natural breeze had any right to be.


    Gerald dropped his blade and let go of the girl. He turned and ran¡ª


    But his feet didn¡¯t move with him, so he fell over instead, his arms saving his face from crashing into the floor, and with it the mist. What the fuck? He glanced at his feet. The dark blocked his sight, but when he tugged, he felt something restraining them. They were stuck. Instinct stopped confusion from delaying, and Gerald¡¯s hand shot out towards his feet to free them of whatever it was. Even as his mind gave the command, however, he noticed the distinct lack of feeling in his arms.


    Realisation turned to shock and horror. His arms could no longer move either.


    A low rumble crawled through the fog like laughter at the expense of another.


    He had been right, Gerald thought as the numbing cold climbed the rest of his body and his sensation vanished. One needn¡¯t turn to the supernatural for monsters.


    But that didn¡¯t mean the supernatural didn¡¯t have them.


    His heart rate and breathing had already slowed down to a trickle. The cold was now at his throat. His eyes closed as he listened to the cries riding the night. They reminded him of something he couldn¡¯t quite remember in the moment.


    Just as well, for the world to fell silent before long.

 26. Freshly Arisen

    XXVI


    Freshly Arisen


    Rider and some guards were interviewing the women, asking what had happened and how they had ended up with the bandit caravan.


    Malakai was standing in the centre of what had been a battlefield¡ªif recent events could pass for a battle, at least. He strode towards one of the pillars which glistened in the moonlight. The ice was like a piece of armour that protected the bandit from the elements. Even their reflection was muted as you had to lean close to see who was encased within. Malakai did so. An untended individual, who must¡¯ve spent longer out in the wilderness than near civilisation. The muscles in the bandit¡¯s face were loose. He looked like a man at peace, one who had accepted the outcome of his life a long time ago. Malakai¡¯s finger travelled to touch the frozen exterior¡ª


    ¡®Don¡¯t touch it.¡¯


    He started and jumped back. Wraith was standing behind him. No, not Wraith.


    ¡®Warden!¡¯ Malakai saluted.


    The Warden nodded, her hood bouncing up and down, and she glanced at the statues. ¡®Simple work, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Malakai agreed. ¡®Maybe too simple...¡¯


    Within the shadow of the hood, the Warden¡¯s lips curved. ¡®Really? Would you have preferred a climactic battle to save the damsels in distress?¡¯


    A snort of laughter from one of the guards that was quickly disguised as a cough.


    ¡®Not at all!¡¯ Malakai said. ¡®It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¯


    What was he even trying to say?


    ¡®It was like watching a massacre?¡¯ the Warden said after a moment. ¡®Leaves a bad taste in the mouth, no matter who it happens to.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, something like that.¡¯


    She tapped him on the shoulder. ¡®If it soothes your spirit, they¡¯re not dead. Not yet anyway.¡¯


    It did. Malakai took a moment to regain his composure, then spoke. ¡®There are food supplies in the caravans.¡¯ He pointed to the side.


    The Warden followed his finger to the four carts. ¡®That cannot be all of it.¡¯


    ¡®It isn¡¯t,¡¯ Malakai confirmed. ¡®We suspect that batch was meant for the bandits themselves.¡¯


    An undead hand went to caress the Warden¡¯s cheeks. ¡®Which means they had planned a prolonged stay until¡­¡¯


    ¡®Whatever attacked,¡¯ Malakai finished.


    The Warden hummed. ¡®Do the women know the identity of our mystery attacker?¡¯


    ¡®They don¡¯t.¡¯ Rider walked up from their rear and saluted. ¡®The attack happened late at night. The men who went to check on the noise didn¡¯t make it back, and when morning came, only the dead were left.¡¯


    ¡®So these bandits won¡¯t know either,¡¯ the Warden said.


    ¡®Likely not, Warden,¡¯ Rider said.


    ¡®They could know where the other supplies are,¡¯ Malakai offered.


    ¡®That they could,¡¯ the Warden agreed. She stretched out her arm towards the frozen bandit in front of Malakai. The frost melted to below the neck. ¡®Wait a moment,¡¯ she said.


    Perhaps a minute had passed when the bandit¡¯s eyelids began to tremble. Another went by, and then the man was staring straight ahead of him, his lips moving up and down in rapid succession.


    ¡®Cold¡­¡¯ he mumbled, voice cracking.


    The Warden stepped up and knelt to eye-level. ¡®You visited Frosthollow with enough food for dozens. Where did you get the supplies?¡¯


    ¡®Cold¡­¡¯ he mumbled again. Though his eyes were open, his gaze didn¡¯t turn or rove around.


    The Warden motioned Malakai forwards. He brought the torch closer to the man¡¯s face, and some shine returned to his cheeks, which were nearly blue. The Warden allowed some seconds to pass, then ordered Malakai to step back. The loss of heat worsened the bandit¡¯s reaction so much that Malakai felt sorry for him.


    ¡®We¡¯ll make you feel warm after you answer my question,¡¯ she said. ¡®I promise.¡¯


    Her tone was cold. A cold that wasn¡¯t a result of the body she was inhabiting. A cold that was unlike the harsh tone she normally used. Malakai angled his torch, making the light illuminate the Warden¡¯s form. He exhaled. He had nothing but respect for his liege, and had never allowed others to badmouth her¡­but he¡¯d heard rumours, before the orcs ever attacked, when she had just taken over the station of Warden from her father. ¡°A cold, pragmatic witch,¡± they called her. He¡¯d never seen it. Perhaps because he barely interacted with her when she was in the estate. But even after the attacks, when he saw her daily, he didn¡¯t think the whispers justified. Her tone of voice was cold, but she didn¡¯t lack empathy and cared about the people in her own way¡ªin a way most rulers did not. But here and now, as she ordered him to move the torch closer and further away without a moment of pause, he saw different.


    A great leader knows when to be harsh, he heard an old man¡¯s voice say in his head. Something he had never learned.


    Malakai looked away from his liege and lowered his torch.


    ¡®That¡¯s enough,¡¯ the Warden said. ¡®You¡¯ve been a great help.¡¯ A wave of the hand, and the frost crawled up the man¡¯s face despite his pleas.


    ¡®I¡¯ll communicate what we¡¯ve learned to the others¡ª¡¯ the Warden said as she turned away from the bandit, only to stop after seeing Malakai. ¡®Are you alright?¡¯


    ¡®Ah¡ªyes. Sorry, I¡¯m fine, Warden. Just lost myself in thought.¡¯


    She held his gaze. ¡®Did you catch what he said?¡¯


    And Malakai was forced to admit he hadn¡¯t to his embarrassment. So, the Warden gave him the short version: the caravan had been on its way to a meeting point. They had no business showing up there now, but due to recent events and losing many members, they would return home early.


    ¡®From the meeting site they would travel towards Giantswood,¡¯ the Warden said and paused to study Malakai¡¯s face. ¡®Did you get it this time?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, Warden!¡¯


    ¡®Good,¡¯ she said. She glanced to the side, towards the women. ¡®¡­getting them to Frostmouth would take too long, neither can we take them with us on the mission or leave them to fend for themselves.¡¯


    The pressing issue of innocent lives brought Malakai fully back into the moment. ¡®Can we recall Gregory¡¯s party? How far are they?¡¯


    ¡®A day or two from here,¡¯ the Warden said. ¡®There¡¯s one more village on their list, which is in the direction of Giantswood.¡¯ She thought for a moment and surveyed the frozen pillars in the clearing. ¡®Recalling them is possible, but there may be a better solution.¡¯


    Malakai was all ears.


    Night time was almost upon the Duchy.


    Miranda returned to her company with two bottles in her gloved hands and approached the guards at the front, who were leisurely playing a game of cards and not even wearing their armour or weapons.


    They¡¯re a lost cause, Miranda thought.


    ¡®I¡¯ve got good news,¡¯ she called.


    ¡®Oh? The witch finally caved in?¡¯ One of the guards went.


    ¡®About damned time,¡¯ another said. ¡®I don¡¯t want to stay in this shit hole another day.¡¯


    ¡®You and me both,¡¯ Miranda said. The bottle slammed down in the centre of the table.


    One of the guards peered at the label and his eyes bulged. ¡®Oi, oi! Eisveil? That¡¯s nobility shit! You sure?!¡¯


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    Miranda forced her lips to curve upwards. ¡®A thank you gift for a job well done.¡¯ She specifically didn¡¯t mention from who.


    Greedy hands reached for the bottle of Eisveil¡ªand pulled back.


    ¡®Fack Ruelle, that¡¯s cold!¡¯ the guard screamed. He turned his hand around and glared at the bottle. ¡®That safe to drink?¡¯


    ¡®Let it warm up a little if you¡¯re shy,¡¯ Miranda said. ¡®Just make sure everyone has at least one glass.¡¯


    She walked further into the camp and gave the others the same spiel. Her heart clenched tighter with every guard she convinced but she convinced them all.


    Gods curse her, but she wasn¡¯t dying here.


    The early morning was the most quiet moment of the day, and thus the one where I had the most time to cultivate. I was sitting in the fog-shrouded courtyard of the castle, my tome on frost magic beside me.


    Sepharin K. Vrost =


    {


    Skills =


    [Lesser Frost Necromancy, Minor Frost Manipulation, Minor Miasma Control,


    Minor Necromancy, Frostmancy]


    Racials =


    [Icy Veins, Goliath, Overbearing, Callous, Vorst]


    Miasma =


    986 /1189


    Skill Points =


    3


    Skills Menu=


    [


    [Minor Frost Necromancy] (5 points)


    [Frost Manipulation] (5 points)


    [Necromancy] (5 points)


    [Greater Frostmancy] (10 points)


    [Miasma Control] (5 points)


    ]


    }


    My mana had increased since the last time I checked my status screen, which was a given, but I had also spent some of my skill points:


    [Lesser Frost Manipulation] -> [Minor Frost Manipulation] (2 sp)


    [Minor Frostmancy] -> [Frostmancy] (5 sp)


    I had chosen to level my ice-based abilities for a few reasons, but chief amongst them was because of a suspicion I had.


    My palms extended, and the frigid air of the Duchy expanded my lungs to their full capacity. The cold built within me, near freezing temperatures. I kept going. Kept gathering and building. Outside me, the morning fog trembled and danced around me as if around a bonfire.


    I exhaled, and my breath exited as the breath of a dragon, freezing whatever life it touched.


    Leah had once commented that I needed to work on my transmutation. It was a throwaway comment in an even more throwaway moment, yet the truth hidden within contained deep insight.


    The tome once questioned: is magic called into being or summoned from a parallel plane? Transmutation was the answer to that query. When a mage called on magic, they concentrated the inherent elemental nature in the area around them into one location, calling the element into being. Therefore, to work on my transmutation was to work on my ability to shape the elements already present outside my body. It was a principle I wasn¡¯t familiar with, for I had never had a reason to shape my surroundings¡ªthe well of power within me had been more than enough to fuel all my spells.


    I got my breathing under control. My ability to transmutate frost had doubled overnight, something that wasn¡¯t a result of my training, though I had made advances.


    The system, it turned out, did have a use. It cranked up whatever abilities I had and made them stronger. The reason I hadn¡¯t noticed it till now was because my command over death was unmatched, and I didn¡¯t need a system to handhold me. But my frost magic, for how little I knew of it after just arriving in this world, was powerful. Creating frozen cores wasn¡¯t a part of my death magic, yet I was capable of it from the first day. And even though I was a novice frost mage, I had no trouble connecting with frost and shaping it. These were all benefits of the system.


    So, if my logic was correct, the best path forward for me now was to disregard my necromancy school and focus solely on frost¡­


    Or perhaps it wasn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t certain what the system could offer me down the line. Time would tell.


    I exited my thoughts as I sensed someone approach. My squire traversed the field and knelt in front of me.


    My brow raised. I felt for our connection and listened¡ªah. I had promised him, hadn¡¯t I?


    ¡®You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m in a good mood.¡¯ I stood and carried my tome under my arm. ¡®Let¡¯s visit the stables,¡¯ I said, and we trod off.


    The stable master was one of the earliest risers of the castle, so he was already inside when I entered. He knew what I was here for (I asked Decim to inform him the evening before) and led me and my squire to a horse with a dark chestnut coat. The beast was lying down, its breathing laboured and eyes closed.


    ¡®Pigeon fever,¡¯ the stable master, a middle-aged man with a crooked back, said. ¡®Won¡¯t make it through the month.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯ll do,¡¯ I said. ¡®You have my thanks.¡¯


    He took the cue to leave.


    My squire didn¡¯t waste time. He knelt and rubbed a bony hand over the horse¡¯s coat, then his power flashed.


    I watched as the horse¡¯s body went cold, its muscles coming to a complete still. Hoh, I thought. The hooves lost their dark touch and turned icy in colour. The frost crawled up the legs and touched part of the flank, where it merged with the rest of the coat. The horse rose to its feet, no longer limited by the sickness that had struck it in life. Neighing, frost riding its breath, the steed lowered its head and snuggled against its rider¡¯s palm. An inseparable bond shaped between the two.


    Skeletal Steed, I hummed. Interesting. I expected he would solely raise it, but the horse itself had changed too. Not only that, but the process he used for raising it was the same one I applied to corpses, meaning the squire could dismiss and call on his mount at any moment. The bond also allowed them to share in each other¡¯s power, making them stronger individually.


    This was a level of skill expression I expected of a death knight, not a squire, though a knight¡¯s steed would be even grander in nature.


    Because squires worked better in groups, I was already planning on creating more, but Sepharin¡¯s squires being this powerful had doubled the incentive.


    It was at that moment that two dozen presences entered the castle premises.


    I grinned. Time to receive my new undead.


    ¡®It¡¯s over that hill,¡¯ Leah told Jaeger.


    She¡¯d seen a concerning sight with her scrying spell but wanted to make sure with her own eyes before judging.


    With their target in sight, Varrick didn¡¯t see the need to lead their group, and he fell back to Leah¡¯s side. ¡®I didn¡¯t know you were a mage.¡¯


    ¡®Because I didn¡¯t tell you,¡¯ she said, and she was content with dropping the conversation there.


    Until Varrick said: ¡®My sister is a mage too.¡¯


    Leah paused and fought the urge to correct his terminology. ¡®She¡¯s quite formidable.¡¯ She kept her tone even.


    The praise made the brother light up in his sister¡¯s stead. ¡®Father and Mother call her: ¡°The Black Pearl of Winterforge¡±.¡¯


    ¡®Black Pearl?¡¯


    ¡®The quarry,¡¯ he said. ¡®Ebon, the highest quality stone in the quarry, is obsidian in colour.¡¯


    For a moment, the moniker brought up an old memory, that of a young girl calling Leah by a childhood nickname. She pushed the escaped thought back down where it belonged. ¡®I take it she specialises in ice magic? Did she have a tutor?¡¯


    ¡®A crone by the name of Circe,¡¯ he said, his lips curving. ¡®I used to sneak into her home as a child and steal whatever equipment I could find.¡¯


    She frowned. ¡®Why would you steal equipment?¡¯


    He huffed. ¡®Thought I could become a mage too if I just practised.¡¯


    Again, a useless memory jumped at Leah. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t that be fair,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Sorry?¡¯


    She shook her head and shoved the memory away. Still, her tongue felt looser now. ¡®Can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of a sorcerer named Circe.¡¯


    ¡®She vanished around ten years ago,¡¯ he said, ¡®that¡¯s why.¡¯


    Leah doubted it. Not every mage or sorcerer was a known commodity, but ones that could mentor someone like Nerya were. The community was too tight knit.


    ¡®Your mentor do that too?¡¯ Varrick said.


    ¡®Do what?¡¯


    ¡®Vanish,¡¯ he clarified.


    She chuckled. ¡®I wish. The old fart has been sitting in his tower for who knows how long.¡¯


    ¡®A tower¡­¡¯ Varrick said, seeing her in another light. ¡®He must be a high profile mage.¡¯


    ¡®As high as you can get,¡¯ she said. She nodded to their front. They were at the hill.


    Their party crested the top and used their vantage to scout the scene ahead of them. The white pelts of multiple canine beasts were spread amongst the snow. They hadn¡¯t moved at all from the last time she saw them.


    ¡®Is that a Frostfang pack?¡¯ Jaeger said, frowning. ¡®This far down?¡¯


    That¡¯s what it looked like to Leah in her spell too.


    ¡®They are dead,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Or sleeping,¡¯ Varrick commented. His eyes roved around. ¡®The alpha isn¡¯t here.¡¯


    ¡®Let¡¯s not figure out where it is,¡¯ Jaeger said. ¡®Our party wouldn¡¯t lose but the noise could attract unwanted attention.¡¯ Jaeger turned to Leah. ¡®You need to get closer?¡¯


    She did. So, they descended the hill while remaining as quiet as possible. It became obvious the closer they neared that the wolf pack was indeed deceased. The cold had preserved them some, but the stench was enough to out their state.


    There was still no sign of the alpha, so Leah freely strode up to one of the corpses and used the butt of her staff to peel open the eyes of the beast. She expected the pus and faded pupils, but not the red lines on the sclera. She checked the eyes of the others. All of them had the same marks.


    ¡®Are there poisonous species on the mountain?¡¯ Leah said.


    ¡®Some,¡¯ Varrick answered. ¡®But they aren¡¯t strong enough to kill an entire pack. Neither are they on the pack¡¯s menu.¡¯


    That¡¯s what she thought. But if it wasn¡¯t poison, what was it? Another predator? She couldn¡¯t think of a single one that could do this to a Frostfang pack, nor did Frostfang wolves have any natural enemies. Moreover, the bodies were untouched.


    Leah paused her thinking and placed the gem of her staff against one of the wolves. The tip ran over the length of the body, inspecting what was beneath¡­


    Nothing. Whatever agent had done the killing had already dissolved.


    A walking, towering, and dead figure approached from behind. ¡®That¡¯s the third time this week,¡¯ Durak said.


    Leah turned to the woman currently at the top of her hate-list. ¡®Third time for?¡¯


    Sepharin looked down at the corpses. ¡®That nature subverted expectations.¡¯


    Leah¡¯s brow raised. ¡®What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡¯


    The Warden remained silent. She crouched at the side of a wolf, touched their flank and closed her eyes.


    Leah scoffed. What would the woman see where she herself had seen nothing?


    ¡®They¡¯re tainted,¡¯ came the heavy voice of the undead captain.


    ¡®Tainted, Warden?¡¯ Jaeger said.


    Varrick was shuffling in place, not sure how to act around the orc that was actually The Warden.


    Leah strode towards the wolf Sepharin was scanning. It was one she hadn¡¯t inspected, so perhaps that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t noticed anything¡­but even when she searched twice as hard, she remained blind.


    ¡®¡­I don¡¯t see it,¡¯ she got out through her teeth.


    The big orc glanced at her, and the face it pulled was one Leah wanted to punch.


    ¡®You¡¯re searching for an agent,¡¯ Sepharin said. ¡®Look for the result instead.¡¯


    And to her consternation, when Leah did as told, she indeed noticed something terribly amiss. ¡®Their organs...¡¯


    All of them except the heart had shrivelled up into husks. But Leah could only think of a single entity whose powers had that as its signature.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with them?¡¯ Jaeger said.


    Leah was too stunned to answer, so Sepharin did so in her stead. ¡®Jaeger, you said your men have experience dealing with demons?¡¯


    ¡®They do.¡¯ His face darkened. ¡®But we¡¯re on the other side of the Wall, Warden. Surely you aren¡¯t saying what I think you are.¡¯


    A gust of cold burst forth from the Warden¡¯s palm. Sepharin rose to her full height, and the undead wolf rose with her. ¡®Stay vigilant. I want every inch of this mountain scoured.¡¯


    ¡®Ma¡¯am!¡¯ the frostguards echoed.


    Leah didn¡¯t join them, still stuck on the demons being on this side of the wall¡­she thought back to her last conversation with Xun. Things that had seemed ridiculous then seemed less so now.


    She had to prepare.

 27. Hidden Underneath

    XXVII


    Hidden Underneath


    Two dozen soldiers filtered into the mess hall. Their movements were monotonous, controlled instead of dynamic. A night ago, they had been full of life. This morning, they walked amongst the dead, their lives snuffed out like a candle in a blizzard.


    My heart didn¡¯t skip a beat as they passed me. Two dozen paled in comparison to how many I had killed.


    I turned and glanced out the window. The castle walls blocked the sight of the Wall, yet I could envision the abominations lurking on the other side that would swarm our lands if given the chance.


    My gaze narrowed¡ª


    The sweet empress you¡¯re playing as can get you there too, I heard Lucian say.


    ¡ªand that was fine so long as it didn¡¯t interfere with my duty. But demons were invasive. Better to wipe them out as soon as possible.


    I turned back to the undead. Transforming four of them into squires should be enough for the merchants¡¯s needs. The regular soldiers would fill the rest of the ranks. That would leave me with about half of the newly arisen soldiers, however. What to do with them?


    Lazily glancing over the undead, I called the obsidian gem, built upon a bedrock of death, into my palm and raised it to eye-level. A ripple coursed through two dozen dead, their eyes glued to the stone.


    My lips curved. That they hungered for it was no surprise. It was basically a phylactery already.


    The more I poured into the core, the more I would get out of it, so I would¡¯ve gladly fed it the remainder of the dead.


    But I couldn¡¯t.


    I need more mages, I thought. Undead mystics and apprentices, which were the core of any great undead army. They could not only command lower-levelled undead, but also ¡°heal¡± and raise them. The mystic wouldn¡¯t repair more than minor wounds, and the apprentice wouldn¡¯t raise more than ghouls, but that was fine. We had to start somewhere.


    The issue was that all of the bandits, except for two, had near zero potential for magic. And when I said ¡°exception¡±, I did so carefully. Maybe their great great grandparent had had the gift.


    That left deconstructing and merging the undead. If I added the near zero values to the ones with minor talent, I could create a mystic and apprentice¡­maybe.


    It¡¯s worth a shot, I thought.


    I was calculating the odds of a successful merge when shuffling in the corner of my sight drew my eye. Ah, right, she was still here.


    ¡®Your service is appreciated, Miranda,¡¯ I said.


    The Black Heart Company representative was a far cry from the image she¡¯d adopted during our first meeting. Gone was the quiet confidence. In came the fear.


    ¡®What are you going to do with me?¡¯ She got out through clattering teeth, not meeting my eyes.


    ¡®That depends on you,¡¯ I said.


    She looked up.


    ¡®I¡¯m a necromancer, not a devil,¡¯ I said. ¡®As promised, you have an opportunity to save your life.¡¯


    Miranda listened intently as I put away the black core. ¡®You¡¯re a negotiator, aren¡¯t you, Miranda?¡¯


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ she said. The shadow over her eyes lightened as she caught on to what she thought was her way out of certain death. ¡®It would be my greatest honour to work for your clan, Warden.¡¯


    ¡®And you¡¯ll be able to, should you pass your test.¡¯


    ¡®Test?¡¯


    With a flex of the mind, I ordered the dead. Their heavy steps carried them to my rear, and the two dozen undead furled out behind me like wings.


    ¡®I kept what happened to your party low-profile. Do you understand what that means?¡¯


    The hall was quiet for some time.


    ¡®I¡¯m a loose end,¡¯ Miranda said.


    ¡®That¡¯s right,¡¯ I said. My back straightened. ¡®Miranda, formerly of the Black Hearts,¡¯ I intoned, my deep voice echoing through the chamber. ¡®Convince me of your worth.¡¯


    And the girl negotiated as if her life depended on it.


    Levi was sitting on a bench near the main square of Winterforge. Men, women, and children of all ages strode through the square, carrying varying goods who knew where. Amongst them were constructs of ice, some that looked like spiders, others which were humanoid in shape and walked upright.


    One thing was on his mind as Levi watched them: he was bored.


    When he agreed to negotiate with the Ebonfrost clan in Sepharin¡¯s stead, he¡¯d expected a raging battle of clashing interest. Life in Winterforge had been anything but. Not only was the clan accommodating (though they kept to themselves), but they were perfectly reasonable when discussing any aid they could offer. Even Diego admitted that he had no complaints on the preliminary terms the Ebonfrosts had put forth, and even called them ¡°abnormally profitable.¡±


    In short, it meant Levi was spending most of his time sitting around. Though he could walk through the village and appreciate the scenery, the sights lost their touch after the dozenth time. It didn¡¯t help that Leah and Jaeger were gone either. Diego was friendly, but Levi didn¡¯t know him well enough to be his conversational partner.


    Levi exhaled, the mist of his breath merging with the world. I should¡¯ve brought more books with me, he thought. He was almost through the compendium of Father Callahan''s sermons, which was one of two works he had on hand.


    He glanced at the undead orc standing beside his bench.


    Maybe I can ask Seph?


    She was busy. But it should be fine, right? A single undead should be enough to bring him more of his collection¡­he paused. Did he just consider utilising her dead?


    A sudden, sharp cry interrupted his thoughts before he could berate himself, and Levi looked up to find a commotion in the centre of the square. Adults surrounded a crying boy clutching his foot.


    Levi stood and approached.


    ¡®This is why I told you to bring it in for regular maintenance!¡¯ he heard a familiar voice, which was also hurriedly approaching the scene.


    Levi pushed his way through the crowd to find Nerya chewing out one of her clanmates. He glanced behind her. One of the golems was lying on the floor and struggling to get up. Levi peered. Its leg had snapped off, and around it lay pieces of whatever ornament it had carried. A picture of what transpired formed in Levi¡¯s head.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t think it was needed, Ma¡¯am!¡¯ The man Nerya was reprimanding threw up his hands. ¡®He¡¯s been performing just fine!¡¯


    ¡®You think I¡¯m stupid, Leroy?!¡¯ Nerya said. Her cheeks were blood red. ¡®My costs aren¡¯t that high for you to continue evading me!¡¯


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    From the facial expression of the other adults, Levi could tell this wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened.


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡¯ whatever else the man was about to say died in his throat after he noticed Levi.


    Nerya whirled around, and Levi¡¯s breath got stuck in his throat. He didn¡¯t know her gaze could be that steely.


    And now all eyes were on him.


    He coughed. ¡®I couldn¡¯t help but overhear the child¡¯s screams, so I came to check.¡¯


    ¡®You worry is appreciated, Sir. Levi,¡¯ Nerya said. She fixed the offending man with another look before kneeling next to the injured child and carefully turning his leg around. ¡®Everything¡¯s alright, just a minor injury. Nothing a salve won¡¯t fix.¡¯


    ¡®Let me see,¡¯ Levi said, joining her.


    A tall, broad man, stepped in his way, though. ¡®She said everything¡¯s alright, Sir.¡¯


    Levi blinked. ¡®That may be, but I¡¯m a priest. It will only take a second.¡¯


    The man paused, perhaps not aware of Levi¡¯s abilities. He glanced behind him. Only when Nerya nodded did he move out of the way.


    Crazy, Levi thought as he stepped past. He knew they were isolationist, but this was going quite far, no? Whatever, he shook his head and turned his attention on the wound. The piece of decorated rock had hit the side of the knee, scraping off flesh, and the sudden force and change in direction had caused the boy to sprain his ankle.


    Still, even though it wasn¡¯t anything ¡°a salve won¡¯t fix,¡± as Nerya said, the boy would suffer and be impaired for at least a week.


    ¡®This will only hurt a moment,¡¯ Levi said, gently cupping the offending region.


    The boy glanced between him and Nerya. Nerya put her hand on the boy¡¯s.


    Levi worked his magic. The child yelped (behind him Levi heard the shuffle of heavy feet), but the cry of pain turned into a soothing one in a blink.


    My magic¡¯s gotten stronger, Levi noticed offhandedly. His healing always returned the skin to its original state, yet it would have a pinkish colour, signifying his patient¡¯s need to not damage it again in a short span of time. The boy¡¯s skin was perfectly white. Better yet, the wound Levi healed appeared sturdier than that of the skin around it.


    Could this be a consequence of the vision?


    ¡®Try walking,¡¯ Levi said, leaving his considerations for later.


    The boy got up and put a step. His mouth fell wide open, and he jumped in place. ¡®It¡¯s healed! Thank you, mister!¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re welcome,¡¯ Levi said, rising.


    Levi glanced to the side. The look on Nerya¡¯s face was particular enough he couldn¡¯t decipher what she might be thinking.


    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ she said.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ he said. ¡®I had nothing to do anyways.¡¯ Then he made to return to his seat, patting the tall man on the shoulder as he passed him. ¡®Should you ever require aid again, I¡¯m near.¡¯


    The man¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡®¡­Thank you, Sir.¡¯


    Levi nodded and returned to the bench, where he found the undead guard stationed beside it eyeing him.


    ¡®Should I speak to that villager for you?¡¯ it said, discretely motioning at the man who¡¯d blocked Levi¡¯s path.


    That must be Seph.


    ¡®No need,¡¯ Levi said, opening his tome. ¡®Love and peace in return for aggression. That¡¯s how I do things.¡¯


    The wind rustled past them both. Well, Levi thought solemnly, that wasn¡¯t true all the time, was it?


    ¡®Seph,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®Yes?¡¯


    Levi fondled his tome. Wouldn¡¯t asking such a thing make him a hypocrite? He had admonished her powers many times¡­


    But Sepharin¡¯s powers weren¡¯t going anywhere. Was he going to refuse asking her anything his entire life? Hadn¡¯t she severely limited herself and only used her power for good? He didn¡¯t have the answers, so he chose what he thought right in the moment.


    ¡®Can I ask you a favour?¡¯ he said.


    He spoke and the undead listened, its eyes widening minutely as he did.


    ¡®The perfect solution for the task happened to arrive just now,¡¯ she said at the end.


    His brow raised, but Sepharin was staring ahead. ¡®You¡¯ve got company,¡¯ she whispered.


    ¡®Lady Nerya,¡¯ Levi said, turning around. ¡®Was everything solved?¡¯


    ¡®Cleanly,¡¯ she said, ¡®thanks to you.¡¯ She eyed the lifeless corpse beside the bench. It moved not an inch, though Levi would bet his little toe Sepharin was still in there and listening.


    ¡®I came to apologise,¡¯ Nerya said.


    ¡®For?¡¯ Levi¡¯s head tilted.


    ¡®My clanmate¡¯s behaviour. It¡¯s no excuse, but they¡¯re not used to outsiders. None of us are.¡¯


    ¡®I understand,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®I¡¯ve spent most of my life in a temple, so the faults and hardships of isolation are well known to me.¡¯


    ¡®You are wise beyond your age, Sir,¡¯ she said. Then she briefly glanced at the floor before speaking up. ¡®Would you appreciate a cup of tea? I need to return to my workshop for repairs on the golem, and you happened to mention the lack of on-going activity.¡¯


    Levi glanced behind her. Another golem, a spider, one twice as big as all the others of the same shape, was carrying the broken golem on its back.


    His tome snapped shut. ¡®Gladly,¡¯ he smiled.


    Afternoon had struck once more. The solar star was out, having cleared out the haze over the mountains, which served Leah¡¯s party well: the tracks in the snow were clearer to the eye.


    ¡®We¡¯re closing in on it,¡¯ Varrick said.


    There was an eagerness in his tone, Leah thought. One she didn¡¯t think the mere eagerness of a hunter. Well, it didn¡¯t matter to her. Her staff was close at hand, and the spell on her feet, levitate, lightened her steps, making it more difficult for any would-be present predator to hear her.


    The tracks led them higher up the mountain, towards a natural cave entrance. The entrance was narrow, shadowy and partially covered in snow. Leah peaked inside. The descent was steep. The cave walls were rugged and dark, made of the stone that gave the Ebonfrost clan their name, and they diverged the further you went down. Leah doubted any sane person would ever set foot here, for the place was big enough she could pass for a smudge on the wall if viewed from the right distance.


    ¡®There are more of such entrances,¡¯ Varrick said. ¡®This one only goes down about a kilometre.¡¯


    ¡®A perfect hideout for an alpha,¡¯ Jaeger said. He glanced at Leah. ¡®What do you want to do?¡¯


    She hummed. Using another scrying spell would do her no good¡ªthe darkness would keep her from seeing anything. But Leah wasn¡¯t crazy enough to scout herself.


    ¡®The alpha survived what happened to its pack,¡¯ she said. ¡®Finding it could allow us to determine whatever the event was.¡¯


    Their party gazed into the dark entrance.


    ¡®I ain¡¯t volunteerin¡¯¡¯ Drake said.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to,¡¯ Jaeger said, smiling. ¡®That¡¯s why it will be an order.¡¯


    Drake fought against the desire to cuss Jaeger out, and the frostguards chuckled at his expense.


    ¡®My soldiers are brave,¡¯ came a deep voice. Everyone turned to the walking, dead behemoth standing cross-armed behind them. Sepharin Vrost spoke through her minion. ¡®But let us not be so hasty.¡¯


    ¡®Ma¡¯am?¡¯ Jaeger said.


    The woman¡¯s finger curled in a come-hither motion, and one of the wolf corpses from before revealed itself. Following it were¡­Leah¡¯s brow raised. Were those snow owls and foxes? The undead didn¡¯t wait for her confusion to answer itself and charged into the entrance without delay, using their nimbleness to either jump from wall to wall or their wings to glide down.


    Sepharin seated herself. ¡®We wait.¡¯


    And wait they did. They had started a small fire and decided to eat lunch when Sepharin finally spoke up again.


    ¡®There¡¯s no sign of the alpha,¡¯ she said.


    Varrick glanced where they¡¯d come from. Even from here you could see the footprints in the snow. Everyone understood what he was saying without need for words.


    ¡®We¡¯re going down,¡¯ Sepharin said.


    Leah grimaced. She¡¯d still hoped that wouldn¡¯t be necessary.


    They appointed half of the group, Jaeger, Drake and Michael amongst the ones going down. Sepharin would go in as well using Durak. The others would remain and send word back to Winterforge in case of an emergency.


    ¡®What about me, Warden?¡¯ Varrick said.


    She regarded him. ¡®Though your aid is appreciated, from here on out, this is a frostguard expedition, Varrick. There¡¯s no need for you to come.¡¯


    ¡®With all due respect, Warden, this mountain is my home. If the orcs are here, I want to know.¡¯


    The looming undead held his gaze. Leah imagined that not a single significant calculation was taking place inside all that muscle.


    ¡®Very well,¡¯ Sepharin said after a moment, and Leah snickered.


    They had no hiking gear, so Sepharin and Leah were forced to create stairs of ice between gaps too big to leap. But they made their way down and reached a decline that levelled out enough to allow the party to walk the final distance, after which the ground levelled out completely.


    Leah glanced up. The light coming from above was barely a speck.


    They stalked across the path ahead, making their way through a meandering road. Leah¡¯s breathing hitched somewhere along the way, and the group stopped dead in their tracks, everyone looking at her.


    She reached into her pouch. The rune was growing hotter. Ah, it clicked in her head. She¡¯d thought it questionable that it wasn¡¯t responding despite ascending the peaks. But the location was down and not up.


    Leah exchanged a meaningful look with Sepharin.


    The Warden reached into a pouch of her own and three more undead orcs joined their party.


    ¡®Vigilance,¡¯ the Warden cautioned. ¡®They may have escaped my notice.¡¯


    And because they heeded it, soft footsteps grew infinitely louder within the cold, desolate rocks, and shadows flickered strangely underneath the torch light.


    Leah controlled her breathing. Thunder or fire? she questioned and discarded both options immediately. Besides the echo of the thunderblast deafening everyone around her, it would announce them to anything in this accursed place. Fire was too chaotic to guarantee leaving her party unscathed with how close they were. Ice it is, she thought, her lips drawing into a line. She hated ice.


    The pathway ended in a drop of a few feet that led into what could be described as a chamber, albeit one formed by nature. The chamber was a closed room, with no other entrance in or out besides the one they had used.


    They jumped down, and Leah briefly considered if they would have enough miasma to make it back up with the amount of stairs they would need to craft. I¡¯ll conserve as much energy as possible.


    Michael raised his torch to a nearby stalagmite and surveyed the room. ¡®This isn¡¯t the alpha¡¯s lair,¡¯ he said.


    ¡®I¡¯m suspecting the same,¡¯ Varrick chimed in.


    ¡®The size a problem?¡¯ Jaeger said.


    ¡®Size is alrite.¡¯ Drake swiped a finger over the earth. ¡®But ain¡¯t no marks.¡¯


    Leah inspected their surroundings more closely. There indeed wasn¡¯t anything such as discarded fur or carcasses that would point to a Frostfang alpha making the cave its residence.


    ¡®A secret passage?¡¯ Michael tried.


    ¡®I don¡¯t sense anything unusual about this place.¡¯


    She begrudgingly turned to Sepharin, but the woman remained silent. If there was anything here, it was covered up well.


    ¡®So what,¡¯ Jaeger said, ¡®the alpha vanished into thin air?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s what it looks like,¡¯ Leah shrugged.


    And though it wasn¡¯t the answer they wanted to accept, no amount of searching or battering walls revealed anything out of the ordinary.


    ¡®Let¡¯s make our way back up,¡¯ Sepharin said. ¡®We¡¯ll return tomorrow.¡¯


    So they left the gaping room behind them, knowing they were missing something.


    But what could it be?

 28. Dark Signs

    XXVIII


    Dark Signs


    Nerya¡¯s workshop was a standalone shed near the main hall. Levi walked past the multitude of benches and tools he couldn¡¯t name. Golems of all shapes in various states hung from the wall, which was why Levi had expected the shed to be cold, but the temperature was pleasant.


    ¡®How are you keeping them from melting?¡¯ Levi said.


    Ice magic conjured real ice, so it was bound to fall prey to the elements eventually.


    ¡®All of them are inscribed with a formation,¡¯ Nerya said. Her spider golem lifted its broken brethren onto a platform beside a sturdy table that seemed carved from a slab of metal. Nerya pressed a button, and the platform rose into the air to the sound of a strange whirring.


    Levi¡¯s nose was glued to the platform. It doesn¡¯t seem to be using magic, he thought.


    ¡®I designed the equipment myself.¡¯


    He glanced back at her. ¡®I don¡¯t sense a rune or magic of any kind.¡¯ Though he must also admit he wasn¡¯t the best at sensing mana.


    Nerya smiled. ¡®Because it doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s a mechanical device. And before you ask me¡ªit¡¯s a trade secret.¡¯


    Levi huffed. Sad, but he could accept that.


    ¡®Do you do all the repairs yourself?¡¯ he said, searching for another topic. ¡®Seems a lot of work for a single person.¡¯


    ¡®It is. I used to work the shop with my mother, but other duties have been occupying her time lately.¡¯


    ¡®No else can help?¡¯


    ¡®They¡¯re not capable enough,¡¯ she said. ¡®Most members of our clan can operate a golem and use their abilities to excavate the quarry, but repair is more technical.¡¯


    He hummed. So Nerya was the core of her clan¡¯s workforce. The resemblance to Sepharin brought a wry smile to his face. He returned to his chair in what he assumed was the reception area (though it was all in a single room) and sipped from his tea. The blend had this exquisite frosty taste despite being warm.


    Repairing the leg didn¡¯t take long. Nerya¡¯s power flashed, and already the golem could walk again. She then pulled out a hammer-like tool and hit the golem in various places.


    ¡®Not good,¡¯ she murmured, donned a grey work apron, and put on a mask that fitted over her head with a strap.


    ¡®Something the matter?¡¯ Levi said.


    The girl started like she¡¯d forgotten he was here. She coughed in her palm. ¡®It¡¯s integrity is damaged. They¡¯re minor cracks, but they¡¯ll lead to the same result as earlier today, so it¡¯s better for me to fix it right away. I¡¯m afraid this will take a while.¡¯


    ¡®My next meeting with your father isn¡¯t until evening,¡¯ Levi said. ¡®I¡¯ll remain if you don¡¯t mind my presence.¡¯


    ¡®As you wish.¡¯


    Levi read his tome in the meantime. He would periodically look up from his book in need for a break and watch Nerya work, but the changes were happening internally, so there wasn¡¯t much to see.


    He was strolling through the workshop when he passed the painting of an older, white-haired woman he¡¯d seen a few times now. Leaning on a cane, she stood in front of a small cave entrance. The snowfall worsened the sight, but the two golems at her side were unmistakable.


    ¡®That¡¯s Circe, my mentor.¡¯ Nerya had taken off her mask but still wore her apron.


    Levi accepted the cup of tea she handed him.


    ¡®My bets were on it being your grandmother.¡¯ Levi regarded the painting. The eyes were so life-like, he thought. As if he was looking at her in the flesh. ¡®She appears¡­formidable,¡¯ he said, using someone else¡¯s term.


    Nerya chuckled. ¡®She was the strongest frost-user our clan had seen in centuries.¡¯


    Levi tipped his chin. ¡®Is she¡ª¡¯ though he thought for a moment, there wasn¡¯t any better way to ask ¡®¡ªresting peacefully?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m not sure.¡¯ Nerya gazed wistfully upon the painting. ¡®She left the clan after my mentorship finished. Knowing her, she¡¯s cultivating in a cave somewhere, contemplating the nature of our frozen element. Or maybe she¡¯s ¡°resting peacefully,¡± as you so eloquently described.¡¯


    Levi¡¯s cheeks reddened. ¡®Let us hope so if that¡¯s the case.¡¯


    Their conversation continued onto more minor subjects. Nerya, having never left Winterforge, was interested in the outside world. Were the cities truly as big as they said they were? What was life in a Temple like? Was it true that there was a frozen wasteland south of the Duchy, and had he ever been there? Levi had a response for everything, though his answers were not all satisfactory, given his lack of personal experience. He also queried her in return, and all in all, they must¡¯ve spent most of two hours together until it was finally time for him to leave.


    ¡®I enjoyed our talk, Lady Nerya.¡¯ Levi smiled. ¡®I would not be adverse to another conversation.¡¯


    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t be adverse to it either.¡¯ She thought for a moment. ¡®The quarry at night is a sight to see. We can visit it tomorrow evening, should it interest you.¡¯


    ¡®I thought the village closed at night?¡¯


    She waved him away. ¡®I have my ways.¡¯


    ¡®Then I will take you up on the offer. Where should I gather?¡¯


    She gave him the location.


    They would reach the meeting point tonight.


    Malakai had discarded his guard armour for a simple coat, and he pulled the cloak around him.


    Beside him, bandits trudged through the snow, heads low. Some clutched their arms, others their legs. Wraith¡¯s technique had been undone quick enough for the frostbite not to sink its ugly teeth into their flesh, yet their limbs hung on by a thread. It didn¡¯t help that they had survived two encounters with eldritch creatures twice in quick succession.


    Rider seemed perfectly fine, but then the guard was made of metal.


    ¡®Are we really going to be alright?¡¯ Malakai heard a lady whisper.


    The ladies were still with the caravan as well. Leaving them with the other half of the frostguard party was an option, but the Warden had thought their story would be more convincing this way. She was right, of course. But it still meant the women had to keep travelling through the frost when they could¡¯ve been on their way to the castle.


    Well, at the moment they aren¡¯t safer anywhere than with me.


    Sarah echoed that sentiment to the other girl, reminding her of what the ¡°creature¡± had done. That quelled all worry, and Malakai turned his attention to the bandits again. They were so beat up they weren¡¯t even mumbling amongst themselves. That won¡¯t do us any good, Malakai thought.


    ¡®We should rest,¡¯ he spoke into the frigid air.


    ¡®Rest?¡¯ Gerald said. ¡®We need to get out of this weather!¡¯


    Malakai¡¯s words riled up the entirety of the small number of bandits the Warden had released, for rage was the sole thing they had left in their tank.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡®Up your pace if you want to get out of here,¡¯ Rider said.


    The ire of the bandits turned his way, but the stocky frostguard¡¯s face was as tight as his defence, and the bandits deflated before long, returning to the low vibration they had been riding before Malakai had spoken up.


    They ended up calling for a break after all as Malakai didn¡¯t want to deal with corpses more than necessary. There was no talking, and everyone practically embraced the campfire. They began moving again soon after.


    As foretold, they reached the meeting point that night.


    The Weeping Lake had an area of around four thousand square kilometres, which made it the largest lake in the Duchy and perhaps the entire North. It was called such for the wails which could be heard all-year round as the mountain winds travelled down and swooped over the lake. The weeping was stronger during the winter. Some claimed the cries belonged to a banshee who hated the cold. Others explained it as a phenomenon of nature. Either way, located on the northern end of the lake, was a hamlet. The hamlet¡¯s primary source of sustenance was the lake, and the inhabitants were experts at fishing in frozen water, which was a highly valued skill in the Duchy.


    Too bad the villagers saw none of those profits themselves, Malakai thought, noticing the armed men standing outside the village gates.


    ¡®Halt!¡¯ they called.


    Torches went up and hoods went down as Malakai¡¯s party came to a standstill.


    ¡®We¡¯re¡ªwe¡¯re caravan seven,¡¯ Gerald said through chattering teeth. ¡®Please, let us in. We need warmth.¡¯


    ¡®You will stay where you are until we finish verifying your identity,¡¯ a bandit said.


    Malakai shook his head but remained quiet. This part was crucial. If they were discovered here, it was all for nothing.


    Just then, one of the bandits at the gate moved forwards wit ha list in hand.


    Malakai¡¯s eyes widened. They had a list? He turned, caught Rider looking, and the two shared a nod. They would pull the trigger if it came to it.


    The bandit stopped in front of Gerald. ¡®Name?¡¯


    ¡®Gerald Fritz.¡¯


    ¡®That Gerald?¡¯ He looked up and Gerald nodded. The bandit tapped him on the shoulder. ¡®Harris,¡¯ the bandit introduced himself. ¡®Good to have you back.¡¯


    ¡®Thanks, kid,¡¯ Gerald said to the much younger-looking bandit.


    Harris passed the bandits one-by-one, asking their name and cross-referencing it with the list. Then he arrived.


    ¡®And you are?¡¯ Harris asked, walking up, inspecting his list.


    Malakai stopped a frown. What to say? A generic name that had a higher chance of being on the list? But the gig would be up if he answered wrong. It¡¯ll be up if you don¡¯t answer either. This was it, then. His fingers edged towards his pouch as he pronounced the name on his lips, and beside him, Rider¡¯s hand edged to his blade. ¡®To¡ª¡¯


    ¡®Those are Tom and Hank,¡¯ Gerald said.


    Malakai¡¯s eyes glued themselves to the caravan leader.


    ¡®They¡¯re newly initiated,¡¯ Gerald continued. ¡®Recruited them from one of the villages after we lost most of our party. Same for the women.¡¯


    Harris looked up from his list to Malakai to Rider. ¡®Tom and Hank,¡¯ he repeated.


    The two frostguards nodded.


    ¡®So Grunt A and Grunt B,¡¯ the bandit huffed. He glanced at the women. ¡®I¡¯m not explaining all of this to the boss, so you¡¯ll have to register them yourself, Gerald.¡¯


    ¡®Will do, Harris,¡¯ Gerald said.


    The bandits, the ones on Malakai¡¯s side, eyed each other from the corner of their eye but said nothing.


    And so it was that their caravan passed into the hamlet.


    Malakai quickened his step to reach Gerald¡¯s side. His mouth opened.


    ¡®Don¡¯t even ask,¡¯ the bandit leader snarled, whispering under his breath.


    Malakai¡¯s mouth shut.


    ¡®Do me a favour.¡¯ Gerald¡¯s sunken eyes bored through Malakai. ¡®You keep yourself and that abomination far away from me. Do that, and I¡¯ll consider it all even.¡¯


    A moment of silence.


    Malakai nodded and turned back around.


    They left their wagons near a barn, where more wagons were stored. From the numbers, Malakai guessed two more caravans had made their way here. After dropping their load, a woman approached their party. She was clad in black fur from head to toe and wore a masked idol around her neck. She was a foreigner, and Malakai thought she resembled the representative he had seen in Frostmouth. Somewhat. He wasn¡¯t a great judge when it came to outsiders.


    Gerald and the foreigner had a short conversation after which she said: ¡®The women with me,¡¯ in a tone that conveyed she expected to be obeyed.


    And perhaps she should. The other bandits gave her a wide berth.


    ¡®We won¡¯t be far,¡¯ Malakai whispered in Sarah¡¯s ear as the girl passed him. She nodded, then was gone with the others.


    ¡®What about us?¡¯ Rider said, directing his question at Gerald.


    ¡®Here¡¯s your first lesson as a bandit, rookie,¡¯ the bandit leader said. ¡®Bandits that don¡¯t make themselves useful end up in the snow. Imagine the rest yourself. I¡¯m cuddling next to a hearth.¡¯ Then he, too, walked off with the other bandits, leaving Malakai and Rider by themselves.


    ¡®You think they¡¯re going to out us?¡¯ Malakai asked, watching their backs disappear around the corner.


    ¡®You seen their faces? I don¡¯t think they¡¯d talk if they saw you dead.¡¯


    True.


    ¡®So what now?¡¯ Malakai said.


    ¡®You heard him. We¡¯ll play the ¡°eager rookie¡± and ask the veterans what we can do.¡¯ Rider smiled. ¡®You were an estate guard, right? You ever done grunt work? Shovel shit out of the latrine pit?¡¯


    Malakai hadn¡¯t been smiling, but his face positively turned upside down.


    Rider laughed and started in the direction of the hamlet centre.


    An oil lamp on my desk to stave away the dark, I browsed through the last of the books I had the maid bring me, a compendium highlighting the history of the Duchy. I sifted to an entry related to the Western Mountains¡­and found nothing of interest. At least, not of interest to me. The book spoke of the environment and wildlife, highlighting which species had migrated from and to the mountain over the centuries. It pointedly did not mention underground passages and rooms. But then I supposed the room wasn¡¯t exactly man-made.


    Where could the alpha have disappeared to? I had no answer. Neither did I have a clue to where the orcs went. There wasn¡¯t a single trace of them on the mountain, so logic would suggest they were hiding inside. And there were signs that the orcs were in hiding. The alpha¡¯s pack coming down the mountain would be a direct result of the orcs, and the lack of available game pointed to them hunting down the animals for sustenance. The problem was that there were no¡­wait. We tracked the alpha back to its layer. A layer which Leah designated as the orc¡¯s return point. If the orcs had pushed the alpha out, why would the wolf return there? For a rematch? To reclaim its lost dominion? I thought back to the deceased Frostfang wolves. They had been infected with demonic taint, their organs destroyed during the affliction.


    ¡­


    No, I corrected. Not destroyed.


    Used, was the term I was searching for.


    The magic of demons, true demons, was sinister. More sinister perhaps than my own. They had multiple schools of magic, but one of the schools whose effect was clearly visible on organs was blood magic. After infecting their prey with their own blood, demons could rip the unfortunate target apart from the inside. Crucially, they could also utilise their blood to control their victims. It was a nasty school to go up against (the frostguards would definitely suffer losses fighting them), but it was perhaps the best case scenario: though there wasn¡¯t a single kind of demon I hadn¡¯t ultimately beat during my reign as Silent Empress, I was the natural counter of blood demons. Their magic didn¡¯t work on undead.


    ¡®Blood,¡¯ I whispered, my voice swimming into the dark beyond my desk. Their presence would make the abduction of our citizens more sensible.


    I exhaled. ¡®What a nuisance.¡¯


    Blood demons were an invasive species that hunted anything outside of themselves, even demons of other races. I was not looking forward to exterminating their kind a second time.


    Still, if we were dealing with blood demons, that may be the key to the chamber. There were a multitude of options to how the entrance could be uncovered if so, but the demons of this realm may not be the same as my own. I needed a second opinion.


    After taking control of the undead near Leah¡¯s sleeping chambers, I found she wasn¡¯t inside. Huh, I thought. Was she out inspecting one of the runes?


    I¡¯d see tomorrow.


    A moment passed, and another idea popped into my head. I wrote a letter and called for my squire, who was standing guard outside the door. I pushed the location into his mind, and the undead was off, riding his steed into the dark of night.


    Neither rider nor mount needed rest, so I expected the undead would make it there in the morning. Now I just had to wait for an answer from the master magus.


    The answer to my letter came the next afternoon.


    I had focused my expanding network of dead towards the Giantswood and the mountains, leaving me with almost none in the direction of Frostmourne. Thus, the squire was left with only his orders to go to a certain location, hand over a letter to whoever received him, and return with whatever he got in response.


    He returned not only with an old, weary tome, but also a crystal ball whose purpose was immediately apparent.


    My miasma fused into the stone, the surface swirled like a cloud, and moments later, a face I hadn¡¯t seen for some time was visible in the crystal ball.


    ¡®Xun, it is good to see you again,¡¯ I said.


    The highblood magus smiled, his golden hair and robes in mint condition. ¡®You as well, Lady Vrost.¡¯ The crystal muffled his voice but it was clear enough.


    ¡®Did my letter find you well?¡¯


    ¡®It surprised me greatly,¡¯ he chuckled. ¡®It¡¯s not every day an undead delivers you mail. Your range and mastery of the dead are improving.¡¯


    ¡®In part due to your gifts,¡¯ I said. ¡®Your pupil is also of aid.¡¯ Sometimes, I didn¡¯t add. But his eyes said he knew what I was thinking.


    ¡®Where is the young bird now? Perhaps this old mage can delight her with his presence.¡¯


    ¡®In Winterforge with my brother.¡¯


    He let out a noise of surprise, but his facial expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. I hummed. Had he expected them to go there?


    He shrugged. ¡®I wasn¡¯t certain of the location, but I had my suspicions¡¯.


    ¡®Suspicions?¡¯


    ¡®Yes. The energy flows around the mountain are quite weak, making the energy is easier to tap into and direct.¡¯


    ¡®Perfect for a summoning,¡¯ I added, gaze narrowing.


    ¡®Exactly.¡¯


    My hand cupped my chin. ¡®Is there a reason for this weakness?¡¯


    ¡®Nothing concrete besides myths,¡¯ the magus said.


    I eyed him and he snorted.


    ¡®Tales of the mountain being a living spirit, or a prison, amongst other things. Both would explain the lack of natural energy¡ªthe spirit uses the energy and the prison keeps it in¡ªhowever, I¡¯m certain you can see the issue with those theories.¡¯


    ¡®The mountain being alive is one thing,¡¯ I said, ¡®but we did find an underground chamber.¡¯


    Xun didn¡¯t take my remark as a quip. ¡®An underground chamber you say?¡¯


    I told him what we had found.


    ¡®Interesting,¡¯ he said. His attention turned from me, and the magus flew down a set of stairs to his study. ¡®I remember reading about an underground chamber near the western mountains somewhere¡­¡¯ dozens of pages flipped past in seconds, yet he could not find whatever he was looking for.


    ¡®I¡¯ll return to you,¡¯ he said, still searching through the books. ¡®Read the tome I sent you in the meantime, it may be of some use.¡¯


    And so I left the magus to his own devices.


    I wasn¡¯t placing my hopes on him alone, for I had theories of my own. We¡¯d take another crack at the chamber early in the morning tomorrow.